1966 Chevelle

Engine ID Suffix Codes

Engine

Transmission

Notes
Code Size HP      
AA 194-1 120 Manual-3 Overdrive
AC 194-1 120 Manual-3 Heavy Duty Clutch
AG 194-1 120 Manual-3 A.C.
AH 194-1 120 Manual-3 Heavy Duty Clutch/A.C.
AL 194-1 120 Powerglide  
AS 194-1 120 Manual-3 Overdrive/A.I.R.
AT 194-1 120 Manual-3 A.C./A.I.R.
BL 230-1 140-L26 Powerglide A.I.R.
BM 230-1 140-L26 Powerglide A.C./A.I.R.
BM 230-1 140-L26 Manual-3 Overdrive/A.I.R.
BO 230-1 140-L26 Manual-3 A.C./A.I.R.
CA 230-1 140-L26 Manual-3 Overdrive
CB 230-1 140-L26 Manual-3 A.C.
CC 230-1 140-L26 Powerglide  
CD 230-1 140-L26 Powerglide A.C.
DA 283-2 195 Manual-3  
DB 283-2 195 Manual-4  
DE* 283-2 195 Powerglide  
DG 283-4 220-L77 Manual-3/4  
DH 238-4 220-L77 Powerglide  
DI 283-2 195 Manual-3 Overdrive/A.I.R.
DJ 283-2 195 Powerglide A.I.R.
DK 283-2 195 Manual-4 A.I.R.
DL 283-4 220-L77 Manual-3/4 A.I.R.
DM 283-4 220-L77 Powerglide A.I.R.
EA 327-4 275-L30 Manual-3/4  
EB 327-4 275-L30 Manual-3/4 A.I.R.
EC 327-4 275-L30 Powerglide A.I.R.
EE 327-4 275-L30 Powerglide  
ED*** 396-4 325-L35 Manual-3/4  
EF 396-4 360-L34 Manual-3/4  
EG** 396-4 375-L78 Manual-3/4 Holley Carb/Solid Cam
EH 396-4 325-L35 Manual-3/4 A.I.R./Rochester Carb
EJ 396-4 360-L34 Manual-3/4 A.I.R.
EK*** 396-4 325-L35 Powerglide Holley Carb
EKR 396-4 325-L35 Powerglide Rochester Carb
EL 396-4 360-L34 Powerglide  
EM 396-4 325-L35 Powerglide Rochester Carb/A.I.R.
EN 396-4 360-L34 Powerglide A.I.R.
EP# 327-4 350-L79 Manual 3/4  
ER# 327-4 350-L79 Manual 3/4 A.I.R.
ES# 327-4 350-L79 Manual 3/4  

According to accepted production numbers, the 396 engines break down as follows:
2-door sedan pickup L35 325hp base engine - 1,865 (engine standard in both SS 396 models)
2-door sedan pickup/coupe/convertible L34 360hp high performance engine - 24,811
2-door sedan pickup/coupe/convertible L78 375hp special high performance engine - 3,099
An estimated 2,965 2-door sedan pickup El Caminos were ordered with one of the 396 engines

Roughly 32.6% of the 325hp 396 was ordered with a Powerglide transmission.
Roughly 67.4% of the 325hp 396 was ordered with a manual transmission.

Roughly 5.8% of the 360hp 396 was ordered with a Powerglide transmission.
Roughly 94.2% of the 360hp 396 was ordered with a manual transmission.

* Some resources list this engine as DF suffix code. Examples clearly shows DE.
# Chevrolet records show this engine in production as early as February 7, 1966. The release date was sometime in late February or early March. It's not clear why the production figures do not show up on the Chevelle application.

While the El Camino was NOT available in an SS 396 configuration, the L35, L34, and L78 396cid engines were available in the El Camino (both 13480 and 13680 series). It is known there were 1,865 L35 396-325hp engine options sold. Since this engine was an option in the El Camino and standard equipment on the base SS 396 series, it is apparent that there were 1,865 El Caminos ordered with the L35 V8 engine.

The breakdown of other 396 engines (L34 & L78) among the sport coupe, convertible, and pickup can only be guessed at by mathematical distribution.

See Engine-To-Body-Style for an unbiased & mathematical solution for engine-to-body style distribution.

** The L78 engine option was canceled May 11, 1965 and reinstated October 7, 1966.
*** These 396/325 engines were used with a both a Holley 4-barrel carburetor and a Rochester 4-barrel and will have the suffix "EDH" with the "H" indicating a Holley carburetor in lieu of the Rochester QuadraJet 4-barrel.

1966 Chevelle 396 cid Engine Production

The base engine for the SS 396 series for 1966 was the L35 396cid 325hp engine. This engine (along with the L34 and L78) was also an optional engine in the El Camino and 1,865 L35 engines were sold. There were 72,272 SS 396 sport coupes (66,380) and convertibles (5,393) sold. There is no way to know how many of the base L35 engines were sold in SS 396 sport coupes and/or convertibles. One can only take the number of L35 options known to be sold in the El Camino body style (1,865) and subtract that from the total number reported by Tonawanda and arrive at a number that would include Total L35 Cars and Service Engines

One cannot take the number of L34 or L78 engines into account for SS 396 sales only since these were also available in the El Camino and only a total number of L34 and L78 options are known; what body style they went into is not known. Since it cannot be determined how many L35 engines were sold in the base SS 396 series (total L35 cars) and the number of L35 service engines cannot be determined.

RPO HP Transmission Suffix Production Notes
L35 325 Manual ED/EDH 28,430 Rochester/Holley
L35/K19 325 Manual EH 3,775 Rochester & A.I.R.
L35/M35 325 Powerglide EKR/EKH 21 Rochester/Holley
L35/M35 325 Powerglide EK 12,592 Holley
L35/K19/M35 325 Powerglide EM 2,963  
        47,781 Total L35 Engines
        1,865 Known L35 El Caminos
  45,916 L35 Cars plus Service Engines
           
L34 360 Manual EF 20,283  
L34/K19 360 Manual EJ 4,037 A.I.R.
L34/M35 360 Powerglide EL 1,179  
L34/K19/M35 360 Powerglide EN 323 A.I.R.
        25,822 Total L34 Engines
        24,811 Total L34 Cars
96.1% of total L34 engine production went into cars 1,011 Service Engines
           
L78 375 Manual EG 3,167  
        3,167 Total L78 Engines
        3,099 Total L78 Cars
        68 Service Engines
97.9% of total L78 engine production went into cars    
           

Examples of engine assembly plant ID stamped codes and engine CON VIN stampings.