# Serious objective opinion-HA



## skyman51 (Jun 12, 2010)

OK, this is a tough one,but I am depending on most of us being car guys first and Pontiac nuts next.
What is more desirable and what is todays value?
1970 Chevelle SS LS6 or 1970 GTO Ram Air IV?
Both cars are show quality and fully documented.:cheers


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## Falco21 (May 11, 2010)

I just helped my uncle restore a 1970 Chevelle SS 454 all Matching numbers and I can not tell you enough how BEAUTIFUL that car is. Its a hard one though considering both cars are gorgeous. But personally i think i would take the chevelle over the GTO IMHO. The sound and the quality you get from a Chevelle is incredible. And nevermind the looks we get driving it x). Im not to sure about which is worth more now in the market the way it is and which is inhigher demand, but a couple people offered my uncle up to 150k for the Chevelle. Its a personal preference but both cars are BEAUTIFUL. Good luck on the decision man


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

I would say, JUDGING BY WHAT I OBSERVE, that the LS6 Chevelle will sell for more money. PERSONAL TASTE, I'll take the GTO


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## OrbitOrange (Jul 5, 2010)

Id take the GTO, because well its my dream to own a 70 gto


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## skyman51 (Jun 12, 2010)

Thanks for all your opinions. I will stay with my gut. I have a 70 LS6 and a 70 GTO Judge. I was considering a 70 GTO Ram Air IV,and some said they would rather that then the Chevelle. I think I will stay with the Chevelle.


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## Falco21 (May 11, 2010)

skyman51 said:


> Thanks for all your opinions. I will stay with my gut. I have a 70 LS6 and a 70 GTO Judge. I was considering a 70 GTO Ram Air IV,and some said they would rather that then the Chevelle. I think I will stay with the Chevelle.


I know this is a GTO forum and there are tons of GTO lovers out there. I am too, but i think your making the smarter move with the Chevelle. Like you said, Pontiac Nuts aside :lol:


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

There are so many cloned Chevelle SSs out there, that its hard to tell the real ones. A real Ram Air IV motor car, that is a rare car. Chevelles are way cheaper to build, so there will be more left in the future. I would get the GTO, or just get the goat and keep the Chevelle, both are good investments, especially if you get the GTO right. Now isn't the time to sell due to the economy, but it is time to buy!!


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## Kruel (Jun 26, 2010)

I love chevelles and i would say they are my favorite muscle car. Personally i like the black with white stripes. BUT i didnt get one because im not a fan of having huge racing stripes every were i go, i love the sleek look of the GTO being all black and only really muscle car guys would even know what it is IMO. That said i would get whatever car YOU like because both will be a worthwhile investment. Whatever the reasons that you would want to known one over the other add them up and just decide. Both the best choices out of any other car.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

The Chevelle will always be worth more money and will be easier to sell. All Chevelles bring more money than comparable GTO's. They made more of them, they were more affordable to more people, and because of that, more people remember them and want them today. They were GM's entry level muscle car, and had cheaper interiors and less attention to build quality than the Buicks, Olds's and Pontiacs of the era. That said, I still love 'em.....But: I would take any GTO over a Chevelle because of the styling and performance (GTO's are FASTER.)


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## skyman51 (Jun 12, 2010)

geeteeohguy said:


> The Chevelle will always be worth more money and will be easier to sell. All Chevelles bring more money than comparable GTO's. They made more of them, they were more affordable to more people, and because of that, more people remember them and want them today. They were GM's entry level muscle car, and had cheaper interiors and less attention to build quality than the Buicks, Olds's and Pontiacs of the era. That said, I still love 'em.....But: I would take any GTO over a Chevelle because of the styling and performance (GTO's are FASTER.)


I respectfully have to point out your error. I am old enough that I drove both a 69 GTO Ram Air IV and a 70 Chevelle LS6 when they were new. I bought the LS6. The numbers for both cars right out of the box for the 1/4 are:

69 Ram Air IV- 14.45 sec. @ 97.8mph
70 LS6 Chevelle- 13.8 sec. @ 103 mph.

Headers and slicks and trhe gap got even wider.

Having said that,I love my LS6 and my 70 Judge.:lol:


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## Falco21 (May 11, 2010)

Another thing you gotta realize is the Chevelle 454's horsepower rating was not accurate at the time due to insurance purposes. It was rated at 400-450 when actually it is over 500hp. I think both cars are beautiful but i have to agree with skyman51, the Chevelle is faster


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## skyman51 (Jun 12, 2010)

It's good to have one of each. The LS6 may be faster but the Ram Air IV is rarer.
The Atoll Blue Ram Air IV on Best of Show Automotive is the real deal and beautiful.


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## Eric Animal (Oct 28, 2007)

Falco21 said:


> Another thing you gotta realize is the Chevelle 454's horsepower rating was not accurate at the time due to insurance purposes. It was rated at 400-450 when actually it is over 500hp. I think both cars are beautiful but i have to agree with skyman51, the Chevelle is faster


Neither was the RAM AIR IV...supposedly just over 400 HP !


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Respectfully, I would have to see the Chevelle against the Pontiac to believe it was the faster car. I never lost to one, and I ran against 2 '70 LS-6 Chevelles on the street, waaaay back when. In 1980, I waxed a beautiful white/black striped 4 speed LS6 with a 4 speed '66 GTO running a junkyard '67 Catalina 400 engine and a tripower. The next one was later on, with my '67 convertible, which is a base engined, automatic car with no performance mods at all. That one was from a 20 mph roll. Maybe the drivers of the Chevelles were on drugs, maybe they had a couple of dead cylinders, I don't know. In both cases, they were the instigators. I am sure there are killer fast Chevelles that would clean my clock out there. It's just that I've never been beaten by one. Or any other Chevrolet. Ever. Of course, if you don't compete often (which I don't), or are very selective,(which I am!) it's awful hard to lose!!! But, back then, I used to race anybody and anything. The one that sucked my doors off was a 440 Roadrunner that was built to the hilt. That said, the Chevelle is a blue chip collectable, and a true classic musclecar that anybody would love to own and drive, me included!!!


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## skyman51 (Jun 12, 2010)

geeteeohguy said:


> Respectfully, I would have to see the Chevelle against the Pontiac to believe it was the faster car. I never lost to one, and I ran against 2 '70 LS-6 Chevelles on the street, waaaay back when. In 1980, I waxed a beautiful white/black striped 4 speed LS6 with a 4 speed '66 GTO running a junkyard '67 Catalina 400 engine and a tripower. The next one was later on, with my '67 convertible, which is a base engined, automatic car with no performance mods at all. That one was from a 20 mph roll. Maybe the drivers of the Chevelles were on drugs, maybe they had a couple of dead cylinders, I don't know. In both cases, they were the instigators. I am sure there are killer fast Chevelles that would clean my clock out there. It's just that I've never been beaten by one. Or any other Chevrolet. Ever. Of course, if you don't compete often (which I don't), or are very selective,(which I am!) it's awful hard to lose!!! But, back then, I used to race anybody and anything. The one that sucked my doors off was a 440 Roadrunner that was built to the hilt. That said, the Chevelle is a blue chip collectable, and a true classic musclecar that anybody would love to own and drive, me included!!!


I love my 70 Judge BUT...There is not any year GTO that ever was faster then a big block solid lifter, square port head Chevy. That's a fact. Chevy's reved to 6500 rpm's,Pontiacs did not come close with hydraulic lifters and cams. Check it out out.:lol:


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## 68greengoat (Sep 15, 2005)

It pains me to say this, but, if you use Barrett Jackson as a pulse, it "appears" there is alot more interest in Chevelles than GTOs. Putting aside any performance differences......


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

skyman, sounds like you've BTDT, and you are convinced. I have never driven an LS-6 '70 Chevelle. I only competed against them. Also, they were claiming to be LS6 cars. I did not get to look under the hoods! That said, the quickest car I've probably driven was a '67 427 tripower Corvette with a 4 speed and 26k original miles, back in the day. That car was noticeably faster than my tripower 389 '65 4 speed GTO. I would indeed like to see a shootout between a '70 Ram Air IV GTO and a similarly equipped '70 LS6. As a side note, back in the day, we raced against a 427 '67 'Vette on the open road. I was a passenger in a bone stock, '67 GTO with an automatic, hubcaps, and 2.93 gears. When we hit third gear at about 97 mph, we left the 'vette in the dust. His top end was about 110mph (4.11 gears). Our CRUISING speed was above that! So, depends on the equipment, and depends on quick vs fast, etc, too....(The 'vette was a black 4 speed coupe...a wicked ride!)


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

I really wanted a chevelle before I bought the GTO. But my late wife(GRHS) talked me into checking out the GTOs. And I'm sure glad she did!! I think I have a way rarer car then an LS6 chevy. Both cars you mention are awesome muscle cars, and I don't get the reason for this thread. First you say which one is more desireable, making me think you want to buy? Then say you have both.....are you looking to sell one? I don't understand.....:confused


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## skyman51 (Jun 12, 2010)

I am not selling either. I am trying to figure out how to buy a 70 Ram Air IV to add to what I have,and want to know how it compares in value to the LS6? The performance discussion was just having some fun as they are two completely different cars.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

skyman51 said:


> I am not selling either.* I am trying to figure out how to buy a 70 Ram Air IV to add to what I have,*and want to know how it compares in value to the LS6? The performance discussion was just having some fun as they are two completely different cars.


That's easy, just open your wallet. 
How it compares in value to something else makes no difference at all, if you really want it.


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

Rukee said:


> That's easy, just open your wallet.
> How it compares in value to something else makes no difference at all, if you really want it.


:agree its only worth what someone (you) is willing to pay. get off the hip!


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

while you're at it you can get me one too!


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

skyman51 said:


> I love my 70 Judge BUT...There is not any year GTO that ever was faster then a big block solid lifter, square port head Chevy. That's a fact. Chevy's reved to 6500 rpm's,Pontiacs did not come close with hydraulic lifters and cams. Check it out out.:lol:


OH, I'm with you on that one.. Rectangular ports and a solid cam is what pro bracket cars are running today, nasty engines. Can a 335 HP 389 keep up with a 454 450HP, no. Ok, your talking RA IV, I don't know the numbers..
All it takes is one trip to the drag strip and it's game over. When a race is won by .1 of a second and the other lane has you covered by a 1.0, you haven't got game. A 2.76 geared car is going to get killed in the quarter by lesser cars with better set ups, but will haul ass on the top end. The drag pack cars with 3.90s or 4.11s, a 4 speed or 3000 stall is going to leave a high way cruiser in the dust. It's all about the combination, not 1 item like a big motor at the strip.

Buy the RAIV just because you can, and we'll think it's real cool!!! Then, we can say, "a guy on the forum just bought a REAL RA IV car", and we'll think you are cool, but keep the Chevelle too.


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