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Here's the story:
Illustrated Corvette Series No. 25 - 1965
396 Corvette - "Simply Raw Power!"
In the mid 1950s, Detroit was hot with racing fever and NASCAR racing was
uniquely "American." Ford and Chrysler completely disregarded the AMA ban of
factory supported racing. GM, on the other hand, "officially" observed the ban
and was "not in racing."
The 1962 NASCAR "427 Mystery Motor" was a 500
plus horsepower experimental engine design that would make its way into the
Corvette by 1965. Zora Arkus-Duntov was not all together happy with this idea.
Duntov's vision for the Corvette was for it to be a balanced sports car. Adding
150 pounds to the front of the car seemed like a bad move to him. The upside was
gobs of cheap, raw power. The new "big-block" was a genuine stump puller! Zora
didn't like it, but Corvette customers sure did.
The Mark IV 396 Corvette
hit the streets in April of 1965, and no one was ready for the personality
change. The high-revving big- block Sting Ray was now a street
monster!
Officially known as the L78, the new 396 engine cranked out 425
horsepower at 6400 rpm with 415 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm. Best of all, the
L78 option was only $292.70, compared to $538 for the Fuel Injected 327. The
larger engine required extra hood clearance, so a beautiful hood dome was
designed with functional cooling vents.
Everything was heavy-duty with
the 396; the K66 ignition, a larger fan and radiator, a close-ratio M20
four-speed gearbox, and the G81 Positraction differential were all mandatory.
Stiffer springs and a larger stabilizer bar held up the front end, while beefed
up U-joints kept the half-shafts together. With the new optional side pipes, the
396 sounded like a roaring bear.
Sales were off for 1965, with 8,186
units sold compared to 8,304 in 1964. But 2157 (26.3 percent) of the cars were
ordered with the 396. Corvette lovers obviously liked the big block. The 396
would grow to a 427 in 1966 and a 454 in 1970-1/2. Brute force was taking over!
Corvette.
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