You’re standing at a stoplight in 1970. To your left is a Chevelle. To your right, a dedicated pickup. Then there’s the guy sitting in a 1970 El Camino SS, looking like he’s having way more fun than both of them combined. It’s a weird vehicle. It’s a car, but it’s a truck. It’s a utility worker with a tuxedo and a heavyweight boxer’s punch. People call them "gentleman’s pickups," but let’s be real—there wasn’t anything particularly gentle about a big-block Chevy back then.
The 1970 model year wasn't just another year for Chevrolet. It was the peak. It was the absolute ceiling of the muscle car era before insurance companies and smog regulations decided to ruin the party for everyone. If you wanted the most aggressive styling and the most absurd power ratings, 1970 was the year you bought in.
Honestly, the 1970 El Camino SS is basically a Chevelle from the doors forward, and that’s why people still go crazy for them. You get the iconic quad headlights, that aggressive "V" shaped grille, and the cowl induction hood that actually breathed. It wasn't just for show. When you floored it, those flaps opened up to suck in cold air, and you could hear the four-barrel carburetor screaming for more.
The LS6 Myth vs. Reality
Everyone talks about the LS6. If you mention the 1970 El Camino SS at a car show, some guy with a clipboard will eventually start whispering about the 454 cubic inch LS6 V8. It’s the holy grail. We are talking about an engine factory-rated at 450 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. In 1970, those numbers were terrifying. Even today, they’re respectable.
But here’s the thing: most of them weren't LS6s.
Chevrolet actually sold way more of the L34 version of the 396 (which was actually a 402 by then, just to make things confusing). Or you had the LS5 454, which was a bit more civilized but still had enough torque to pull a house off its foundation. The LS6 El Camino is exceptionally rare. While exact production numbers for the LS6 El Camino specifically are often debated because Chevrolet didn't always break down SS options by body style in their public records, most experts like Dan Carr or the folks at the Chevelle Registry suggest only about 500 to 550 were ever built.
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Finding a real one is like finding a unicorn that also happens to be a world-class sprinter.
If you’re looking at one today and the owner swears it’s a numbers-matching LS6, check the "CRV" or "CRR" engine suffix codes. People fake these all the time. It’s easy to slap a badge on a fender; it’s much harder to prove the car left the factory with that specific monster under the hood.
It’s All About That A-Body Stance
What makes the 1970 El Camino SS handle so much better than a standard C10 truck? It’s the GM A-body platform. This is the same chassis used for the GTO, the 442, and the Skylark. Because it used a perimeter frame and a coil-spring rear suspension rather than the leaf springs you’d find on a "real" truck, it actually felt like a car.
You could take a corner without feeling like the rear end was trying to overtake the front. Mostly.
The weight distribution is obviously a bit funky. You’ve got a massive iron block engine over the front wheels and... basically nothing over the back. If the bed is empty, you’re going to spin the tires. You’ll spin them at a green light, you’ll spin them leaving the grocery store, and you’ll definitely spin them if there’s a drop of water on the road. It’s part of the charm.
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Inside, it was pure Chevelle. You could get the Strato-bucket seats, the center console with the horseshoe shifter, and the "round gauge" dash that looked a thousand times better than the sweep-style speedometer found in the base models. If you’re sitting in one and it feels cramped, that’s because it is. You lose all that interior storage space for the sake of the bed. But hey, that’s why you bought an El Camino.
The Small Details That Drive Collectors Insane
When you’re hunting for a 1970 El Camino SS, you have to look for the "Z15" RPO code. That was the magic ticket. It wasn't just an engine; it was a package. You got the power front disc brakes, the beefier suspension, and the blacked-out grille.
- The Grille: In 1970, the SS grille was finished in black. If it’s silver or chrome, it’s either a clone or someone did a bad restoration.
- The Tailgate: This is a big one. The SS had a unique black-painted insert and a specific emblem. Since El Caminos were often used as actual work trucks, these tailgates got beat up, rusted, or replaced with standard ones.
- The Hood: Not every SS had the Cowl Induction hood (the one with the functional flapper). It was an extra option (RPO ZL2). Many came with the "domed" hood that looked cool but didn't actually do anything.
- The Fenders: 1970 was the only year for those specific flared wheel wells that look so muscular. 1971 went to a single large headlight design, which, frankly, lost some of the "mean" factor.
Why Do We Still Care?
There is a psychological thing that happens when people see a 1970 El Camino SS. It represents a time when American car manufacturers were just being weird and bold. We don't really have a modern equivalent. Sure, you can buy a fast Ford Raptor or a RAM TRX, but those are massive, towering beasts. The El Camino was low. It was sleek. It was a "mullet" in vehicle form—business in the front, party in the back—but it wore that mullet with zero irony.
Values have skyrocketed lately. A decade ago, you could snag a decent driver-quality SS for twenty grand. Now? If it’s a documented 454 car, you’re looking at $60,000 to $100,000. If it’s a verified LS6, you might be looking at double that at an auction like Mecum or Barrett-Jackson.
The market loves them because they are usable. You can go to Home Depot and buy a load of mulch, then go to a drag strip and run a 13-second quarter mile. That’s a weirdly specific set of capabilities.
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What to Watch Out For Before Buying
Don't buy a 1970 El Camino SS without a flashlight and a magnet. These cars love to rust. Specifically, check the "smuggler’s box." That’s the storage area behind the seats but under the bed floor. Water leaks through the rear window seal, hits that pan, and just sits there until the metal turns into Swiss cheese.
Also, look at the rear lower quarters. Because of how the bed drains, dirt and moisture get trapped behind the rear wheels. If you see bubbles in the paint there, you aren't looking at a "easy fix." You’re looking at a full metal replacement job.
The VIN won't tell you if it's a real SS. In 1970, the VIN didn't include a specific code for the SS package. You need the build sheet or the Protect-O-Plate to be 100% sure. If the seller doesn't have those, you have to look for the "telltale" signs, like the factory tachometer or the specific steering column, but even those can be swapped. Trust, but verify. Then verify again.
Actionable Advice for Future Owners
If you are serious about getting into the 1970 El Camino SS game, here is your roadmap:
- Prioritize the Body: You can always rebuild a 396 or a 454. Finding an original, rust-free El Camino body is significantly harder and more expensive than engine work.
- Verify the Z15: Join the Chevelle/El Camino registries. There are experts there who can look at a trim tag photo and tell you within seconds if the car is a legitimate SS or a "tribute" (which is just a fancy word for a clone).
- Upgrade the Cooling: These big blocks run hot. If you plan on actually driving yours, invest in a high-quality aluminum radiator and an electric fan. The original 1970 cooling tech wasn't designed for modern stop-and-go traffic.
- Check the Suspension Bushings: Most of these cars are still riding on 50-year-old rubber. Replacing those with polyurethane bushings will make the car feel 20 years younger and stop it from "boating" all over the lane.
- Drive It: Don't let it sit in a garage. These cars were meant to be loud and obnoxious. The 1970 El Camino SS is at its best when it's out on the road, smelling like unburned gasoline and making people smile as you drive by.
The 1970 model remains the high-water mark for the nameplate. It was the year everything clicked—the styling, the power, and the cultural "cool" factor. Whether you want a show queen or a weekend tire-shredder, the SS 454 is the one that everyone remembers. Just make sure you know what you’re looking at before you drop the cash.