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1970 Chevelle SS 454 LS5
Dan Bishop, Riverside, California
Engine: LS5 454
Transmission: THM 400
Paint: Astro Blue
Interior Color: Ivory
Original Parts Group Inc. (OPGI), Customer Dan Bishop of Riverside, California is the proud owner of this super nice 1970 Chevelle Super Sport LS5. Dan should be proud of his car, as it’s obviously a beauty, and probably one of the two most coveted Chevelles ever made (the 1970 LS5 and LS6 Super Sport Chevelles). Although the LS5 Chevelle did not match the 450 horsepower rating of the solid lifter equipped LS6, the LS5 with its hydraulic lifters and Rochester Quadrajet carburetor put out a respectable 360 horsepower in stock trim, making it one of the most powerful muscle cars on the street back in 1970.
Dan purchased this car in 2009 after scouring the country for months looking for an honest-to-goodness, documented 1970 Chevelle SS with a 454. His search ended up just outside of Oakland, California where he found this Astro Blue Chevelle accented with white SS stripes. Prior to purchasing the car, Dan had done a lot of research in order to identify a true SS car versus a clone. Upon examining this car, Dan said the owner presented him with the metal Protect-O-Plate ID as well as photos of the casting numbers and date codes on the drivetrain that showed it was a true, numbers-matching vehicle. Dan learned that the Chevelle was manufactured at the Arlington, Texas assembly plant in the third week of March 1970 and later sold new in Texas that same year. Satisfied that the car was a stock and original car, Dan purchased it and shipped it home to Riverside.
Dan learned that he was the third owner of the car and that the second owner had a partial restoration performed on the car sometime around 1999 or 2000. Along with the car, Dan also received a bunch of trophies the Chevelle had won at various car shows since its initial restoration. Following suit, Dan began taking the car to various local car shows where the car presented well and began winning a few more awards.
Dan says it was at those initial car shows where he learned what needed to be replaced or restored in order to bring the Chevelle back to a fully-finished, absolute authentic stock configuration. Over the course of four years and with the help of JH Restorations (also in Riverside), all of the remaining non-stock items on the car were replaced with stock items in the final restoration process. Today, the car remains fully restored to all original condition in Astro Blue paint with Ivory interior and is still powered by the original big-block and Turbo 400 transmission that it came with from the factory.
Upon completion, Dan began showing his LS5 again, and to date it has earned honors in over a dozen different events. The car was entered in the La Jolla Concours de Elegance in 2012 where it won third place in the Muscle Car class. It was entered again in the 2013 La Jolla Concours de Elegance as well as the 2013 Huntington Beach Concours de Elegance, where it placed second in class at both prestigious events. The car was then entered in the 2013 San Gabriel Valley Vintage Chevrolet Club of America (VCCA) show where it earned a Junior Award, scoring 998/1000. Dan’s Chevelle earned the Senior Award scoring 999/1000 at the 2013 Orange County VCCA show, and most recently the car was awarded a VCCA Preservation award with a score of 995/1000 in 2014. Given this car’s stunning appearance and documented authenticity, we’d guess that Dan and his LS5 SS Chevelle will continue turning heads and earning awards for many years to come.
