My new toy (long story)

[cypress TX 72]

I know you guys will appreciate this story:
Monday night my buddy and I went to Dallas (we live in Houston) for a meeting early Tuesday AM. On the way around Corsicanna, I see a 4X4 K5 off the side of I-45 for sale. It was about 1:00 in the morning so I didn't stop to ask about it, but I figured I would stop on my way back and see how much he wanted for it, and see what shape it was in..
Well the next day we attend our meeting, then we set out for home, I almost forgot to stop, but then I seen it, there in the same spot as the night before.
We pull in and start looking at it, and inspecting every inch as I know you guys do. This truck was in bad, bad shape... The DS floor board was completely gone and had a piece of plywood in its place. the carb had mud dobber nests in the secondaries and there was no rubber under the hood, I mean no hoses, no vacuum lines, no wires no nothing.... we won't even get into the interior... I would never say that one of these trucks is ready for the scrapper, but this one was UNREPAIRABLE - Period.
Just as we were getting into my 72 Cheyenne Super to continue the jouney home, the owner comes driving up and blocks us in.
I tell him we were just looking (I didn't want to hurt his feelings) and that I look at every one I see.. Well he asks if I am in to old trucks and muscle cars.. after my obvious answer, he says that his son is selling an old yellow car "but I aint sure what make it is, Im thinken its a chevrolet" he says.
well we figure what the hell, right we've gone this far. So we follow him to his house about a quarter mile down this dirt road that we are on, to his barn/shop that is surrounded by un-running and junk farm equipment.
He honks his horn and his son comes out of the house to meet us at the front of the barn... The old man tells the boy that we want to see his car thats for sale.
The son is probably about 25 - 29 and is a slight more educated than his ol man, and turns out to be a gear head like us. He starts to tell me about the car he has for sale as he is un-doing the latch that opens the bar..
Boys -- I almost soiled my shorts when I saw what he was talking about.
1972 Chevelle Super Sport - Canary Yellow with Black SS strips.

The young man went on to tell me that he purchased this car from a Decon at his church, and that the Decon was the original owner. He tells me that he has all the papers on the car and every reciept for everything ever done to this car. He tells me that he has the protecto plate and that the decon had been filing all the records to Chevrolet until they stopped the Protecto plate program.

Now, I wish I could tell you that it was one of those stories were the little ol lady didn't know what they had and she let me have it for $200 - But this guy knew exactly what he had. But he was selling it (wait until you hear this)
because he needed the money to post bail for his Mother and his girl friend !!!
---- Can you believe that.
I didn't ask -- or I would tell you..
Well after telling me how much the car was worth, and how much the Earl Shives paint job that he put on it.. he wanted 15,000 for it.
I told him that I would give him 7,500 cash, in less than 3hrs. (Time to get back to Dallas and the Bank)
Well after he stopped laughing, and he could talk again, we went back and forth, until we settled on $8,000, an old 350 long block that I had in storage, a cap for his K5, (that was not in good shape, but better than his) and that I would pick up 2 Bucket seats that he had bought on ebay and were in Houston and bring them back when I bring the rest of the stuff and the money.

I went home got the money, loaded my car hauler with the crap I gave him, went and picked up his seats, and headed out.

This 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle Documented SS now belongs to me.
and is in my garage.
And as far as I know his mother and girl friend are out on bail ???

This is an absolutly true story and stands as a testament that you should alway attempt to save any 67-72 chevrolet pickup, blazer or burb... you never know where it will take you...

After talking to alot of people about these cars it seems that the average cost for these: restored, but not show restored, should bring about 20 - 30K
Please tell me this is true.

Here is a picture of the car....

[llegos]

waaaaaaaaaaaa......I want one...

what are the stats? please tell me its a 4spd....

[BowTieMan]

Man that is a sweet car. You got lucky.

[BraveDave]

Sir, you might as well go ahead and have someone shoot you now. It won't ever get any better than this. Congrats on your new purchase. I hope you drive the tar out of it in good health.

[MDC]

NO WAY!!! Where am I when these things show up?

[redhead69]

VERY COOL.. CONGRATS!

[72CSTC5]

That story is ridiculous. I can not believe you only paid 8000.00 for the car. I was expecting to see an old car faded with an ugly paint job on it for that money. You won the Texas lottery sir.

[cypress TX 72]

I did hit the lotto with this one, but when I say Earl Shives I mean it.. Its a fresh paint job, but the prep work was bad - and you can tell close up -- But the car is streight and solid... not a Bondo Bucket on wheels... I had my Certified Bondo sniffing dog with me and he only barked once or twice..

LLegos,
Original Equipment (Super Sport)
350 Cid
3 Speed Auto (TH350)
.373 Gears
Buckets
Center Console
Complete Gauge Package
Air Conditioning
SS Cowl Hood
Tilt
Push Button AM Radio
SS Suspension Package(Front and rear sway bars, Adjustable air shocks with the valve by the fuel neck, behind the rear plate, HD springs and shocks.)
According to the original build sheet and window sticker (that he gave me laminated and looking good as new and VIN correct) the sticker price was $4345.00
Which was pretty costly in '72
O yeah, it also has a seat belt and tire pressure sensor light in the instrument cluster (OE)
Geez, I still can't believe it.
TS

[Americanrider]

I would have let my mom stay in the graybar hotel before giving up my bowtie...

[tripleblack]

that story is unreal! I wish i was driving up to dallas that morning! I am happy for you, and a bit jelous but who wouldn't be with a classic like that. Awesome car.

[BraveDave]

Originally Posted by cypress TX 72

....but when I say Earl Shives I mean it.. TS

Just for the record, it's Earl Sheib!

[cypress TX 72]

Americanrider,

LM F AO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think I would too... She got herself in there right.
I was thinking hell, he had his mother and his girlfriend in there---- Him and his dad must have been in Heaven. LEAVE THEM THERE, DUDE!!!!!!
Maybe they could become friends in there, share chewing tobacco and underware..., Rescipes such as baked possum or stuffed field rat / sweet potatoes.

[mocwon]

All I can say is WOW.......

[Premium72]

dont sell it...drive the wheels off that thing...good find

[FirstGen]

I don't know much about those A-bodies but I do remember about 2 years ago a guy I know searched and searched and searched for a 72 Chevelle SS and could not find one for under 20K. He finally settled on a 72 SS clone convertable with major rust and completely unrestored total project for 14 thousand! I think you made out very well. If it is your dream car, keep it and drive it into the ground if you want. If it was me, I would probably sell it and try to make 10-15 grand

[gregfull]

Great find and great story! Will we see this one cruisin the streets, or are you going to restore? Keep us posted.

[wink_tim]

I haven't been this Jealous in a while, nice find.

[72 longhorn BB]

Pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We need more pictures!!!!

[panhandler62]

Assuming that's a genuine unrestored original car (which it looks and sounds to be..)

It's worth about $18K ... get a first class paint job in the original color and you can make it 20 even. If it was a rat powered car it would be worth half again that much.

You got the last of the fire-breathing Chevelles.. not long after that they began selling the neutered versions.

[GreenMystChevy]

Nice find, that is a clean looking car. I likey!

Hopefully not to rain on your parade, but if I remember correctly, the true SS's only came with the 396 (AKA 402) and the 454. Neither of these would be mated to a TH-350, only the TH-400 or the 4-speed. If you have all of the documentation then it is probably an SS car without the original drivetrain.
Oh, and it was after '70 that they started to make the neutered versions and they quit production after '72 with '72 being the end of most of the great muscle cars.
Even if I am right, that is still a sweet car at a great price. Have fun in that baby! And of course, post some burnout pics

[Scrubby]

Originally Posted by GreenMystChevy

if I remember correctly, the true SS's only came with the 396 (AKA 402) and the 454. Neither of these would be mated to a TH-350, only the TH-400 or the 4-speed.

I don't know about the Chevelles, but I do know in 1971 the Nova was available as an SS with a 350.

[cypress TX 72]

Green,
No, according to the bulid sheet it specifically states 350CID and 3 speed 350TH as selected options, and that the car was bought with the "SS" package.

I think that the ones your speaking of started with a ""L" didn't they, like a LS or a LG -- or something like that.
I can try to scan the build sheet and the window sticker... If your pretty sure your right.. Because they look extremely authentic to me.
Either way ... All I need is a reason to drop a 396 in that bad boy...

[cypress TX 72]

More Pics

[N2TRUX]

Despite what you describe as poor paint it still looks awesome from here. No doubt you got a smoking deal. That's better than investing in government bonds ain't it....

[Ole Blue 68]

Hot Damn!