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1969 SS 396

1969 SS 396 Engine Codes

A few things should be mentioned about the 1969 396/402 engines. Towards the end of the model year the 396 cid engine was increased to 402 cid. Rumors abound for the reason of the 402 cid existence. One is that Tonawanda has a lot of bare blocks rusting away and decided to bore them +0.030 to clean them up. GM wouldn't do this. It is believed the increase in bore size was done in preparation of 1970 (when all "396" cid engines were really 402 cid) because engines over 400 cid had lower restrictions on smog regulations. Whatever the reason the 'new' 402 would become the base engine in the 1970 SS396 option even though it was the larger 402 cid engine size. This 402cid engine was also available from 1970-1972 as RPO LS3 and referred to as either a 400-4 or a Turbo-Jet 400 to distinguish it from a newly introduced 400 cid small block V8 referred to as either a 400-2 (as it was only available with a 2-barrel carburetor) or a Turbo-Fire 400. The small block version of the 400 cid engine was only available in full size Chevrolets and the 1970 Monte Carlo.

This was the first year the SS396 was discontinued as a separate series and became an option just like air conditioning, a radio, a vinyl top, etc. This is also only year that the SS Equipment option could be ordered on anything other than a Malibu sport coupe, convertible, or pickup. The SS Equipment option was also available on the two 300 Deluxe series body styles, the 13427 coupe (2-door post) and the 13437 sport coupe (hardtop).

Not all 396 engines went into RPO Z25 optioned Chevelles. There was also a "police package" that could be ordered with a 396 engine in a 300 Deluxe 4-door sedan body style. It's believed 323 non-SS396 optioned Chevelles were built. This figure is arrived at by subtracting the number of RPO Z25 (SS 396 Equipment) options sold from the total of the three 396 engine options.

RPO L35 = 59,786
RPO L34 = 17,358
RPO L78 = 9,486
================
Total = 86,630
RPO Z25 = 86,307
 ================
323 396 engines sold not accounted for via RPO Z25 Some have postulated the 323 'missing' 396 engines were due to the 323 COPO Chevelles that were not SS 396 Chevelles. But, those COPO Chevelles were shipped with the L78 engines according to build sheets so they would most likely be included in the 9,498 L78 engines reported by Tonawanda.

The 2-speed Powerglide transmission was no longer available with a 396 cid engine.
The L89 aluminum head option did not increase the advertised horsepower rating of the L78 engine but did lose about 50 lbs. off the front end at a cost of $647.75.

1969 396 V8 Engine Production

The base engine for the SS 396 option for 1969 was the L35 396 cid 325-hp engine. Since the SS 396 option was available in five different series/body styles, and no GM records to fall back on, there is no way to know for certain how many of any of the three 396 engines went into which series or body style.

One can calculate a mathematical distribution by finding the percentage of a particular body vs. the total SS 396 options sold then apply that percentage to a particular engine. Of the five series/body styles, Chevrolet built a total of 334,308 units. The Malibu sport coupe sales was 275,334 units, or 82.36% of the five series/body style the SS 396 option could be ordered with. If you then take 82.36% of a particular engine, say the L34 with 17,358 units sold, you get 14,296 units. You can do this with any series/body style vs. engine and get a mathematical distribution but, is the result a fact? I content, no. It is what it is, a mathematical calculation.

The number of series/body style vs. overall Z25 options sold.

SS 396 Options vs. Series/Body Style - 86,307 RPO Z25 Options

SS 396 Engines vs. Series/Body Style

⁽¹⁾Due to rounding of percentages, the total engines is more than the total SS 396 options.

L35 and L34 engines are equipped with a Rochester (or Carter equivalent) Quadrajet carburetor; all L78 engines were equipped with a Holley carburetor.

All (to date) COPO Chevelle build sheets show the L78 engine. The popular figures for 1969 COPO Chevelles is 323 units meaning 323 of the produced L78s are accounted for with the COPO option.

The only 396 engine that did NOT have A.I.R. in 1969 was the L35 396 cid, 325-hp engine with an automatic transmission. This engine/transmission combination was able to meet emission standards by outfitting them with the Controlled Combustion System, or C.C.S. See the Controlled Combustion System page for more information.

All 1969 396 cid engines with manual transmission required A.I.R. Compare this L35 with the L35 above with automatic transmission.

All 396 cid engines came with flash chromed rocker arm covers, a flash chromed air cleaner assembly lid as shown on this survivor L34 engine.

Explanation of the 3-letter suffix codes for the 'new' 402 cid engines

Camshaft Specifications

The GM Information Kit for 1969 does not show the camshaft specifications for the L78 engine. Shown here are the specifications for the 1968 L78 engine.

NC8 Chambered Exhaust

Early SS 396 Chevelles with the L34 or L78 engine came with chambered exhaust. The chambered exhaust had no mufflers, just strategically 'crimped' sections of the exhaust pipes. It did not take long for noise complaints to reach GM's ears so the chambered exhaust was reduced to an option. Even then 4,143 buyers checked the box for an additional $15.80.