1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 L78: Meticulously Restored, #s Matching & Correct

Built in the first week of December, 968, his 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS L78 is finished in factory-correct LeMans blue over black vinyl interior. 

The car is a complete rotisserie restoration on what was a very nice original car. We have extensively checked over all of the sheet metal and believe it is all original to the car. All of the factory spot welds are in place, here is no seam sealer where panels have been added and the fit is excellent. The paint is a base/clear two stage job on top of a wonderfully straight body. The doors, ood and trunk all fit as well as they ever did. All of the glass is new on the car and has been restamped with the correct SoftRay factory markings. The trim on the car is excellent and fully restored and the chrome is wonderful as well, ith the front bumper actually being an NOS part still retaining the GM Parts sticker. 

The drivetrain has been completely rebuilt and the motor is original to the car, ith a partial VIN stamping on the front of the block. The engine code of JD is correct for a 396/375 HP engine paired with a 4-speed transmission. The motor was built on November 11th and the car was built in December so everything pairs up correctly. The transmission is date code correct, owever, as not born with the car. It has the factory correct Muncie linkage and shifter. The rear end is a CI code which is for a 3.73 posi. The housing was cast on November 13th which precedes the build date of the car. These CI code rear ends were only founds in L34 and L79 Chevelles. 

The Holley Carburetor is the correct unit for the 1969 Chevelle and was built in the second week of November. Both exhaust manifold castings are for the 1969 Chevelle with a 396. No matter what the HP output, he exhaust manifolds for all the 396 cars were the same. The water pump was built in November which is correct for the car, nd all of the front drive pulley appears to be original GM part numbered pulleys. The heads are correct "Hi Performance" square port heads. The passenger side has the correct date casting for the car, lthough the driver's side has the casting number of a dealer replacement unit that GM used. Obviously it was damaged and replaced by the dealer many years ago.

The exhaust system on the car is a chambered NOS unit. It is not aluminized and even has the correct oval shape as it goes under the transmission brace. It also has the factory correct exhaust brackets at the the rear of the car, nd resonators with the factory weep holes. The car also has the correct BO code radiator which pairs with the 396/375 HP motor with a manual transmission. 

The suspension of the car is fully rebuilt and retains the correct cast finish. The drive shaft is the correct bare finish as well, nd even the spiral shocks are correct on the car. Not only do all the wheels have the correct YA stamping for a 14x7 SS wheel, ut they also have all the same date codes. 

Trim Tag info Build Date: 12A Trim: 755 Paint: 71 71

Engine info Engine ID: T1102JD Engine Casting#: 3955272

JD code engines are 375HP units with manual transmissions. 

Transmission info ID: P9D07A Transmission Casting: 3925660 Transmission Tag: 3946798

The transmission while correct for the car is not the original to the car. It was damaged and another was swapped in many years ago. 

Rear end info Rear end casting: 3959038NF Axle Stamp: CI 1123 B Casting date: K 13 8

The rear end casting number  is a 1969 rear end casting number. To this date "NF" means nothing to anybody. "CI" code rear ends were found in the L34 and L79 Chevelles and were 3.73 12 bolt posi units. The unit was cast on November 13th, f 1968. 

Exhaust manifolds Passenger side casting: 3916178 Driver's side casting: 3909879

These are the correct casting numbers for big blocks in 1969.

Carb info GM part #: 3959164 Holley List#: 4346 Date code: 8A2

Correct GM part and Holley listing # for the High performance 396. Also the date code is the Second week of November, 968. 

Water pump info Water pump casting number: 3931065 Water pump date: K8

The water pump was cast on November 8th. 

Cylinder Head info Driver side casting: 3919840 Pass side casting: 3964291

Both heads are square port and "Hi Performance" is cast into them under the valve cover. The driver side head is later date and a casting number usually associated with dealer replacement. The passenger side predates the engine and most likely is original to the car. 

Wheel info YA code 11/21 build date

The YA code is specifically for the 14x7 SS wheel.

Alternator Info Alternator number: 1100837 Alternator date code: 8L27 (Dec. 1968)

This alternator came specifically with the 396/375 HP engine.

For the Chevelle enthusiast looking for a very correct and very collectable investment, his car will not disappoint.