1966 Chevelle Trivia

All 1966 Chevelle station wagons and sedan pickups have vented gas caps, all others have non-vented gas caps.

For 1966, the Chevelle SS 396 became its own series with two body styles, a sport coupe and a convertible.

The body designation for a sport coupe changed from '37' to '17.'

Unlike 1964 and 1965 there was no special wheel cover for the SS 396 series, hub caps and lower body color steel wheels were standard. Wheels are painted lower body color except when full wheel covers are ordered, they the wheels are painted black.

Red stripe 7.75-14/2ply tires were standard with any SS 396 with white stripe or blackwall optional. Wheels are painted lower body color except when full wheel overs are ordered, they the wheels are painted black.

Chevelle Standard Hub Cap	Optional Wheel Cover RPO P01	Chevelle Optional Wheel Cover RPO P02
		1966 Optional P02 Wheel Cover

	RPO N96 'Mag-Style' Wheel Cover

Front Wheel Alignment
Camber	0° to P1°
Caster
All SS 396 and sedan pickup	N1° to 0°
All others	N1½° to N½°
Toe (total)	1/8 in to 1/4 in toe-in
Steering Axis Inclination	7-3/4° to 8-3/4°

Tires, Regular Production
6.95-14	I6 except wagons, sedan pickup, and convV8 except wagon, 4-door hardtop, conv, & sedan pickup
7.35-14	I6 convertible and sedan pickup V8 4-door hardtop, conv, & sedan pickup
7.75-14	I6 & V8 wagons, & SS396

Three horsepower rating 396-cid engines were available; the base 325hp, the optional RPO L34 rated at 360hp, and the RPO L78 rated at 375hp. See engine_id_codes for more detailed information. Both the base 13480 and Malibu series 13680 sedan pickup could order any of the three 306-cid engines.

Both the base 13480 and Malibu series 13680 sedan pickup could order any of the three 396-cid engines.

A bench seat was standard for all series and models. The SS 396 bench seat was all vinyl while other series/models were cloth & vinyl with the exception of convertibles and sedan pickups that were all vinyl. Bucket seats were now an option under RPO A51 and only available with the Malibu & SS 396 series sport coupe or convertible as well as the Malibu series sedan pickup.

Every now and then one runs across a Fisher Body Number Plate that is out of the norm. This 1966 El Camino plate fits this description.
© ChevelleWorld

Note the lack of the assembly plant designation. the wheel color included in the lower/upper body color, and 'JOB 275" stamp. Going by the body date of 4D and body number of 6425, apparently this is a Fremont, CA. body plate.

L78 Engine

© ChevelleWorld
The 396cid/375hp RPO L78 engine used an idler puller bolted to the passenger side head and was the only year it was used on an L78 engine. Note also in the exploded view the mounting of the alternator and its brace. The brace bolts to the alternator from the rear; this is true for all late 1965 through 1968 V8 engines.

RPO A85 Shoulder Belts

A shoulder harness was offered under RPO A85 beginning in March of 1966 but only 119 1966 Chevelles made it out the door with them. A GM Tech Services Bulletin states that shoulder belt anchorage provisions will be added to all 1966 bodies starting on February 1, 1966, and that the belts will become available after March 1, 1966. All bodies with the anchors will have a 3/16” hole stamped in the “body number plate” to the left of “Body by Fisher”. This did not apply to GM of Canada.

A look at your trim tag will tell you if your Chevelle has these provisions. A small hole in the lower left quadrant was drilled to indicate the Chevelle was equipped with the mounting holes.

© ChevelleWorld
This 01D (January 4th week) Kansas City tag (sequence #140938) does not have this hole to indicate the car has provisions for the shoulder harness...

Gauges

Warning lamps were now standard on all 1966 Chevelles. The gauge option, RPO U14 included an ammeter, mechanical oil pressure gauge, eclectic water temperature gauge, and parking brake warning lamp with any I6 or V8 Malibu sport coupe, convertible, sedan pickup, and SS 396 sport coupe and convertible and, in the case of a V8 engine, a tachometer was part of the option. A tachometer was also an option by itself for any V8 engine under RPO U16. There is no such thing as "SS Gauges."

© ChevelleWorld
The tachometer is located below the dash just to the right of the steering column giving it nickname of "knee knocker" tach. Note in this photo, bucket seats and a center console was ordered moving the electric clock to the console.

© ChevelleWorld
When a center console was not ordered on a V8 Malibu sport coupe, convertible, sedan pickup or SS 396 sport coupe or convertible with RPO U16 gauges the clock was moved to the top center of the dash as it was in 1965.

Three different tachometers were possible depending on the engine ordered. The particular tachometer was selected by the factory's software and not optional to a buyer.

Group 9.750

	0-6000 RPM range/5000 RPM redline - part #6412759 All 283 and 327 engines as well as the 396/325hp engine
0-7000 RPM range/5500 RPM redline - part #6412816 396/360hp engine
	0-7000 RPM range/6000 RPM redline - part #6412764 - 396/375hp engine

1966/1967 Chevelle Reference CD
Want more in-depth information on 1964-1972 Chevelles? My Facts and SS Guide program CD, 1966/1967 Reference program CD, and my Shop Manuals & Parts Catalog program DVD. Check them and other informative CDs at my https://chevellecd.net website.