Discount-Bin Muscle Car: The 1971-72 Heavy Chevy

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Despite its groovy name, the Heavy Chevy wasn’t a real muscle car in base form, but it  could be optioned out as a respectable performance machine.

 

As the ’60s gave way to the ’70s and the Detroit muscle car trend began to fade due to rising insurance rates, tougher emissions requirements, and a changing buyer demographic, the automakers did their best to adapt. One response from Chevrolet in March of 1971 was the Heavy Chevy, the muscle car that wasn’t really a muscle car. Not in base form, anyway.

 

1971 Heavy Chevy dealer notice

 

Not a stand-alone model exactly, the Heavy Chevy was an option package (RPO YF3) that added $142.20 to the $2,807 base price of a stripped-down Chevelle Hardtop Coupe—the only model in which the package was available. So for around $2,950, many hundreds less than the fancier Malibu-based SS, buyers received styled-steel Rally wheels minus trim rings, a domed SS hood with hood pins, blacked-out grille and headlamp trim, and exclusive vinyl body stripes and badges. The Heavy Chevy looked the part of a muscle car, at least.

But outward looks and a groovy name can be deceiving, as the base engine was a meek 307 cubic-inch small-block V8 with a two-barrel carb and just 200 hp. Inside, the standard equipment included a bench seat, cheap upholstery with just a touch of trim added to the door panels, and rubber floor mats, though a few optional upgrades were available at extra cost. Also available were a pair of more potent 350 CID small-block V8s with 245 hp (two-barrel carb) and 270 hp (four-barrel) for those willing to pay a few dollars more.

 

1971 Chevrolet 350 cubic-inch 270 hp V8

 

In fact, by carefully checking the proper boxes on the order form, an alert shopper could fit out the Heavy Chevy as a legitimate muscle car. While the monster 454 CID V8 was exclusive to the pricey SS, the Heavy could be equipped with the LS3 big-block V8. With 402 cubic inches, a Rochester four-barrel carb, and an 8.5:1 compression ratio, it was good for 300 hp at 4,800 rpm, requiring a heavy-duty MC1 three-speed manual transmission. With the addition of a Turbo-Hydramatic 400 or Muncie M20 four-speed transmission and the F41 heavy-duty suspension, a penny-pinching enthusiast could score a respectable performance machine.

According to factory data, some 6,727 Heavies were produced in ’71 and another 9,503 in ’72, generating far less volume than the popular SS despite the more attractive price. How many Heavy Chevies were equipped with the 402 CID big-block V8 is not entirely clear, but it was apparently more than a handful.

 

1972 Heavy Chevy 

5 thoughts on “Discount-Bin Muscle Car: The 1971-72 Heavy Chevy”

  1. Was this one not a response to the stripped-down Plymouth Road Runner? If I recall, the Plymouth GTX was their fancy muscle car, and the RR was for people who wanted to drag race for less money.
    But then I was too young to drive in 1971, much less buy any car.

  2. Mark, yes! They are similar in that both were sparsely equipped inside. The difference is that the Road Runner was equipped with a 383 V8 and four-speed standard.

    • Offering powertrains down to the 307 also likely made the option a bit more insurance-friendly.

  3. Interesting, I hadn’t paid much attention to the backdoor factory hot rods after I bought a new Corvette in ’69. Then just paid attention to the SS and other touted performance models. There was a lot going on behind the scenes, like promotions with selected dealers.

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