1971 Chevelle Trivia

 

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

 

All 1971 Chevelles have vented gas caps.

 

The 13437 sport coupe got another new nameplate, 'Chevelle.'

 

The back of the rear view mirror was changed from stainless steel to a flat black for safety reasons.

 

The 1971 SS-optioned Malibu was the first year to use a 15-inch wheel and F60x15 tires. The rear bumper was changed and the SS-optioned Malibus got an SS emblem centered on the bumper. The deck lid emblem was changed by putting "...BY CHEVROLET..." on the same horizontal plane as "Chevelle."

1970 Chevelle deck lid emblem.

1971-1972 Chevelle deck lid emblem.

 

The 1971 SS option was cut from two in 1970 to a single RPO Z15 in 1971. The SS option only required an optional engine and transmission meaning both the 350 engines as well as the LS3 and LS5 could be ordered with the SS option as well as either 350 with the TH350 3-speed automatic transmission. The LS5 engine required the SS option (and either the Muncie M22 4-speed transmission or the TH400 3-speed automatic transmission) while the other three engines could be ordered with or without the SS option. A manual 3-speed transmission was still the standard transmission for both of the 350 engines and the LS3 engine.

 

 

A new "Heavy Chevy" option, RPO YF3, became available in mid-year with little fanfare. This was another dress-up option and only available on the Chevelle (13437) series sport coupe. Any V8 engine could be ordered with the Heavy Chevy option except the LS5 454. Only 6,727 Chevelle sport coupes were ordered with this option. The interior remained the same as a non-YF3 optioned 13437 sport coupe; nothing in the interior noted the YF3 option.

 

Only the LS5 454 engine got an engine size emblem on the front fenders, all other SS Equipment optioned Chevelles only received the "SS" emblem with no engine size designation.

 

The 402-2 Turbo-Fire V8 was no longer offered in the Monte Carlo, only the two 350 engines, the 402-4 Turbo-Jet and 454-4 Turbo-Jet were available.

 

The 1971 model year saw a switch from quad headlamps to only two and the return of round tailback up lamps. SS-optioned Malibu sport coupes and convertibles do not have a rear blacked-out area. However, the sedan pickup tailgate section was painted black and either an "SS" emblem for both 350 engines and the 402 while the LS5 454 engine received an "SS454" emblem.

 

Chevelle Standard Hub Cap	Optional Wheel Cover RPO P01	Heavy Chevy Rally Wheel
	1971-72 Optional P01 Wheel Cover	Rally Wheel
1970-72 Monte Carlo	1971 Simulated Wire Wheel Cover RPO P02	1971 SS Wheel
	Click image for larger view	Click image for 1971 SS Wheel
	1970-71 Rally Wheel RPO ZJ7

The basic steel wheel with hub cap were standard and wheels are painted lower body color except when full wheel covers are ordered, they the wheels are painted black.

Front Wheel Alignment
Camber	0° to P1-½°
Caster	N2° to 0°
Toe (total)	1/16 in to 5/16 in toe-in
Steering Axis Inclination	7-3/4° to 8-3/4°

 

Tires, Regular Production
E78-14	I6 except station wagons & sedan pickup
F78-14	V8 except SS & sedan pickup except SS
F60-15	SS
G78-14	Station wagon

 

1971 SS-optioned sedan pickup with LS3 engine.

 

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The early model year inner tail lamp (first design, top image) has a smaller white lens area and does not extend to the inner trim ring where the later tail lamp (second design) is much larger and extends to the inner trim ring. The size of the “bulge” area of the outer tail lamp also increased in the later version. Also note the early lamps, both inner and outer, have a silver trim around the outside face of both lamps where the later version did away with this. The Malibu and base Chevelle have different part numbers for these as well. First design Malibu are 917575 L.H. and 917576 R.H. and second design are 911541 L.H. and 911542 R.H. The change appears to have happened around the middle of January 1971.

 

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