This 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle was bought for Bruce Springsteen by his mechanic in 1981, he owned the car in the 1980s and it was later displayed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the surfboard that Bruce would put in the back when going to the beach in New Jersey.
The car has specifications that closely match the lyrics to the 1978 Springsteen song “Racing in the Street,” with the 396 V8 and the Hurst on the floor, and it still looks to be in excellent condition from its restoration in 1988. Silodrome report.
The Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 -Watch GALLERY HERE
The second generation Chevrolet Chevelle was produced from 1968 to 1972. This period saw significant changes and updates to the car, and today it remains one of the most popular versions of the series.
Bruce Springsteen began looking for a suitable Chevelle in 1981. He has a personal mechanic that fronted for Springsteen to keep the buyer’s identity hidden. Otherwise, the price tends to shoot up dramatically.
The car was carefully chosen to match the lyrics to Springsteen’s famous song from 1978 “Racing in the Street” –
Bruce owned the car from 1981 to 1987 when he gave it to his recording engineer Toby Scott for Christmas. Scott and Springsteen worked together on over 18 of his studio albums over the years, and the men got to know each other very well.
Springsteen’s Chevelle is appearing at Mecum’s auction in May, in Indianapolis. For provenance, the new owner will receive a letter from Springsteen confirming he owned the car. There is also written verification from Springsteen’s mechanic friend, which describes purchasing it. And finally, a picture of the license plate from when Springsteen owned it.
Engine
396 CI
Trans
4-Speed
Color
Lemans Blue
Interior
White
Previously owned by Bruce Springsteen from 1981 until Christmas of 1987 when it was gifted to Toby Scott, who worked as a recording engineer or mixer on over 18 of his albums
Rotisserie restoration started in 1988 and finished in 2020, putting the car into the condition described in the lyrics of Springsteen's song "Racing in the Streets"
Delivered to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio in August of 2020 where it was displayed with the surfboard that Bruce would put in the back when going to the beach in New Jersey
Signed letter from Bruce regarding his ownership of the car, a document from Bruce's mechanic describing acquiring the car for Bruce and a picture of the license plate the car wore when registered to Bruce are included
The boss loves cars and motorbikes
Corvette Story: " Born to Run" Corvette Winter” by photographer Frank Stefanko is by far my favorite image of New Jersey’s" (Bruce)
Frank Stefanko and Bruce Springsteen met in the cold winter of 1978 in the unlikeliest of places: a small town in South Jersey. They were young, hungry and had something to prove. Stefanko was a working man, sweating it out by day in a meat-packing plant in Pennsauken, NJ. But, his true passion was photography…
The Boss became mired in litigation with his former manager, which prevented him from recording new material.
With the lawsuits finally settled, Springsteen was ready to release the material he’d been writing as the litigation had dragged on. This was a make-or-break album for The Boss. But first, he needed an album cover.
That’s how Springsteen ended up in Haddonfield, and how Stefanko ended up shooting the covers for Springsteen’s next two albums, Darkness on the Edge of Town and The River.
The collaboration between Springsteen and Stefanko probably wouldn’t have happened without the help of another Jersey-born rocker, Patti Smith. Smith and Stefanko had attended Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) together, but both left before graduating.
