Only a few of the great historic muscle vehicles we’ve seen are as iconic and well-known in American history as the Chevrolet Chevelle. It’s so coveted that it’s appeared in more than 1,600 films, including ‘The Fast and the Furious’ and ‘Jack Reacher’, cementing its place as Hollywood’s favorite muscle vehicle.
To strike a balance between the large Impala and the smaller Chevrolet II/Nova (the base of the beloved Camaro) Chevy created the Medium sized horse. The first generation of the Chevelle lineup, which was originally unveiled at a press conference in Chicago in 1963, went on sale in 1964 and had model years from 1964 through 1967.
In addition to looking to provide a midsize choice for customers who weren’t interested in the Impala or Nova, Chevrolet also wanted to compete with Ford Fairlane, one of the most popular mid-size cars on the market. The brand sold thousands of Chevelles in the first year, demonstrating how successful Chevrolet’s choice to design a midsize car was. The range too included the Malibu, which became one of Chevrolet’s oldest nameplates.
1968 saw the launch of the second iteration of the Chevelle. The next-generation model featured a redesigned shape that many considered to have a more contemporary and svelte appearance. The Chevelle 300 Deluxe was the cheapest, lightest, and most fun-to-drive version in the line.
We dive into the Chevy Chevelle 300 Deluxe, looking at its history, features, and some of the most popular options that are still available today.
The 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle 300 Deluxe had a plethora of engines and options for every buyer
In its first iteration, the Chevy Chevelle came with a 220 horsepower engine, but in mid-1964 the more powerful 327, which produced a higher output of 300 horsepower, replaced the 220 horsepower counterpart. This decision underscored Chevrolet’s intention to market the Chevell as a high performance car.
The second-generation Chevelle retained the versatility of its predecessor, with several engine upgrade choices available. In base form, the Chevelle was available with either a 140 hp Turbo-Thrift six, a 200 hp 307 Turbo-Fire V8 or a 325 hp 327 V8. For example, the SS396 had an optional 350 or 375 horsepower engine upgrade in addition to the 325 horsepower of the standard 396 cubic inch Turbo-Jet V8 engine.
For the first and last time this model year, Chevrolet provided Chevelles with the RPO Z25 SS 396 option package, a unique Chevelle series offered only with V-8 Malibu sport coupes, convertibles or El Caminos. The fact that customers could order the Z25 with any model in 1969even the two-door coupe and two-door sport coupe from the base V-8 300 Series Deluxe, were astounding as we can imagine.
The 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle 300 Deluxe is an inexpensive muscle car
Back then, one of the logical reasons people bought a Chevelle 300 Deluxe was that it cost less than other Chevelles. And in 1969, Chevrolet produced just over 500,000 Chevelles, the vast majority of which—about 300,886—were Malibu two-door sports coupes. Of more than 500,000 1969 Chevelles produced, only 7,181 were 300 luxury sport coupes. Considering how much it costs people to add the optional packages, it’s likely that less than 100 of those models sold in total had the SS 396 package. Even fewer had the mighty L78 engine.
This makes them one of the rarest 1969 Chevelle breeds, which means they could be in a slightly higher price range today. According to Classic, you should expect to pay around $52,472 for a 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle 300 Deluxe, depending on its condition, mileage, and other factors. But, given that the moving average rose by around $6,082 from January to November of this year alone, we expect the value of the Chevelle to increase in the near future.
The 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle 300 Deluxe: the second generation introduced a lighter and sportier construction
Chevy offered the Chevelle in a sport coupe, two-door hardtop, with the Chevelle’s body design, and convertible versions. Unexpectedly, the Chevelle also produced a few four-door sedans and two- or four-door station wagon versions.
Besides being the least expensive model in the line, the 300 Deluxe was also much lighter than the other Chevelles. Both of these characteristics were the result of reduced substance. Rubber floor mats replaced carpeting on 300 Deluxe models. There was also less sound insulation, stripped-out bench seats, and no trunk mat on the Deluxe. With a lower mass, the 300 Deluxe became a top choice for anyone who took performance seriously.
Buyers who wanted the fastest Chevelle possible had the perfect recipe: pairing the relatively lightweight 300 Deluxe with the SS 396 option package, then the L78 engine, which was the most powerful version of the 396 engine available.
Sources: Hagerty, Hemmings
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