66 Chevelle 396/375 conv lesson needed

[Stefano]

JoeC is correct the VIN 13867 will verify a Super Sport Convertible and an EG engine pad stamp would be correct for the 375hp 4 speed L78.

[FESTIVAL78]

Thanks..So there was a 375hp available that year. If the motor isn't correct will the 13867 suffice as proof of L78 or is that universal for all available bigblocks? Any special signs? Axle codes. fuel lines, dash gauge differentials?How about trim tag option codes?

[Stefano]

The vin will tell you if it is a Super Sport or not. It doesn't verify the L78 option.

All the additional items that you mention can provide clues, but not verify it as an L78.

If it was a straight axle Rag top racer from day one or two, it is unlikely that any of the components would be original to the car. Including possibly the frame.

[FESTIVAL78]

I agree. I saw this car two years ago at a gas station and checked it out quickly. This car is surely vintage and not cut up out back. it's paint is original and poor. It had a rollbar that was torched back out. The engine looked old with fenderwell headers. It has vintage drag stickers on the window from some track in upstate NY. I'm interested only because the other day I [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] drove by a side street and saw it outside with a small tarp covering just the soft top area. The car is going to fail where it is so I was thinking of approaching the owner. Printed out all the Team Chevelle tech and will swing buy on Monday for a mid-day snoop session. If anyone over the weekend can think of anything else to look for I'd appreciate it. Thanks again.

[FESTIVAL78]

How can the trim tag help ID the motor & enlighten me about the knee-knocker tach. Underdash? horizontal plain? Thanks.

[MYSTERYCHEVELLE]

As I stated, if the TRIM TAG shows the car to be ...say a July or August built car...just example...then you can rule out that this car is a true L-78....as the L-78 was not introduced until later in the 66 production year....just using this as a guide is all...same with the Tach...if you believe the car to be an L-78 and it still has the orig. Knee-Knocker tach ( see my web site in my profile) than said tach would be the high redline and 7,000 RPM version, there were three tachs depending on engine....of course if the engine is there and it is stamped with suffix code as previously noted, then it's easy...easy to say if it is a TRUE L-78, but not that it is orig. to the car....that must be confirmed with the VIN tag on the door....hence MATCHING NUMBERs is the loose sense of the word [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

again, feel free to e-mail me as I am not a regular here and may not find myself here to answer your ?

Mike

[SS427]

Welcome aboard Mike (mysterychevelle). I thought I might get your attention with that link. Thanks for helping out and hang around a while. Great forum with good people that can use more imput and good people.
Rick

[Mr70]

Red rover Red,rover,let MysteryChevelle Mike come over.
Welcome!Small world...Umm,I mean World wide web.
I like L-78 Chevelles too. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]