1965 Z16 Chevelle production dates? - Page 2

mrrec · #11 11-28-2005, 11:42 PM

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What would the earliest casting of any Mark 1V production blocks be? ~ Pete

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A 5 is the earliest I've seen. It is possible (but not likely) there were some Dec 64 blocks and heads but the early heads are not dated. Engineering received the #1 car on about the 24th of Dec, 1964 and hand made most of the special parts. It is very unlikely anything Z16 predated this by more than a few weeks. As an example, the 12 bolt rear center section used was cast (for all Z16s) in late December, but there is nothing special about the center section, so they built the GA rears on two days in January from a pile of centers that had been cast a few weeks earlier. Most components show a similar pattern: build a batch (199) on one or two days with a common casting date.

Dave

Baldy · #12 11-29-2005, 01:03 AM

Is the car from Missouri red with white interior. There was one that ran at MAR in Wentzville Mo. every sunday. the guy got the car as a graduation gift from high school from his grandmother. As far as i know the car was a race car from the day it was new.It was not cut up thow.

**SS427** · #13 12-06-2005, 03:53 PM

Dave,
I took these pictures at Super Chevy Sunday in Indy around 1983. Note the lack of a vinyl top. Do you know the car? The current owner is welcome to the original photos I have.
Rick

Thanks to Bruce for helping me post them.

mrrec · #14 12-06-2005, 05:06 PM

Rick:
Can't tell which car that is without numbers - there are a number of red, no top, black int. cars out there (in fact, that is about the most popular color combo). It is, however, likely real as there just wasn't enough info out there in '83 to fake it. The master cylinder, exh manifolds and wheelcovers are wrong......
Thanks.
Dave

terrygunterz16 · #15 11-17-2006, 12:39 AM

The car at kevin whitaker chevrolet was a car that i owned it is the Popular Hot Rodding Test Car. He sold it and then he bought it back.

**mssl72** · #16 11-18-2006, 07:50 PM

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On a similar note, isn't Feb. '65 the same time Mark 1V production was replacing 409s in full size units? ~ Pete

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Pete,
The L35 (396/325hp), M40 (Turbo 400) and the Z18 (Caprice Custom Sedan option) all entered production in February 1965. Colvin's book mentions February 15th as the day the 396's went in production.

The option list I have also shows totals for the L78's (396/425hp) but doesn't state when it went into production. I don't see a listing for the L37 that the Z16's had. I would assume all 396's started about the same time.

**427freak** · #17 11-22-2006, 07:58 AM

Hi Mark
Books I have show L78's in Corvette's starting around 13,000 vin. Earliest casting I can find is Feb. 15th 1965. Should have made it into Vette's in March for sure. I know when I am looking at 396 Vette's I always check vin first to see if it is 13k or later. Mine is 17,140. Don't take my word for it I was watching Diver Dan when they were made.
Dana

**2qwik2c** · #18 11-22-2006, 04:33 PM

I have an old pic here of a Z16 that looks like it is being towed from the drag strip. This car was raced at Bison/Keystone dragways in Manitoba. Car could have been from Minnesota, North Dakota. Anyone know the car maybe????

mrrec · #19 11-27-2006, 04:55 PM

Late March is the accepted time that the first Vette with a 396 was produced. Most Z16s had been built by this time. The Z16 was used to hype and introduce the 396 and they received the earliest built engines.
Dave

nuch_ss396 · #20 11-27-2006, 10:40 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Late March is the accepted time that the first Vette with a 396 was produced. Most Z16s had been built by this time. The Z16 was used to hype and introduce the 396 and they received the earliest built engines.
Dave

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Wow

That's a shock!

I would have expected GM to introduce their new Mark-IV
in the flagship vehicle ( Vette ).