How rare is it?

[ES ES 396]

I have a 1970 Chevelle with a 307 engine and four-speed transmission. My brother bought it in 1981 for $200 when I was 14 years old. If I remember correctly he told me the 307 was out of a '72 Nova. I always assumed it was converted from an automatic to the stick shift. He quit driving it around 1989 and left it sitting in the garage. I tried for years to get him to either fix it up or sell it to me, but it just sat. (It was pretty rough when he bought it and was just getting worse.) Sadly, my brother passed away in 2008. My sister-in-law, who swore the car hates her, let me have it. In the paperwork she gave me with it I found the protect-o-plate and found out this car came from the factory equipped with the 307/4-speed drivetrain. I've tried to find production numbers for this but I can't. I would think it is pretty rare. I was planning to put a big block in it (NOT an SS clone though!) but I'm thinking if it's really rare it should be restored. Any info or opinions would be appreciated.

[Ms Grumpy]

Start with the easy stuff. Have you checked the VIN to get any information. This might help with that.

http://chevelleforum.org/showthread.php?t=2141

Engine code ?

This info will help start your search for the answers to your questions.

[flash]

Rare or not its worth restoring or resto moding .

[shadowgray396]

Ufortunately production numbers by style of model was not kept. Just the total number of cars produced in the US. Now if your car was built in Canada that is another story. Where was your car built? The Vin would read 1363701. The 307 chevelle was the base car had more options for trans then some of the other models. But I have not seen one very many with a manual trans. I have seen a few with the 3 speed trans, but not the 4 speed. I would say it is a low production car, but the exact numbers are not out there.

[ES ES 396]

The VIN starts with 136370R, which shows it as a Malibu sport coupe built in Arlington, TX. I've decoded the POP previously and it left the factory with a 307 and a Muncie M20 four speed. I have yet to check the block numbers to see what engine is in it now. I've had it in storage for four years now, so I've decided this spring I either get it running or sell it. I know I would regret selling it because I've got a strong sentimental attachment to it and I'm still upset over being forced to sell my 1968 SS396 in 1991. (The license plate from that car is now my profile picture)

[ES ES 396]

I forgot one other interesting thing. The inner fender wells are plastic, which from what I've read was more common for Canadian Chevelles than US ones.

[shadowgray396]

Some came with one plastic and one steel inner fender on each side. Depending what was available and in 70 they had a strike. My Canada made car had plastic on both sides.