[Keith Tedford]

ZL3 shows up on cars with the 350 or 375 hp 396 engines. The GM documentation on our '69 L78 car shows it. A friends '69 L78 Chevy II also showed it in the GM documentation. It didn't show up for my COPO Chevelle though. About the only thing common between a 350 and 375 hp engine is the open element breather which the 325 hp 396 didn't have. Who knows?

 

[Coppertop]

I believe I can help. That option was "tacked on" when a Chevelle didn't start out on the assembly line as a Super Sport. I don't know the hows and whys, but lets say a destined-to-be Malibu was rolling down assembly and an order for a SS had to be met, ZL3 "SS Conversion" was specified. Told everyone to get it in gear (pun intended) and do the necessary-- like the larger fuel lines and the boxed control arms, heavier suspension for the big block, etc.etc. "Magically" converted to an SS.
This is my understanding, input welcome.

[This message has been edited by Coppertop (edited 04-26-99).]

 

[Dave Birdwell]

Sorry, Coppertop, but I don't think that's viable. One reason is, the build sheet is printed when the body number is assigned to the body when it is in the Fisher body line. The Body is already destined to be a car when the body order is preferenced. It would be very unlikely that once the body had been built that anything could be changed on the order.

 

[Cam]

Coppertop sounds plausible. Chevy had a business to run, and the bodies were cranked out by Fisher Body. Other possible body conversions might be to convert a body to manual trans (modified tunnel). I'm sure there's many others that we've never heard of.

 

[dcarr]

L89SEDAN,
I'm curious, does that build sheet also
have the Z15 or Z25 option on it ???

 

[Keith Tedford]

Our '69 L78 Chevelle shows both the Z25 and the ZL3 in the GM documentation. We never did find a build sheet. It is my understanding that 325hp 396 Chevelles didn't show the ZL3 option code. Dave is also right about the car being scheduled from the start and already has its VIN established. While the engine is being dressed it gets stamped with the last part of the vehicles VIN. On the assembly line, if there is a choice of parts such as fuel lines, differentials, or transmissions there will be a schedule for the operator to follow so that the car gets the proper part. The painted letters or lettered tape help ID the parts for the operator. Examples being the CZ on the 37 amp alternator. There was lettered tape on the coil springs. These codes show up in the appropriate box on the build sheet.
Fred Aldrich has a good example of a '69 SS396 build sheet with the Z25 and ZL3 on his web page.

 

[Super70]

My 70SS buildsheet also shows the Z25 SS 396 pkg and ZL3 SS conversion codes (along wih the ZL2,A51,D55,D88,F41,G80,G94,J50,JL2,L34, etc. codes which accurately id the car as a true SS). The car was a customer order as identified on the buildsheet. I also have the protect-o-plate that further ids the car. I believe the car was originally destined to be an SS other than a "destined-to-be-Malibu". I posted a question last year on this topic - do a search on "ZL3". Any more comments on the ZL3 option? Anyone work (or know anyone that worked) at any of the GM assembly plants that might know? Does it matter which plant the car was built to receive the ZL3 conv code? Did the code only apply to 69,70,71,72 SSs? The ZL3 code remains a mystery....

[This message has been edited by Super70 (edited 04-27-99).]

 

[ACES-70]

Thanx to all for the input, called Chuck Hansen last night (aces prez) and got the straight poop, the ZL3 code was not an rpo option code, it was a Fisher Body final assy, code, told them wat holes to drill and such for the SS conversion, but the wierd part is , is that all assy. plants were not consistant in using it, we compared a lot of build sheets and found that Atlanta didnt use them hardly at all and Balt. used them consistantly, but that really shouldnt suprise any of us :0) and yes the ZL3 code was used in conjunction with the Z15 and the Z25 RPO codes, no wonder we are all hooked on these cars , there seems to b always some type of ghost lurking around the corner to make u dig even deeper for answers and the right way to do it, even if its not yours, Thanx again guys for all the input, L89SEDAN

[This message has been edited by L89SEDAN (edited 04-27-99).]