1970 L78 CKO Block from Van Nuys

[Cranberry70SSL34]

I recently acquired a 854 396/402 with suffix code T1004CKO out of a tractor trailer used for storage for many years. Just wondering if the car may be out there still. The van nuys stamp is on the oil filter boss and reads 10L1288x6. This sequence number and the early date eliminates it from being a camaro block. Not real sure as to if any novas were built in van nuys in the 70 model year as most I see we're built in willow run. Therefore I believe it to be from a Van Nuys built 1970 L78 chevelle. Any further thoughts would be good but just throwing it out there just in case the car still exists. Thanks.

[WILMASBOYL78]

All the 70 Novas were built at Willow Run...looks like Chevelle it is.

wilma

[Mr70]

Or possibly came in a 4spd. 1970 L-78 Elcamino too.
Van Nuys Chevelle/Elco VIN's started with 118273 & ended with 135448 that month of October '69.
Seeing as the Tonawanda running engine stamp date is October 4th,that fits.

[Cranberry70SSL34]

Well that seems that it is one of the 2144 L78 70 chevelles. Pretty cool short block. I have another auto L78 block with a 138 vin from the same plant with a T1027 date which would have been Nov car which also lines up. That's two of the 2144. I guess now on to the other 2142 lol. If all the plants produced equal amounts which is definitely not true cause Arlington didn't start production until the L78 was cancelled. So that eliminates them. So that leaves Atl, Kan, Bal, Flnt, Ont, and Van Nuys. So that's 6. Therefore 2144 divided by 6=357. That's a rough estimate which I believe more probably built there. My guess is less than 500 were from Van nuys. Pretty cool.

[Mr70]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I have another auto L78 block with a 138 vin from the same plant with a T1027 date which would have been Nov car which also lines up.</div></div>
Recheck that.
138 series were station wagons or Monte Carlos,and weren't eligible for the #854 L-78 4-bolt main solid lifter engine.

Oshawa Ontario didn't produce any 1970 L-78 Chevelles or Elcos,so exclude them.
Flint Michigan didn't produce anything during Oct.Nov.Dec.'69.
..and Sept.'69 was an extremely lean month for Flint.I've yet to see/hear of any 1970 L-78's from there so far,so you might be able exclude them too.
That leaves 4 assembly plants for the 1970 L-78 Chevelle/Elco,and nearly 99% of production were manual trans. equipped.

[Cranberry70SSL34]

Thanks mr70. But I meant a 138 sequence number. I also thought Ontario didn't produce any but wasn't sure. There is no body number on any block therefore I thought you would understand. No biggie. Also since flint didn't produce anything in oct, now, and dec, then that definitely eliminates that plant except for the very very few that may have been produced in sep 69 like you said. Therefore 2144 divided 4=536. Still fairly close to my initial 500 estimate. With that said my automatic block would be crazy rare if your 99% estimate is even close. It could possibly be one of less than 5 automatics L78 chevelles from Van nuys plant. Real cool stuff

[Mr70]

Ah,sorry.
Thought you were talking about the vehicles entire VIN # that the engine came out of,not the shorter CON VIN on the casting pad.
Two good blocks you've got there.

[Cranberry70SSL34]

Thanks for conversing with me Mr70 was a pleasure. Maybe someone will read this that owns the car. Who knows stranger things have happened. It's seems rather odd that the L78 auto cars were so non existent in comparison to their manual counterparts when in LS6 variety the auto cars were pretty common. Doesn't add up,

[old5.0]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cranberry70SSL34</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for conversing with me Mr70 was a pleasure. Maybe someone will read this that owns the car. Who knows stranger things have happened. It's seems rather odd that the L78 auto cars were so non existent in comparison to their manual counterparts when in LS6 variety the auto cars were pretty common. Doesn't add up, </div></div>

Interesting. Maybe because the LS6 made so much more torque than the L78 an auto worked better there. I've always had this perception in the back of my mind of the L78 being more of a high winder and the LS6 just being a freight train from off idle all the way to red line. I've ridden in and driven many modded big block Chevys but don't have much real experience with stock examples of either, so maybe that perception is a little off.

[WILMASBOYL78]

I can tell you from experience that an L78 with a TH400 and the proper rear axle will give you quite a ride...no problem with torque <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/burnout.gif

**remember the 1968 COPO Novas were built specifically to create this scenario...the trick was a HD TH400 with special internals and a high shift point. You need to take a ride in one of these rockets and feel the upshift at over 6,000 rpm's...it will adjust your neck <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif

[Mr70]

A 4:10 in these really amps it up too.
Found a few CON VIN's beginning with 128,but nothing exact yet.

[WILMASBOYL78]

Rick is right on the money...a 4.10 gear with an L78/TH400 makes for a lot of fun...ask me how I know <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif

[Cranberry70SSL34]

I know. I have a day 2 70 SS 396 with prepped TH400 and oval ports with big valves and stock 2240 trw 10.25 and a solid roller cam with old school weiand xcelerator with Holley 850 carb with 4.88 gears. All of it buttoned up with stock pulleys, valve covers, clutch fan etc... I can tell you a stock LS6 has no chance. That 396 with a TH400 will haul the mail my friend and it's in L34 form. In L78 piston head combo it would even be better especially on the top end.

[bulletpruf]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cranberry70SSL34</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I know. I have a day 2 70 SS 396 with prepped TH400 and oval ports with big valves and stock 2240 trw 10.25 and a solid roller cam with old school weiand xcelerator with Holley 850 carb with 4.88 gears. All of it buttoned up with stock pulleys, valve covers, clutch fan etc... I can tell you a stock LS6 has no chance. That 396 with a TH400 will haul the mail my friend and it's in L34 form. In L78 piston head combo it would even be better especially on the top end. </div></div>

Might not be a popular opinion, but I figured a similarly equipped (cam, carb, intake, compression) oval port 396 would beat a rectangle port car. In a 454, where you have more cubes to support the flow and don't need as much torque, might be the opposite.

[EZ Nova]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bulletpruf</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cranberry70SSL34</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I know. I have a day 2 70 SS 396 with prepped TH400 and oval ports with big valves and stock 2240 trw 10.25 and a solid roller cam with old school weiand xcelerator with Holley 850 carb with 4.88 gears. All of it buttoned up with stock pulleys, valve covers, clutch fan etc... I can tell you a stock LS6 has no chance. That 396 with a TH400 will haul the mail my friend and it's in L34 form. In L78 piston head combo it would even be better especially on the top end. </div></div>

Might not be a popular opinion, but I figured a similarly equipped (cam, carb, intake, compression) oval port 396 would beat a rectangle port car. In a 454, where you have more cubes to support the flow and don't need as much torque, might be the opposite. </div></div>

No not really. &quot;PREPPED&quot; OEM ovals (781's/049's) WILL and DO support 800+Hp. Not an &quot;auto&quot; guy, but my L34 '69 Nova when I did it to L78 spec bottom end, small roller and mildly ported &quot;840&quot; heads with Holley strip Dom intake, 800 Holley and 4.56's would run 10.40's thru muffler, slick and M-21. Just a nifty little streetcar with OEM stuff.

[Cranberry70SSL34]

Sounds like a l78 all together with the 840 square ports. I definitely like oem stuff myself. If you put 290 oval on a l78 piston with its 101 cc chamber it jumps the compression to over 12 to 1. My piston head is exactly L34 with 10.25 with solid roller cam and auto th400 with 4.88. It works real well. The only minor drawback is the trw oem pistons were not really designed for big roller cams and don't have very big reliefs. Therefore my piston to valve clearance was really tight at the suggested 104 degree spot. I had to leave it straight up at 108 in order to gain proper clearance and was borderline then. Runs super at 108 but would be a little better in heavy car if would have been able to degree it in at 104. If I were to build a L78 I'd prob go in L89 form and try to get compression above 12 with roller cam and try to get it set up at 104 and use the same cam I have in my current engine. I know what you guys mean in order for a 396 to benefit from square ports over ovals you gotta get you gains in the 6500 to 7500 range. Not sure if it is ever all round better than the ovals considering they work so well up to 6500.

[WILMASBOYL78]

I'm not sure if you can use the 290's with the 11 to 1 pistons...I think there would be clearance issues. The oval port heads were designed to work with the different dome design of the 10.25 to 1 motors. Perhaps some of the engine gurus can chime in <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/hmmm.gif

That aside, the oval port 290's are more than enough for a strong street/strip setup...the big square ports have the edge on the high end...but, most action takes place far below that.

wilma

[bulletpruf]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EZ Nova</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bulletpruf</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cranberry70SSL34</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I know. I have a day 2 70 SS 396 with prepped TH400 and oval ports with big valves and stock 2240 trw 10.25 and a solid roller cam with old school weiand xcelerator with Holley 850 carb with 4.88 gears. All of it buttoned up with stock pulleys, valve covers, clutch fan etc... I can tell you a stock LS6 has no chance. That 396 with a TH400 will haul the mail my friend and it's in L34 form. In L78 piston head combo it would even be better especially on the top end. </div></div>

Might not be a popular opinion, but I figured a similarly equipped (cam, carb, intake, compression) oval port 396 would beat a rectangle port car. In a 454, where you have more cubes to support the flow and don't need as much torque, might be the opposite. </div></div>

No not really. &quot;PREPPED&quot; OEM ovals (781's/049's) WILL and DO support 800+Hp. Not an &quot;auto&quot; guy, but my L34 '69 Nova when I did it to L78 spec bottom end, small roller and mildly ported &quot;840&quot; heads with Holley strip Dom intake, 800 Holley and 4.56's would run 10.40's thru muffler, slick and M-21. Just a nifty little streetcar with OEM stuff. </div></div>

Mid 10's is pretty darn impressive!

Built a pretty nice 325 hp 396 for my '66 SS -- forged flat tops, stock heads with SS valves and roller rockers, moderate hydraulic flat tappet, M21 and 4.56's (originally 3.31). Stock Holley on the stock iron intake. Had a bit too much gear, I think, but should have run pretty strong. Sold it before I got to drive it; someone made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Was an Aztec Bronze car w/bronze guts. Will have to find another one some day...

[EZ Nova]

Ya funny, people think the 396/402 stuff can't run. But it's just what we had on hand. I still have the shortblock. It's a '72 402 4 bolt standard mains and piston, TRW replacements. I just upgraded the rod bolts with ARP's. With the 660 roller, I would shift that thing right at 8000.
Now I picked up another set of '69 840's with the '69 '163 intake to go back on that shortblock. I AM putting in a nice T-400 trans but I did upgrade the rear suspension now with Smith Racecraft bars and split leafs with sliders. Strange double adjustable shock on the back as well. If the ZL-1 isn't home soon, gonna put the old tired n true 402 back together and in she goes. I sure with the '163 intake the car will run right around 11.50's with a solid cam, maybe a bit better. Not sure without the roller and some more head work if I could get that into the 10's????????????????

The ZL-1, well if it goes ONLY low 10's I would be PISSED.