Re: 1965 Z16 Chevelle production dates?
I'm pretty sure you're correct in the assumption that Feburary 1965 was the changeover month from the 409 to the 396 in full size cars. Back to my old Z-16 engine, I was street racing pretty heavy at the time and was not worried too much about the "IX" suffix on the block. I was more interested in the fact that it was a fresh four bolt main, steel crank Rat motor that would handle some serious spray. I don't remember the VIN of the car but I do know that it was punched out to 427 cubic inches which was possible on those 1965 four-bolt 396 blocks. I ran it for about a year, then sold it to a collector on the east coast. What's funny is, when he asked me what state I'm in, I told him Missouri. He tells he recently purchased an engineless Z-16 Chevelle body from a town called Imperial, Mo. I then tell him that I live in the town next to Imperial about two miles away, and I think he went into cardiac arrest over the telephone. It turns out though that it wasn't his original engine, but from a different car. I was actually shocked that I did not know about the car he had bought from Imperial that had been so close to me for years.
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1962 Biscayne O-21669 MKIV/M-22
1962 Bel Air Sport Coupe 409/1,000
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