1965 Chevelle Z-16 camshaft questions...

[bill dedman]

As most of you know, in 1965 Chevrolet sold about 200 "special" 'Z-16' Chevelles that had some cosmetic features that regular Chevelles (even the S/S badged cars) didn't have.

Another thing all these Z-16s had was a 396 engine rated at 375 horsepower. The new, high performance big block (also 396) Corvette engine of that year was rated at 425 horsepower.

Here's where it gets confusing. In 1966, the previous year's 425/396 hp engine was stuffed into the Chevelle (with some minor changes) and was now rated at 375 horsepower (at a lower rpm than the 425 hp 1965 Corvette engine), ostensibly, for insurance purposes.

The question I have for anyone who knows the answer, is this: Is the NHRA Engine Blueprint Guide information for 1965 Chevrolet engines that shows a hydraulic lifter engine with less valve lift than the 425hp engine, the specs for the engine that went into the Z-16 Chevelles that year? That engine was rated by Chevrolet at 375 hp in 1965.

Is it true that the Z-16 Chevelles really DID have a hydraulic lifter cam, and that, that one year only engine was NOT the 1966 375 hp motor? That's what the NHRA information says.

I seemed to remember some magazine articles about that car, when it hit the streets, mentioning the (alleged) fact that it had a hydraulic lifter cam in it, but I've slept since then....

Anybody have the straight scoop on this confusing situation???

Any information about this will be appreciated!

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by bill dedman

As most of you know, in 1965 Chevrolet sold about 200 "special" 'Z-16' Chevelles that had some cosmetic features that regular Chevelles (even the S/S badged cars) didn't have.

Another thing all these Z-16s had was a 396 engine rated at 375 horsepower. The new, high performance big block (also 396) Corvette engine of that year was rated at 425 horsepower.

Here's where it gets confusing. In 1966, the previous year's 425/396 hp engine was stuffed into the Chevelle (with some minor changes) and was now rated at 375 horsepower (at a lower rpm than the 425 hp 1965 Corvette engine), ostensibly, for insurance purposes.

The question I have for anyone who knows the answer, is this: Is the NHRA Engine Blueprint Guide information for 1965 Chevrolet engines that shows a hydraulic lifter engine with less valve lift than the 425hp engine, the specs for the engine that went into the Z-16 Chevelles that year? That engine was rated by Chevrolet at 375 hp in 1965.

Is it true that the Z-16 Chevelles really DID have a hydraulic lifter cam, and that, that one year only engine was NOT the 1966 375 hp motor? That's what the NHRA information says.

I seemed to remember some magazine articles about that car, when it hit the streets, mentioning the (alleged) fact that it had a hydraulic lifter cam in it, but I've slept since then....

Anybody have the straight scoop on this confusing situation???

Any information about this will be appreciated!

True.....I had access to 2 of them when new. Hydraulic cam was all they had for 1965 Z-16's. Couldnt get a posi from the factory either. I installe 12 bolt posi carriers in both as the dealer wanted an arm and a leg to do the job. I worked cheap.....LOL.

[Bobby Zlatkin]

I also had two friends that had them new. One yellow with black vinyl roof and one red with black vinyl roof. They did have hyd. cams. Bumpy cams like the 350 HP 327 cam.
The Z16 cars came loaded with every option Chevrolet could put on them incl. ugly fake mag wheel full hubcaps.

They came with tall gears (3.31 or 3.08) and weren't fast from the showroom.

The motor was simular (sp?) to the 425/396 except for the cam, although the cam specs. were very simular.

[Fred Lee]

The hydraulic cam specs for the Z-16 are .461 lift on intake ( same as the oval port 350-360 hp 396 factored at 340 hp). The Z-16 exhaust lift is .500 or .020 higher than the above mentioned 340 factored horsepower 396.
It seems like an interesting combination for someone to try if it had a better (somewhere in the 360-370 factored range) horsepower factor than 385. The .520-.520 solid cam used in
the 66-69 375 hp-396 makes way more power than the hydraulic Z-16 cam specs could ever make.
The 65 Chevelle SS 2 dr hardtop (NHRA stock class) has 3 other competitive motors ( 220 hp-283 @ 217, 250 hp-327 @ 245, and the 300 hp-327 factored @ 260 hp ). So if anybody
knows of a small block car already built, ( I do ) lets bench race about it in a positive manner.
This is the off season, lets not succumb to all the negativity being spread about certain class
combinations.
Fred Lee #3454 Stock

[Bobby Zlatkin]

I believe Sonny Dutton from the Ft. Myers, FL area runs the 375 HP combo in his '65 Chevelle. Don't believe he runs any Nat'l events, but will sometimes show up at a Div. 2 points race.