Production build numbers

L78Impala · #1 07-06-2002, 01:58 PM

how can a person find how many cars Chevy built in a particular year, for a particular body style, with a particular drivetrain, in a particular color. There is a guy on autotrader.com that says he has a 1965 biscayne with a correct L-78 drivetrain and a turquoise body color. He says the car is one of three built in this combination. My question is, how would he know the production numbers?

**Stefano** · #2 07-06-2002, 03:51 PM

That would be because he has only seen three others. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Jeff H · #3 07-06-2002, 04:07 PM

GM didn't release the information on specific combinations like that so he's making that number up. It's like the ever changing number of 1970 Chevelle LS6 convertibles made. Probably the only true numbers on Chevrolet muscle cars would be the 69 ZL1 Camaros since all the VIN's and options were recorded. And don't forget that a "correct" drivetrain is not the same as an original #'s matching drivetrain.

**William** · #4 07-06-2002, 04:11 PM

He doesn't.

No one, not even Chevrolet, knows the volume of a particular option combination. Because components had to be forecast and scheduled Chevrolet will know how many L78 engines went into full size cars or the number of AM/FM radios installed. They do not know and probably did not need to know the model breakdown for installation of L78 engines; Impala, Bel Air, Biscayne. Nor did they know how many L78 cars had AM/FM radios.

These numbers sometimes come from statistical interpolation of option production which produces opinion, not fact. But mostly they are just BS, repeated so often they become accepted as fact. The most common seems to be the production of 1969 Camaro pace cars with 396 engines. 40% of 1969 Camaro SS were produced with 396 engines; I've seen ads claiming "one of 35 396 Z11s built."

No one knows.

T Billigen · #5 07-06-2002, 06:25 PM

Is this car from Texas, I talked to a fellow a few years ago that had a Tahoe Turquiose 65 Biscayne L-78 for sale, but if I remember correctly it needed restored? I can't rmember if had original drive train or not. Pretty rare car though.

L78Impala · #6 07-06-2002, 09:05 PM

Yes, the car is from Texas.It can be seen at www. streatdreamstexas.com. The car is restored and looks great.

T Billigen · #7 07-07-2002, 12:05 AM

I think this is the same car. The nicest 65 L-78 I have seen was here in Wisconsin. This was a frame off Biscayne, red with red interior all matching number with invoices and POP, should have bought it! Fellow wanted 30K. I waited a few months and by the time I made my mind up he had moved from the area and I could not find him.