1966 "396" Corvette
 

I was just at a very small car show today and the guy next to me said he has a friend who has a very rare , Early 1966 Corvette with a documented 396 cu in motor in it . I have never read or heard of any 1966 Corvettes with a 396 in them only 1965's . There always seems to be that fluke of a car combo so........................?

Maybe he meant "390" instead of "396"? No 396hp option listed in this excerpt from www.vettefacts.com/c2.

HH = 327-cid 300-hp V-8 with 10.5:1 compression ratio, manual transmission, and four-barrel carburetor
HR = 327-cid 300-hp V-8 with 10.5:1 compression ratio, automatic transmission, and four-barrel carburetor
HD = 327-cid 350-hp V-8 with 11.0:1 compression ratio, manual transmission, and four-barrel carburetor
HO = 327-cid 300-hp V-8 with 10.5:1 compression ratio, automatic transmission, and four barrel carburetor
HT = 327-cid 350-hp V-8 with 11.0:1 compression ratio, manual transmission, four-barrel carburetor
HP = 327-cid 300-hp V-8 with 10.5:1 compression ratio, manual transmission, four-barrel carburetor
KH = 327-cid 350-hp V-8 with 11.0:1 compression ratio, manual transmission, four-barrel carburetor
IK = 427-cid 425-hp V-8 with 11.0:1 compression ratio, manual transmission
IL = 427-cid 390-hp V-8 with 10.25:1 compression ratio, manual transmission, four-barrel carburetor
IM = 427-cid 390-hp V-8 with 10.25:1 compression ratio, manual transmission, four-barrel carburetor
IP = 427-cid 425-hp V-8 with 11.0:1 compression ratio, manual transmission, four-barrel carburetor
IQ = 427-cid 390-hp V-8 with 10.25:1 compression ratio, Powerglide automatic transmission and four-barrel carburetor
IR = 427-cid 390-hp V-8 with 10.25:1 compression ratio, Powerglide automatic transmission, four-barrel carburetor

Comment from another thread...
Just curious where these friends who know so much about our old vettes, yet never seem to own one themselves come from. There seem to be millions of them out in the world, and they gravitate to our cars. When my car is out on Sunday morning at car guy church, these experts flock to my car like ants to sugar and spout off non stop advice, insight and counsel, none of it solicited. They usually start off with "an uncle or a friend had one just like this back in 72..."

You don't really believe these stories that people tell you about their friend of a friend or wife's brother's boss has, or knows, etc, right?

Are you sure he didn't mean a 63 with a fuel injected 427? That's really rare.

Don't forget the stinger hood that came with it. :lol:

Since most people are not familiar with years and engines let alone identify the car as a Vette, the 396 guy was only a year off. And unless you own one its difficult to identify a 64-67....

My 63 was always mistaken as a 64 or 65 coupe.....:D

I'm amazed how confused some people can become about their very own cars...When I was a kid, a family friend of ours had a '66 BB Conv which he had purchased brand new - until the day he died, he swore it was a '67!! It was a completely stock car so it was easy to tell what year it was...:willy:

maybe it was a rare 427 delete car with the 396 motor that was used when they ran out of 427s early in the production run:D

I think it is great. Those rare folks who have these rare cars are the most friendly folks in the whole wide world. Everyone is their friend it seems as I run into them often as well. Someone is always telling me how they have these special friends. Those guys must know everyone!

and a metal body............

That's right! I forgot about those early production metal bodied cars. :D

Maybe it's all in the meaning of "documented" 396. I have a genuine 427 motor in mine with lots of "documents" I received with it - but the motor was manufactured 2 years after the car. Lots of people frequenting car shows would be better off to just look and keep quiet.

My 64 split window Cp was painted a rare maroon with a green int. It had duel driveshafts and chrome muffler bearings. I was told it could not have come with the green int. but I did buy it new so I know it's original. :D

Did it come with that 409 too?

I've had more than a few wizards at cruise nights knock on the fender of my 61 asking if it was one of the early metal cars :willy: Lots of BS floating around at the cruise nights but I still enjoy them.

If someone was knocking on the fenders of my car there's a good chance they would be getting some knocking on their skull.

FWIW, at a gas station last week, some guy, maybe 60ish came up and told me (I had my '61, as in my Avatar) : "I had a Chevelle just like back in 1965, a red SS 327. I rolled it".

Whatever.

Doug

For what it's worth. Back in 1969 I was in the market for a Corvette. I called a guy who had a 1966 vert for sale. He worked at the Chevy Tech Center in Warren Mi. He said the engine was a 396/425. My guess is that it was some kind of test mule at the Tech Center that he bought when they were done with it. So it' s not impossible to see a 66 with a 396 in it.

Tried to buy it. He wouldn't take a deposit. Said he would hold it for me until the next day when I could get to the bank. He sold it to a guy who showed up right after I was there. Needless to say I hold some dark feelings towards him to this day.

Someone at a cruise-in awhile back complimented me on my beautiful Camaro.

Yesterday, someone walked by my car at a parking lot and asked me if it was a '58 (at least he knew it was a Corvette . . . I think.)

Had a guy a few weeks ago at a restaurant parking lot tell me he saw a 1950 Corvette with a V8 for sale.

It's all part of the fun with these cars. The general public doesn't have a clue. Many people just say, "Beautiful car" or "Nice car" or something like that so they don't embarrass themselves by saying something dumb. Most people seem nice and are happy to learn something about the car. But there are uninformed fools out there, too, who think they know more about your car than you do.

-- Steve

It's not that hard to imagine a guy spending a lot of money to buy a great looking Big Block '66 and then finding out later that it has the wrong engine, a 396 ("I dunno, it looked like a 427"). You can make or have someone else fake enough documentation to make yourself feel better about your bone-headed purchase. And then you can pass that along to the next buyer. In the meantime you can flaunt your provenance and create another "Fiberglass Urban Legend".

Ray