1966 427 -450 HP California car question......

[Wayne M.]

Re: 1966 427 -450 HP California car question......

....Did you notice anything strange in my photo? Look close. There are a few interesting things.

The only thing I can see is a black air cleaner lid without a horsepower sticker. Am tempted to add "no left hand hood support" but maybe it's outside the coverange of the picture.

[Mike T.]

Re: 1966 427 -450 HP California car question......

The 66 Service Manual, in the first paragraph of section 6T - Air Injection Reactor System, mentions the same thing, with the 153 4-cylinder and 425 Horse 427's being exempt from that setup.
Mike T.

[James G.]

Re: 1966 427 -450 HP California car question......

You are correct Joe. The DANA CHEVROLET L-88 roadster that Kevin Mackay just bought in mid March has a copy of the original paperwork. On the title, it states, ''NOT FOR HWY USE. USE ONLY IN OFF-ROAD DRIVING''

[James G.]

Re: 1966 427 -450 HP California car question......

Does it say why? Can you scan and post the document? I am still curious as to how this was possible. Does the K-66 section of the '66 AIM have anything about installing K-66 on L-72? Does the '66 AIM say anything about adjusting the idle mixture for CA cars. I don't see how, with a high overlap cam, they could have meet the '66 CA HC and CO standards without the air pump.

Duke

Correct Wayne. I had my SMOG licence for 28 years. 425hp was exempt. Not sure why, but in 66 testing and complience was a joke. The mechanical lifer explanation makes sense. We were instructed by CARB (California Air Resources Board) to make minor adjustments to the engine included within the inspection fee which was $9.00 to $12.00 as I remember. We checked dwell and timing, and did a sniff tailpipe test and hand wrote the limits on a three carbon copy form in the book of 50 tickets. It was a real ''honor sytem'' at first, as not until the mid to late 70's did the smog machine print HC and CO results that were then included in the paperwork. NO ONE WOULD ADJUST THE VALVES ON ANY ENGINE for fees included in the inspection fee. Remember, this was the first year of actual SMOG CHECK anywhere in country, so everyone was learning.

The owner got the top two copies, one he would mail to DMV with the renewal fee, one for his record and the last would stay in the book for my shop records. $2 or $3 for the cert, and $9 to $12 for the inspection as I remember. $14 TOTAL !! WOW, getting rich.

We would lube all 35 zerts on a solid axel for $2.50. WE HAD A HELL OF A LOT OF FUN in those days however.

[Michael H.]

Re: 1966 427 -450 HP California car question......

The only thing I can see is a black air cleaner lid without a horsepower sticker. Am tempted to add "no left hand hood support" but maybe it's outside the coverange of the picture.

Wayne,

If you look close, you can see that the carburetor has fuel bowls from a 65 396 Holley #3124 with the small acorn nut fittings. Also the clamp on the radiator over flow hose at the radiator neck. I've seen a few other cars with this clamp. I wonder if it was shown in the 66 AIM?

Yes, an early big block car would have had a left side hood support.

Black air cleaner lid is also correct for an early build.

In one of your pictures, I see that the large throttle return spring is used. Supposedly, that spring, also used on 396, was replaced with a smaller diameter spring. My Nov 65 built 66 has the early fat spring.

[Steven B.]

Re: 1966 427 -450 HP California car question......

I'm curious about the brake system on the 66. It looks like a split system.

Steve

[Joe L.]

Re: 1966 427 -450 HP California car question......

I'm curious about the brake system on the 66. It looks like a split system.

Steve

Steve-----


1965-1966 used a dual system for cars equipped with power brakes. Standard brake cars were a single system, though. 1967 was the first year for a dual system for all Corvettes.