More than 201?

[1967Z28]

Thanks for the clarification.

[jeffschevelle]

Originally Posted by whitetop

Here is a white Z16 left over ,no big block , has convertible frame with Z16 marking, 160-mph speedometer ,hand cut firewall,etc. Has binders of factory paperwork. This is how it came from the factory but with a SB and painted white.
Another Bellaire Ohio car. Lean to roof fell on it during a storm. A collector has it now and is restoring it.

Originally Posted by 1967Z28

What makes it a Z16 if it was built by the factory with a small block?

Originally Posted by whitetop

I never said it was a z16. It came from the factory with all the z16 parts except the BB

Somehow I missed the above posts, and pics of that white car. I would be very interested to see the "binder of factory paperwork". Several things weigh heavily against this car coming from the factory with any Z16 parts --

1. It is a Malibu (has trim holes down the side). If they were going to put "left over" Z16 parts (including a 160 speedo) on a non-Z16 car, why would they put it on a Malibu and not an SS?

2. Any "left over" Z16 parts would have been put into service replacement parts inventory. There were approx. 20 extra engines built (ostensibly for warranty replacement purposes, but you could walk in and order one from the parts department if you knew the part number). There were 160 speedo clusters available over the counter. Extras of the rear trim were also made and sold as service replacement parts.

3. Your first post said something about "hand cut firewall". But the firewall clearly shows that is an A/C car. There was nothing "hand cut" on a Z16 firewall.

4. If there was a left over "extra" boxed Z16 frame in the KC plant, then it would have been used on a convertible, not a coupe. Putting it under a small block coupe would require doing a set of one-off broadcast sheets for that car, with different brake lines, fuel lines, trans cross member, etc. Management would not have held up a "build-them-as-fast-as-you-can" assembly line to spec out a one-off small block Malibu that did not have a special engine in it (such as a COPO), just to use up an "extra" frame. They would have used it under a convertible, or put the frame into service parts inventory. Or they would have just thrown the frame away before they would have done all of that to slow down their assembly line.

So, odds are someone found and parted out a wrecked Z16 and all that stuff got put on this car long after it left the factory.

Or maybe this is the car that was sold at Huffman Chevrolet in Farmington, Illinois. Jerry's dad got one of the first Z16's for Jerry to drag race. Within hours of its arrival Jerry started stripping off everything not needed to go racing. Many items (like the PS, PB, AM/FM-Mulitiplex, tach, TOD clock, etc.) were installed on a new small block car on the lot, and added to the window sticker, to recoup some of the high cost of the Z16. I don't recall him saying that they swapped out the speedo cluster, but they may have. That would not explain the frame though.

But the frame can easily be explained if the car was ever wrecked bad enough to need a new frame. Service replacement frames (after a certain amount of time) were ALL boxed. They did that so they only had to stock two frames (one for Elc or Wagon, one for everything else) in inventory, rather than four. This is clearly noted in the Chevrolet parts books from the mid to late 60's.

With all that said, I'd love to be wrong! Please ask the owner to share the binder of documentation to educate us all!

[EZ Nova]

Was there ever a1965 396 El Camino from GM? I have been looking around and notice a number of site list a 396 option for the El Camino?

[Lee Stewart]

Originally Posted by EZ Nova

Was there ever a1965 396 El Camino from GM? I have been looking around and notice a number of site list a 396 option for the El Camino?

FULL SIZE:

http://oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA...re/image3.html

I don't see a 396 option listed.

[DWR]

I remember seeing one someone posted pulling a boat and it had 396 flags on it. I think it was a GM ad.

[DWR]

https://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/...olet-surfer-i/

[Unreal]

The pic in the macsmotorcitygarage looks like a photoshop job to me. Still cool, though.

[EZ Nova]

https://www.musclecarfacts.com/chevr...965-el-camino/

Under engine options is 396/375Hp???

Then it's listed here:

https://www.ss396.com/cars/1965-El-Camino/



This is why I'm inquiring? I heard they were RPO in 1966, but wonder if some lipped through in 1965 since they had the Z16s???

[Lee Stewart]

Originally Posted by EZ Nova

https://www.musclecarfacts.com/chevr...965-el-camino/

Under engine options is 396/375Hp???

Then it's listed here:

https://www.ss396.com/cars/1965-El-Camino/



This is why I'm inquiring? I heard they were RPO in 1966, but wonder if some lipped through in 1965 since they had the Z16s???

The largest engine you could order in a 1965 Chevelle or El Camino was the L79 327/350 HP. The 396 did not appear as a regular RPO until 1966. The Z16 was a special run of 200 cars with a one off 396 that was only used for that model run and never again used.

Remember 1965 was the first year of the BB and the 396 was very limited in it's use: Corvette (425HP) and Full Size (325/425 HP).

[442w30]

Originally Posted by EZ Nova

https://www.musclecarfacts.com/chevr...965-el-camino/

The problem is you're looking at crap websites.

No way to know except with experience. Consider this the moment you learn this muscle car facts site is not dependable. I'm not into Chevys, but this is one of the few Bow Tie places where I can count on people for coming from a place of knowledge.