My 15 Minutes of Pure, V8-Powered Bliss

[Bailey Guns]

Had my Colorado in for an oil change this morning. I was killing time wandering around looking at all the eye candy. A metallic orange colored car caught my eye among all the pedestrian-colored Malibus and Impalas. Something different about that car.

Got close enough and instantly recognized it as one of the cars I've wanted since they've been available...a Chevy SS. I know, I know...a 4-door sedan. Big whoop. But I've always liked them and spent lots of hours and miles behind the big, LT1-powered Caprice PPVs so it's almost a nostalgia thing for me. This one was a slightly used 2017 (last year of production) with a shade over 2100 miles on it. There just aren't a lot of them around and it was the first one I've ever seen in the wild.

As I was looking it over a sales guy I knew came up to me and asked if I knew what it was? Hell, yes, I know what it is. Do you wanna drive it? Hell, yes, I wanna drive it. I told him up front I wasn't a paying customer on this car and he said it wasn't a big deal. It was early and there weren't any real customers around.

We got the keys and a tag and away I went. What an awesome car. 415 HP and 415 lb-ft of torque in a rear wheel drive sedan. I've had my share of performance cars and this one's no slouch. Sure, there are faster cars and probably cars that handle better...but not for under $40k. Probably not for twice that. And certainly not in a 4-door sedan. What a fantastic sound it made, too. The sound of the 6.2L motor was itself worth the price of admission. Corners that I take that are a little scary at 40 in our Cruze were easy at 60. Probably could be done at 90 but since it wasn't my car 60 was about the best I could do. Got to enjoy it for about 15 mins. Made my day.

If you're interested in contributing to my GoFundMe account lemme know.

2017 Chevy SS in Orange Blast
https://i.imgur.com/a74fkrL.jpg?1

[DenverGP]

Sweet car.... I've been a pontiac guy for a long time, so liked the GTO, really liked the G8 GT, and the SS is basically just the next generation of the G8, all based on Holdens.

[Gman]

Oh, look. A Holden.

Looked at them when they were still being made. Came with a healthy gas guzzler surcharge. Never drove one.

[Bailey Guns]

Yes, it's made by GM Holden in Australia. That's not really the point.

Maybe I can find a late-model Caprice PPV I can afford.

[SouthPaw]

The GM 6.2L are a hoss. My next truck will hopefully have one in it.

[hurley842002]

I like me a good "sleeper" car, and that one is no exception!

[CHA-LEE]

Makes me want to pull my 2005 Pontiac GTO out of the Garage and take it for a spin. It makes 675HP/TQ at the rear wheels which is highly entertaining........ Too many toys, so little time......

[hurley842002]

Makes me want to pull my 2005 Pontiac GTO out of the Garage and take it for a spin. It makes 675HP/TQ at the rear wheels which is highly entertaining........ Too many toys, so little time......I've always wanted a GTO, clean lines, nothing fancy, but fast as hell!

[Zundfolge]

Oh, look. A Holden.

Beat me to it ... I really wish that GM would sell the Holden Ute here in the US. Stupid Chicken Tax.

[Irving]

I would drive it.

[Bailey Guns]

Makes me want to pull my 2005 Pontiac GTO out of the Garage and take it for a spin. It makes 675HP/TQ at the rear wheels which is highly entertaining........ Too many toys, so little time......

I can't even imagine that kind of power. My last performance car (and that's a stretch) was an 02 Camaro SS with some factory performance package in it. Don't recall what it was called and I don't remember the numbers. It was plenty fast enough for me.

[Bailey Guns]

I like me a good "sleeper" car, and that one is no exception!

That's kind of the appeal to me, too. You can have a "practical" car and one that's fun to wind up on occasion, too.

[BPTactical]

Meh, this is more my style


https://youtu.be/XaP9hq_vepw

[Zundfolge]

Meh, this is more my style
The Chevelle is nifty but what happens if you ever want to turn?

The wife blew the head gasket in her '90 Nissan 240sx ... wish I could convince her to do an LS swap (https://www.sikky.com/product/240sx-s13-ls1-mount-kit/)now :p

[Irving]

The Chevelle is nifty but what happens if you ever want to turn?



Generally the tow vehicle handles all the steering.

[ben4372]

This thread has so much in it to comment on. First the Government Motors thing, just to be a smart ass. Then my dismay that they didn't sell 10 times as many as they did. These cars were an unbelievable bargain. And I'm 90 % sure you could order them with a manual. Sweet.

I think the reason 2017 was the last year is because they closed down the factory. Pretty sure Ford left too. Australia had some weird manufacturing rules. They used to make some unique cars down under.

Finally if you want to be cool the company that converts the utes to US spec is for the cool kids is in our back yard. I saw one in Wheatridge. http://www.lefthandutes.com/

[Gman]

Would love to have seen left-hand drive Holden Utes here in the states, like the Maloo. I think they could have been a hit. With today's computer design and tooling, it must be easier to build left-hand vs. right-hand drive.

[Irving]

What's the point of a Ute? Besides being all emo and unique?

[OtterbatHellcat]

Glad you had some fun with it, Bailey. I've rented a few challengers that really had some balls under the hood and handling that could take it. Fun stuff.

[Bailey Guns]

This thread has so much in it to comment on. First the Government Motors thing, just to be a smart ass. Then my dismay that they didn't sell 10 times as many as they did. These cars were an unbelievable bargain. And I'm 90 % sure you could order them with a manual. Sweet.

I think the reason 2017 was the last year is because they closed down the factory. Pretty sure Ford left too. Australia had some weird manufacturing rules. They used to make some unique cars down under.

Finally if you want to be cool the company that converts the utes to US spec is for the cool kids is in our back yard. I saw one in Wheatridge. http://www.lefthandutes.com/

They really never did catch on here. And everywhere you read about them, car guys just rave about the performance...especially with the manual, which is what they all want. The one I drove is an auto but you can do the sport-shift thing if you want. The suspension is just amazing. And, yeah, they closed the factory downunder. Ford and Toyota are bailing from building cars down there, too.

In 2017 a new SS stickered for just under $50k. The only option that actually raised the price was a sunroof. There was no extra charge for the manual transmission option. Chevy was running an incentive program to clear them out for 20% off MSRP after they discontinued them...that put them at just under $40k.

And not to take away from the Chevelles and such like in the above picture...but that's not what this car was about. This was a daily driver that could haul the family and the groceries and compete - performance and feature wise - with some pretty serious Euro competition.

A 4 door, rear drive sedan that does 0-60 in about 4.5 secs, stops from 60 in 100' and holds .95g on the skid pad for under $40k new. What's not to like about that?

[KS63]

What’s sad is that most any vehicle that I think is decent is $40K or more.

[Bailey Guns]

^^ Ain't that the truth. It's expensive to be cool.

[BushMasterBoy]

New Corvettes are almost a $100K. My dream car would be a ZO6 'vette with twin turbos. Instead I am building a 1984 454 1 ton single rear wheel Silverado. I just need a new motor. That Chevy is badass tho'

[wyome]

Makes me want to go fire up the G8...
SS, like the G8, was a great deal that was underappreciated and showed up when GM was having too many problems

[GilpinGuy]

I've always llovedthe old goats. I never never got one, but I did have a '70 LeMans convertible in high school. Close, but not quite the same thing.

[00tec]

Not a Government Motors guy, but those cars are pretty cool. Color is nice too.

[BPTactical]

^^ Ain't that the truth. It's expensive to be cool.

Speed costs money......how fast do you want to go?

[jerrymrc]

Makes me want to go fire up the G8...
SS, like the G8, was a great deal that was underappreciated and showed up when GM was having too many problems

So you still have it? I did PM you last month. [dig] And my VE. 75342

[Zundfolge]

What’s sad is that most any vehicle that I think is decent is $40K or more.

I figure I can still get into a vehicle I'd really really want for under 20k

This has me drooling right now: https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/d/1976-bmw-2002-restored-classic/6633208878.html
Or this: https://cosprings.craigslist.org/ctd/d/1976-pinzgauer-710m/6616258523.html

But yeah, real fast new cars are pricey.

[CHA-LEE]

Everything is for sale in this world. I would be willing to sell my GTO for the right price.

[CS1983]

You need to go back and pull a Kramer:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuEdU_lrtZk

[BPTactical]

You need to go back and pull a Kramer:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuEdU_lrtZk

Bush league


https://youtu.be/2EfmyAgFSfQ

[SouthPaw]

The Chevelle is nifty but what happens if you ever want to turn?

The wife blew the head gasket in her '90 Nissan 240sx ... wish I could convince her to do an LS swap (https://www.sikky.com/product/240sx-s13-ls1-mount-kit/)now :p

The LS series are bullet proof.

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/hrdp-1109-stock-gm-ls-engine-big-bang-theory/

With my recent purchase ('03 Tahoe 5.3L), I am working my buddy to boost it. Mostly for a daily cruiser but with enough punch to blow the doors off most anything on the street. I will be around 600hp to the wheels all said and done. Since my buddy has been building these motors for awhile, he is going to lend me a hand making it happen. His personal truck ('05 SCLB 1500 5.3L) made 817hp to the wheels and is stock for the most part all things considering. His buddies LS swapped '91 Ranger is straight wild and ran 10.20. I've been poking around craigslist gathering parts as I see them. Should be a pretty fun rig once it is done.

[BushMasterBoy]

Anything with a LSX...

https://www.chevrolet.com/performance/crate-engines/lsx-454r

[TheGrey]

That metallic tangerine shade is a real eye-catcher.

I'm glad the salesman was cool and let you test drive it; that's always fun.

[MrPrena]

Make me wanna fire up my......