Have you ever thought about...............

[Rory McNeil]

Originally Posted by Larry Hill

A member of our HS Basketball team had a 66 Chevelle SS 396 /325 and it was a glide with console. I think I still have a factory intake for the Holley.

Back in the early -mid 70s, I hung out with a racer that ran 65 Chevys, a Biscayne 2 door sedan, and then an Impala wagon, both with 396/325 combos in Super Stock, and both cars had Turbo 400s. Were the TH400s only used in the big cars in the beginning ? I have also seen early 396 Corvettes with Powerglides. Was a Turbo 400 optional in a SS396 Chevelle in 66, and if not, when?

[Greg Reimer 7376]

Originally Posted by Rory McNeil

Back in the early -mid 70s, I hung out with a racer that ran 65 Chevys, a Biscayne 2 door sedan, and then an Impala wagon, both with 396/325 combos in Super Stock, and both cars had Turbo 400s. Were the TH400s only used in the big cars in the beginning ? I have also seen early 396 Corvettes with Powerglides. Was a Turbo 400 optional in a SS396 Chevelle in 66, and if not, when?

Way back in the day about 30 years ago,I found a wrecked 65 Impala SS 2 door hardtop with a mint black interior, a 396 with power steering, brakes,a/c, and a Powerglide. It had only about 44000 miles on it, and I got it for $200.00.After getting it home, throwing away the wrecked parts, the frame was destroyed from the firewall forward, so I parted it out completely. I put the complete interior, dash and gas tank and the console and shifter into a plain Impala non SS car, the 396 got dismantled, I still have the block and the accessories with the brackets, Cal Method helped us in innumerable ways at Pomona one year, so I gave him the Powerglide, I kept the 12 bolt, and carted the gutted shell and bent frame to a scrap yard and did quite well on this one. In '65, the 396 came out for release in February,first in the Caprice and soon everything else got it, the TH 400 was an optional trans later in th year, a lot of 396's had Powerglides, they were a good core because the big block and 409 power glides had heavy duty parts and clutch packs, and I remember 396 Powerglides in Chevelles and even a few early Camaro's. The Quadrajet carb came out for the 396 in '65, then the 327 got it part way through '66,and by '67 the only 4 barrel on a Chevy was the QJ with the exception of some Vettes that still could be had with a Holley. The evolution of Chevy power plants and drive trains is a fascinating study!

[Rob Petrie E395]

My friend Ed Wright thought I was nuts to build a 4th gen Firebird. Because at that time the HP was at 346 (I think). But at that point I had been bracket racing one for 15 years or so. I had all these parts that had one time been on my bracket car. But upgraded them so the old parts were just laying on a shelf. So I bought a car off eBay for a couple hundred. I bought a set of used heads, converter and some other used stuff off guys here. All together between buying used parts and stuff I had. I had spent less than $5,000. If I had tried to do any other car. It would have been a bunch more. My original goal was just run under the index. It went about .3 under. I figured I’d try it. If I liked it I’d spend more and keep going. The second time racing it was at Paducah Ky. I got down to 3 cars and the hook was set and set good. So that winter I put more into my junk. Got a crank done, new rods and pistons to get the rod/piston weight closer to the min. (Before this it had TRW pistons and I think eagle rods) but while they were on the list and legal. They were also very heavy. But they were the cheapest option to get started. Anyways along with that and some other stuff. I got to .57 under. So that next winter I spent some more. Unfortunately in the spring of 18 I got hurt working. And haven’t raced since. Debated selling my cars. But nope I’m stupid. So since then the lifter rule changed. So another cam and solid roller lifers. Up until then I had a comp cam and just regular old hydraulic roller lifters straight from Jegs. Not the fancy shimmed up ones. I’ve bought a good metric 200, headers, merge collectors, better brakes, and other stuff. I’m waiting on a new FI system right now. If the doctor doesn’t give me the ok. I’m going to at least get somebody else to drive it. To see if/how much faster it is. The lifters alone should make a difference. I’m told possibly 1/10 better for the metric. We’ll see. But in the beginning Ed and other thought I was nuts.