68 SS/396 emblems

jasonL78 · #1 03-02-2007, 03:12 PM

I thought I was told the 68 396 nova's came with the SS/396 front fender emblems. My car when I got it had just the 396 emblems and it was off the road since the late seventies. I would asume they were original to my car. All the original pictures I have seen on the internet show only the 396 bezel. I know ray morrisons car has the SS/427 badges but I wasn't sure if that was a dealer add on. Does anyone know what emblem was correct for the 68 396 nova! The emblem I am talking about is the one that the 68 chevelle uses and they bring good money and are not being reproduced.

Jason

3macs1 · #2 03-02-2007, 06:24 PM

From what I have seen I think the 68 Nova emblems apprear to have taken the same path the 68 ss427 Impala emblem did. On the 427's there was actually three styles and many different opinions of their origin. I have also seen all three 396 emblems on Nova's with original owners swaring they are original to the car.The most common belief on the 68 427 emblems was the early cars were fitted with the foil back ground emblem that said SS427, with later produced cars having the plainer common 427 chrome emblem with the black background.Then there was a red foil 427 emblem that was definately standard on canadian built cars but have also shown up on many US cars reciently.
The 396 probally followed a similiar pattern ss396 foils on early cars, the canadian cars had a foil silver back ground with a white trimmed 396 but did not say SS, then finally the standard 396 chrome with the black back ground. I have seen all three on 68 nova's.
The dates for each or perhaps the different plants used different ones is still a mistery only that three were produced and factory installed for sure.The original canadian cars seemed to be the only one consistant and used one style for 396 and 427.
Good Luck finding a usable set of the ss 396. When they do come up used they go in the 500 plus range.Somewhere buried I have one but cannot lay my hand on it right now.
Hope this may help some. Wilma may have more to say on this also.

**Rainer** · #3 03-02-2007, 07:05 PM

Recent discussion on these bezels over at Team Chevelle...

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163835

Kim_Howie · #4 03-02-2007, 07:15 PM

THe Gibb novas used the foil back emblems and the are late cars 7A & 7B cars. But the BB 68 nova's weren't started until March or April.

Kim_Howie · #5 03-02-2007, 07:18 PM

Jason I have never seen a 68 Nova with a SS/396 front emb. All the ones I have say 396 only in the emb. Hope this helps. Kim

jasonL78 · #6 03-02-2007, 07:23 PM

Thanks for the reply's that is what I thought but wasn't sure.I will check my original 396 emblems and see if they are the foil type.

Jason

ORIGLS6 · #7 03-02-2007, 07:31 PM

"I have never seen a 68 Nova with a SS/396 front emb."

Me either. I always thought the foil insert "SS 396" were early Chevelle only. My '68 had that type and it was delivered December 5th 0f '67. Don't know the production date cause I was just a kid then...............

The guy I worked with at the time bought a car similar to mine just a couple of months later and his had the "396" cast numbers.

Either the Red, former Oehler Nova, or Rick Thayer's has the original foil emblems.

Kim_Howie · #8 03-02-2007, 07:35 PM

68 BB nova's are rare little over 900 produced. I have only owned one that was not a Gibb car it was a June car and had foil embs.

Kim_Howie · #9 03-02-2007, 07:39 PM

Ray's car came with foil and the 427 red back round and white letters was put on by Dick harrell easy to do just stick them on.

3macs1 · #10 03-02-2007, 10:14 PM

[ QUOTE ]
"I have never seen a 68 Nova with a SS/396 front emb."
Me either. I always thought the foil insert "SS 396" were early Chevelle only.

I agree early 68 chevelle for sure but after reading the team chevelle discussion I don't really think they have a better handle on this than us impala guys do with our three different 427 emblems with respect to what car got what in what time frame.There seems to be a agreement foils early solid later but what foil early is not clear.We have a jan 68 with red foil a august with silver foil ss427 and a december with the black solid background.
At least up north I actually remember buying the foils seperately but not for 50 cents.Most times I would get a red 427 one but one time a set of silver foil ss427 came in under the same number.
I'm no expert on Nova but now remember it was a l-78 68 Nova we pulled the motor out of that had the ss396 foils on it. That is where I seen it on a nova .Car was rusted to death.
Just a question Jason is your l-78 from pleasant valley. If so when you tracked it back to the late 70's with John??? he also remembered that car having ss396 foils on it did he not??.
I don't know. Only one thing is for sure never say never when it comes to GM and what they did especially with small items like bezels.

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