1970 Chevrolet Townsman Wagon with Factory LS-5

[Draginwagon]

Only known Factory Red LS-5 Wagon to be built.
1970 Chevy Townsman Wagon - COPO; Supercar; documented by build sheet; 63k original miles.
454 ci 4 bbl; 390 HP LS-5; 500 ft/lb torque! Turbo-400 trans; 12 Bolt Posi, F41 suspension; HD cooling. One of 27 or 28 belived built for dealers to campaign on the dragstrip "back in the day".
Lived a Sheltered Life in New Mexico.
Factory Cranberry Red (refinished when Frame Off Restored) with tan interior (Original Interior) Believed the only one ever built in this color, and the only one known to still exist of the originals that were built). Plain Jane.... Manual Steering, manual Drum brakes, NO third seat, "Dogdish" hubcaps.
Built by Chevy, campaigned in the SouthWest by AutoLand Chevrolet of New Mexico. Retired by Dealership owner, and kept as showpiece for many years. When he passed, she was purchased and frame-off restored by a gentleman in CA.
Chassis fully detailed during resto & powdercoated. Paint is flawless as is interior and engine compartment.
2 Spares. Build sheet & Owners' manuals.
Build sheet confirms 454 LS5 engine. These vehicles were NOT available with this engine option unless they were a COPO.
Many awards including several "Best In Show".
$45,000.
More info and pictures. Email [email protected] OR call: (401)246-2051.
http://www.kuhnsklassics.com

[Mr70]

Welcome..
It was possible to get the LS-5/390HP engine in a Kingswood,Kingswood Estate,Brookwood or Townsman Station Wagon.
It was a readily available Regular Production Option.
No Special COPO ordering was needed by the dealership.
Nice Car!

[markjohnson]

My father worked at the St. Louis assembly plant and recalls several of these 1970 full-size 454-390HP wagons being built. He drove them from the end of the line out to the holding lot outside and said they really, REALLY ran quite well! In fact, my father was driving and racing in one of those LS-5 wagons against another LS-5 wagon when the other employee lost control and hit two other cars in the holding lot totaling out three new cars in the process. Why can't I find jobs like that?

[dogue95]

Is this the same car?

http://www.barrett-jackson.com/aucti....asp?id=176675

[WILMASBOYL78]

Just a little diversion..my uncle always had new Chevy's back in the day. Last one was a 1970 Caprice with the LS-5 motor and th400. Man did that thing haul-ass! He always had his foot in it whenever we went out...he used to run studded snows in the winter and do burnouts with the sparks flying!!!

wilma

PS. That wagon is neat!!

[GTO_DON]

There was 2 of them around here years ago and i wound up buying the one to put the engine in a 67 ss396 car and then junked it. I believe the other one met the same fate a few years later. Didnt then and still dont look like anything special to me! Did I make a double copo mistake?

[Draginwagon]

In response to the questions, Yes,
I Bought the Car from the person who bought it at Barrett Jackson several years ago. He Needed Money to finish a Z-16 Chevelle, and I Needed the Wagon. Can you blame me.
It's Fast as Hell.
My research and my previous experiance running a Chevrolet Dealership many years ago. All Full size Chevy's with the 454 had 345hp. If they had the 4 barrel.
This is the other Info I have found,
The Standard Catalog of Chevrolet says, the LS-5 was not a regular production option on the 70 Full Size Chevy's.
I have seen several Dealer Order books and the LS-5 was not on the option list that I could find.
I may be wrong, but no where have I seen proof of an LS-5 Regular production option availability in the Townsman Wagons.
Either way, If the documentation was stronger, so would be the asking price, you know how that goes.
This is a Manual Steering, Manual Drum Brake, Radio Delete 6 passenger wagon, in Red, with the Original factory Buildsheet. It had a Full Frame Off Restoration.
I mean, who would do a FRame Off on a Wagon if it were not something special. So, I asked myself, Who in thier right minds would drive this daily? It is a BEAST to Drive. FUN, But a Beast. So the word of mouth I got from previous owners rang fairly true. A specially ordered retired Drag Car.
What I was told, and the legend I have heard, is, in 1970, to build showroom traffic, Chevy Offered to Dealers this type of "Stripped" wagon for Dragracing, and Only if the Dealer would campaign the car. My understanding is, the now defunct dealer who owned it did Race the car. It then sat for many years till it's Frame off around 2000.
Thank You To all for the Kind Comments, and I am searching for more documentation, as I watched one of these run at the New England Dragway in 1970, it was a Blue one, and it cleaned everyone's clock back then. So, when I found this car....Well, let's just say. I Had To!!!
I am now offering it as I do with much of my collection from time to time to finance buying other cars. I have had a lot of fun with it and now someone else can drop a few jaws driving it.

[Draginwagon]

P.S. That must have been Cool with the studded snows and burnouts.
Look at MY Rear Tires. I can tell you She'll Break Free Very Easily. Lot's of fun.

[scuncio]

For what it's worth, I have two LS5 engines I pulled from nearly identical 1970 Caprice 4-dr hardtops. They were both loaded with options but I'd say they weren't particularly rare. Just my own experience.

[Draginwagon]

Thanks for the info.
Maybe not everything is in the books.