Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

Bowtieman427 · Active Member

I got dibs : ) 65 Chevelle Convertable - $45

Derek69SS · Founding Member

He's missing some digits in his price, but I'm not sure how many... it's sure not worth $45,000 and it's worth a lot more than $4,500

Looks like a $25k car to me.

65chevahaulic · Contributor

Right Derek, Bench seat, non SS car, and the definition of convertible is different than convertable, but ad spelling serves this car and ad well since it has been converted..so I think its a hard sell for a harder to find buyer for this- convertible conversion. Very nice car for what picture shows though, and a fairly rare car to find and get brought back to this condition. NOW, if it was a factory built Z-16... That Would be the Deal of a LIfetime!!!

-- Edited by 65chevahaulic on Sunday 17th of March 2013 08:28:16 PM

Lost in the 60s · President

65chevahaulic wrote:
NOW, if it was a factory built Z-16... That Would be the Deal of a LIfetime!!!

If it was THE ONLY factory built Z-16 convert, the price would be 4.5 million....

65chevahaulic · Contributor

Total Malibu SS 396 production was 201 cars with one reportedly a convertible. It is not known to survive. About 65 Z16 coupes in restored or unrestored condition still exist making them one of the rarest and most desirable muscle cars.

-- Edited by 65chevahaulic on Tuesday 19th of March 2013 10:09:06 AM

Lost in the 60s · President

65chevahaulic wrote:
Total Malibu SS 396 production was 201 cars with one reportedly a convertible. It is not known to survive. About 65 Z16 coupes in restored or unrestored condition still exist making them one of the rarest and most desirable muscle cars.

What is documented as the ORIGINAL prototype Z16 resides in a private collection in Warroad, MN. The club should organize a tour of this collection sometime. It includes many other makes and models than Chevelle and is amazing. He also has 2 of the 3 Hemi 302 engines Smokey Yunick built for Chevrolet for NASCAR use. They are in Camaros along with a handful of Yenko and COPO cars too. Vic Edelbrock has the third hemi and I haven't heard if he ever put it in a car.

-- Edited by Lost in the 60s on Monday 18th of March 2013 10:20:46 PM

65chevahaulic · Contributor

I agree Mitch, Definitely on the bucket list for a long distance club adventure destination for sure, before its sold and transplated into another collection farther from us.

" The prototype Z16 Chevelle was built at the Baltimore plant. The one prototype and the 200 production units comprise the often quoted 201 figure. One convertible was reportedly special built for Chevy General Manager Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen, but is understood to have been destroyed. This Z16 conv for Z16-equipped Chevelles means this is one of the rarest, most coveted Chevrolets ever produced. Of the few that remain, prices run in six figures. Although some regular 1965 Chevelle owners have attempted to fake the Z16, this is a most difficult task due to the unavailability of the unique Z16 equipment and trim, although much of the external trim pieces are now being reproduced in the aftermarket "

bowtie · Secretary

Somewhere in here is where we refer to Jeff's site: http://www.z16chevelle.com/ The actual #1 Z-16 is documented, but a prototype would have been non-numbered I assume. I have also heard of the ragtop being made for a GM rep, though it could be possible that they took a regualr car and converted it to Z-16 specs instead of it being down the line as a true Z-16. Back then things could be oddly done as well as poorly documented. Modern supercars like the new COPO Camaro are better documented and show that 68 hardtps and 1 convert were made. Next year, converts will be available as an option. That one ragtop will always be known as #69 and the first of it's line in the modern COPOs.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

Tom Lasater (T-man from Team Chevelle) claims to have ridden in the Z16 convertible when he was a kid, and also says it was Gold.

He told a pretty convincing story, but it was late in the Best Western parking lot at Chevelle-abration, and in my condition, I might have believed anything.

65chevahaulic · Contributor

I remember reading an article online, somewhere 5+ years ago.. possibly about this gold vert.

To date, this single Z16 convertible has not been found (but reportedly seen long ago). It is rumored to have been built special for Semon 'Bunkie' Knudsen, a GM executive at the time. In a published interview with Vic Edelbrock, Jr. he stated he helped design and supply the famous Holley 3310 carburetors and only 200 were done for production. It's also been reported that this convertible was gold in color with a gold interior, not one of the three mandatory colors for Z16s of Red, Black, or Yellow. Z16 GM's own press releases state that "...only 200 (all coupes) are to be built" and all were to be built at the Kansas City final assembly plant.

65chevahaulic · Contributor

Jun 14th, 04, 8:54 PM

T-MAN

Easy now! No one can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that this car actually existed, not on paper anyway, I tried. The car was gold, I rode in it a few times right after a friend of mine bought it. He bought it through the GM pep car program and was a GM employee at the time when the car was new. He has no pictures of it, no sales paper work, insurance papers, all gone. I went to the dealership he took delivery at and they keep sales records for seven years then they are destroyed. It would be great for this car to pop up somewhere but the numbers better be dead on, that's for sure. He hit a curb with it and bent up the right side suspension and had a heck of a time finding the parts to fix it. That happened in 1965! Good luck out there!

HMMM......Quite the story, t-man

Without any names given.... Pretty hard to even consider

Chris R · 2K+ Club

T-Man is a stand up guy and doesnt seem like someone that would make up stories so I wont dispute what he said. I remember in the very early days of Team Chevelle (late 1997), he was posting about his expierence in that car. However, there has been many discussions over the years by some very knowledgable and reputable people that claim there is and never has been any concrete evidence that the one convertable of the 201 cars built ever really existed. I cant decide what side I fall on, if I ever get an opportunity to see Chuck Hanson again, ill ask him what his thoughts are on it.