Ross Kiehl’s 1968 Chevelle SS
Ross Kiehl & Terry WrightDescription
Many consider the GM A-body the grandfather of the “Muscle Car”, gaining this distinction with the introduction of the 1964 Pontiac GTO a mid-size sedan with over the top horsepower. This marked the beginning of the Muscle Car era and the horsepower wars that would grip Detroit for a decade. But Chevrolet wasn’t going to sit back and let Pontiac get all the action and in 1964 Chevrolet introduced the Chevelle SS (Super Sport).
The Super Sport (SS) package was introduced in 1964 as an option for the Chevelle. It included performance-oriented features such as a stiffer suspension, larger tires, and various V8 engine options. However, the early SS models were not as powerful or aggressive as the later versions. The 1968 model year marked a significant redesign for the Chevelle. The car received a more aggressive and streamlined appearance, featuring a fastback-style roofline and a distinctive front grille. These changes were part of Chevrolet’s effort to keep up with the competition in the muscle car market.
One of the most critical aspects of the 1968 Chevelle SS was the availability of powerful V8 engines. Buyers could choose from a range of engine options, including the 327 cubic inch (5.4-liter) V8, the 396 cubic inch (6.5-liter) V8, and the range-topping 427 cubic inch (7.0-liter) V8. These engines produced varying levels of horsepower, with some models producing well over 400 horsepower.
The 1968 Chevelle SS was known for its impressive performance on both the street and the racetrack. It was a popular choice among drag racers and enthusiasts due to its powerful engines and excellent handling characteristics. Many Chevelle SS models found success in various motorsport events, solidifying their reputation as high-performance muscle cars.
The 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle SS has maintained its popularity among collectors and enthusiasts. Its combination of classic styling and potent V8 engines has made it a sought-after classic car. Well-preserved and restored examples of the 1968 Chevelle SS, especially those with the more powerful engine options, can command high prices in today’s collector car market.
We’ve seen a lot of Ross Kiehl’s 1968 Chevelle SS on numerous builds in the Classic Car Restoration Club shop, so when we met up with fellow member Ross Kiehl at a local car show we took the opportunity to take a closer look at this great ride and learn a little more about their shared history.
Great thing about going to a car show is not only seeing the great cars and all the work that a lot of people have put into these, but running into some old friends and you may recognize this car behind us. This is, we've done a lot of videos on this 68 but let's learn a little bit more about the back story from its owner, Ross, Keel Ross. How long have you had this car? Well, I tell you what, I bought this car back in 1982 literally for $200 and back then you could probably buy them a lot of them for under $1000. 1982 was a different time. Exactly. And, you know, you wish you'd never sold all the cars that you bought back then. And yeah, it's been uh in my backyard and my parents' backyard and, you know, saved it for a long time. And after I uh went through my one marriage, I uh took it out and got her all fixed up. It was originally uh pea green with pea green interior and I've done a lot of work on it and the uh, how many engines would you say have been in this car? Well, I tell you what, I, I think this is probably the sixth motor that I've had in this car and, um, I don't know how many rebuilds but, uh, yeah, it's had a few motors but how many transmissions have been in the car? Well, originally it was a four speed car, did switch it all over to four speeds in the old time days. Uh, they just didn't hold up. I went through a lot of broken transmissions but now it's an automatic, uh, 4 68 big block in it. Any other changes you want to make note of? Well, I did put a different stall in it, you know, different stall in the converter. Yeah. Yeah. So you're running now, gives a little better whole shot. It's 4000 stall and 400 turbo 400 which has been in there for years. And I know every year you spend a little more money changing, something improving something. And, uh, I know your brother painted this car like literally long time years ago. But you've got that, you've put in a whole new interior, you've got the, the engine compartment looks like new. Uh, so you just regularly spend money on the car every year. It's a hobby, you know, and it's just, it's just fun. I enjoy it. And it's, you know, like I said, you said, uh, my brother literally painted this car in his garage in 1994 still shines. It's got its bumps and bruises but, you know, it's been, put them all in it. You regularly drive your car. I drive a lot. I think. I, uh, well, I put, uh, 600 miles on that motor and al almost a month. All right. So, and you figure it out. So you've put thousands of miles on the car even since it's been painted. So it gets driven, it gets fun to see this car. Great to see it on that show. Great to have the opportunity to have, you know, members take a close look at some of the details of this car. It's really awesome.
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