There are so many things about this particular Chevelle that make it interesting… from its bench seat to its column shifter transmission to its Factory Air Conditioning option. But what makes this cars purchase and history most interesting to me, is the fact that all of the information and history has been provided directly from the original owner himself! Alive and well and residing in Indiana today, he was very happy to provide all of the above information and much more in a phone call on Feb. 11th, 2011, when he was first tracked down and learned that his Red Chevelle was apparently alive and well too!
Charles said he was the only one on his block with an enclosed garage in 1967 and as such, his car was never left outside, never saw rain and was never abused during the time he owned it. In looking at the cars current condition, one can see this statement is obviously true. One can also see that it doesn’t have disc brakes, just basic manual brakes, yet it has ralley wheels, which were a factory item provided only on 67 SS Chevelles with disc brakes. This begged the question why? Mr. Wigger says the car did in fact come with standard bare steel wheels and dog dish hubcaps, but he went on to say that at sometime early on he also purchased an extra set of wheels. He got a full set of ralley wheels from GM, flat caps (which do not say Disc Brakes on them) mounted on brand new red line tires, including the spare. He never installed though, just left the tires and wheels in his garage, not sure why, but this is what he said. Charles kept his car until 1986 when he listed it in the for sale section of a Hot Rod magazine. He listed it as a 67 Chevelle SS with original paint, in like new condition with only 58k miles. When asked about the day he sold it, he said that he specifically remembers that day...“like it was yesterday.”
As he tells it, two young fellows from Chicago drove all the way to Phoenix and paid him $18,000 in cash (which was a lot of bread in 1986). They wanted the ralley wheels instead of the steel wheels and hub caps, so they were installed and then they drove the Chevelle all the way back to Chicago. Those tires and wheels are still on the car... 10,000 miles later. That was about the last time Mr. Wigger had dealings with his 67 SS... Until recently.
Fast forward to 2006:
Mr. Buddy Gray bought this car via govdeals.com through a bidding auction. It was listed merely as a "1967 Chevelle SS, nice shape." That is how the auction read… it was the only description that was given, amazing! Buddy had owned a red Chevelle in the late 60's, which he drove back and forth to high school, so when he saw this auction listing in Ohio, he called to get the scoop and to find out where to send the money. He was told the car was owned by the police department in Hampton, Ohio. It was confiscated in 1988 from a young fellow in Chicago. How it got from Chicago and why it was confiscated is still unknown. Apparently, the police used it as a prop in a DARE program to help keep kids off of drugs. Further details are vague, but the Chevelle was kept in an air conditioned classroom from 1988 to 2006. Mind blowing is all I can say!! The current owner purchased this car from Buddy Gray who provided the history of the car as he knew it in the time frame he owned it.
DESCRIPTION:
What you are looking at is one of the nicest and well preserved 67 SS Chevelles I have personally seen. This doesn’t mean there might not be a nicer one out there, but it’s the nicest I’ve come across and I have seen my share. The car is 100% rust free and retains its original Lacquer paint that is just amazing! 100% original drivetrain: 396/325hp, Powerglide transmission still showing its assembly date on the pan, CX coded rear axle, making it a 3.07:1 open differential. Assembled the 1st week of October 1966 at the Kansas assembly plant, it’s a treasure chest of how these cars were built when new, and we can all learn much from such a car. So although not always as pretty as the RESTORED CARS, cars like this one allow those of us who like to restore to factory condition to have the best book available… it’s the Blue-Print~
Underneath:
The underbelly/floors are amazingly solid and clean. The driveshaft still shows its original stripes on it, the suspension has its factory markings, tags, and paint dabs just as it came from the assembly plant. Original ball joints are still in place as well as the rest of the suspension. Original spiral shocks still have part of their stickers showing and the exhaust is mostly original, with some pipe replaced partially. The transmission is excellent and shifts smoothly… no rust below!
Underhood:
Original Harrison radiator and fan shroud, original and working A/C, original coolant and heater hoses, air cleaner, battery and cables, as well as most everything else under the hood! The exception being the water pump and a few belts that appear to have been changed… but otherwise, basically just like it came from the factory.
Interior:
It is beyond belief. The dash, steering wheel, seats, carpet, floor mats, headliner and radio are all basically perfect, which is a word I don’t like to use often. The original owner also installed a factory am/fm radio in the glove box, don’t ask me why?
Trunk:
Photos may not do this area justice! Original spatter paint, original trunk mat and everything just 100%. You just don’t come across trunks on survivors that look like this. Heck, some restored cars don’t look this good!
If you are like me, you just shake your head and say, Wow! I don’t think you have to be a lover of survivor cars to appreciate this one. I don’t think you have to even love cars to appreciate such a find… it’s just amazing. A survivor 67 SS Chevelle, completely numbers matching and unmolested with documented history in the form of original owner account and original invoice/bill of sale. Oh, lest I forget to mention, the cash receipt for the $2900 left with the salesman along with the cash receipt for the additional balance he brought to buy the car… they are with this car!! That, and a few past service records, make this a car you won’t want to pass up.
There is a saying in the collector car world: Rare is not always Desirable and Desirable is not always Rare. Well, this one is rare in my opinion.... Desirable is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to these old cars but I am confident anyone who desires something slightly DIFFERENT will understand this 67 SS Chevelle needs to be in the hands of a special person, I hope someone out there reading this is just that person because cars like this one don't come up for sale every day… This is a Keeper!
As always, thank you for allowing me to share with you a fascinating car and even more fascinating history. If you are a serious buyer and wish to contact me to discuss the purchase of this Chevelle, please do so. I look forward to hearing from you.
$38,000
Chevelle SS Cpe
Black Vinyl Trim
Power Glide Trans
Tinted Glass
Vinyl Stripe
Door Edge Guards
PB Radio
4 Seasons Air
Power Steering
Under Coat
Delete Power Steering (even Charles isn’t sure why it says delete)
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As I sit here about to tell you another fascinating story, I find myself smiling a bit, smiling because something just occurred to me. I have some friends across the country that have said recently… “Ya know Mike, you seem to be having too much fun with all these great Chevelles, you are a lucky man!” I appreciate that everyone enjoys the cars I present and that it appears I am having so much fun, but I honestly haven’t really thought about it much beyond just enjoying the chance to help my fellow hobbyists. Yes, it is fun... But I’m not sure I truly realized how much fun it is or how lucky I am until a few days ago. First, I got a new 66 SS that I am kinda tinkerin' with (wink wink) and that’s fun... But then a good friend of mine called me with some bittersweet news. He told me that after long debate and consultation with his boss (code for the wife), he was going to sell off his car collection and go in a different direction for a bit. To say I was stunned was an understatement, but then a smile came over my face... A smile because I know the kind of cars he has in his collection…. SURVIVORS.... and many of them 66 & 67 SS Chevelles, which means I am going to have the opportunity to see some incredible cars and more importantly, help him find good homes for these cars. Survivor cars have their own particular following and their own particular buyers, so I am really looking forward to finding just the right buyers… people that appreciate what survivor cars mean to the car hobby. So, although I was not happy to hear he was moving in a different direction, a smile came over my face and I realized I’m going to hear it again…"Mike, you are having too much fun!" Maybe I am having too much fun?? However, the more I sit here writing, the more I say, Nah, no way, this could never be too much fun!
So, sit back and read about a car that is nothing short of a Time Capsule. Look at a sampling of the photos, talk to your own boss and then call the bank and start the wire transfer because this is one that will surely not last very long~ But even if you are not looking to purchase a 67 SS Chevelle, I do hope you will Smile right along with me!
Lets take a trip back in time… back to Friday, June 2nd, 1967, in Phoenix, Arizona. The place is Rudolph Chevrolet and Mr. Charles E. Wigger had walked into the dealership looking to buy a new car. He didn’t get far when this particular Bolero Red 67 SS caught his eye. It was sitting on the showroom floor and apparently had been sitting there since the fall of 1966. Nobody seemed to want this slightly DIFFERENT muscle car and so it sat and sat, no doubt because it was slightly DIFFERENT. Being early June at this point, it was getting close to the time when the 68 Chevelles would be rolling off the assembly line and so it was a car that would likely be sold at a good price if someone showed interest, or so Mr. Wigger thought. After looking it over and deciding that it would suit his needs, he began the arduous task of negotiating a deal with the salesman. Unfortunately, even back in 1967, this is something that is never easy and after the bill of sale was drawn up and he saw the final price, he ended up leaving. The next day, Saturday June 3rd, he went back and this time he brought $2900 in cash, but the salesman said $2900 would not buy this car. At this point, Mr. Wigger, having already fallen for the Red Chevelle, asked if he could take the car for a drive and so the salesman got the car moved outside and Charles proceeded to test drive it. When he got back, he told them to keep the $2900, he’d be back on Monday morning when the banks re-opened and he would bring the remaining $342.53 in cash, which he did…
So, by the end of the day on Monday, June 5th, 1967, Mr. Charles E. Wigger left Rudolph Chevrolet the proud owner of a brand new 1967 Bolero Red Chevelle SS, one that was just slightly DIFFERENT than what most would purchase if ordering a new muscle car in 1967. So what made this 67 SS so DIFFERENT? The slightly Different aspect was in how this one was built. This was not the all too typical bucket seat and 4 speed 67 SS we have all seen and likely wanted when ordering a car back in the day. No, this 67 SS came with not only a bench seat interior, but with a powerglide transmission on the column! So, although buckets and 4 speeds were not standard on the 67 SS, it was what the majority of people would order. No doubt, this one sat on the showroom floor as long as it did because it was not what most wanted. A shoe for every foot they say... and this shoe was going to fit Charles just fine!
What he got was a Bolero Red 67 SS with a 396/325hp engine paired with a column style power glide transmission and Black Bench seat interior... All for a whopping $3242.53. The Original Bill of Sale is dated for 6-2-67 and denotes the cars option list as follows:
1967 Chevelle SS
Ultimate Survivor
$38,000
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