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Muscle car

1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 L78

Muscle car powered by Chevrolet L78 396ci Turbo-Jet V8.

1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 sports coupe; exact-year SS396 exterior context, not individual L78 proof.
Series identity 1967 SS396 is identified by 13817 sport coupe and 13867 convertible series references.
Engine claim L78 396 cu in Turbo-Jet V8 rated 375 hp.
Production reference 612 L78 Chevelles reported by Ground Up/SS396 reference.
Car-level proof needed VIN confirms SS396 series, but L78 proof requires engine, component, or paperwork evidence.

Story

The 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 was treated as its own SS396 series rather than merely a Malibu trim in the reference material used here. For 1967, the SS396 sport coupe and convertible are identified by 13817 and 13867 style/VIN series patterns, while those records also warn that the VIN establishes the SS396 base series, not which optional 396 engine was installed. The L78 claim therefore rests on engine- and component-specific evidence rather than the body series alone.

The L78 configuration was the high-output 396-cubic-inch Turbo-Jet V8 rated at 375 horsepower. The reviewed sources call out clone-sensitive verification points such as the Tonawanda EG assembly stamp, 11:1 compression, solid lifters, a Holley carburetor identified as 3916143CT/list 3910, and 1967-specific 3902406 block evidence. This record keeps those items as authenticity markers and does not infer them for any individual car without inspection, paperwork, or matching drivetrain evidence.

The documented SS396 equipment pattern is narrower than folklore. ChevelleStuff states that bucket seats, gauges, and four-speeds were not standard, with a bench seat, limited gauges, and a heavy-duty floor-shifted three-speed standard on SS396 cars. SS396 visual identity included a blacked-out grille, SS396 emblems, special faux-scoop hood, Super Sport script, ribbed rocker moldings, and blacked-out rear cove. Paint coverage is drawn from ChevelleStuff's 1967 paint-code table. Production detail is limited to the L78 total reported by the reference source; body-style and transmission splits for L78 cars still need factory ledgers or registry-backed tabulation before they should be stated as exact facts.

1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 convertible rear view; exact-year SS 396 body context.Mr.choppers via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

Price history

Values

Nominal dollars from original price sheets, auction archives, and approved value references.

Original Price

Market Observations

  • High bid $71,000

    Jun 1, 2023 · Hemmings Auctions

    L78 396/375 four-speed convertible 138677B172736 classified by the market archive as original or highly original · survivor · unknown Reserve-not-met high bid, archived by CLASSIC.COM from Hemmings Auctions. Survivor classification follows the archive's original/highly-original taxonomy and is not an independent originality judgment by this project.
  • Auction sale $45,250

    Jun 18, 2019 · Bring a Trailer

    Tuxedo Black L78 396/375 M21 coupe 138177B171338 with 4.10 Positraction · restored · unknown Sold observation. The archive reports a 2015 refurbishment including repaint and engine rebuild, an NCRS Shipping Data Report, EG engine stamp, and additional seller paperwork that had not been third-party authenticated.
  • Auction sale $48,400

    Apr 19, 2015 · Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2015

    Butternut Yellow L78 396/375 four-speed convertible 138677B131955 · restored · unknown Sold observation for lot 687. Hagerty identifies the 375-hp convertible and result; a report on the same chassis's earlier 2013 Barrett-Jackson appearance described it as a recent restoration. The 2013 transaction is excluded from this sample as a repeat.

Values move with paperwork, originality, options, condition, venue, and body style. High bids and guide values are labeled separately from completed sales.

Reference records

Options, Colors & Components

Source-backed details for trim, chassis, production, and authenticity.

Engine Details

1967 Chevelle SS engine-bay view; component context only, not proof of original L78 drivetrain.Valder137 via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
  • Engine type and valve arrangement 90-degree OHV V-8 · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · engine assembly / specification
  • Nominal bore 4.094 in · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · engine assembly / specification
  • Nominal stroke 3.76 in · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · engine assembly / specification
  • Piston displacement 396 cu in · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · engine assembly / specification
  • Compression ratio 11.0:1 nominal · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · engine assembly / specification
  • Published maximum brake horsepower 375 bhp @ 5600 rpm · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · engine assembly / specification
  • Published maximum torque 415 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · engine assembly / specification
  • Firing order 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · engine assembly / specification
  • Recommended fuel Premium · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · engine assembly / specification
  • Cylinder block material Cast alloy iron · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · block / specification
  • Cylinder head material Cast alloy iron · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · cylinder head / specification
  • Piston material Aluminum impact extruded · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · piston / specification
  • Piston description Domed head; slipper skirt · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · piston / specification
  • Piston weight 23.12 oz, piston only · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · piston / specification
  • Piston pin material Chromium steel · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · piston / specification
  • Piston pin length 2.930-2.950 in · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · piston / specification
  • Piston pin diameter 0.9895-0.9898 in · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · piston / specification
  • Connecting rod material Drop forged steel · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · connecting rod / specification
  • Connecting rod weight 27.84 oz · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · connecting rod / specification
  • Connecting rod length 6.130-6.140 in center-to-center · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · connecting rod / specification
  • Crankshaft material Forged steel · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · crankshaft / specification
  • Vibration damper type Rubber mounted inertia damper · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · harmonic balancer / specification
  • Camshaft location In block above crankshaft · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · camshaft / specification
  • Camshaft material Cast alloy iron · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · camshaft / specification
  • Hydraulic lifters availability Not available · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · valve train / specification
  • Rocker arm ratio 1.70:1 · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · valve train / specification
  • Fuel pump type Mechanical · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · fuel pump / specification
  • Air cleaner type Oil-wetted paper element · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · air cleaner / specification
  • Spark plug make AC Spark Plug · 1967 Chevelle 396 cu in 375 hp optional L78 engine · ignition / specification

Transmission

  • Factory transmission SS396 standard heavy-duty floor-shifted 3-speed manual; optional 4-speed manual or automatic transmissions require car-specific documentation
  • Factory transmission Muncie close-ratio 4-speed manual; optional with L78 396/375 hp

Options

Paint

1967 Chevelle SS nose view; hood, grille, and front identification context.Valder137 via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Chassis

Authenticity

  • SS396 series VIN/body style 13817 sport coupe or 13867 convertible series reference · VIN plate and Fisher Body/cowl tag style fields · fraud detection
  • Optional engine not encoded in VIN VIN confirms SS396 series/base engine only; L78 requires engine/component evidence · VIN plus engine pad, drivetrain documentation, or original paperwork · fraud detection
  • L78 engine assembly stamp EG Tonawanda assembly-code claim with matching partial VIN reported for L78 · Engine pad/stamp area · numbers matching
  • Engine block casting 3902406 casting, four-bolt-main L78 application reported · Rear of block near bellhousing · date correctness
  • Carburetor Holley 3916143CT with list number 3910 reported · Carburetor air horn/list-number area · trim correctness
  • L78 tachometer redline 0-7000 rpm tachometer with 6000 rpm redline reported for L78 · Instrument cluster when U14/U16 tach is present · trim correctness
  • Heavy-duty radiator tag VH tag reported for L78 heavy-duty radiator · Radiator tag · date correctness

Still Researching

  • engine OCR extraction of the Chevrolet AMA L78 specification now resolves bore, stroke, displacement, compression, published horsepower and torque, firing order, selected piston/pin/rod/crankshaft/camshaft/valve-train/fuel-system/air-cleaner/ignition specifications, cylinder block material, and cylinder-head material. The reviewed references still do not provide a complete clean extraction for all camshaft timing values, valve dimensions/spring pressures, carburetor model/list details, manifolds, distributor identifiers, oil-pan details, casting numbers, date codes, or car-specific engine inspection/paperwork.
  • transmission Reviewed sources now support the close-ratio 4-speed manual as optional behind the L78 high-performance 396 and report that Chevrolet automatic transmissions were not available behind the solid-lifter 375-hp SS396 engine. The remaining unresolved facet is a target-specific factory table tying every 1967 Chevelle SS396 L78 transmission sales/order code and availability rule to Chevrolet ordering literature.
  • rear axle Chevrolet AMA L78 power-team data now supports the 3.55 standard axle ratio for 1967 Chevelle SS396 L78 manual-transmission applications, 3.31 economy-optional, 3.73 performance-optional, 3.08 special-optional on the applicable 2.20:1-low 4-speed row, and 4.10/4.56/4.88 special-optional ratios with Positraction required. SS396 12-bolt facts are sourced, but factory axle-code/stamping details, the open-versus-Positraction state for ratios where Positraction was optional rather than required, and car-specific original axle proof remain unresolved.
  • brakes Optional front disc and power-brake references were found, but exact RPO code applicability for 1967 Chevelle SS396 L78 needs factory option-list confirmation.
  • suspension Official Chevrolet AMA L78 engineering specifications now resolve front and rear suspension configurations, spring rates (320 lb/in front, 130 lb/in rear), wheel rates (120 lb/in front, 118 lb/in rear), coil spring design dimensions, 1.00-inch Delco shock absorbers, and the 0.937-inch front stabilizer bar. Specific factory assembly/parts-catalog part numbers for the spring, shock, and stabilizer assemblies remain unresolved.
  • production Only an L78 engine total was normalized; body-style, transmission, color, and option splits were not verified.

Codes & names

Names & Engine Codes

Common names and codes are grouped so LS6 references point to the same engine, not separate pages.

1967 Chevelle L78 396/375hp Chevrolet L78 396ci Turbo-Jet V8
1967 Chevelle Turbo-Jet 396 L78 Chevrolet L78 396ci Turbo-Jet V8
1967 Chevelle 396 cubic inch 375 horsepower V8 Chevrolet L78 396ci Turbo-Jet V8
1967 SS396 L78 396/375 hp Chevrolet L78 396ci Turbo-Jet V8
1967 Chevelle RPO L78 396 Chevrolet L78 396ci Turbo-Jet V8

Photo and video gallery

Gallery

7 photos and videos

Sources & Documentation

Reader contributions

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