The Chevrolet Chevelle is one of the most outstanding muscle cars from their golden age. It came in 1964, stayed for 13 model years, and left with a long-lasting impression. Throughout the years, the classic Chevrolet has gone through numerous design changes here and there. While only a couple of them have been big and instantly noticeable, GM has refreshed the design for each model year with something changed here and there, no matter how small. Let’s take the 1966 and 1967 big block Chevelles, for example. When we look at them from a distance, they seem the same apart from the chrome grille on the latter model.
But Steve Magnante from High Octane Classics in Auburn, Massachusetts is here to let us know about the difference between the two muscle cars. He goes through the cars in detail, and so will we. Let’s take a look at what Chevy changed in the 1967 Chevelle SS (Super Sport trim) from the previous year.
These Subtle Changes At The Front Make A Big Difference
The two model years share the same body frame, the same tub. But that’s about the only thing that the two muscle cars have in common. Steve breaks it down, starting with the hood. The 1966 Chevelle SS has a chrome lip on the edge of the hood along the front, right below a chrome prowl in the middle. Since it was the SS with a big block engine, it also had two awesome vents (but they were fake like most muscle cars had during that time) but they look amazing. In contrast, the ‘67 Chevelle SS had a smaller, thinner chrome lip along the front. The chrome prowl at the middle was also absent. It also had an enormous engine, so the hood had a power bulge towards the windshield, along with vents that don’t do anything other than look badass.
Pop the hood up, and we see a vast difference in the shapes on the underside of both cars’ hoods. As we said, there are no air intake openings in both cars, hence the hood vents being non-functional. There were intake areas in the hoods of later models, though. The fenders and bumpers in the ‘66 Chevelle had a semi-skirted design, while the ‘67 came with those pointed fenders that we’ve seen more on later models like the ‘69 and ‘70 Chevelle.
The Side And Rear Are Similar Yet Not The Same
The 1967 Chevelle was the first model to come with disc brakes at the front. The 1966 and all models before that had drums. If we look at the cars from the side, the A pillars, the roofline, and the B pillar are visually identical to each other. At the rear end, there are humps and elbows peeking out on either side of both cars. But the taillights in the ‘66 started at the edge of the crest of the hump and moved inwards. The ‘67 had taillights that wrapped themselves around the hump itself. Big chrome bumpers on both cars are present, with only minute differences in shape and size.
The ‘66 came with a ‘Chevelle’ badge at the center and a flashy chrome “SS” badge with the number 396 underneath. The number represents the displacement of the engine (396 cu. in. which is about 6.5 liters). The ‘67 ditched the Chevelle badge and features only the SS 396 logo in the middle. But Chevy did change the font and design of the logo, anyway. So, as we mentioned, the two cars are similar, but not the same.