2024 Chevelle 70/SS: Powerplant Options Compared (2024)

The 1960s and '70s saw muscle cars gain huge interest among the car community in North America, resulting in some seriously powerful and capable creations. Chief among which was the Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454; a 450 horsepower 2-door coupe. This rear-wheel-drive powerhouse dominated the muscle car market in the early 1970s with powerful engines and awesome styling, which are why the Chevelle SS is so popular. Appreciation for the model is still high now, with mint original or freshly restored Chevelle worth serious money on the collector's market.

TransAm Worldwide, a custom car manufacturer out in Florida, saw an opportunity to capitalize on the iconic status of the classic Chevelle, by creating a Camaro-based interpretation of their very own, with modern-day audiences in mind. Dubbed the 70/SS, the 2024 Chevy Chevelle is real, and this sleek convertible-only creation boasts nostalgic design features, a heap of cool tech, and, perhaps most importantly for a proper muscle car, tantalizing engine options.

In this article, we will explore the plethora of options available to 70/SS customers, which range from suitably powerful to simply outrageous.

Three Main Powerplant Options Are Available

Three Choices On Offer

• LT-1 V8 (naturally aspirated or supercharged)
• 396 V8 (supercharged or turbocharged)
• 454 V8 (supercharged or twin-turbocharged)

Much like the original muscle car that captivated so many gearheads in the 1970s, TransAm Worldwide (TAW) offers a multitude of engine options with their 70/SS. Their base model packs an LT-1 V8 under the hood, which churns out the same amount of power as the flagship Chevy Chevelle SS 454 from 1970. From here on out, things quickly escalate, as the most powerful variant of TAW's creation produces more than three times this amount.

Naturally-Aspirated LT-1 V8

Engine Specs

The Entry-Level LT-1 V8 Produces 450 Horsepower

Despite being based upon the humble Chevrolet Camaro, TAW decided to skip the soft 6-cylinder and lower output engine from their 70/SS line-up, and simply start off with a 450 horsepower LT-1. This is the most docile option available in 2024 and is no doubt geared towards enthusiasts who want the style and performance of a restomod muscle car, without going too over the top. To put things into context, this entry-level model puts out almost enough power to match the output of Ford's new Dark Horse Mustang, which, incidentally, is the most powerful naturally-aspirated Mustang ever produced.

Supercharged LT-1 V8

Engine Specs

The Supercharger Adds A 50% Power Increase To The Chevelle's LT-1 V8

Stepping things up a notch, TAW offers the customer the chance to bolt a mighty supercharger onto the GM LT-1 engine. This mod boosts the output from 450 to 675 horsepower; that's a huge 50% increase that equates to +225 horsepower. The LT-1 engine has been a popular choice for Chevrolet projects over the years, although rarely do modern muscle cars pack quite this much power, especially in a civilized road car format. This supercharged 70/SS is the most powerful base model that TAW currently offers.

Supercharged 396 V8

Engine Specs

The Heritage Model Starts Off With 800 Horsepower

Next up in the TAW rankings is the 396 Heritage Model, which naturally packs a 396 V8. This engine sees overall engine capacity swell from 6.2 to 6.5 liters, and with that, comes a whole heap more power. In addition to the larger engine capacity, the biggest difference here from the base model is that no naturally aspirated option is provided.

Instead, another supercharger features, but this time the output soars to a hypercar-esque 800 horsepower. To place that figure into perspective, the exotic Ferrari 812 Superfast produces 789 horsepower from its highly strung 6.5-liter V12.

Twin-Turbocharged 396 V8

Engine Specs

Twin-Turbos See Power Figures Swell Further

Eager to cater to all customers' needs, TAW would happily swap that supercharger for a pair of turbochargers. Bolting these onto the 396 V8 results in yet another jump up in performance, this time by 100 horsepower. At this point, the 70/SS produces double what the already capable base model produces, which, of course, is also double that of the original Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454. It's pretty clear that the 70/SS isn't for the faint of heart then, especially not this twin-turbo model, but things don't stop there either.

Supercharged 454 V8

Engine Specs

This Supercharged V8 Is Another 900-HP Option

If the 6.2-liter LT-1 or 6.5-liter 396 V8 doesn't quite meet customer requirements, then TAW has one more engine option that ought to impress even the heaviest-footed driver. This flagship option is the formidable 7.4-liter LS6X engine. For the first time in this engine line-up, the output doesn't jump up, as the supercharged LS6X (which is 454 ci in size, just like the original) also offers 900 horsepower, which matches the output of the most powerful twin-turbocharged 396 choice.

Twin-Turbocharged 454 V8

Engine Specs

The Top-Spec 70/SS Produces Up To 1,500 Horsepower

This top-of-the-food-chain choice sends the 70/SS into overdrive, with two different power outputs. The least powerful option packs 1,000 horsepower, which matches that of the Bugatti Veyron. As if that wasn't crazy enough, TAW will sell a 1,500-horsepower package, and it's still perfectly road-legal. According to the engine bay plaque we spotted on this Instagram post, this 1,500-horsepower powerplant option kicks out over 1,300 lb-ft of torque too, which gives the 70/SS more twisting power than an F-350 Super Duty.

The Key Differences Between Each Chevelle Engine 70/SS Option

Key Differences

• Power output
• Price
• Aspiration
• Higher-performance cars come with additional performance benefits

There are similarities between all the engine choices, such as the fact they are all big-capacity V8 engines, but certain differences stand out too. For instance, aside from the obvious increases in horsepower, the aspiration type varies between options. In addition, when spec'd with the more powerful powerplants, such as the 1,500 horsepower 454 lump, TAW also upgrades major brake and suspension components.

The 2024 70/SS kicks off at $175,000, and while prices are not publicly available for each trim of this re-imagined Chevy Chevelle, which we assume is because these are custom-built, and so prices will vary hugely dependent on how each car is finished, it's clear that the more powerful cars will be somewhat more costly than the base LT-1 examples. This is another key difference between the engine options available.

Sources: TransAM Worldwide