1966 ChevelleSS

[Rwalker]

Hello everyone, I am new to the forum with a question . In the spring of 1966 I went with a friend to a local Chevrolet Dealer ,he was wanting to buy a new Chevelle. We didn't find one out front,we went around back and found a new Chevelle 396 ,4spd. with 4:56 rear gear. the Crome air cleaner had a factory sticker just like the rest of the 396's except this one read Factory Experiment 375 Horsepower. this was not an add on sticker,it was like others with the cross flags. About 25yrs. ago I read in a Corvette magazine the in 1966 Chevrolet Took the 1965 Corvette 396 425hp. upped the HP. and installed them in some of the 1966 Chevelles. the article said that Chevrolet rated this engine in the 4,000 rpm range to get 375 HP. to not let the Corvette owners know that the Chevelle had as much HP. as the 427. I think they said that there were 100 of these cars produced.I am not talking about the regular 396 375 HP. Engine option.

thanks very much for any help
Ronnie

[Unreal]

You sure it was a '66? and not a '65 Z16?

[scuncio]

Having worked for years at GM and speaking with a number of folks who were there 'in the day' I seriously doubt a 'Factory experimental' sticker originated at GM. Cool story though.

[Rwalker]

Thanks Unreal and scuncio for the reply. It was a '66 Chevelle SS. The reason that I told my friend to buy the car was the factory sticker on the air cleaner. Oh well I guess I must have been dreaming.Anyway thanks again

Ronnie

[Shevelle]

Ronnie, I sent you a private message.

[66 L78 ragtop]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rwalker</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks Unreal and scuncio for the reply. It was a '66 Chevelle SS. The reason that I told my friend to buy the car was the factory sticker on the air cleaner. Oh well I guess I must have been dreaming.Anyway thanks again

Ronnie </div></div>

Hi Ronnie, you are not dreaming. Something did happen with the HP rating in 66. I have some GM docs on it and will be happy to share.
Give me a call
219-718-2614

[Postsedan]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 66 L78 ragtop</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rwalker</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks Unreal and scuncio for the reply. It was a '66 Chevelle SS. The reason that I told my friend to buy the car was the factory sticker on the air cleaner. Oh well I guess I must have been dreaming.Anyway thanks again

Ronnie </div></div>

Hi Ronnie, you are not dreaming. Something did happen with the HP rating in 66. I have some GM docs on it and will be happy to share.
Give me a call
219-718-2614 </div></div>

Orlando,

Please do share [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Dan

[Rwalker]

Thanks 66 L78 ragtop I will give you a call Tuesday morning.

Ronnie

[barnett468]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 66 L78 ragtop</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hi Ronnie, you are not dreaming. Something did happen with the HP rating in 66. I have some GM docs on it and will be happy to share.</div></div><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Postsedan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Please do share</div></div>Hello;

Here’s some info.

According to the article in the link below, the government was cracking down on high hp supercars in 65 so the mfg's agreed not to produce cars with more than 425hp for 1966 at least. All the 66 L72 427 engines were actually 450hp but they slapped 425 hp stickers on them and rated the hp at 5600 instead of 5800 rpm to get around the 425 hp limit.

Some people speculate that chev simply ran out of 450 hp stickers so they started using the 425 hp ones. This is not the case which is proven by the fact that chev did a recall on all 427 450 hp cars so they could install a 425 hp sticker to keep the gov happy.

The imposed 425 max hp limit is further supported by the fact that in 1966, both the 426 hemi and 427 dual quad center oiler ford were claimed by the mfg's to have exactly...425 hp.

The corvette 396 was advertised as 425 hp as well, however this is about as much as these engines really had anyway. The same engine was put in other models and rated at 375 hp.

http://www.corvette.net/cac/L72/A_St...450-HP_L72.pdf

[Rwalker]

Thanks barnett468,
that's a very informative article

Ronnie