Chevrolet Chevelle Questions - was there a LS6 454 ss in 1972 chevelle (2024)

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Chevrolet Chevelle Questions - was there a LS6 454 ss in 1972 chevelle? ›

The 1972 Chevelle SS had a top engine rated at 270 net hp (201 kW) So, no, the LS6 was in 1970 with 450 hp.

LS6 454 was rated at 450 ponies for the Chevelle, but 460 for the Corvette for marketing reasons. A slightly less lethal version was available, rated at 360 horses. Note the carb spacer; it raised the air cleaner for the cowl induction setup.

All other engines on the SS roster were unchanged from 1971. 1972 was the last year for the cowl induction option for the 454 cid engine and was not even mentioned in the 1972 Chevelle brochure.

Decades ago, Chevrolet lost most of its production data, so definitive numbers for the LS6 Chevelle are lacking. We know from the Tonawanda, NY, engine-plant data that 4,475 LS6 engines were manufactured in 1970; only Chevelles used them that year. (The Corvette got the LS6 in 1971.)

The LS6 used the same block as the LS5, however a 800-cfm Holley four barrel bolted to an aluminum manifold replaced the Rochester Quadra Jet. The LS6 featured a beefy bottom end with four-bolt mains, forged steel crankshaft and connecting rods with forged aluminum, 11.25:1 compression pistons.

Like the engine that first used the designation, the LS6 was a high-performance offering. The LS6 may not be as commonly spoken about as some other engines from the LS engine series, but it still makes for a good swap option even today.

The most powerful variants of the 454 were in the year 1970 because this was before the oil embargo and tightening emissions restrictions. The 1970 LS5 came with 360 horsepower, and the 1970 LS6 came with an impressive 450 horsepower.

And only 4,475 of them left the assembly line with the 450-horsepower 454-cubic-inch (7.4-liter) V8, making the SS 454 LS6 among the rarest and most desirable Chevelles. Arguably the most potent factory-built midsize that year, the Chevelle SS 454 LS6 was discontinued at the end of 1970, turning it into a one-year gem.

The only engine available in Chevelle SS 454s was the LS5, which ran 8.5-compression and retained its 4-bbl. Rochester carb and dual exhausts. It made a now net-rated 270hp at 4,000 rpm and 390 lbs.

“The 363 or 454 cars from 1970 are the best to buy in terms of value,” he says. “In the second generation, the '69 and '71 years are the next most sought after. The '72s are probably at the bottom of the list, along with '68, which makes those the ones to target if you're on a tighter budget.”

What was the 1 4 mile time for a 1970 Chevelle SS 454 LS6? ›

All of the factory attention to performance paid off to the tune of 13.1 sec quarter mile at 107 mph.

The easiest way to tell the difference is to check the 8th digit of the VIN code.

The big block LS6 was manufactured from 1970 to 1976 in several General Motors products, including the Chevrolet Caprice, Chevelle, Corvette, El Camino, and Monte Carlo as well as the GMC Sprint. To clarify, the old school big block LS6 V8 has no mechanical relation to this third-gen small block LS6 motor.

The 1970 LS6 454, factory rated at 450 hp, was exclusive to the Chevelle and the El Camino. It not only gave Chevrolet intermediates more power than the Corvette that year, it was the most powerful engine those cars would ever have.

The 454 EFI version was rated from 230 hp (172 kW) to 255 hp (190 kW) and from 385 lb⋅ft (522 N⋅m) to 405 lb⋅ft (549 N⋅m) of torque. The 1991–1993 454SS made 255 horsepower at 4000 rpm and 405 lb-ft of torque at 2400 rpm thanks to dual 2.5" catalytic converters.

How Much Power Did the L88 Put Out? The official power rating was 430 hp, but this was a lie to turn off casual buyers, and the actual power was around 550 hp, give or take.

450 hp @ 5600 rpm; 500 lbs. -ft. torque @ 3600 rpm, 11.25:1 compression ratio.