A '67 SS396 Chevelle-Performance and Style
by Bill Holder
photos by Phil Kunz
To many, the styling of the 1967 Super Sport Chevelle was about as good as it got. Just sitting there, those smooth lines speak of flashing speed.
It was basically an update of the '66 model with a single horizontal bar grille. On the rear of the car, the taillights were relocated in fender caps on the backs of the rear quarters.
On the current national auction blocks, these models are extremely popular drawing huge figures, expecially those with the high-performance powerplants. And this '67 hardtop is certainly one of those desired machines with a the top-gun L78 375 horse version of the vaunted 396cid powerplant. Oh yea, it's the original engine.
Having one of those powerhouse engines is normally as good as it gets, but with the '67 model, it's even better because there were only 612 built, far less than the thousands that were built in 1966. For some reason, the L78 was left off the literature. It came down that the only way you even knew about it was if your salesman knew about the misprint.
With that 375 horse rating, the current values of this machine jump skyward. It makes that peak value at 5600rpm and interestingly has the same 415 pound-feet of torque as the 350 horse version. However, its 11-1 compression ration was .75 higher than the other two versions.
Laning reminded that the L78 possessed a solid-lifter cam and rectangular ported heads. "It also used the 780cfm Holley carb where the other versions sported the Rochester Carb," he explained.
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