1971 El Camino SS

 

 

Any comments/corrections/additions please send them to me and be sure to specify which year.

1971 was yet another year of change for the SS option. In previous years the SS396 and SS454 options were performance oriented, meaning they included either a "396" or "454" high performance engine. With rising insurance concerns and costs, Chevrolet dropped the RPO Z25 SS396 option and changed the RPO Z15 SS454 option to simply Z15 SS Equipment option (hereafter referred to simply as Z15) and it became more of a dress-up option than a truly performance option.

Unlike earlier years the only way to truly document a 1971 Chevelle as having the SS Equipment option is with some sort of paperwork showing the option itself. The warranty protect-o-plate card is no long of use to determine if the SS option was ordered or not UNLESS the protect-o-plate indicates a 454 engine. Since three other V8 engines could not only be ordered with the Z15 option, but without it as well, even having the engine numbers match the car's VIN is of no significance.

For 1971, any optional V8 engine and transmission was now available which meant the L65 350-2, the L48 350-4, as well as the LS3 400-4 and LS5 454-4 engines could be ordered as well as any manual 4-speed or 3-speed automatic. The 307 cubic inch engine could not be ordered with the Z15 option since it was not an optional engine but rather the base V8 engine. Some claim the 307 was available early in the model year but no documented 307 has been reported with the Z15 option.

Unlike previous years, not all SS-optioned Chevelles came with a 12-bolt rear end. The SS Equipment option was available with any optional V8 engine in 1971 as noted above. The L65 350-2bbl engine came standard with a 10-bolt rear end and only equipped with a 12-bolt rear end when the trailer option (RPO YD1) was ordered. The other 3 optional V8 engines (L48, LS3, and LS5) were outfitted with 12-bolt rear ends so when one of those engines was ordered along with the SS Equipment option a 12-bolt rear end was used. Positraction was still an option; an open rear end was standard. However, a 12-bolt rear end, as well as Positraction, was available on non-SS-optioned Chevelles as well so the presence of a 12-bolt (with or without Positraction) is not an indication of a 1971 SS-optioned Chevelle.

The L34 "396" and the LS6 "454" were gone. The L34 was replaced with the LS3, 330hp 402 cubic inch engine and the LS6 was dropped from the lineup. Although some early test cars were built with the LS6 as magazine test cars, the LS6 was dropped from the Chevelle.

Three of the optional V8 engines available with the Z15 option were also available without the Z15 option. Only the LS5 454 engine mandated the Z15 option.

This, from Chevrolet's documentation, shows the equipment supplied with the Z15 option. Note two 3-speed manual transmissions were back on the table, even with the Z15 option, after being absent in 1970. Contrary to other information, there was only one Z15 SS Equipment option, not two. It is true, however, that when the 454 engine was ordered, the fender emblems displayed "SS454" and when any other engine was ordered, only "SS" emblems were displayed on the fenders on coupes and convertibles and the tail gate of Custom El Caminos.

Note the information indicates hood locking pins were part of the package with the standard, domed hood. Several documented SS-optioned Chevelles from various plants have been found without the hood pins. As in 1970, the ZL2 cowl induction hood still included hood locking pins as well as RPO D88 Hood & Deck stripes. Also note the LS6 engine is listed but no price is given. This information was printed before the LS6 was officially dropped. Even documentation as late as March 1, 1971 lists the LS6 engine but with "Will Advise" noted on pricing.

Also gone for 1971 was the bright trim in the engine compartment, even for the 454. The valve covers were painted orange just like the rest of the engine and the air cleaner was the typical satin black.

The cowl induction hood was still available in 1971 but, "Available only when SS Equipment and 365-hp or 425-hp engine are ordered." Whether this was changed to include the LS3 402 engine isn't known but since the ZL2 was offered in 1970 with both the SS396 and SS454 options and in 1972 with either the LS3 or LS5 engine, it can only be assumed it would have been available in 1971 with the LS3 engine as well. The ZL2 cowl induction hood was not promoted as much by Chevrolet, hence the units sold was down considerably; 4,079 in 1971 compared to 28,888 in 1970.

As in 1970, the SS option included a round gauge pod for fuel and speedometer but the gauge package RPO U14 was still an option.

All non-SS El Caminos were equipped with what is often called a "sweep" or "lineal" speedometer cluster. This El Camino was ordered with the RPO U35 clock option as well.

RPO D88 Hood & Deck stripes continued to be optional on Malibu sport coupes, convertibles, & Custom El Caminos as well as part of the ZL2 cowl induction hood package. The stripe color was dependent on the roof color and not interior color. See Exterior-Interior Combinations/Seat Belts/Stripe Colors for more details.

The SS wheels for 1971 were redesigned to a flatter, 5-spoke design and were now 15" diameter instead of 14" as in previous years.

If the optional engine ordered was NOT the 454, only the "SS" emblem appeared on the fender.

If the optional engine ordered WAS the 454, the fender emblem noted it with an additional "454" emblem.

1971 Malibu series sports a three horizontal bright bars and gray grille shell. The Chevelle Standard series was almost identical with the exception the bowtie emblem was not present.

The bright bars on the Malibu grille remained but the background was blacked out on the SS version and, naturally, the SS emblem replaced the bow tie.

The SS-optioned El Camino tailgate has black painted area between the two horizontal bright strips. All received an SS badge but only the LS5 optioned El Camino received the engine size lettering.

Dash and RPO U14 Instrument Panel gauge information is the same for 1971 as it was in 1970.