Rarity of a 69 427 L36 in a standard Impala
 

The guy that is going to paint my cuda convert has a 69 impala he got out of a barn that is a convertible, has a 427 390HP engine, yet is not a SS427 car. Someone told him it is likely rare, but he asked me if I could help find out more. Any help appreciated I can pass on to him.

Its yellow, mint black original top, and black interior (bench with column auto).

-bob

not particulary rare but cool, desirable and worthy of restoring. 69 Impalas are not highly sought after and parts may be difficult to find especially trim pieces. But with a 427 and convertible top and yellow it will certainly float the boat of Chevy fans.

If I remember correctly a 1969 427/390 could only be had in a Corvette or an SS427 Impala. If it was in a standard Impala, Biscayne, or Caprice it was a lower horsepower rating like 360 or something like that. Bill

My recollection is that the full size 69 Chevys had three different 427s available: 335, 390, and 425 HP.

I myself have not inspected it to verify motor stamps myself as I am in his town often enough. It does have an odd number 1 stamp in the cowl tag, centered just above the small general motors corporation text. Someone told him years ago that is likely an inspection mark. My 69 camaro does not have that so it caught my eye when he sent me a picture of it.

Pretty cool, if that is considered a corvette motor, whether rare or not.

Side note, when young visiting my moms family in Missouri, my uncle that seemed to get a lot of used cars, let me take his 427 4 door gold impala out for joy rides and it was fun to floor on hilly black top roads in farm country. I drifted it around turns on gravel roads, it had alot of torque for a lead sled. I thought back then, those front badges on the side of the fenders were super cool with that 427 script. The 4 door aspect was a downer though. I still have a model car of a 69 or 70 427 impala drag car in the attic, I think it was called Sudden Shaker. I loved that model, need to get that back out of storage and show my friend and atleast display it.

I could be wrong, but I don't think any of the available 427's were limited to the SS427 model. Wasn't there a wrecked 427/425 4-door sedan in barn finds at MCACN a few years ago?

Yes, The Leunig's had their 425HP wrecked sedan there. Regarding the SS cars, only the 390 or 425 horse engines were available in an SS, and a factory 390HP non-SS car is pretty rare. That engine would have painted valve covers and air cleaner lid, as opposed to the SS which would be chromed.

Donny

My 69 Biscayne was a real L72 425 HP car. It came with an M22 which made it even more rare. Ordered by an employee at Flint Assembly, he knew what he was getting. Standard brakes, no power steering ...pure street racer.

I recently had an LA code 390hp 427 block, which I believe would have been a painted valve cover non-SS engine. I sold it to a guy who is putting it in a '55 Chevy.

My 1969 427/390 is an LC. Yours was full size with manual and mine was with TH400. The goal is to build it with the 840 heads I bought and make an L72 clone.

I recently posted some pics here of my buddy’s car but can’t find the thread now. It’s a 4 door caprice 427 390 hp T-400. He has the protecto plate..it is definitely a 390 hp car.

Thread Link…
https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=178584
:beers:
~ Pete

.

The 1 stamped on the cowl tag is the inspector. Must be a St Louis car since it has the handstamp

I see you have a registry of the SS427s. My buddy with the 4 door 427 caprice also has a 69 SS427 vert. White w/white top and red gut. Pretty combo ! I recall it is an early car because it has the walnut wheel. Maybe you already have the info on his car?

Is there a website for the registry? I will contact him and have him submit the info from his car.

I kept a '69 512 CE block to build into an L72 clone... It will end up in either my '55 or my '69 SS.

I don't have a specific page up yet for the registry on my website. Impalas.org

He can contact me thru there or if you want to send his info to me on here I can check to see if it's already listed. I actually maintain a database of any 64-70 fullsize data I can get.

I was able to see the car last night and it was actually cooler than I thought in person.

I was surprised it has ralley wheels! After I saw that, I said oh crap, I like this car now. It did not have the vin on the front pad, it did decode as a 390HP, and I said maybe the VIN is in the same place as a camaro, and low and behold it was! the owner was super happy about that. Yes it has painted valve covers as said above it should have. It also has a 12 bolt that he said is supposedly a heavy duty version, but I am not sure how he knows of that.

Its an air car, likely nothing odd about that, nor is the auto trans. It has the wood tone center of a black steering wheel I thought looked cool. power windows, power top. Original nice black top on the car still. that would likely crack into a thousand pieces if it was tried to retract ;)

Car was ordered by a dealer as a demo and was the owners personal car. I saw some things that were kinda strange to me, a vacuum trunk close feature (I could see that on a caddy but an Impala?), and these 2 big folgers looking coffee cans that provided the likely vacuum storage under the hood for that.

What was really puzzling was this thing that sat up on top of the cowl that had a transparent cover. it was wired into the original wiring in the car so it looked factory. It was either some type of light or rain sensor. I have a picture if someone would like to post it I could text it to them in a pm. VERY Very weird item GM put on that car.

I have a friend that has a complete 1969 Impala L72 427 Custom sitting in a barn. If anyone is looking for any parts or a car. Cortez silver with black bench. The engine is out of it and there is only the original bare block and trans left. It rough, but all there.

Here is that goofy item on this 'non SS' 427/390 convert's cowl, in the center of the hood location (I think its centered, but it could be off a bit). Neither of us know what it does.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...43e1f68e_n.jpg

Ambient temp sensor for the auto temp A/C.

Thanks! makes sense.