1965-1970 Chevrolet L78 396 V8 - Best Vintage High Performance V8?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- Chevy's big-block 396 cubic-inch V8 may have been limited in displacement compared to Chevy's 427 cubic-inch and 454 cubic-inch V8s but it could easily hold its own against the best of these V8s and all the other legendary muscle car V8s of the 1960s. Here's the full story of Chevy's mighty L78 396 V8.
A lot of the L78 engines produced ended up on the drag strips. The racers preferred the 396 over a 454 because of its ability to rev fast and higher RPMs.
427 was the best of both worlds that's what my 69 nova has!
I know this is an older video. But, now I understand the mystic of the L 78 engine. Thanks for sharing
Yep---I had a 68 Camaro SS/RS L78 with the M22. We had it running in the 12's easy with Hedman Headers, 4.10s and RAM clutch and pressure plate. What a monster of a muscle car. Slicks, too. Bigger carb, too. Double pumper 800.
Fantastic right on video.
Brings me back to my early muscle car days,
I was so fortunate to have owned a 1969 L78 nova ss all black
with cragars.
Bought brand new and had to inform salesmen of L78 option
code as he only thought there was 325 and 350 hp versions.
This was the most horrifying fastest car I ever owned.
Ran a 12.78 @ 112 mph with only headers and G70 cheap tires.
Absolutely no traction. added slicks and 456 zoom gears to get into 11's in 1970.
sold for 1970 454 corvette.
70 yrs old now and building 1965 Malibu SS with 396 turbo 400 old school.
Miss my L78 with open headers
Yeee
Hawwwwww
Thanks for sharing
The L78 has always been my favorite Chevy Big Block. My friend had a 68 Nova SS with the L78, plain jane, bench seats no carpet. he could barely keep it on the road when he got in it. Amazing. Oh, those were the days!!!!
i remember seeing 130+ in my buddies 396 1970 Chevelle with the lowest 325 horse version. No headers even. I can only Imagine the higher horse versions....
12's were possible in 1970 with slicks, headers, aluminum flywheel, traction bars and a savvy tuner with the Nova, at least at Cecil County's elevation.
396 will always be my favorite and the little 327
Joseph M I agree both are my favorites too
Both would wind tighter than any of their later cousins.
I have a factory stock 69 chevelle SS with 81k actual miles. It is a 396/350 hp car that still runs extremely well. Those 396 motors are fun fun fun.
The 396 benefitted by being offered with the higher level options. That’s the thing GM got right for sure, especially for the street car offerings. Ford had a high compression, solid lifter, aluminum intake powered 390 back in 1961-62 that was rated at 375hp. But most Mustangs and Fairlanes got only the standard mundane 390, which was on par with the entry level 396 but that’s it. I get it that Ford wanted to sell 428s but they dropped the ball as those sorts of options could’ve made for an equally impressive lineup.
That being said though, all classics are nice cars.
Splayed aircraft style valves, huge main caps regardless of 2 or 4 bolt mains, bullet proof oiling system, lifter valley closed in solid... No lifter bore breaking off under high spring loads. The mark IV bbc is a race engine to start with. Then downgraded to smaller power levels accordingly. The Ultimate 396 would have been an oval port head 2.19/1.88 out of the rec port heads, wich we commonly do now. The rec ports offer no down low torque. But chevy wasn't going to create a special cylinder head for the small bore motor. But back in the day it was a "secret" Does the 396/ 375 run good? Yes but trust me it would've ran a lot better with an oval port / big valve head. Put one of these motors together with a L/ 88 cam or the road race .600/.600 ! Used to be able to to buy those cams over the counter ! Pro stock guys used them for years. Love the 396 forever.
i love my L78 375 hp 396 4 speed 67 elcamino. only problem with it is the 11.25 compression.
I like the 1970 LT-1 350 too and the 327 365 HP carb 327 375 HP Fuelie motor and the 302 Z-28 Motor .. 427 425 HP had way more power than it was rated at especially when you added headers..
I would never turn my nose up on anything with a 396 in it.
Fabulous! I've been running one in '71 Ford F-250 highboy since 1979.
can’t wait to throw mine into a 68 mustang
I am glad I still have my 67 SS Chevelle I bought back in 1970. Still has the 4 speed but unfortunately the 396 is long gone...
0-60 MPH: 6.9 seconds
1/4-mile ET: 13.87 @ 105 MPH
*Acceleration data from the July 1969 issue of Hot Rod magazine of a 1969 L78 Nova with automatic transmission and 3.55:1 gears with limited-slip. with skinny 14" Firestone Wide Oval Redlines!
My bone stock 1.5 litre turbo Honda Civic does that. Amazing how times change.
gute info ! grüsse aus germany !!
If you have a Civic Type R then you run about 13.7 Sec 1/4 Mile. If you have a regular stock Honda Civic Turbo 174hp then your about 15.7 @93mph . For the late 1960's 13.97 on skinny tires was about the fastest car that money could buy.
ejf, yeah a 1.5 litre Honda Civic isn't doing a 13.7 in the 1/4. Well unless it was towed by a L78 Nova.
Who cares about your crappy Jap cars ! And why are you watching a video about the legendary Chevrolet 396 V8 ?
Good description, good facts to know. I have an L78, myself.
I had a 68 Camaro 396/375 and that car was a kick to drive I put hooker headers a tarantula intake manifold and a competition cam in it. Whenever I go to a car show I regret selling it
The vast majority of the comments in this video are "remembering" performance numbers that are simply detached from reality, for extremely rare engine options that most people never owned. In REALITY, there were numerous period road tests of production L78 cars back when they were new, and those magazine road tests are still referenced online today. In Chevelles and Camaros, the L78 typically ran about 14.8 to 15.0 at about 96 to 99 mph, a quarter mile terminal velocity that equates to about 215 actual net horsepower.
Probably right, the NHRA A stock record in 1968 was 11.89 by a 427 66 Fairlane. All these 12's and even 11's seem improbable without mods besides headers, gears and slicks. A 68 Camaro L78 did hold the A stock speed record at 117 something.
Small block headers on a big block! I had no idea you could do that.
bought one with a ss chevelle body wrapped around it-4 speed -4.11 and it flies-stock-idle it down , pull valve cover and set the lifters -great engine you can work on
Still love my 67 427 .30 over in my 70 Monte does13.9 all day with323 gears
I'm a past owner of two L78 cars: a 1965 L78 396/425 4Spd Nassau Blue AC Delete Corvette Convertible AND a 1966 SS Chevelle 396 4 spd AC with red line tires. I thought the HP rating was 360; but could be mistaken. I'm trying to research both of them as to numbers and if any are still alive (ESPECIALLY THE TWO I HAD) I've since lost the Vin #'s on Both - Foolish me, I bought both cars new, the Corvette delivered in I think May of 65 from Star CHevrolet in Bisbee? Az and the Chevelle in fall of 1966 at Courtesy Chev in Phoenix. Ironically BOTH had engine failures, the Vette at about 65 MPH on Freeway going south from Tucson and the Chevelle on the streets of Bozeman, Mt at about 45-50. Don't know what actually happened to the motors. Thanks and sorry for the length.
Sorry to hear that bro, that's unusually catastrophic
WOW. Thanks I actually learned something today!!
always wondered what the real hp rating of the ls6 was
Planning to drop a 396 in my 67 chevy impala SS
Awesome video !👋
Just mopped the tears from my eyes, OHBOO HOO HOO. should NOT have sold my 69 Super Sport Chevelle FOR A LOUSY 2500 BUCKS!!! Paid 1200 for it, rebuilt the engine and grew up with it tearing up the hometown streets. Then sold it. Orange, 4 speed, stupid of me. Anyone knows where it's at, I'd like to get it back. 136379z320500
Here's where I've always wanted a clarification: What were the blocks, or block families, that Chevrolet used in the fifties, sixties and seventies? And how did they compare to each other in weight and girth? I've always been under the impression that the 265, 283, 302, 327 and 350 where the same basic block, referred to as the small block, and they would have been the same weight and outside dimensions. And the 396, 409, 427 and 454 were all based on the same block, referred to as the big block, again, the same weight and dimensions.
Big blocks started life as a truck engine @ 348 c.i. it then progressed to a 409,where it developed from there,to 396,427,454,etc,etc.
the L78 396, L72 427, LS6 454 were all the same cam, heads and carb combo just displacement changed through bore to the 427 and stroke to the 454. the L71 427 was the same heads and cam just a tri-carb setup and GM had a tri carb 454 460 horse slated but never pulled the trigger.
I have what started out as a L88 427 and a guy street raced it in Louisiana in a camaro I got the motor years later by then the internals were put in a 454 block I bought the motor and went through it it's a forged crank dimple rods 60 over trw piston which I replaced with srp 30cc dome forged pistons howards hydraulic roller cam 235x241@50 with 628 lift ground on a 108 lsa I dynoed it and it makes 661hp at 6000 rpm and 605 torque nice street motor I love my big blocks I'm getting parts together to build a 496. Rick 427
great videos
I would go for an equivalent 427 any day. Under a 400 ci limit, give me a Pontiac RA IV. A 396/375 is not the worst thing in the world though.
Great video, loads of useful information!
They were fast but wouldn't stay together at all run it break it rebuild it sell it was the usual cycle
"I have a 69 Chevy with a 396, fullie heads and a hurst on the floor.." ♪ ♭♬ ♩♫
@logtrkr philistine
I'm looking for 68 camaro L-78 396!!
Butternut yellow numbers matching & not molested!!😤😤😤
A seriously tilt 327 in a light body is a true giant killer,once you get used to peaky high revs. 😂 Lol
Has anyone tried to take a 396 and bore it out to the 427 bore size to try to turn it into 427 engine? I remember reading an actual test of this engine and it actually put on 427 hp.
Two bolt. Put headers on the LS7. 500+ HP
I run a 1974 400 small block in mine
I like the 396 and 427 big blocks. I don't really like the 454 all that much. Not sure why though. Although my family has a camaro with a 427 although its not a yenko or copo, he managed to scrounge a spare 427 engine meant for a corvette. GM sold it too him and the rest is history
427 has same bore as a 454 but 427 has shorter crank stroke so 427"S have the best of both worlds.
@@novass7493 the cool thing is that there wasnt just one version of the 427. Theres 2. You can find the short or tall deck engine. The tall deck 427 was only used in big trucks but since it has a taller deck you could use shorter con rods and make a huge stroker engine. I love the normal deck 427 cause its a big block than can rev like a small block if you build it right. The 454 just doesn’t feel cool like the 427. I feel like its just a rip off of the 427 cause some say the 427 is a rip off of the 396 but the 427 has been shrouded in mystery since it started out as a bigger 409 big block
The headers shown are not big block they are small block headers...
New subscriber
those porkie pine heads was never used again an it may of been a sad mistake !!!!!!!!!!!
L89 even better. L78 with aluminum heads.
gross torque?
Im a ford guy
Thats because you can't handle all that CHEVY power
The 348 409 was a Truck engine adopted to NASCAR because the small b lock Chevy was too small
You are so wrong. Keep reading misinformation my friend keep spreading stupid misinformation heres the deal ..... The mark II Yea you didn't even know the GM engineering term for the mark II .heres a little lesson for you..... GM knew that cars were going to get bigger and heavier....... Okay ????? So now the mark II / was needed for heavier cars because no small block would fit the bill. Chevy knew what was coming so they geared up before you post my armchair QB remember this , do you really think chevrolet engineering was that stupid?.??? Remember all these guys came from. GMI. Aka kettering university nuff said.
Best high performance vintage V8 has to be the LS6!! from GM anyway.
I drive a 66 SS Chevelle L78 and it's a beast to drive . When I rebuilt in during a frame off restoration I added a comparable roller cam , match ported the intake and exhaust manifolds and balanced the rotating assembly . I have a few videos on my channel of the car , plan to do a new one soon .
Got to be fearsome...
The 396 is a beast good job. Long live 1960 s. engines
Most under rated BB variant in the family.
The 396 is a 💎.
I still have my 67 Camaro SS396/375 (L78) and its all original nos. matching. I still enjoy driving it today as much as in 67!
I'm a diehard Mopar fan, and I love 440s, however, back in the late-80s, my sister's first husband owned a '69 el Camino with a 396 / 4-speed, and man oh man that thing was a BLAST to drive. Lightweight, nimble, and just killer with the 4-speed. Chevy guys are definitely spoiled with excellent choices for chassis and engine options.
really?i think most chevy big blocks were pigs on the street unless geared way down min.4.11.they were overported without big cubic inches. usually a 440 would smoke them easily on the street.the big chevys with the big ports did have an rpm advantage at the drag strips however;enter the 426 hemi,case closed.
@@danielslocum7169 It took a 440 with 3.91 or 4.10 gears to be much of a street fighter. In fact, a 340 Dart with a 3.90 rear would a lot of the time be faster than the 440 with the 3.23 gears.
@@anthonynelson9136 agreed.nevertheless i stand by my comment about the overported chevy big blocks with highway gearing [worse than a 440].
a dart weighs aprox 600 pounds less than say a road runner,thus requiring aprox 60 less horsepower to run the same e.t. . a 6-bbl road runner came with 4.1 gears and was very formidable. also the chrysler 4-spd had a lower 1st gear than the automatics and was thus much better with 3.23 or 3.55 gears behind a 440;if the driver knew how to use it properly,especially on the launch.
@@danielslocum7169 I'm glad you told that Joe Biden loving gun banning clown off. Dad said in late 60's Chevy's we're such a joke they didn't even try to compete in nascar. Mopar baby!
If, and IF, you were rich back then, just get a slightly used 66-67 427 Cobra S/C roadster and be done with it! And I mean it would shut down ALL muscle cars: Ford, GM and Mopar included!😁🛠️
I always wanted a 396 big block. When I was in High School in the mid '70s I was green with envy of my friends with their 396 Camaros. Well fast forward 50 years and I finally got my 396! I am NOT disappointed! I agree 100% that this engine is terribly underrated. Sounds great, pulls, pulls hard! Buckle up when you're behind this engine. The heads breathe well due to the canted valves and allow bigger valves and better porting compared to most other engines. This Mark IV powerhouse reminds me of my old Ford Gran Torino with its 351 Cleveland. That was another underrated engine but I think the Chevy Mark IV is still my favorite. Don't confuse any of this old American iron with the new engines, these engines have personality, can be a bit rude at times but they really respond to good tuning and will last forever with reasonable maintenance.
Charles Hubert The Cleveland heads also used canted valves. The Boss 302 made those heads famous. Interesting to compare the Boss to the Z28 DZ 302 with its small block magic. Great cars!
Glad I still own a 396 +0.060" (408).
Me too👍
This is really a beautifully done piece work. In 1975, I turned 16 and bought this SS396 and learned how to set a solid lift cam never realizing that they weren't all built like that. I have this L-78 to this day now at 61 yrs old and love it. The only mod is Hodkis suspension (>$10K) all around and that makes it an amazing driver too. On the video, why did they use small block headers? And the only other mistake here is on the carb secondaries. That 780 Holly had vacuum secondaries but that may have only been on 3 pedal cars (4 spd). I bought the car for $1450 from a woman living in a trailer court who's husband was just sent to prison. All truth.
You can't use sbc headers on a bbc ? They ahh will not fit at all they just showed them reference
@@rooster68able IKR
Yeah 396 has own headers for big blocks and depending on car model , mine were hooker headers
@@skylarsoper241
Great video as always. Y'all used a picture of 350 headers instead of 396 ones.
Trooper427SS I thought the same thing. Those are small headers, with the siamese runners. A big block headers are separate, like the LS family of engines
Loved that engine,they were runners!!!
When I was in High School I dreamt of having a 396 Chevelle. To me, they were and still are the definition of the affordable muscle car. No doubt a 426 Hemi could give it a run for it but not from a cost for performance standpoint.
My 1968 Camaro SS had a L78 ....It said 375 HP on the air-cleaner , I added headers and a comp-cam , with slicks it ran 12:80's all day....I wish I had it back ..!
i have an L78 sitting on my engine stand right now, i was lucky enough to find it at a local you pull it wrecking yard in Salt Lake City, Utah. They didnt know what they had, i got it for 150.00 dollars, what happened was i saw it in an old truck, and ran the numbers, and freaked out , pulled it immediately and took it home, what a find, it had never been apart. its a 1966 L78.
You DOG,YOU!!😆
I grew up in the 60s around 100s of these cars/engines and one thing I learned fast was there ability to blow up.They were fairly fast right off the show room floor but the bottom ends on the 396s were inherently weak.I remember a girl buying a new 68 ss396 automatic chevelle and it puked a rod on her third pass at xenia raceway but she had put 9k miles on it by then.I got to the point I didnt want to ride in anything with a 396 because on one occasion my buddy was running a 390 cougar in his 67 396 chevelle and it came apart and blew fragments into the firewall and only inches from where I was sitting.396s were plentiful back then and my buddy had it replaced within 2 weeks and still has it today.Ive always said a 2 bolt 350 would hold up better than a 396 any day of the week.For the power GM wanted out of it and made with it they should have came with way better rods and crankshafts.
L78s had steel crankshafts and dimple rods. The rods do need upgrading. Crank is fine
427 was no joke of n engine 'neither the 409 '396 '454 '350 n 327 in FACT alot of people said the 327 was of the Best quarter mile engines'with the right mods AWESOME CARS AWESOME VIDEOS S 👍👍
Critical Thinker U always laugh at ur on jokes
Critical Thinker ur a typical TH-cam TROLL
Like all production BBC's, only the ones with rectangle port heads were good performers from the factory. The oval port head engines ranged from meh to boat anchor. Chevy reached into to the same parts bin more times than not and it's similar with the SBC's as well. The only difference between the L78 and L72 is the bore and the LS6 was basically a stroked L72. That's why the L72 and LS6 performed nearly identically the 78's wasn't far behind but the smaller bore limited HP. The L78 was removed as an advertised option in 70' as it would have hurt the sales of the LS5.
Too bad they weren't stalled as a standard chevy base engine on the Chievy musclecars.
@@GlassTopRX7 I had round port big blocks back in the day that turned high 11's all day long. It's been proven time and time again that the round port heads were far more efficient until you get over 6500 rpm with open headers. Those who call them "Meh to boat anchors" didn't know how to tune them.
One of the things the narrator didn't mention was the arrangement of the valves. They were at very different angles to what the MIV big blocks used and that supposedly greatl;y improved swirl characteristics and result top end power. That is why, if I remember correctly, they were called "Porcupines".
I had 2 396's. I put one in a 1978 Z28, and another in a 1967 Chevy C-10 Stepside. Both engines were amazing !
I do not agree with the quarter mile times but, not every car is equal. My friends and I took our friends 1969 Nova L78 to Cecil County back in 1970. We were in the high 12's. It had headers, better clutch, traction bars. The engine rpm maxed out around 6800 rpm. This thing was a rocket. Frank's (Frank owned the Nova) brother had a 69 Chevelle with the L78 and never hit the 12's. I praise the mechanics that worked on Frank's Nova for the better performance (ability to tune). Nowadays we can revel in Kia and Hyundai, Fiat - NOT! BTW, each car had 3 pedals.
Paul Straney. Hyatt
The l78 396 came from the factory with a Holley 780 Carburetor with vacuum secondaries not mechanical as stated incorrectly in the video.Very good video though!
The depends on if it's a manual or auto car.
GlassTopRX7 Good point about the secondaries. Was the L78 available with an automatic? I’ve never seen one, probably should google that.
@@terry-zi7eh It was, but very temperamental, That was the main reason the LS6 and LT1 came with a revised cam that pulled a bit more vacuum. The success of the TH350 and TH400 auto dictated the need for it.
GlassTopRX7 Excellent info about the vacuum situation. Thanks so much!
Was it the long duration, high lift, or combination there of that resulted in low vacuum levels?
The L78 was a giant killer!
Good choice... I had one back in the day.. my vote is for the 427 L72.. had one new in a 1968 camaro. With some modifications about 600 h.p..
My vote goes to the L88 Corvette 427 🏁 which had a factory rating of 430 hp @ 5,200 , Chevy seriously underated it. Try 570 hp @ 6,400.
396.
Having been raised on Chevrolet/GM, i knew how capable that particular engine was.
The first car i bought...1969 Chevelle SS 396.
Though it was the 325 horse, it performed well, thru the TH400 and 373 rear gears.
That car also had some factory weight relief, with the front wheel wells being plastic. And, the American Racing magnesium wheels helped a lot, too.
Once, in traffic, struck up a brief conversation with a guy driving the same model year SS Chevelle. Highly modified.
When i asked if he was running the stock 375hp(425+hp actually) 396, (because I noticed the chrome roof trim was a hint of the factory supermotor under the hood) he said "No. I found the 396 block in a bus."
That, and the red primer/ladder bars/high stance, along with that wonderful rumble, i knew he was a serious street racing hustler.
Never remembered his name. Only that the song "Racing in the Street" reminded me of him. If i recall rightly, he was unbeaten on the street.
Should I ever be in the position to do so...
I'd like, just once, to own the 1969 SS Chevelle with that factory 425+ horse 396 and M22 with at least 4:10 rear gears.
And...do what some Chevy racers used to do.
Make all the Mopar and Ford folks cry.
At 3:45 Steve Minadi testing a "bone stock" 396 finds it produces 425hp ....... with a massive great velocity stack on it. Now there's 10 extra hp in itself ... how reliable was Steve's test??
And electric water pump (if that pic in the video was indeed the same test).
That motor has to be right up there with the best of them. I'm a 454 man myself but hey - what do I know? Lol ...
All depends who you ask...according to some the 400 small block is amongst the best ever build engine in terms of torque. I think every chevy small or big block is a testament, of what chevy was able to do back in the day. You can pull relatively easy big hp specs out of them. Some bigger heads and a decent cam lands 100 plus hp for low cost.
@@MichelLinschoten true. I have a 1970 Nova with a 1965 396 with the small chambers. 10.25 compression stock. Big cam, headers, intake, Holley 830 cfm, 3800 stall and 4:10 gears. Basic day 2 hot rod. Don't have an official quarter mile time. But it's like driving on ice in any gear at any speed. Drop the hammer and tires break free. Amazing motor and it's not even the L78.
I got a set of 396 heads at the wrecking yard (close chamber, oval ports) and put them on my 454 (30 over). This bumped the CR up quite a bit; coupled with the Crane "gripper" cam (flat tappet, hydraulic). Hold on to your hat, folks!!
Thank You, Old Car Memories. When i was a teenager in the early '70s, an older kid at the end of the block bought a really nice 4 Speed '66 SS 396 Chevelle in light metallic blue. Me and other kids would shoot hoops in his drive way while the SS was parked in a cul de sac near by. We all loved the car but when he decided to buy a ski boat (small block), the 4 speed went away in favor of an automatic.He just felt it would be easier to manage. He offered to take me and a friend to a record store one afternoon in '75 (LS Nuthin' Fancy and JB Blow By Blow new releases for me) and i teased him about the swap. He nailed it on a freeway on ramp that while riding in the passenger side back seat, threw me end over end to the drivers side before i knew what happened (yes, no seat belt for me). Car was STILL a monster!!! '64 and '65 and '70 Chevelles in the family at one point but the '66 has remained a fave, maybe because of that great SS!
He should have left the 4-speed in it.
Hind sight is 20/20. In todays market, you're right. As a 'driver' then, he went for what worked. Thanx, btw.
g mat , talk about pure fun, I got a 66 Chevelle Supersport, built small block 327 with 12:1 hi Dome compression Pistons, ported heads, Aluminum Intake high-rise, 750 CFM carb, headers, thumping camshaft, 11 inch Heavy Duty clutch, Lakewood blow proof bellhousing, m-21 Muncie 4-speed, 12-bolt posi track rear end with 4-11 gears, traction bars, this thing will rev up to 10,000 RPMs before the valves start to float, it's got 450 HP which is more than any stock big block 396 made that year, the big block 396 came in two versions 325hp and 350hp , this little small block 327 revs higher and faster and weighs 100 pounds less than a Big Block 396,, it pulls the front wheels off the ground in first and second gear and is a blast to drive, pure enjoyment
The early 1969 Chevelle 396/375 SS came from the factory with baffled exhaust, no mufflers. Chevrolet quickly offered to change to standard exhaust with mufflers because of noise complaints tickets from various police depts.
I remember that, believe they called it chambered pipe.
Yes I had one police would stop me all the time
Gawd I miss the brute force of these simple, yet unforgettable engines. 😕 Thank you sir for commitment to muscle car enthusiasts.
FUN ! Had a 1969 SS NOVA with 396/375 L78. Installed 2 inch Hooker Headers, changed 3.55 to 4.10 rear, added Traction bars, Hurst Shifter, Sun Super Tach, and SW Guages. Cheap "upgrades" (good friend installed 4.10 rear). Fast Fun street car for the times.
Those L78 Nova's must've been a blast to drive. They were faster than both a Camaro or Chevelle with the L78. The 427 Yenko SuperNova's must've been insanely fast. Even an SS350 Nova was a decent performer because they were so light. I like the 66 Chevy II's with the L79 327/350 horsepower engine and a 4 speed too. Awesome street sleeper
@@jeremythompson9122 A big fan of Novas, in High School there was a '66 L79. He knows where the 2nd owner lives now and has the first refusal if he ever sells it. A buddy had a '70 Nova L78 that I drove a couple times. I personally owned a hardtop '63 6cyl 3speed and a '64 SS 4sp that had a 327/300HP (replaced the 283). Would love to have any of these cars now, even the '63.
12 second screamer...
the L78 is an awesome engine. I have one in a 1971 camaro 4speed. but with header and comp cams XE284 hydraulic cam because I got tired of adjusting valve lash all the time. I have to say it is a beast of an engine. and runs solid 12.3's on BFG radial tires. there is probably another half second left in the car if I put slicks on it. but I don't want to break the orignal rear end. as it is a power shift from fisrt to second makes it feel like the back end is going to drop out of the car.
No subsistute for CUBIC INCHES for dependablity and power!
Yah....there is...lol electric motors totally destroy big and small blocks with 0 displacement needs
@@MichelLinschoten yeah no ones turning their heads on those lol nothing like the sound of a screaming engine
Jeez you barely mention the 1965 introduction motor in the vette......solid lifter , 11 1/2 to 1 monster that made an easy 500 hp. Also in the z16 chevelle
The Z16 didn't use a L78 it used a L37, same block, heads, and compression with a hydrophilic cam similar to the L34 cam.
Never understood the term "turbo jet" why not "water pump jet" or "timing cover jet" or "alternator jet"?
Good video as always Old Car Memories.
There were a number of times in my younger years that I turned down buying a nice car because it had the 396. The reason was everybody I knew that had one blew them up, so I was led to believe that there must be something about the 396 that made them prone to blowing up. Back then I knew I couldn't afford to rebuild or replace an engine as just buying a decent car at all was a strain.
I never did learn why 396's blow up but maybe somebody in the comments here has some words on that.
probably being over-reved did it. chevy big blocks are generally very strong engines with an excellent oiling system. many fools will rev an engine way past its power band and red line thinking they are really doing something.
@@danielslocum7169 Daniel, you are totally right. The solid lifter big blocks would easily rev past 7 grand and people would rev them as long as they thought the engine was still pulling never paying attention to what the tach said.
I a 70chevy L6 454 4 barrell carter carbauto trans headers etc candy apple red loved it it was a snappy eng to
Put a set of L89
Aluminum
Heads on an L78 back in high school
We got 491hp and 443 ft / LB
I had this same engine in a 1968 RS/SS Camaro in 1972. It was a beast from redlight to redlight with a 488 posi traction. Someone stole it and I've never gotten over it.
My first car was an Aztec Bronze 1966 SS-396 Chevelle that I bought used in 1968. I paid $2900 and my monthly payments were $88.06.
Ran 12.50s with L78 El Camino. Headers 4.88 gears. 10 in M&H. Back in early70s. It was my daily driver
Not really fair to compare the L78 with headers to the LS6 WITHOUT headers. They were different animals all together. Otherwise, nice video!
Every body always over look the 396 and go with the 427 or 454
396 are good.
Had a 67...ran my 76 Torino 351 quad 4 for the money!! Even with dual exhaust, Starkey and Hutch ss didn't hit 140...daaam, that was the $#!+
I bought a '70 Chevelle SS 4 speed with this engine back in 1974, when I was 21. For those of you older folks who remember the auto insurance surcharges on the performance cars of the day, my insurance company at the time didn't have the 375 horse 396 in it's list of performance engines, so I paid the same the same amount for coverage as someone who had a basic 307 Chevelle.
Big blocks rule !!
Fantastic videos...thanks
My first car I owned at161/2 yrs old was a L78 69 Chevelle 4 speed, all I can say is hold on. Didn’t a very small amount come with aluminum heads
That's the L89
Yuppers,L79
The 396 was as underrated to the Chevy family as the 440 was to Mopar family.
That's right,I had a friend with a 70 440 Charger that I raced with every time we got around each other.Whoever got the better take off would win.I believe I won the last time,but he died in a freak accident and our races were haulted.Good times.
Bobby Davis sorry to hear that, those stories be awesome memories, bet you had pictures of those ties.
Anybody got an ansure
Anyone, anyone.?
No motor was underrated like the 275hp 340. We weren't scared of any 396's.
I've owned one car and one short box pickup both having 402's in them. One with oval port heads and the other with rectangular ports. A cam, headers, dual plane intake, Holley carb, mild porting, balancing, good gears, is all that was done. Great running, very respectful, fun, and both had lots of wins during street racing. So yes the last statement in this video is 150% correct and there is something about the bore/stroke/compression combination that just works. Good truthful video.
Liked the inclusion of the '65 Chevelle L78. A very rare ride. As a kid I remember Tom McCahill did a test on one. Can't remember the magazine. Would love to read that test again.
steve thomas I remember reading “Uncle” Tom’s reviews in Mechanix Illustrated as a kid. His colorful descriptions of the cars and driving them are legendary. There’s great stuff to be had from a google of the one and only Tom McCahill.
Am very sure thé L 72 427... Bast rêver chef. Made.. Put that 427 in a 1968 camaro.. And modified To about 650 up for street racing.. And thenyou have thé Brest....
I had a 65 Vette 396 ,425.what a beast .Side Pipes, Close ratio 4 spd, 4:11 posi..Added 70s can am valve train. Brutal excelleration.
Me too
A full tilt 8800 rpm 327 will run with pretty much anything if its light