1965
L78
1966
L78
1967
L78
1968
L78
1969
L78
1970
L78L78 Engine Suffix Codes by Year and Chevrolet Car Lines
| Model Year | Code(s) - Application (Quantity) |
| 1965 | Total - 3,995 |
| 1965 | IE ~ Full-Size Chevrolet (1,838) |
| 1965 | IF ~ Corvette (2,157) |
| 1966 | Total - 3,099 |
| 1966 | EG ~ Chevelle (3,099) |
| 1967 | Total - 1,750 |
| 1967 | EG/EX ~ Chevelle (612) |
| 1967 | MQ/MR ~ Camaro (1,138) |
| 1968 | Total - 9,993 |
| 1968 | MQ/MR ~ Chevy II/Nova (667) |
| 1968 | EG ~ Chevelle (4,751) |
| 1968 | MQ ~ Camaro (4,575) |
| 1969 | Total - 19,636 |
| 1969 | JH/JL/KC ~ Nova (5,262) |
| 1969 | JD/KD/KF/KG/KH/KI ~ Chevelle (9,486) |
| 1969 | JH/KC/KE/KL ~ Camaro (4,888) |
| 1970 | Total ~ 6,509 |
| 1970 | CKO/CKQ/CTY ~ Nova (3,765) |
| 1970 | CKO/CKP/CKY/CKU ~ Chevelle (2,144) |
| 1970 | CJH/CJL/CTY ~ Camaro (600) |
| L78 Total | 44,982 |
It should be noted here that different terms for different body styles are used throughout the industry but I'm sticking to GM's terminology. These body styles (for the purpose of the L78) are the sport coupe (a.k.a. hardtop), coupe (a.k.a. sedan and 2-door post) in 1969 only, convertible, and sedan pickup (a.k.a. El Camino).
Sales numbers above are from Len Williamson's Tailfins and Bowties compilation. Where more than one engine suffix code appears they include (1) manual transmission, (2) automatic transmission, (3) RPO L89 aluminum head option where applicable, and (4) various H.D. clutch and/or A.I.R. equipment.
How many of an individual option and what series and/or body styles they were available in is known for regular production options; combinations of any two or more options are not. Exterior paint colors sold were a choice the consumer made and not technically an option so even the overall number of red/blue/green/etc. Chevelles, Chevy II/Novas, or Camaros is not known. How many L78 engines were sold in a given body style isn't known. Also not known is the number of L78 engines were sold with what transmission. While the number of L89 aluminum head options are known for a given year and make, again, what body style they were installed in is not known.
Many of the 1-of-xx figures for Chevelles come from an appealing and colorful production poster by Chevelle enthusiast Dan Carr. This poster has production figures for 1968 to 1972 Chevelles and Dan breaks down the figures in a very unbiased way (mathematically) in an attempt to show how many of a body style might have been ordered with various SS and non-SS specific options; mainly which SS package, transmission types and cowl induction hoods for 1970 through 1972. With Dan's permission the following excerpt from his explanation on how certain figures were determined is presented here.
The same methodology applied to any option like the LS6 engine can be applied to the L78 engine as well.
