Chevelle Restoration and Authenticity Guide 1970-1972. Dale McIntosh
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or variations did occur. For example, the engine identification code for the RPO L34 396-ci engine such as CTX may be stamped with just TX. This anomaly hasn’t been found (yet) on any 454-ci engines, but there may be some out there. The engine assembly plant and date portion never includes the year, only the month and day. The rear end identification code shows the ratio designation, the month, day, and assembly plant letter. The transmission is shown in several formats, depending on the transmission itself. This example is for a Muncie manual 4-speed as noted by the letter “P,” which is followed by the model year it was intended for (“0” for 1970 here) and the month and date it was built. E01 is May on this example. Plants varied in how the Muncie manual transmission is depicted beyond the P0E01 example. Some will add A, B, or C for the M20, M21, or M22, respectively. Some may add the broadcast code WB, WL, or WO as well. It should be noted again that these were stamped by humans and variations and mistakes occur.
The original buyer of the car received a metal card with warranty information, commonly called a POP (for Protect-O-Plate). This contained the car’s full VIN, carburetor type (R for Rochester), engine assembly date and identification code (T0616CRT), rear end type and date (CRV1215B), and transmission (P0E01) identification along with a code for the month the car was built (6). The label information has the original owner’s name and address along with the date the car was sold.
Although the warranty card was not intended to document a car, it has become a valuable tool in doing so. Typically, the major components such as engine, transmission, and rear end are dated fairly close to the car’s build date. But, as shown here, these major components can be dated well before the car’s final assembly. The warranty card becomes invaluable in proving a mid-December rear end is most likely original to the car.
Selected options are depicted on a warranty card with numbers in any one of seven positions, and the location of the numbers is critical. For the model years 1970 through 1972, there is only one number possible for each position: either the number 1 or the number 3. On earlier years there could be up to one of four numbers used in certain positions. Why only 1 or 3 for 1970 through 1972? You’d have to ask General Motors, that’s just the way it is.
A Kansas City car shipper invoice shows the Z15 SS 454 Equipment option verbiage with the optional LS6 450-HP Turbo-Jet 454 V-8 engine verbiage along with all other options and exterior color choice. (Photo Courtesy Warren Leunig)
This is an example of a 1970 Atlanta dealer invoice showing the SS 454 Equipment option verbiage. Since the LS5 454 engine was the base engine for the SS 454 Equipment option, it is not shown on the dealer invoice. (Photo Courtesy Warren Leunig)
The options in position order from left to right are:
1 = Power Steering
1 = Power Brakes
3 = Radio
3 = Disc Brakes
1 = Four Season Air-Conditioning
3 = Power Windows
3 = Four-way Power Seats
Only two of these options were standard equipment on any SS-optioned Malibu: power brakes and disc brakes. So those two should be present on any warranty card of an SS-optioned Malibu and must be in positions number-2 and number-4, other options may or may not be present on the warranty card. The same option numbers and their physical location are also shown on the build sheet in box number-108 and should match.
Often you can even score the original order form for the car, the car shipper, or even the dealer’s original invoice.
CHAPTER 2
PREPARATION
The first thing you probably need to ask yourself is, “Do I have the skills and tools to do what I need to do?” Well, that depends on a lot of factors. What is your overall objective for the car? If the objective is to build a nice driver-quality car and you have some skills in bodywork and things mechanical along with the garage space to do the work, you probably have most of the skills needed. Major steps such as rebuilding the engine or transmission may require you to send the engine block, heads, etc. to a machine shop for cleaning and/or necessary machining of parts. You will also need confidence in your ability to reassemble it and get it running.
Many cannot afford to have a professional restoration done and decide to carry out the task between themselves and their buddies. Many say it is not possible, while many others enthusiastically accept the challenge. In reality, it can be done in most home garages using home mechanic tools. Yes, some items will have to be farmed out, but then again, even most professional shops farm out at least some of their work. Every month I get dozens of calls and e-mails at the shop asking me for help in how to restore their car.
All you need is a little space, some fairly basic tools, a little know-how, and lots of money, and you too can be successful at restoring your car. The fruits of your labor will be enjoyed for many years to come.
Set a Budget
The most important item I can stress when undertaking a project like this is to have a budget set and stick to that budget. Have the funds already set aside before the project is started. Nothing can be more harmful to a project then getting underway and then running out of money. The car will sit for months while more funds are being raised. In the meantime, other important items come up such as repairing the bathroom or taking a family vacation, and before you know it, the project is on permanent hold, making all the work and money spent to date mostly a waste of time. Seldom are projects picked up and started moving again, and more often than not the interest is lost and the car will once again sit and be forgotten as the excitement has worn off.
Gather Documentation
Once you have determined you are serious about the project, you must go back to the very beginning to when the car was first acquired. By this, I mean gather as much information, documentation, history, and photos of the restoration candidate before a single bolt is loosened.
The type of restoration you will be doing will dictate what information you must gather. If all you intend to do is restore the car bearing no resemblance to what it once was and then drive the heck out of it, then its history and documents are likely unimportant. However, if you intend to restore it to a show or concours level and duplicate exactly what it was coming off the assembly line, then items such as color, interior type, options, etc. will be very important, especially in preserving your investment.
Knowing its history will also help in explaining any hidden battle scars encountered during the tear down, as well as make it a little more interesting. It will also help in locating issues that may be there but until now have remained unseen. The more valuable the car, the more important the car’s history, documentation, old photos, owner history, and many other items will come into play.
Reference Sources
I strongly recommend purchasing as many books and reference materials as you can afford. Items such as assembly manuals, chassis service manuals, and model-specific books are priceless when doing a complete restoration. Wiring schematics for your year can be invaluable. While these are fairly generic and will not cover many options, they are still worth obtaining in color if possible.
Buy any manuals and reference material you can get your hands on. Chevrolet printed any number of manuals for a given model year, and there are good reference books that break down information such as paint codes, interior