Bought 70 L78 Nova w/ following codes sight unseen

[WILMASBOYL78]

Good luck with your Nova...my first L78 car was Forest Green also(36 years ago ).....3 things jump out:

CBS coded rear would have to be special ordered...the default rear axle for all the L78 cars was a 3.55 ratio and posi was an option, though most folks ordered it.

Next the trans code should be CW for the special high shift point TH400...the CF coded trannys were used in Novas, but I think the CF units were used with the L34 motors...

last item is the date on the cylinder heads...June of 69 seems a little early for a March 1970 assembly.

Please share some photos when you get her home...sounds like a nice car.

wilma

[70ChevyGuy]

Pardon my ignorance on "high Shift point TH400".

Thx

[mockingbird812]

The L78 396s could rev higher and develop HP at a higher rpm than the 350 HP 396, so the special TH400 (code "CW") would shift at a higher rpm to take advantage of this capability (i.e., with the car left in "D" the tranny shifted at a higher rpm).

[WILMASBOYL78]

The CW coded trannys were very similar to the CX and CY coded units that came before in 68-69....HD internals, special governor, 6 lug converter, and so on...these trannys are really something to experience. You put the car in drive...mash the pedal and it upshifts at around 6200-6300 rpm on it's own This worked real well with high revving solid lifter engines. Your car should have a CW coded tranny...

wilma

[70ChevyGuy]

M-bird: With a 3:31 rear end and this tranny I'm a bit perplexed. Both DO in fact seem to be mostly found on L34's with some who claim that they were special ordered on very few L78's. The the engine matches on an extremely thorough restoration. Would seem odd to waste an L78 and such a extensive restoration using an incorrect tranny and rear end; especially on a forest green nova. Similarly if you were to scuff and stamp an L78; why do it on a Green Nova with an incorrect ass end? Open to thoughts in this regard, gents.

[92646]

Well you will know in a few weeks if it was a good buy or not. What is the redline on the tach? Was there any paperwork to show how the car was ordered?

[WILMASBOYL78]

Mark's question about the tach is a good one...the photos in the ad don't show enough detail on the tach. The forest green paint looks very nice....exterior trim matches the trim tag.

wilma

[CDNL-78]

Looks like you bought a keeper, nice looking car. Hope all the numbers work out in your favor. Find out who restored the car, see if they had the back seat out of the car. Maybe theres a line sheet attached to it some where. That would be the first thing to look for when it gets to it's new home. And don't forget the pictures. We like pictures.

[70ChevyGuy]

6K tach mathces the one in this example (this site has the right image incidentally but the wrong redline figure). Bottom L78 tach is actually a 6K redline but they do look is deceiving)

Single fuel line.

Rear axle same week as trim tag (was told this is not uncommon on fisher tags from Willow Run) CBS 04 15 G 2 Carrier number 3968341

So I agree, looks L34 from bell housing back. Hard to convince myself someone would order it for high end and not stoplights.




www.chevynova.org/NovaTachs.html

[Mr70]

"Rear axle same week as trim tag (was told this is not uncommon on fisher tags from Willow Run) CBS 04 15 G 2 Carrier number 3968341"


That's the assembly date the rear was set up,not the casting date of the housing.
Look around the 2/4 & 8/10 O'clock areas on the pumpkin to axle webbing for a cast date.
I'm just curious to know the difference between the two.