Bob King searched for a 1970 Chevelle SS model for about a year and a half before he located one almost 2500 miles away in Atlanta, Georgia.
The search ended in 2010 when he was able to close a deal with its former owner.
Jim Sutherland
The former owner provided 150 photos of the Chevelle so Bob could take a careful look at it before he decided to buy the car. It is easy to understand why Bob proceeded with caution before he bought the Chevelle because the price tag on an original 1970 Chevelle SS with its factory original powertrain was high-even in 2010 because, as the old cliché goes; “they don’t make ‘em anymore”.
The Chevelle SS models were not built in abundance, so a 454 version was an even scarcer model in the 21st century. For the record, the raised hood on a Chevelle SS 454 draws in air to feed the fuel mix in the giant carburetor and is labeled a Cowl Induction System. Bob’s Chevelle has all the right factory components that made his car a brute force street warrior back in the day.
As mentioned, Bob leans heavily toward the factory-original philosophy but he did add a couple of gauges to replace the Chevelle’s “dummy lights” (his words) and monitor the oil pressure and water temperature readings. Most car guys shy away from warning lights because they tend to light up after a major problem and do not give enough warning before the engine goes up in smoke.
His changes to the factory engine monitor system were minor and can be changed back with little difficulty, but now Bob can stay on top of his engine’s oil pressure and temperatures. It’s a sound idea because they are also not making 454 big block Chevy engines built in 1970 anymore.
Bob’s ’70 Chevelle has a couple of interesting decals on its radiator support that showcase Atlanta’s connection with the car. He decided to keep them because they are part of the Chevelle’s history and are a unique feature of its legacy.
Bob repainted the Chevelle in 2017 and was careful to stick with its factory code color and racing stripes during the process.
He also noted the factory wheels on his Chevelle SS 454, another nod to Bob’s effort to stick to the factory version of his car.
1970 was a year when the Chevelle models underwent a major cosmetic change just in time for a brand-new decade. The 1970 Chevelles shared a common style with their 1971 and ’72 successors, but they had four headlights, unlike the ’71-72 Chevelles’ two-headlight illumination systems.
1970 was also the final year of peak horsepower for most muscle cars because unleaded fuel legislation meant lower compression engines were on the horizon in 1971. As a result, a 1970 Chevelle equipped with a 454 was the last year for unbridled horsepower, a fact not lost on Bob when he became the proud owner of a ’70 Chevelle SS 454.
MyStarCollectorCar will leave the last words to Bob: “It’s perfect on the road…my only problem is I get too many speeding tickets”.
Bob King
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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