A Brief History of the Chevrolet Super Sport

href"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20130965-Impala-SS.jpg"img class"alignnone size-large wp-image-81" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads20130965-Impala-SS-1024x544.jpg" alt"65-Impala-SS" "610" height"324" abr When it comes right down to it, Chevrolets storied history can be summed up in two simple letters SS. Sure, names like Chevelle, Camaro and Nova conjure up visions of tire-smoking And of course, cubic-inch call-outs such as 396, 427 and 454 all bring to mind big torque and But the SS moniker is the all-encompassing term that will forever symbolize not only and but a level of class as well. Where did it all start? In 1961, with the introduction of the SS option on the full-size Impala. This was the year the legendary 409 cube V8 came into as well. The SS409 combination was Chevys response to Fords 390 Galaxie. You might say 1961 was the year that the serious horsepower wars began! Over the rest of the 60s and on into the 70s, the SS was offered on many different Chevrolet models. Good thing too, as competition from Ford (with their GT and XL models) and Mopar (with their RT was always a threat in the showrooms and at the drag strip. The SS optionmodel always offered an upscale appearance, and in most cases, a variety of high-performance engines and suspension upgrades. We wont get into all the engines and sets of features that came on every SS-optioned car that Chevrolet ever offered (that would take an entire book!) Instead, well cover the years the SS major were offered. 1961: The full-size Impala started it allbr img class"alignnone size-medium wp-image-47" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads2013091961-SS-300x106.jpg" alt"1961-SS" "300" height"106" 1962: Impalabr img class"alignnone size-medium wp-image-48" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads2013091962-SS-300x132.jpg" alt"1962-SS" "300" height"132" 1963: Impala, Chevy II Novabr img class"alignnone wp-image-49" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads2013091963-SS.jpg" alt"1963-SS" "192" height"216" 1964: Impala, Chevy II Nova, Chevellebr img class"alignnone wp-image-50" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads2013091964-SS.jpg" alt"1964-SS" "192" height"170" 1965: Impala, Chevy II Nova, Chevellebr img class"alignnone size-medium wp-image-51" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads2013091965-SS-300x123.jpg" alt"1965-SS" "300" height"123" 1966: Impala, Chevy II Nova, Chevellebr img class"alignnone size-medium wp-image-52" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads2013091966-SS-300x124.jpg" alt"1966-SS" "300" height"124" 1967: Impala, Chevy II Nova, Chevelle, Camarobr img class"alignnone size-medium wp-image-53" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads2013091967-SS-300x112.jpg" alt"1967-SS" "300" height"112" 1968: Impala, Chevy II Nova, Chevelle, El Camino, Camarobr img class"alignnone size-medium wp-image-54" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads2013091968-SS-300x81.jpg" alt"1968-SS" "300" height"81" 1969: Impala, Nova (the Chevy II name was discontinued for 69), Chevelle, El Camino, Camarobr img class"alignnone size-medium wp-image-56" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads2013091969-SS-300x138.jpg" alt"1969-SS" "300" height"138" 1970: Nova, Chevelle, El Camino, Camaro, Monte Carlobr img class"alignnone size-medium wp-image-57" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads2013091970-SS-300x104.jpg" alt"1970-SS" "300" height"104" 1971: Nova, Chevelle, El Camino, Camaro, Monte Carlobr img class"alignnone size-medium wp-image-58" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads2013091971-SS-300x176.jpg" alt"1971-SS" "300" height"176" 1972: Nova, Chevelle, El Camino, Camarobr img class"alignnone size-medium wp-image-59" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads2013091972-SS-300x215.jpg" alt"1972-SS" "300" height"215" 1973: Nova, Chevelle, El Caminobr img class"alignnone size-medium wp-image-60" src"mediawp-contentclassicchevyuploads2013091973-SS-300x180.jpg" alt"1973-SS" "300" height"180" SS model notes: Impala SS was discontinued after the 1969 model year. It resurfaced from 1994 through 1996, then again in 2004 through 2009. After 1973, the Laguna S3 coupe replaced the SS as the sportyperformance option on the Chevelle. Camaro SS was discontinued after the 1972 model year and wouldnt reappear until 1996. El Camino: Interestingly, even though the El Camino SS was a relative late-comer to the storied SS fold (1968), it continued the longest, running throughout 1987. Although the original Monte Carlo SS only appeared for a couple of brief years (1970-71), it turned up again from 1983-1988, and then in 2000-2007. Nova SS continued throughout 1976. Sure, Chevy has had other muscle monikers over the years: RS, Z28, IROC, LTZ, L88, etc., but the legendary SS casts the tallest shadow of them all! iNote: We didnt leave out the rest of Chevys more modern day SS tribe (Cobalt, Trailblazer, Malibu, and the SS454 Trucks of the early 90s) on This list was really intended to call out the older brands that resurfaced years later (Impala, Camaro, Monte Carlo)ip