The 1970s were the glory years for American muscle. Gas was cheap, and insurance companies hadn’t yet realized just how different an LS6 Chevelle was from a 350-cubic-inch commuter special. The 454-cubic-inch, 450-horsepower LS6 engine was put together, along with the car it rode in, at Chevrolet’s big-block V8 production plant in Tonawanda, New York. Specially built from air cleaner to oil pan, with tire-melting performance in mind, it is thought that just 17 LS6 convertibles equipped with an M-22 four-speed manual transmission left the factory.
This example is a numbers-matching, fully optioned car that has a known history from new. The first owner sold the car in 1989 to noted muscle car collector Dick Bridges. A fully documented restoration, complete with photographs, was then performed by Scott Tiemann. The car comes with its original build sheet, window sticker and sales contract. Mr. Bridges owned the car until late 2001, when it was sold to the current owner.
A noted automotive journalist said of the LS6, “driving (one) is like being the guy who’s in charge of triggering atom bomb tests. You have the power, you know you have the power, and you know that if you use that power, bad things may happen.” This car puts that awesome power in your hands.