A Chevrolet question...

[Alan S.]

Re: A Chevrolet question...

Hi,
I'll do some 'showing off' for Keith!!!!
This is a picture I've posted before of his terrific car at the Gettysburg Regional this past spring. It drew more than a few admirers. I've retrieved it from an earlier post.
NICE WORK Keith!!!!
Regards,
Alan

Does this car hve 'the stance' just right or what!!!!!

[Roger W.]

Re: A Chevrolet question...

The red Chevelle is a 65, but not a SS396. There were only a couple hundred made. I think that it was Super Chevy magazine that I read an article about the 65 SS396. It was at The at the local Walmart Library.

[Keith B.]

Re: A Chevrolet question...

The red Chevelle is a 65, but not a SS396. There were only a couple hundred made. I think that it was Super Chevy magazine that I read an article about the 65 SS396. It was at The at the local Walmart Library.

the 65 SS 396 was often referred to as the Z16. they made 201 200 were coupes, and number 201 was suppose to be a convertible for a GM executive. a 65 SS396 was completely loaded with all kinds of options and only available in red, yellow and Black. so unlike the 65 SS396 the 66 SS396 was a striped down. being the base 396-325 with 396-360 and the 396-375. with all kinds of options you can could check off

[Joe L.]

Re: A Chevrolet question...

the 65 SS 396 was often referred to as the Z16. they made 201 200 were coupes, and number 201 was suppose to be a convertible for a GM executive. a 65 SS396 was completely loaded with all kinds of options and only available in red, yellow and Black. so unlike the 65 SS396 the 66 SS396 was a striped down. being the base 396-325 with 396-360 and the 396-375. with all kinds of options you can could check off

Keith------


The 1965 Chevelle SS 396 engine was RPO L-78. However, it was different from a 1965 Corvette L-78 and any other L-78 subsequently used in Chevelles, Camaros, and Chevy II's. The 1965 Chevelle L-78 used an hydraulic lifter cam but was rated the same 375 hp as subsequent L-78's that used the SHP solid lifter cam.

An old friend of mine, may he rest in peace, bought a 1965 Chevelle L-78 new. He had it for quite a few years. My recollection of it was that it was dark green but I suppose it might have been black. It was definitely an original L-78, though.

[Terry M.]

Re: A Chevrolet question...

the 65 SS 396 was often referred to as the Z16. they made 201 200 were coupes, and number 201 was suppose to be a convertible for a GM executive. a 65 SS396 was completely loaded with all kinds of options and only available in red, yellow and Black. so unlike the 65 SS396 the 66 SS396 was a striped down. being the base 396-325 with 396-360 and the 396-375. with all kinds of options you can could check off

There is no supposed to be about it. There was one 1965 Z16 convertible. Which number it was and who it was built for I don't know, but a frequent poster on this board, when he worked for GM or when he went to GMI, was involved in some tests on that car. I will leave it up to him if he wants to identify himself if he choses to.

[Keith B.]

Re: A Chevrolet question...

There is no supposed to be about it. There was one 1965 Z16 convertible. Which number it was and who it was built for I don't know, but a frequent poster on this board, when he worked for GM or when he went to GMI, was involved in some tests on that car. I will leave it up to him if he wants to identify himself if he choses to.

alright that is a new one for me. when I was researching these cars on the TeamChevelle site and other websites they never confirmed such a car. That is the one reason I like this board there are a lot of people who were there when these cars were made. I am only 26 and only know what people tell me from back then. I would love to here more about it. thanks for the information

[Terry M.]

Re: A Chevrolet question...

Keith, I wasn't trying to contradict you -- just provide more information. Back in the days before the Internet, when there was an NCOA (National Chevelle Owners Association) the guy running that organization knew well the story of the Z16 convertible. He even wrote about it in the club publication. Some of us have all those issues. His name was Mark Meekins, and he was to that club what John Amgwert is to NCRS.

There are more than a couple of us who are members of NCRS and were members of the NCOA.

[Keith B.]

Re: A Chevrolet question...

Terry I am thanking you. people like you and a lot more people in NCRS helped me so much in restoring my Chevelle then most in the Chevelle world.

[William C.]

Re: A Chevrolet question...

The '65 Convertible, which I saw when it was in the hands of the original owner (after GM) was a metallic tan or light brown. Story was it was converted by Chevrolet engineering from a smallblock to evaluate the frame rigidity with the added torque of the bigblock. Apparently it worked as they built them on a production basis in '66, but only the one '65. '66 when I saw it was a long time ago, a GMI Student bought it out of the fleet sale.

[Terry M.]

Re: A Chevrolet question...

Thanks Bill. I didn't want to put you on the spot, but also wanted to verify the existence of the convertible. I knew there was a GMI connection there -- I just mixed it up a little. Sorry Keith my memory isn't as good as it once was.

[Tom P.]

Re: A Chevrolet question...

In addition to that story, SO FAR, NO ONE has yet uncovered the 65 Z16 convertible (I'm one of the people who regularly refers to the 65 SS396 cars as Z16). It's not that it didn't exist, it's that SO FAR no documentation has surfaced to support the one and only 65 Z16 convertible, nor has anyone uncovered its remains. Other places/sources swear straight up and down that such a car did in fact exist. Also, the popular rumor is that it was badly wrecked, ended up in a salvage yard and has since vaporized into oblivion.
Again, I do not profess that it didn't exist, it's just that there is no documentation and no physical remains of the car.

I am not from Missouri, but, to convince me, you gotta Show Me!

[Terry M.]

Re: A Chevrolet question...

It is a long way from "it once existed" to "it still exists." No one here is saying the latter.

[Tom P.]

Re: A Chevrolet question...

Terry,
Even if a Z16 conv WAS built, but no longer exists, the debate would be settled if SOMEONE would come up with some genuine GM documentation.

[Jake D.]

Re: A Chevrolet question...

It is my understanding that NONE of the Z-16 cars had a positraction differential. True?

[Terry M.]

Re: A Chevrolet question...

I don't have any problem believing Bill, but then I have known him for more than 30 years -- and the Z16 story is still the same over all that time.