Various Production Numbers Caveat

Many production numbers come from an old publication of Tailfins & Bowties that is generally accepted as being the most accurate for this type of data. However, there are some anomalies that are difficult to reconcile. Here are some examples...

In 1970 the LS5 in the Chevelle was part of the RPO Z15 Group option. It is known that 8,773 Z15 options were sold and it's also known that of these, 4,475 LS6 options were ordered leaving a total of 4,298 remaining with the base LS5 engine. It is NOT KNOWN how many of the Z15 or Z15 with the LS6 option were ordered by body style. It IS known than only 3,823 of the Monte Carlo production was ordered with the RPO Z20 SS option that also included the LS5 as the base engine.

The 1971 & 1972 RPO LS5 engine was only available with RPO Z15 SS Group option in the Chevelle series and RPO Z20 in the Monte Carlo series. RPO Z15 was only available in the Malibu series (13600) and only the sport coupe (37), convertible (67), and pickup (80) body styles. The reported production figures for those 4 body styles for each year are listed below. It is NOT KNOWN how many of the Z15 options were ordered by body style. RPO Z20 was ordered on 1,919 1971 Monte Carlos and while RPO Z20 was dropped for 1972 it is reported that 1,268 of the 5,333 LS5 options were ordered on the Monte Carlo leaving 4,065 for Chevelles.

Year Series/Body Style Number Reported
1970 13637 - U.S.
13637 - Canada
13637 Total		 263,684
25.938
289,622
  13667 7,141
  13680 40,728
  13857 145,976
1970 Total   483,467
1971 13637 - U.S.
13637 - Canada
13637 Total		 180,117
9,853
189,970
  13667 5,089
  13680 36,042
  13857 - U.S.
13857 - Canada
13857 - Total		 112,597
16,003
128,600
1971 Total 359,701
1972 1D37 - U.S.
1D37 - Canada
1D37 Total		 186,492
21,106
207,598
  1D67 4,853
  1D80 50,359
  1H57 - U.S.
1H57 -  Canada
1H57 - Total		 163,085
17,734
180,819
1972 Total 443,629

Other Z15-related options for the Chevelle 1971/1972 model years.

Year Regular Production Option (RPO) Quantity Reported Sold
1971 Z15 (1) 19,293
1971 LS5 9,502
1971 M22 3,035
1971 M40 (3) 21,333
1971 ZL2 (2) 4,079
     
1972 Z15 (1) 24,946
1972 LS5 5,333
1972 M22 1,513
1972 M40 (3) 21,427
1972 ZL2 (2) 3,659

Notes:
(1) RPO Z15 only required any optional V8 engine. The LS5 was one of 4 possible engines available with RPO Z15. So the total of LS5 engines will not match the total of Z15 options.

(2) It's odd to note the ZL2 cowl induction hood option for 1971 indicates it was only available with the LS5 engine; the LS3/402 is not mentioned. For 1972 both the LS3/402 and LS5/454 are shown with ZL2 being available.

(3) The LS5 required either the M22 or M40 transmission. RPO M40 was available with engines other than the LS5, the M22 was not. So, one can assume the number of M40 transmissions sold with the LS5 would be the total LS5 options less the number of M22 options.
* For 1971 this means if you take the total sales of LS5 (9,502) and subtract the total sales of M22 (3,035), you are left with a total sales of M40 with the LS5 at 6,467.
* For 1972 this means if you take the total sales of LS5 (5,333) and subtract the total sales of M22 (1,513), you are left with a total sales of M40 with the LS5 at 3,820.
* All other M40 transmission sales reported would have been installed behind other engines whether those engines were sold with or without the Z15 option.