Today I saw a pretty well optioned 1966 L79 4 speed el Camino. It also had air and cruise control. Would this be possible? The car is supposed to be well documented. The L78 and L72 Chevelles didn't get air. I was also wondering about cruise and a 4 speed.

The L79 wasn't "officially" available in 1966 Chevelles/El Caminos, at least in US-built versions (supposedly something to do with competing against the base 396 engine). To my knowledge, there were no engine suffix codes for a Chevelle L79, so that would be hard to document, and "prove" it was real (at least "factory" built)... Could have been a dealer-installed engine, or an unauthorized factory built car, but IMO, that would be pretty hard to document...

About the A/C, I don't think anything with solid lifters was available with A/C... But when did the L79s go to hydraulic lifters? I thought 67/68s used hydraulic lifters, but not sure...

The L79 wasn't "officially" available in 1966 Chevelles/El Caminos, at least in US-built versions (supposedly something to do with competing against the base 396 engine). To my knowledge, there were no engine suffix codes for a Chevelle L79, so that would be hard to document, and "prove" it was real (at least "factory" built)... Could have been a dealer-installed engine, or an unauthorized factory built car, but IMO, that would be pretty hard to document...

About the A/C, I don't think anything with solid lifters was available with A/C... But when did the L79s go to hydraulic lifters? I thought 67/68s used hydraulic lifters, but not sure...


L-79s were always hydraulic lifter equipped. The engine first appeared in 65 in Chevelles and Corvettes. AC was available with hydraulic lifers so I must conclude that all L-79's ever sold were eligeable to have Air Conditioning.

Not sure I understand the statement "there were no suffix codes for L-79 engines" As they say "Back in the day" I knew at least 5 or 6 guys that had L-79 powered 65 Chevelles and Corvettes. No Caminos. 350 HP L-79 were available in Corvettes. I knew one guy who had an L-79 66 Nova however that was rated at 350 HP. As for the 66 / L-79 Camino or Chevelle for that matter I always believed it was not offered. Some mumbo jumbo about competition for the newly launched 396. That may or may not be the real reason but who knows.

Interesting side note...when the L-79 returned to Chevelles in 1967 it was rated at 325 Horsepower. I think that by 1967 the base 396 was the 350 HP engine but I could be wrong on that. If I am right then the 67 Chevele 327 L-79 ( at 325 Horsepower) would have fit as the top of the line Small Block in the Chevelle. Then the next upgrade for the customer would have been the 350 HP 396 powered Chevelle.

Today I saw a pretty well optioned 1966 L79 4 speed el Camino. It also had air and cruise control. Would this be possible? The car is supposed to be well documented. The L78 and L72 Chevelles didn't get air. I was also wondering about cruise and a 4 speed.

A 66 elky with cruise control??! Tell me you took some pictures!

I've been searching for that option 4ever. Did it look like original equipment, or was it some aftermarket cruise?

Brian

The car is at a local dealer's lot. I'll check and see what I can find out. It is in there on consignment and supposedly has paperwork of some sort. Apparently L79 Corvettes could be had with air. The whole car looked pretty original looking and in fact needed to be freshened up. I believe it was a California car and has the Z in the vin showing that it was built in Fremont. I'd never seen one optioned like it and apparently there was about 6 built. I don't know how accurate that number is. Just relating what I was told.

Not sure I understand the statement "there were no suffix codes for L-79 engines" Well, it can be confusing when you don't correctly quote the entire statement, or at least the whole sentence...

I said, " The L79 wasn't "officially" available in 1966 Chevelles/El Caminos, at least in US-built versions (supposedly something to do with competing against the base 396 engine). To my knowledge, there were no engine suffix codes for a Chevelle L79, so that would be hard to document, and "prove" it was real (at least "factory" built)...

I was ONLY discussing the 1966 Model year Chevelle...
I know there were L79s in Chevelles in 1965, and again in 1967 and 1968... Corvettes, Novas, full size cars, Camaros and Trucks all used different suffix codes to identify the engines, even if the egines were essentially the same (because there ususally were minor differences, like Corvettes having Tach drive, truck exh manifolds not fitting a Chevelle chassis, etc... For 1966, there were NO L79 "Chevelle" suffix codes... The L79 WAS available in 1966 Corvettes and Novas...


As for the 66 / L-79 Camino or Chevelle for that matter I always believed it was not offered. Some mumbo jumbo about competition for the newly launched 396. That may or may not be the real reason but who knows. pretty much exactly what I was getting at, but I was just adding a little more "evidence" as to why I believe it wasn't offered...

I think the 325HP 396 was available up through the 1969 model year...

We're not sure about the el Camino either. I'd want to see some pretty strong paperwork to back it up before I'd be laying down the cash. The L35 was available in '69.

apparently there was about 6 built. I don't know how accurate that number is. Just relating what I was told.

I'd inquire more about that number, 6 built...

I'd find it VERY interesting that someone supposedly knows how many were built, yet the rest of the world (Chevelle-wise anyway) has no idea... We don't even know how many El Caminos came with the L34 and L78, even though we have the total production data for those engines...

At least for the BB cars, we have the Tonawanda production data...


I know there have been lots of "one-offs" and odd ball factory combos (not generally offered to the public, etc), but without proof, I'd call BS...


For an assembly-line built car, WHERE would the L79 have come from? Chevrolet (please correct me if I am wrong) engine assemblies used there own codes... Corvette engines would ONLY be found in St Louis, because that was the ONLY Corvette assembly plant. No reason for Fremont to possess a "Corvette" L79. Furthermore, didn't the Corvette exhaust manuifolds and oil pan NOT fit the Chevelle chassis? Therefore, even IF the assembly plant had the Corvette engine, it would NOT have fit into the Chevelle/ElCamino chassis... I doubt the assembly line would have stopped to modify the engine to fit...

Car built in Fremont... Were there any Nova's built there? Would the Nova L79 be sitting in that assembly plant?

BUT, the Nova used a special oil pan, and pretty sure it had the special "Nova-only" block (with the dipstick difference for the front-sumped oil pan)...


Could have been an engineering test mule, but would that have come out of Fremont?



I'd also check the assembly dates on the car itself... Maybe it was a very early production car, and maybe Chevrolet had intended the L79 to be available in the Chevelle line and actually had a few assemblys before being cancelled...

Or else, maybea "dealer" built car...

Not saying its impossible, just highly improbable...

I'd inquire more about that number, 6 built...

I'd find it VERY interesting that someone supposedly knows how many were built, yet the rest of the world (Chevelle-wise anyway) has no idea... We don't even know how many El Caminos came with the L34 and L78, even though we have the total production data for those engines...

At least for the BB cars, we have the Tonawanda production data...


I know there have been lots of "one-offs" and odd ball factory combos (not generally offered to the public, etc), but without proof, I'd call BS...


For an assembly-line built car, WHERE would the L79 have come from? Chevrolet (please correct me if I am wrong) engine assemblies used there own codes... Corvette engines would ONLY be found in St Louis, because that was the ONLY Corvette assembly plant. No reason for Fremont to possess a "Corvette" L79. Furthermore, didn't the Corvette exhaust manuifolds and oil pan NOT fit the Chevelle chassis? Therefore, even IF the assembly plant had the Corvette engine, it would NOT have fit into the Chevelle/ElCamino chassis... I doubt the assembly line would have stopped to modify the engine to fit...

Car built in Fremont... Were there any Nova's built there? Would the Nova L79 be sitting in that assembly plant?

BUT, the Nova used a special oil pan, and pretty sure it had the special "Nova-only" block (with the dipstick difference for the front-sumped oil pan)...


Could have been an engineering test mule, but would that have come out of Fremont?



I'd also check the assembly dates on the car itself... Maybe it was a very early production car, and maybe Chevrolet had intended the L79 to be available in the Chevelle line and actually had a few assemblys before being cancelled...

Or else, maybea "dealer" built car...

Not saying its impossible, just highly improbable...

I'd say you are firing on all cylinders here.

No one has yet been able to prove a 1966 Chevelle/El Camino ever got a factory installed L79. Haven't seen one yet that appears to be legit or could be proved to be an original install.

I'd be interested to hear what kind of documentation this particular car has (or hasn't). Please report back with what you find out.

I too wonder where these guys come up with the numbers built. I'm always wondering about loaded musclecars too. Very few young lads had enough borrowing power to buy the horsepower never mind an arms length list of options. very many of the GM of Canada documentation sheets show cars with no more than a half dozen options at most. Some have only a couple. I know of dealers buying loaded cars for themselves or their wives. I'll keep snooping when I get the chance. You never know, I might find one of those '66-'67 427 Chevelles.

keith ....... great point :D even a short option's list could close to double the price of the car !!!

sure most of them weren't that expensive but adding A/C Auto & PDB & P/S just put anther thousand dollars on a 2,500 car !!!

an that didn't include bucket seats , center console, radio,factory gauge package ..

thats the reason why MOST of the cars loaded this way are still in great shape when you can find one..... it most likely was ordered by someone's grandfather ... & spent its life in the garage..:)

I just read an article in super chevy about a '66 L79 el camino with all the paperwork. They were representing it as original and even stated a total number made?

http://www.superchevy.com/toc/sc_toc/

I just read an article in super chevy about a '66 L79 el camino with all the paperwork. They were representing it as original and even stated a total number made?

http://www.superchevy.com/toc/sc_toc/

I was reading though that article in the store, and I didn't think there was ANY paperwork... The article even talked about it being either rare OR "one-of-none"...

Some other stuf didn't fit; I think that Elco had a 10-bolt, but I thought L79's got 12-bolt rears, etc...

ALL 327's came with 12 bolts in 65. I had a buddy who got his 65 dark green Elky about a month after I got my dark blue Malibu L79 w/4 speed, bench seats, with no console and a radio. The 350 L79 was not officially available in 66 so that GM could promote the 396 in 100% of the ads as their fastest line of engines. The L79 would blow the doors off a 325, 396 all day long - along with GTO's and most 442's, was there - did that. OLDED