How do you tell a real Chevelle SS from a clone?

Chevrolet changed how it sold the Super Sport three times in nine years, so the check that works on one Chevelle tells you nothing on another. Start by fixing the model year, then use the test that applies to it.

1965 to 1968: read the VIN

• 1965 Malibu SS: a separate series, 137 with a six and 138 with a V8.
• 1966 and 1967 SS 396: a separate series sold only with the 396. The VIN starts 13817 on a sport coupe and 13867 on a convertible.
• 1968 SS 396: still series 138, now 13837 for the sport coupe, 13867 for the convertible and 13880 for the El Camino.

One trap: the V8 Concours station wagon of 1967 and 1968 also carries a 138 prefix, so read the body style digits too. The full breakdown is in what a 138 VIN means.

1969 to 1971: the VIN cannot help

For 1969 the SS 396 became option Z25, available on the 300 Deluxe coupes as well as the Malibu, and neither the VIN nor the trim tag shows it. The same is true of the 1970 SS 396 (Z25) and SS 454 (Z15) and of the 1971 SS (Z15). Parts prove little, because every SS piece bolts onto a Malibu. The round gauge dash of a 1970 was part of the SS package, but a dash can be swapped. What settles it is paper tied to the car: the build sheet, the Protect-O-Plate, or an original engine whose stamped partial VIN matches the car. Our article on the build sheet and Protect-O-Plate explains what each document shows.

1972: one letter helps

For 1972 the fifth VIN character became the engine code. W is the 454, and since the 454 required the SS option, a W car left the factory as an SS. A U (402), J (350 four-barrel) or H (350 two-barrel) could be an SS or a plain Malibu, so those still need documents. An F is a 307, the base V8, which most references say could not be combined with the SS option.

What it means for price

A clone is a fair car at a clone price. The trouble starts when one is priced as the real thing, and the gap is wide, as clone vs. real values shows. Before you pay SS money, walk through the checks in the Chevelle buyer's guide and ask to see the documents, not photos of them.