1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

1968 Chevy II 'L-79'

327/325 HP

Anybody ever see one.

Chevy's 'Pop' Compact

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/1968-CHEVROLE...-hp4!~~0_3.JPG

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

Never seen one. Factored at 300 in stock. Dome pistons (5cc), 61cc "double hump" heads, 0.447" lift, 2.02" and 1.60" valves, and a 750 Q-Jet. Stick only. Looks like a decent piece, although that will be a flat cast iron manifold, there is some potential there, I think.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

Paul a guy had one in 1968 , hung around speed parts center. I believe he might have been Ruth Hurd's first husband. Division 1 stock racer Ed Bednaz tried one in stock a few years ago when the factor was 325 H.P. it wasn't bad could be pretty good with lower factor. This also the engine the Bob Ingles started with in The Royal Plum.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

Hot Rod Magazine {May 1968}

Tested one at Irwindale Raceway {Actual Test Date; February 1968}

Shipping Weight...... #3090 lbs.

3090 lbs. ~ 325 HP = 9.51 Wt/Hp = {D/Stock}

Camshaft..... .447" Lift ~ 306* Duration ~ 76* Overlap

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/HOT-ROD-Magaz...5SfwOi/$_3.JPG

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

In a Corvette with the same engine specs.....it was rated as a 350 HP engine...

I don't recall that engine at all back when I raced a '68 Chevy II

With a 300 hp rating it sounds like a good combo.......but manual trans only so that is probably why there are very few if any out there running..

2.02-1.6 valves....decent lift hydraulic cam specs...

I'd like one of those cars.....Had one 43 years ago.....LOL

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

I think it could be a good deal. It should like the bigger carb. The alum intake on the 66 isn't as good as one would expect either.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

Paul: We had three of them in our general area back in the day. Between the 3, they either had 3.31 or 3.55 gears with the M-20 4 spd. They were not the terror that the 66 L-79 cars were. I think that the smog system, 1968 additional car weight and the cast intake and Q jet contributed to the slower times. None of these cars were played with, they were street cars with only headers and traction bars. We also had two 1968 L-79 chevelles that ran similar.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

Back around 77 or so I worked in a machine shop with Ritchie Zul that was building destroked big blocks for Bob Ingles Pro Stock, 366ci with 348 cranks. I did the block work and was pretty excited as a 22 year old kid to have any part in the building of a Pro Stock engine, open headers in a small dyno room, LOUD.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

In 1968,

I remember that L-79 engine combination in the Chevelle with a 4-Speed only, but never in a Chevy II {Post/Coupe}.

Hot Rod Magazine had a stock one with 3.55 Gears, and 7" x 27" Casler Slicks running 14.60's @ 95 MPH.

Very impressive for that time period.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

I own one 1968 nova 327 325hp m20 12bolt 355 gear needs restoration teal blue bucket seat car very rare 1200 ever made.They were non ss cars so they were good sleepers

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

Now I see information on these 'sleepers'.

Only 1274 produced.

Only difference between the 1967 L-79 and 1968 L-79,
was the Intake and Carburetor, though Horsepower was still rated at 325 HP.

In late 1967, Super Stock & Drag Illustrated ran one in B/PS {Pure Stock}.

Results........... 14.10's @ 99 MPH

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

Those 366 Big Blocks had
GM aluminum heads that were completely welded on the decks with more material on one side so they could be angle milled a ton.......

The head modifications in that era was silly.....Cast iron heads were so highly modified it was insane the amount of work being done...

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

I owned a 65 Chevelle with a 327 with 350 HP.

Had a 4.56 gear Hooker Headers and a Sig Erson cam along with a few other trick parts.

Back in mid 1966 the late Dick Moroso used to tune and set the car up for me.

Won a lot of races with that car.

Jimbo

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

It's basically a 350 horse motor with a cast intake and Q-Jet.

Have known of a few that existed in years gone by. Had one

myself that came out of a Chevelle.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

In terms of actual dyno numbers, in OEM factory condition, I wonder how the 327/325 would compare to the 1970 Olds 350/325?

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

1968 'Chevy II' 325/325 HP 'L-79'

Classed in B/PS {Pure Stock}

http://68l-79novaregistry.com/images...7da2e_ybuy.jpg

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

A buddy bought one new. It was black over black and he ordered his with bucket seats. It was a 325 HP with cast iron intake and Q-jet. When the car was a month old we installed headers and a solid lifter cam. We were suprised to find it had the hyd. cam P/N 3863151. The next month it had a 4:88 gear. The car was bought new at Troutwine Chevrolet. I went with him to get the car. He pulled off the lot launched the car hard and power shifted it thru the gears.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

Funny I went thru all the old 1968 Chevrolet brochures and the only place were the 325/327 is even listed as a option is on Chevelle wagons. 3 speed and 4 speed only no automatic.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

You are correct about the L-79 only being offered with the 3 spd and 4 spd manuals, but the motor was also offered in the nova and the corvette also.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

1968 327~325 HP 'L-79'

Was available in the,
* Chevy Nova
* Chevelle {300 ~ Malibu ~ Station Wagon ~ El Camino}

Manual Transmission 'Only' with 12-Bolt Posi-Rear

The same Engine in the Corvette was rated at 350 HP, due to a better
Exhaust System and a Rochester Carburetor #7028219 which had
different internals.

Everything else was the same;
Pistons, Camshaft, Cylinder Heads and Cast Iron Intake Manifold.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

[QUOTE=Paul Ceasrine;410477]1968 327~325 HP 'L-79'

Was available in the,
* Chevy Nova
* Chevelle {300 ~ Malibu ~ Station Wagon ~ El Camino}

4-Speed 'Only' with 12-Bolt Posi-Rear

The same Engine in the Corvette was rated at 350 HP, due to a better
Exhaust System and a Rochester Carburetor #7028219 which had
different internals. Everything else was the same Pistons, Camshaft, Cylinder Heads and Cast Iron Intake Manifold.

Paul: My 68 Chevrolet engine power teams shows that the L-79 Nova had the M-13 3 Spd, M-20 4 spd and the M-21 4 spd available. All three transmission options show the 3.31 rear gear as the Std ratio.The vette shows only the two 4 spds being available. My info was printed in November 1967

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

Big-Six-Man,

You are correct, my error.

I meant to post 'Manual Transmission Only' with the 1968 L-79.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

A Sleeper

1968 Nomad L-79 327-325 HP

Fit nicely into 'G/Stock' {11.00 - 11.49 Wt/Hp} in 1968

Production Numbers state that only '65' were built with this combination.

http://www.therodshop.com/images/che...madafter01.jpg

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

The 68 chevelle Nomad wagon is rare. We had a 69 chevelle wagon in my home town that had a 350/255 hp with a M-20 4 spd, 3.31 12 bolt combo. These were very unusual cars that nobody paid much attention to when they were new.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

I agree, I was just pointing out you had to be in "the know" in order to order one of these small block screamers.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

k.pascoe: I think the dealers discouraged "odd ball" combinations when they were selling vehicles because they were concerned about potential resale issues for their customer, or that they may end up with the car down the road at trade in time and they did not want to deal with a manual transmission or a big motor. I know that at the three local dealers in my small town, discouraging some equipment options was very common.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

1968 327~325 HP 'L-79' ~ Production Numbers

Chevy II Nova.................................. 1274

Corvette.......................................... ... 9440

Chevelle.......................................... ... 4082
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe....... 3414
Chevelle Malibu {Convertible}........ 156
El Camino............................................ 214
Nomad............................................. ....... 65
Malibu Station Wagon........................ 23
Chevelle 300 {Sedan}......................... 86
Chevelle 300 Deluxe........................ 134


1968 Chevelle 300 {Sedan}

Only 2919 of these built with a V-8. Only '86' with the 327-325 HP 'L-79'

The 'stripped down' Chevelle, with no bells and whistles.



http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.49835...85628&pid=15.1

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

A good friend bought one of those motors from Ritchie Zul. The cylinder heads were bizarre.
A lot of epoxy in there and you might be missing one of your storm door screens as well.

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

1968 Chevrolet Cars with the 327-325 HP 'L-79' in the NHRA 1968

* Corvette 'Coupe' {350 HP}.................C/Stock {9.00 - 9.49 Wt/Hp}

* Corvette 'Convertible' {350 HP}.......D/Stock {9.50 - 9.99 Wt/Hp}

* Chevy II Nova......................................D/Stock {9.50 - 9.99 Wt/Hp}

* Chevelle Malibu Sport Coupe..........E/Stock {10.00 - 10.49 Wt/Hp}

* Chevelle 300 {Sedan}.........................E/Stock {10.00 - 10.49 Wt/Hp}

* Chevelle 300 Deluxe...........................E/Stock {10.00 - 10.49 Wt/Hp}

* Chevelle El Camino...........................E/Stock {10.00 - 10.49 Wt/Hp}

* Chevelle Malibu {Convertible}.........F/Stock {10.50 - 10.99 Wt/Hp}

* Chevelle Nomad..................................G/Stock {11.00 - 11.49 Wt/Hp}

* Chevelle Malibu Station Wagon......G/Stock {11.00 - 11.49 Wt/Hp}

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

According to Doug Byoce in his book “Grumpy’s Toys” the 1968 Nova bill owned and mostly driven by Ed Hedrick as a SS/D was originally a L-79 car. Chevrolet engineering used it as a test mule and rather than scrap it gave it to Bill as Chevy wanted the new body style” to be seen in action by the young people”. He never ran the car with the L-79 engine as it was swapped out for a 396.

I have a NOVA restoration friend who found one and is redoing it. According to him and the National Nova Club there are only a few verified one left so very rare car.

Jim Parsons

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

Here it is,

http://topnotchvehicles.com/v-web/ga..._010.sized.jpg

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

Paul,
Great picture is that recently as a restoration or an old one of the car.
In reading the track/ road test article from Hot Rod the page ended when they were going to add the slicks? Any idea of how fast they were able to make it run.

FYI; my 66 SS NOVA L-79 when new would run 14 flat-13.90’s in show room stock with 3.36 rear and tiny rear tires with lots of wheel hop. Of course it was probably 250 lbs. lighter than the 68 plus the stock shifter was just as bad as they reported by Hot Rod.

Thanks

Jim

Re: 1968 'Chevy II' 327/325 HP 'L-79'
 

Jim,

October 20, 1968

NHRA World Finals {Tulsa, Oklahoma}

Super Stock Finals

Bill Jenkins 'SS/D' 396/375 HP - 1968 Nova ~ vs. ~ Dave Strickler 'SS/F' 302/290 HP - 1968 Camaro 'RS' 'Z-28'

http://www.z28camaro.com/img/Tulsa_3.jpg