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Hood

Two basic types of hoods were available on the 1966 Chevelle. All models except the SS 396 received the standard, flat hood while the SS 396 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 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 SS 396 and Malibu shared the early hood meaning the scoops sat on top of the hood surface. Late hoods separated the Malibu and SS 396 hoods and the SS 396 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.

Early		Late
Part number	Fitment	Part number	Fitment
3871083 - hood assembly	131-132-133-13400	3896557 - hood assembly	131-132-133-13400
3874746 - hood assembly	135-136-13800	3896558 - hood assembly *	135-13600
		3896559 - hood assembly	13817-13867
3877233 - insulation	135-136-13800	3897234 - insulation	135-13600
		3891425 - insulation	13817-13867
3874587 - molding crown	135-136-13800	3887580 - molding crown	135-136-13800

* 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 SS 396 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.

EARLY 1966 DESIGN HOOD

1. 3871083 Hood Asm.     (13100-200-300-400) 1. 3874746     (13500-600-800) 2. 3877233 Insulator Asm.     (13500-600-800) 3. 3857962 Cement 4. 3759924 Nut Asm. 5. 3874586 Molding Asm. 6. 9418239 Nut 7. 3874587 Molding, Crown     (13500-600-800)   Early style hood, December 2nd week from Fremont. Note the two outer areas are cut out. This one on a 300 Deluxe and note lack of insulation. This 300 Deluxe is from Framingham built 1st week in October. Note non-factory hood insulation added. Early SS 396 hood with insulation; this car assembled 2nd week of November at Atlanta. Early Malibu hood with insulation; this car assembled 1st week of October at Fremont. Another early SS 396 hood, this one from mid December and Atlanta. Early SS hood with insulation removed. Courtesy Gary Salsman Note the scoop area is reinforced but not recessed like later hoods so the scoop sits on top of the hood skin. Courtesy Gary Salsman Early SS hood with scoop bolted on top of the hood skin. Courtesy Gary Salsman Another example of an early hood; late November or early December built at Atlanta. Another early hood with insulation installed, this one an SS 396 built February, 2nd week 1966 at Fremont. Even though this car is dated after the design change, it's probable that this car was already in the pipeline and new hoods had not been delivered to the plant.

LATE 1966 DESIGN HOOD

Redrawn & Redesigned - Dated January 20, 1966   1. 3896557 Hood Asm.     (13100-200-300-400) 1. 3896558 (13500-600) 1. 3896559 (13817-867) 2. 3877234 Insulator Asm.     (13500-600) 2. 3891425 (13817-867) 3. 3857962 Cement 4. 3759924 Nut Asm. 5. 3874586 Molding Asm. 6. 9418239 Nut 7. 3874580 Molding, Crown     (13500-600-800)   This Chevelle 300 sedan hood from Kansas City the 3rd week of January, 1966 shows the 2nd design and lack of under hood insulation. This SS 396, December, 2nd week of 1965 from Kansas City has a late design hood. Note the two elongated cutouts on either side have been made solid to add rigidity to the hood. Note scoops are set fairly flush with the hood skin indicating a late hood when the SS received its own hood and the scoops had their own recessed areas to sit in. Note recessed area for scoops on late style SS hood. Late non-SS hood. Since aftermarket hood insulation kits cover both hoods, some tend to put the outer two pads on even though they are not correct for the late hood design. This hood is from a July, 4th week Atlanta car.

HOOD SPEAR

Late style hood spear as noted by part number 3887580.

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.