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SS 396 - 1966
The 1966 Chevelle SS 396 was a separate series from the 300, 300 Deluxe & Malibu series and can be readily identified by both the Fisher Body Number plate (a.k.a. trim tag, cowl tag, etc.) and the Vehicle Identification plate (VIN).
The 1966 SS 396 was available in both sport coupe (17) and convertible (67) models and the 396 cid Mark-IV engine was the base engine. Gone was the Malibu SS with either a L6 or V8 engine in the U.S, Canada still offered a Malibu SS. The Fisher Body style numbers 13817 & 13867 and VINs beginning with 13817 & 13867 will note an SS 396. As with all years of Super Sports, the VIN only depicts the base engine and does not indicate any optional engine. The base 396 engine was the (L35) 325hp engine with two optional 396 engines, the L34 360hp version and a L78 375hp version.
Although the El Camino could be ordered with any 396 engine, there are no SS 396 1966 El Caminos; no SS 396 badging, no Super Sport hood and no SS 396 rocker panel moldings. A 396-optioned El Camino would have the 396 Turbo-Jet flags on the front fender however.
Contrary to popular belief bucket seats, gauges, and 4-speeds were not standard equipment. A front bench seat, no gauges (except speedometer, clock, and fuel gauge), and a 3-speed heavy duty floor shifted transmission were standard with the SS 396.
RPO U14 Special Instrumentation was optional on all L6 and V8 Malibu
and SS 396 Chevelle sport coupes, convertibles, and El Caminos. This
option included tachometer (V8 only), mechanical oil pressure gauge,
amp gauge, and water temperature gauge. The tachometer could be
ordered without the gauges under RPO U16 on any V8 Chevelle series.
Three versions were available in the SS 396 series, a 0-6000 RPM range with the redline at 5000 for the base 396/325hp, a 0-7000 RPM range with the redline at 5500 for the optional L34 396/360hp and a 0-7000 RPM range with the redline at 6000 for the L78 396/375hp engine. Only the 0-6000 RPM range was available for the 283 and 327 engines on non-SS 396 Chevelles.
Distinctive blacked out grille, Super Sport trim, a special SS 396 hood with faux twin scoops, SS 396 emblems on the grille and rear cove, Super Sport script on the rear quarter panels, and ribbed rocker panel and quarter panel moldings.
Note special SS 396 hood with twin faux scoops, blacked-out grille with
SS 396 emblem, blacked-out headlamp bezels, and Argent Silver bumper
filler panel.
Correct SS 396 grille extensions are not readily available but 300/300
Deluxe/Malibu extensions are the same with the exception of the bright
horizontal bars. These should be blacked-out on an SS 396 but many people
fail to do so. Upper photo here is a Malibu.
There is some debate as to whether the rear cove was blacked-out or
body color. Early Atlanta cars are known to have had blacked-out panels
but due to demand and costs this practice was stopped at Atlanta early
the production year. Whether other plants followed suit or not is debatable.
It is known many dealers blacked-out the rear cove because the cars
sold better.
Compare a Malibu rear cove with centered emblem and C_H_E_V_E_L_L_E
script on trunk lid.
Note the ribbed lower trim pieces, the Super Sport rear quarter panel
script and the 396 Turbo-Jet front fender emblems.
The 1966 SS 396 dash received a Super Sport emblem on the bezel above
the glove compartment which was simply glued over the existing Malibu
script.
It should be noted that Canada produced a Malibu SS in 1966. This was a standard 135/136xx Malibu with a special package called The Sports Option. This Malibu SS continued to use the Malibu SS quarter panel trim from the 1965 Malibu SS but could be ordered with any available engine. See The Obscure Malibu SS of 1966/67 for more specifics on this Canadian option.
All SS 396 Chevelles came with a 12-bolt rear end but Positraction was
still an option; an open rear end was standard. However, a 12-bolt rear
end, as well as Positraction, was available on non-SS 396 Chevelles as
well so the presence of a 12-bolt (with or without Positraction) is
not an indication of a 1966 SS 396 Chevelle. All SS 396 Chevelles also
came with rear frame reinforcements but could easily be added to any
Malibu coupe or convertible.
The number "16" indicates the 16th week of calendar year 1966, Sunday
April 10 through April 16. The VIN sequence on this particular SS
396
indicates it was built at the end of April.
Often the production week, "45" in this example, precedes the
series. The 45th production week of 1966 was October 30 through
November 5. The VIN sequence on this SS 396 indicates it was built
late November to early December 1965.
Found along the inner lip of the rear quarter panel, not actually a partial VIN but believed to be associated with the series/model ID due to differences between the Malibu and SS 396 rear quarter panel piercing for emblem placement. This stamped number is normally located on the rear quarter panel where the trunk lid meets the body next to the weather stripping material and there will be one for both sides. While both 136xxxx stampings have been found on SS and non-SS Chevelles and 138xxxx stampings have been found on SS and non-SS Chevelles, those cases are rare and could be attributed to many things such as panel replacement from another Chevelle. The series/model identification is followed or preceded by another 2-digit number. These two digits indicate the calendar week the panel was stamped.
Want more in-depth information on 1966/1967 Chevelles? Take a test drive of my 1966/1967 Chevelle Reference CD/Factory Assembly Instruction Manuals and check out my Chevelle books.
1966 Chevelle Links
- Only items in ALL CAPS and with an asterisk ( * ) are
active
- PRODUCTION NUMBERS *
- Vehicle Identification Number
- ENGINES
*
- Transmissions
- Rear Axle
- Interior Trim
- Exterior Paint
- Interior/Exterior Combinations
- Regular Production Options
- Dealer Installed Accessories
- SS 396 *
- Facts/Trivia
- Trim Tag Data
- PLANT PRODUCTION NUMBERS
*
- TIRES & WHEELS *
