1969 Chevelle SS 396 (L-78) Burnished Brown 300 Deluxe

[bbl78]

Hmm, confused as well. The protect-o-plate information with the engine code JD is contradicting with what the original owner claims the car had (aluminum heads). I'm not an expert with period correct protect-o-plates, but this one looks original. The original owner (Frank) claims that the address was correct at that time. We have just started our conversations and I'll compile these and many more questions the further I dig. Thank you all for joining in and provided any and all input.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

Awesome update and congrats on tracking down the OO!
Exactly as you guys noted, the POP has a 'JD' Iron Head L78 Suffix, not KG/KH/KI as an L89 would.
If POP the original, maybe the Alloy heads were dealer added @ Norwood?
Such a cool car!

~ Pete

.

[bbl78]

So, struggled sleeping last night.... Couldn't shut down my thoughts. First thing this morning I went down to my shop and pulled the valve covers. Here are the casting dates and numbers that I uncovered.

-Drivers side ( 3919840 ) = 375hp (396) / Dated - A 22 9 ( January 22, 1969 )
-Pass side ( 3919840 ) = 375hp (396) / Dated - A 28 9 ( January 28,1969 )

With a production date of the chevelle being 3/21/69, these numbers seem to be at least correct for the time period and would match with the engine. (curious) ??

[Mr70]

Absolutely.

[bbl78]

The engine block casting date, which I located on the pass side just above and in front of the starter reads - A 30 9 ( January 30, 1969 ), best as I could make out. Very rough casting and time hasn't been kind to it. I used a piece of aluminum to capture the impression after trying a pencil to shadow transfer onto paper. Between the two images I could make out the date. So, looks like it was cast just a few days after the heads. The heads and block castings seam arguably close enough to be paired together upon assembly. Anyone out there with information on Tonowanda's assembly procedures, your input would be very much appreciated.

[the427king]

The heads and block castings seam arguably close enough to be paired together upon assembly

They could have been "paired" date wise at any point in the past 50 years as well as at the assembly plant.

[bbl78]

Thank you for the response 427 king... Who would be better informed to provide me with that information than an engine collector/seller. Thx

What are your thoughts on the stamped engine pad? Is it difficult to recreate that type of weathered appearance? The original owner claims the car to be an L89, but all of my documentation proves otherwise.

You had mentioned that you may have owned the car back in the 90's. Do you have any old photo's or information? Trying to piece the owner history together and figure out who did the restoration? and when?

[the427king]

Not sure if it is the car I had mentioned . It didnt have a POP at the time but had a very partial buildsheet about the size of a credit card or so. Someone in CT was selling it on ebay years ago after they restored it.

[bbl78]

Had a few conversations with the original owner. Currently, he has just become a new member to the site (LUVNLIFE). So, please wish him a warm welcome. Hopefully he'll comment on this, his original car and he may shed some light on other Norwood preparerd cars. I love the information that he has shared with me about the Chevelle and his time with it. He has first hand info about the dealer installed performance items that Norwood installed. Thanks again for any and all info....

[LUVNLIFE]

Thank you for the introduction bb178. I am the original owner of his L78 69. You can only imagine my surprise when answering the phone to have the gentleman on the other end say he had my Chevelle. Within a couple of days of 50 years since I purchased it! The second surprise since watching Patrick Glenn Nichols YouTube of the same car I once had. I will give you my history with the car.
My father was the top Buick salesman in the tristate area of Pittsburgh. Right after starting my aircraft mechanic job at 19 I ordered a 67 GS400. Only power brakes and a special order 430 rear end. My uncle also worked at Samson Buick and we installed a Stage 1 kit the next year. With the cam, metering rods, modified accelerator pump, quick ignition curve, and headers, that car was fast.
Well with getting engaged and pressure from multiple sources I sold that car and bought a used Skylark convertible. With the bride to be back in Pittsburgh I transferred to a line station in Providence RI. I lived in a historic old boarding house that has the address on the POP. Down the street was Norwood Chevrolet.
Now after having a fast car the Skylark was not getting it but I did not like the look of the 69 GS. Walking into the showroom I gaze upon a station wagon with the hood up and a 427 installed. Next to it was what looked like a plain Jane Camaro with an L88. And then there was this Chevelle. I had heard about the L78 and even being young and dumb I knew I would kill myself in that Camaro. So I start talking to the salesman explaining how fast my Buick was but wanted something faster. Now I don’t know if it was Mel Perry and never heard of Motion Performance but he walked me to what I believed to be the service department and a couple of service techs and he told me what they could do to that Chevelle to make it launch better. After agreeing to the mods and signing for it the brown Chevelle was wheeled into the shop and given El Camino front coils, 60/40 shocks, ladder traction bars, air bags, and an electric fuel pump. Techs said I would have to install my own headers as they couldn’t mod the exhaust. What? Anyway all that was rolled into the financing. After the headers, slightly bigger jets in the Holley, ignition curve all in by 2200 with 38* total and the rockers adjusted to just quiet that car would wind up like my old short stroke camed up 265. In a short while we moved back to Pittsburgh and I started street racing in earnest. I babied that car till a race was on. I would only run for $100 and some weeks made more than my airline paycheck. Wait, once ran for $60 cause that’s all this kid with the tri power goat cold get up. That time there was an arrest for drag racing, pay offs to authorities, and more for another time. That car never was beaten on the street and I went up against 440 six packs and such. It got to the point that the car was so well known that I couldn’t get a race within a 30 mile radius no matter how many EatnParks or burger joints I cruised.
Now I know there are questions about my claim to have aluminum heads and the data plate being different. I’m a 22 year old kid, an aircraft mechanic, I can turn wrenches but have no idea what I have with these silver heads till it is explained to me. They modified a lot of cars there and this obviously was one. Were they intending to race it? All I know is Mel or whoever he was recommended that I paint them Chevy Orange. I payed a lot of money for a bare bones car but was never disappointed. I’m afraid to tell you why I got rid of that car but you people around my age (72) probably also have regret over some of the machines that you let go. I was just a kid, you know there is always another out there. Little did I know it was the dawn of the end of the super era.