Chevy Has Been Producing Cars Since 1911. Here Are Some Of Their Rarest Models
Chevrolet has been building cars since the early 20th century. Many of its cars are well-known American muscle classics or sporty cars like the Corvette, but here are some lesser-known achievements. These Chevys are so rare that only a handful were ever built, or the project was scrapped. Let's explore the rarest cars from one of the "Big Three" American icons.
Series C Classic Six: The Car That Started It All
Chevrolet debuted in 1911 with the Series C Classic Six, a four-door touring car powered by a six-cylinder engine producing 40 hp and a top speed of 65 mph. Despite being three years behind Henry Ford, who'd been selling the Model T since 1908, the Series C was Louis Chevrolet's first car and was an instant hit.
Series C Classic Six: The T-Head Engine
The Series C Classic Six and Louis Chevrolet, along with chief French designer Etienne Planche, used a T-head engine, which was radically different at the time from Ford's L-head engine. In a T-head engine, the intake and exhaust are on either side of the engine, making a dual camshaft necessary. It was 299 cu in (4.8L) and was Chevrolet's largest engine until 1958.
Miguel Marcos Omana Alfaro, Wikimedia Commons
How Many Are Left?
Despite Chevrolet building almost 6,000 Series C Classic Sixes between 1911 and 1914, there are only two known to exist in the world today, making them one of the rarest-ever first cars of any company. One is located at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Canada, an unrestored partial version. The second, a fully-restored original, is located in Flint, Michigan at the Alfred P Sloan Museum.
Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons
1958 Chevrolet Yeoman
In 1958, Chevrolet built a station wagon known as the Chevy Yeoman. They featured the first-ever production Chevrolet big-block V8 engine, a broad, chrome grille, and four stacked headlights, reminiscent of the Cadillacs of the era. It was reasonably popular, but only 16,590 of Chevy's station wagons were Yeomans. The wagon was discontinued later that calendar year.
Josephew at en.wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons
1955 Chevrolet Cameo
Produced between 1955 and 1958, the Chevrolet Cameo was a side-step upgrade to regular Chevy trucks, powered by a V8 engine that produced 132 hp, while the Cameo's half-ton bed had ample space. Unfortunately, just over 10,000 of the Cameo were produced in three years and it wasn't much of a commercial success.
Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, Wikimedia Commons
1961 Chevrolet Greenbrier
Released in 1961, the Chevrolet Greenbrier was the first travel van ever built by Chevrolet, with all-around windows and six doors. The Greenbrier laid the groundwork for the iconic VWs of the 1970s. Powered by a 2.6L inline-six engine, the Greenbrier seated nine people with an optional third-row seat. Over 1,500 Greenbriers were built during its final year, but it's an iconic travel van of the early 1960s.
Paul VanDerWerf from Brunswick, Maine, USA, Wikimedia Commons
1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Z16
The Chevelle is one of America's most famous muscle cars, but one of the more obscure iterations of it is the Z16. The high-performance option for the Chevelle Malibu SS, the Z16 featured a V8 engine that produced 375 hp with upgraded brakes and a stronger frame. It wasn't widely publicized and only sold to select dealers. Just 201 units were produced.
1965 Chevrolet Chevelle Z16 // Lot F183 // Mecum Kissimmee 2018, Mecum Auctions
1973 Chevrolet Laguna
One of the strangest muscle cars to come out of Detroit in the mid-1970s, the Laguna was produced between 1973 and 1976, offered in several body styles that included a sedan and coupe. Chevrolet even added a 4.9L V8 with a double-barrel carburetor that produced 145 hp. This was underwhelming for most Chevy customers, who expected better from a top-line (price wise) muscle car. Just over 100,000 were produced in three years.
order_242 from Chile, Wikimedia Commons
1977 Chevrolet Monza Mirage
Offered only for 1977, the Chevrolet Monza Mirage was an attempt by the company to resurrect the disastrous Monza nameplate. Unfortunately, the white paint job featuring red-blue racing stripes running the length of the car and a 5.0L V8 couldn't salvage it. Just over 4,000 were produced for the year before it was discontinued.
Let's check out the 1977 Monza Mirage!, Carlisle Events
1978 Chevrolet Monza Estate Wagon
What happens when you blend two different types of Chevy cars together? You get the Monza Estate Wagon. Chevy marketed the Monza Estate Wagon as a blend of the Vega and Monza, with a Duke Iron four-cylinder engine. Unfortunately, beady-eyed Chevy owners recognized that the Monza was simply a rebodied Vega (which had been a disaster) and were quickly turned off.
1980 Chevrolet Citation X-11
The Citation X-11 featured a 2.8L V6 engine that produced a solid 135 hp and was the first compact car produced by the company. It also featured a sport-tuned suspension, better handling, and newer brakes. Chevrolet produced just over 1 million examples in five years, but it's a rather obscure Chev overall.
1985 Chevrolet Sprint
"The what?", I hear you ask. That's right. The Chevrolet Sprint. A car so forgettable that almost nobody has heard of it, largely because it was originally produced by Suzuki as the Suzuki Citrus and imported to the US by Chevrolet, under the name "Sprint". It featured a 73 hp turbocharged engine, but wasn't exactly a hot commodity among American Chevy lovers.
MercurySable99, Wikimedia Commons
1959/69 Chevrolet Kingswood
The Chevrolet Kingswood was produced in two series, once in 1959 for one year, and again in 1969. It was a top-of-the-line station wagon from Chevrolet. The earlier model featured woodgrain interior trim, chrome luggage carriers, and a full-block V8 engine. A V8 in a station wagon? That's right. The Kingswood didn't last long, being discontinued in 1972.
Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, Wikimedia Commons
1985 Chevrolet Spectrum
Another unfortunate case of importing another car and rebadging it as their own, Chevrolet released the Spectrum, which was really a rebadged Japanese Isuzu Gemini. A turbocharged 1.7L engine produced 111 hp. The car didn't sell well and was discontinued in 1988. American muscle car companies don't seem to make compact cars super well, do they?
MW 1985 Chevrolet Sprint and Spectrum Road Test | Retro Review, Josucarsnews
1985 Chevrolet Nova
We are not talking about the 1960s classic. No, this is the 1985 Chevy Nova. This car was Chevrolet's version of the Toyota Corolla—it was even built in a shared plant in California with Toyota. However, the '85 Nova definitely hasn't achieved the cult following of the Corolla, being discontinued after just three years on the market.
order_242 from Chile, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
1997 Chevrolet Prizm
Produced for just four years between 1997 and 2001, the Chevrolet Prizm's third-generation iteration was a rebadged Toyota, imported by Chevy. The Prizm nameplate was discontinued almost immediately after the project was given the go-ahead, but the four-door sedan plugged along for four years. Powered by a 1.8L engine, the Prizm didn't exactly excite, with only 44,000 units sold in four years.
1997 Geo Prizm: Regular Car Reviews, Regular Car Reviews
2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
Powered by a 2.2L four-cylinder engine, the Chevy Malibu Maxx was the longer, roomier version of the Malibu. It received an exciting upgraded engine shortly after its release: a 3.9L V6 that produced 240 hp, this was the "SS" version. Unfortunately for Chevrolet, the Malibu Maxx was one of the greatest flops of the brand, selling less than 4,000 in total.
Mr.choppers, Wikimedia Commons
2008 Chevrolet Uplander
The 2008 Chevrolet Uplander was supposed to be Chevy's entry into the minivan market, competing with the Dodge Caravan and many others. It was poorly built, with mechanical issues ranging from the engine to the brakes and beyond. The Uplander sold fewer than 120,000 units in four years.
1956 Chevrolet El Morocco
In 1956, Chevrolet was looking to build a competitor to the Cadillac Eldorado. Enter the El Morocco. Designed using donor Chevy Bel Air bodies, the El Morocco had fiberglass tail fins with a modified grille and side scoop moldings that represented the Cadillac Brougham. Chevy was definitely trying to copy the Eldorado with this car, but it was much too expensive for most people, which explains why there were only 30 ever built.
Greg Gjerdingen, Wikimedia Commons
1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Convertible
From the obscure to the classic: the 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 Convertible. This is so rare that there's only one in existence. It was a Central Office Production Order (management ordered it specially) that was powered by a 4.9L V8 engine that produced 400 hp. The car was built for General Manager Pete Estes, who only drove convertibles. He loved the car so much that he kept it and it would become the blueprint for the Z/28 moving forward.
1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 FOR SALE / 136394, RK Motors
1990 Chevrolet 454 SS
In 1990, Chevrolet released an upgraded SS which packed some serious punch, powered by a massive 7.4L V8 engine, producing 230 hp. A big set of tires and upgraded steering that was more responsive greeted you, with muscle and power to burn. Produced between 1990 and 1993, just 17,000 units of this boxy beast hit the streets.
1997 Chevrolet S-10 Electric
What's that? Chevrolet tried to make an electric truck in the 1990s? Yes, they did! Lightyears behind the Cybertruck, the S-10 was as much a "proof-of-concept" car as anything else. America wasn't ready for an electric truck, nor was the technology there to produce them on a mass scale. Using lead batteries, it would only go for 60 miles and had a humiliating top speed of 70 mph. Just 60 were ever built.
Chevrolet S10 Electric Parked 25 Years! Can We Make It Drive Again?, The Questionable Garage
2019 50th Anniversary Chevrolet COPO Camaro
The 50th anniversary of the Chevrolet COPO Camaro demanded celebration and fanfare from Chevrolet—it received it in spades, with a brand new car to boot! This was the Central Office Production Order (COPO) Camaro, powered by a 7.0L V8 engine that produced a staggering 455 hp. Just 69 of these cars were ever built, and none are street-legal.
2019 50th Anniversary COPO Camaro Reveal at SEMA 2018, KDawgFilmz
1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray ZL1
Speaking of 1969, Chevrolet produced some of its greatest (and rarest) cars that year. The Corvette Stingray ZL1 was unleashed, featuring a 5.8L V8 engine that produced over 500 hp. The sticker price for the car was over $10,000, and over $3,000 of that was just for the engine alone, making it the most expensive engine Chevy ever built. As a result, only three were ever built.
2006 Chevrolet Silverado Intimidator SS
Chevrolet produced a special-edition Silverado in 2006, honoring the late Dale Earnhardt. It had a lowered ride height, performance suspension, and 20-inch chrome wheels featuring homages to Dale Earnhardt throughout. 1,333 were released, each powered by a V8 engine offering 345 hp. A fitting tribute from one of America's greatest manufacturers to one of their greatest drivers.
2006 Chevy Silverado Intimidator SS Walkthrough & Review, Rigo Juarez
1996 Chevrolet EV1
It might surprise you to know that the S-10 wasn't the first time that Chevrolet tried to get into the electric vehicle market. The EV1 was the first time an electric car had been mass-produced in the United States, featuring two batteries, one a lead-acid battery that ran for between 16.5 and 18.7 kWh, and a nickel-metal hydride battery that ran for 26.4kWh. It could do 78 miles on the lead-acid battery alone, and 142 miles on the nickel-metal battery. Only 1,117 units of the EV1s were sold and Chevrolet essentially lost the $500 million it had spent.
RightBrainPhotography (Rick Rowen), Wikimedia Commons
1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 L78
Just 612 units of the 1967 Chevelle SS were produced, each powered by the L78 engine, which produced 375 hp and a top speed of 130 mph. Its fantastic acceleration meant that it gobbled up the road, reaching 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds. It's a rare classic iteration of the Chevelle SS that should be protected at all costs.
1967 Chevy Chevelle SS 396 L78 Numbers Matching Engine!!!, SuperSport Classics
1965 Chevrolet Malibu SS 396 Z16
Ever built a car just to promote a huge new engine? Oh, to have the luxury to do so. That's what Chevy did with the 1965 Malibu SS 396 Z16. A 6.5L V8 was what they were promoting, using the classic Malibu body with dual headlights, a chrome front grille, and a lower back end. Just 201 units were built.
Muscle Car Of The Week Video #4: 1965 Chevrolet Malibu SS 396 Z16, V8TV
1969 Chevrolet Yenko SC 427
Don Yenko, Chevrolet dealer extraordinaire, produced just 99 units of the SC 427, powered by a 7.0L V8 engine that was usually only reserved for Corvettes. The Yenko SC 427 produced 425 hp at stock and 450 hp with Yenko's tuning. A legendary, rare Chevelle that was only made to customer specifications.
1969 COPO Camaro ZL1
Another special-order program from Chevrolet was the 1969 Central Office Production Order (COPO) Camaro ZL1. Powered by an all-aluminum 7.0L V8 engine (not usually found in all-aluminum in regular Camaros), the 1969 COPO Camaro ZL1 made over 500 hp and only 69 units were built.
1963 Chevrolet Impala RPO Z11
Impalas are supposed to be luxury sedans, right? Not so for this 1963 Impala RPO Z11. The "Regular Production Option" was designed for NASCAR and drag racing drivers. Dual quad carburetors ran through a stoked 409 engine that produced 430 hp. It really shone on the racetrack though, covering a 1/4 mile in 10.8 seconds.
1963 Chevrolet Impala Z11 'Old Reliable IV' // Mecum Kissimmee 2017, Mecum Auctions
1968 Chevrolet COPO Nova SS 396
Legendary Chevrolet tuner from the 1960s, Fred Gibb ordered 50 specialized COPO Nova SSs stacked with 6.5L V8 engines capable of producing 375 hp and covering a quarter-mile in 14.5 seconds. It was four seconds slower than the Impala, but overall, a successful dragster for Chevy's tuner-extraordinaire.
1968 Chevrolet Nova COPO Dick Harrell Tribute for sale | 5468-DFW, Streetside Classics
1970 Chevrolet El Camino SS LS6
Just a handful of the 1970 El Caminos received Chevrolet's most powerful engine of its day, the LS6. A 7.4L produced 450 hp, which was crazy for the fact that the car was supposed to be a "Coupe Utility" vehicle. Just 500 units were built with the special engine. It cost $3,746 back in the day, but is now worth somewhere in the region of $69,000.
1993 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Indy Pace Car
In 1993, Chevrolet produced 645 Camaro Z28s to be the Indy Pace Car for the Indy 500 that year. Many were ordered on the spot by folks who loved the black-on-white two-tone paint job and racing livery flair. Under the hood, the Z28 was powered by a 5.7L V8 engine that produced 275 hp. But it was the nostalgia that really drew collectors to this limited edition car—Indy fans one and all united behind the Z28, a racing iteration of a classic.
1969 Chevrolet Camaro Berger Double COPO
An incredibly rare car that came equipped with a Turbo 400 automatic transmission was the 1969 Berger Chevrolet. Berger was a dealer since the 1920s, which could special-order heavily customized Chevys. One such was a '69 Camaro fitted with a L72 7.4L big-block V8 engine. Producing 425 hp, there are only about 58 of these beauties still in existence.
1971 Chevrolet Vega
One of the rarest Chevrolets gets that distinction because of how awful it was. Its wheels could literally fall off. Brackets that were faulty caused the throttle to randomly be stuck open. Even the double-barrel carbureted engine was too hot, causing exhaust fumes to possibly ignite the fuel tank. But by far, the worst problem was that if you didn't keep the engine coolant topped up, because of a huge design flaw, the engine was prone to overheating and destroying itself. While it's not rare, with 2,000,000 built during its production, it's the worst Chevy to ever hit the market.
Chevrolet pre-1978, Wikimedia Commons
1917 Chevrolet Series D
The Model D of 1917 was Chevrolet's first ever V8-engined car. The problem was that Chevrolet didn't know how to build them so that they worked back in 1917, with production ending after just one year and only 4,000 ever built. It produced less horsepower than their four-cylinder engines and ended Chevrolet's V8 aspirations for 38 years.
What Rare Chevrolet Is Your Favorite?
Tell us, if you could have just one of the rarest Chevrolets ever built, which would it be and why? Let us know your thoughts on the ill-fated Vega, the classic Chevelle SS, and any others on our list of the rarest Chevys ever.
Chevrolet pre-1978, Wikimedia Commons
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