Hood

Two basic types of hoods were available on the 1966 Chevelle. All models except the SS396 received the standard, flat hood while the SS396 received dual simulated air inlet scoops. Early hoods had five cutouts provided for underhood insulation on Malibu and SS series. The Chevelle 300 and 300 Deluxe also had 5 cutout areas but the underhood insulation was not included. Later hoods were revised to have three cutouts for underhood insulation. The AIM shows a 'redrawn and redesign' change dated January 20, 1966. This does not mean that all pre-January 20, 1966 Chevelles would have the early design and post-January 20, 1966 Chevelles would have the late design, but it is a date of of note.

While some assembly plants may have had the early design hoods that lasted past the January date and Chevelles assembled into February may still have used the early design hood, many owners have reported the late hood on Chevelles with build dates as early as mid November, 1965. It appears that either the later design hood was in production before the January 20, 1966 date on the drawing in the AIM or many early hoods have simply been replaced with later hoods for the same reason engineering made the change. For purposes of describing these hoods in this publication, 'early' will refer to pre-January 20 and 'late' will refer to post-January 20 date.

As one noted restorer of mid 60's Chevelles once told me, "I don't care what's suppose to be right or wrong. This is the way I found the car and that's how I'm going to restore it."

Note also the SS396 and Malibu shared the early hood meaning the scoops sat on top of the hood surface. Late hoods separated the Malibu and SS396 hoods and the SS396 hood had small recessed areas for the scoops to fit more flush with the hood surface.

Note these differences in the early and late designed hoods according to AIM.

* My Chevrolet Parts & Accessory parts book (circa 1971) shows only two hoods available at that time, part numbers 3896557 and 3896559. The initial release of the 3 hood assemblies were to facilitate the non-spear unit for 300 and 300 Deluxe models, a hood for the Malibu to incorporate the spear, and a hood for the SS396 to incorporate the recessed area for the scoops. Sometime between the AIM and the Chevrolet P&A catalog, the Malibu-only hood was dropped from inventory and the 300/300 Deluxe hood was used with instructions to drill appropriate holes to mount the spear on the Malibu series.

All part numbers shown on this page are from the AIM. See group 8.000 (hood panel), for Chevrolet P&A catalog listing.

Note lack of hood spear on the 131/132xx series Chevelle 300, shown here, and the Chevelle 300 Deluxe shown below.

133/13400 series 300 Deluxe without hood spear.


135/13600 series Malibu with hood spear.