1965 L78 Availablity for Chevy Models

[Dick W.]

Re: 1965 L78 Availablity for Chevy Models

Interesting thing about the '65 Impalas / Bel Airs is that 409s were available in early cars and 396s (L78s) were avalble in late cars. I've got a "Cars & Parts" magazine article (May '87) that features a '65 4-door Biscayne with an L78 and 4 speed.

Black low mile car? If so, that car was at one time in the Milt Robinson collection.

[Patrick B.]

Re: 1965 L78 Availablity for Chevy Models

200 of the '65 396 Chevelles were Malibu SS's with the hydraulic cam and an IX engine code, the 201st was a striped down base pillar coupe with the solid lifter cam and an IY engine code. I bought its rusty block in the 80's from Jorjorian and years later gave Alvin Colvin (Chevrolet by the Numbers) a rubbing off the block with a crude VIN derivative of the car. Apparantly, he found the car from the VIN derivative and is restoring it. I sold him the block and some other 65 396 parts I had.

[Larry E.]

Re: 1965 L78 Availablity for Chevy Models

Man-o- man what a rare car that will be. In order to buy something
like that you better have a couple of uncles that are sheik's!!
Larry

[Chris H.]

Re: 1965 L78 Availablity for Chevy Models

Yes Dick, black with a red interior (sharp). Car was originally from the Akron, OH area. Article eludes that "strings were pulled" to get the car built. 16,000 miles.

[John H.]

Re: 1965 L78 Availablity for Chevy Models

The Corvette version of the L78 also incorporated a double journaled crank shaft to distinguish it from its passenger car bretheren...

Jack -

Could you expand a bit on that?

[Pancho T.]

Re: 1965 L78 Availablity for Chevy Models

Bill------


The carburetor was a different part number. The Corvette L-78 was a Holley 3124, aka GM #3868826. The passenger car L-78 was a Holley 3130, aka GM #3869933.

Many years ago I acquired an NOS Holley 3130. I still have it [not for sale].

Joe,Does your NOS Holley 3130 have the small "peanut"fuel bowls on it?

[Joe L.]

Re: 1965 L78 Availablity for Chevy Models

Joe,Does your NOS Holley 3130 have the small "peanut"fuel bowls on it?

Pancho----


Some photos of it are posted in this old thread:

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?t=60572&uid=3380

[Joe C.]

Re: 1965 L78 Availablity for Chevy Models

What is a double journaled crankshaft?

OOoops........I see John H already asked. Too bad this website doesn't have any "I'm with stupid" avatars.

[William C.]

Re: 1965 L78 Availablity for Chevy Models

Joe I see it has the "standard" bowl configuration as opposed to the "peanut" style on the '65 Corvette. What is the date on your 3130 carb?

[Joe L.]

Re: 1965 L78 Availablity for Chevy Models

Joe I see it has the "standard" bowl configuration as opposed to the "peanut" style on the '65 Corvette. What is the date on your 3130 carb?

Bill------


It was manufactured in May, 1968.

The same style fuel bowls were originally used for both the 1965 Corvette L-78 and the passenger car L-78. These were known as GM #3877169. These fuel bowls were discontinued from SERVICE in April, 1967 and replaced by GM #3898992. I expect the manufacture of the 3877169 occurred way before April, 1967, probably in mid-1966 or earlier. So, any SERVICE carburetors of either list 3124 or 3130 manufactured after that time would have been fitted with the 3898992 bowls.

[William C.]

Re: 1965 L78 Availablity for Chevy Models

Ok, that's in line with what I expected, as the small inlets were not used on production carbs in '66MY so they would be expected to drop out of the Service production at around the same time.