1968 Road Runner '383' vs. 1968 Chevelle 'SS 396'

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1968 Chevelle SS 396 {396/325 HP 'L-35'}

Magazine Remarks

"Too quiet to be a Musclecar. Standing next to the Chevelle 'L-35' while it
was idling, it sounded like a basic Chevelle."

"Nothing to write home about. It is a good looking mid-size car, but that
'mild' Hydraulic Cam just doesn't cut it."

"The front-end bounces like a Porpoise riding the wave. Once you hit a
bump or rise in the Road, the front-end wants to go swimming."
 
1968 Production Numbers

Road Runner '383' ................................... 43,294 ........ Base Cost > $2850

Chevelle 'SS 396' {396/325 HP 'L-35'} ....... 45,553 ........ Base Cost > $2899
 
Road Runner '383' ................................... 43,294 ........ Base Cost > $2850
Chevelle 'SS 396' {396/325 HP 'L-35'} ....... 45,553 ........ Base Cost > $2899


Now those numbers surprise me.
When will you post up the Road Runner specs?
C
 
69 Cuda 440 said:
1968 Chevelle SS 396 {396/325 HP 'L-35'}

Magazine Remarks


"The front-end bounces like a Porpoise riding the wave. Once you hit a
bump or rise in the Road, the front-end wants to go swimming."
Click to expand...


Sure it does. Chevelle's are boats! lol
 
I had a 68 Beaumont SD I swapped out the 396 for my small journal 327,Needless to say it walked the 396 pig all day long.
 
Well I don't know if it would help in this debate . But waaay back when , I had a 69 Runner with a 383 , bench seat 4 speed and factory 391's in the back . The only add on was a set of headers but everything else was bone stock right down to the factory nylon timing chain . It definitely wasn't pretty but that car dusted a many modified big block cheby's . Now "that" was purty ! lol
 
Factory Stock Performance

1968 Road Runner 383 'H-Code' 383/335 HP ~ F70 x 14" Tires

* Automatic ~ 3.23 Gears {Open Rear} ........................ 15.17 @ 92.00 MPH
* Automatic ~ 3.23 Gears {Sure-Grip} ......................... 15.07 @ 93.50 MPH
* 4-Speed ~ 3.23 Gears {Sure-Grip} ........................... 14.95 @ 94.00 MPH
* Automatic ~ 3.55 Gears {Sure-Grip} ......................... 14.86 @ 95.30 MPH
* 4-Speed ~ 3.55 Gears {Sure-Grip} ........................... 14.74 @ 97.10 MPH

* Automatic ~ 3.91 Gears {Sure-Grip} ......................... 14.59 @ 97.20 MPH
* 4-Speed ~ 3.91 Gears {Sure-Grip} ........................... 14.44 @ 98.46 MPH

Note: 3.91 Gears were only available by 'Special Order' thru the Regional Office in 1968 for the Road Runner '383'.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1968 Chevelle 'SS 396' {L-35} 396/325 HP ~ F70 x 14" Tires

* Powerglide ~ 3.31 Gears {Open Rear} ....................... 15.56 @ 92.00 MPH
* T-H 400 ~ 3.07 Gears {Posi-Traction} ....................... 15.40 @ 92.25 MPH
* 4-Speed {Wide-Ratio} ~ 3.55 Gears {Posi-Traction} ... 15.11 @ 93.30 MPH
* T-H 400 ~ 3.73 Gears {Posi-Traction} ....................... 15.08 @ 93.50 MPH
* 4-Speed {Wide-Ratio} ~ 3.73 Gears {Posi-Traction} ... 14.95 @ 94.05 MPH
* 4-Speed {Wide-Ratio} ~ 4.10 Gears {Posi-Traction} ... 14.41 @ 97.35 MPH
 
fratzog lover said:
What would a hydraulic cam 396 rev to? 5000?
Click to expand...

396/325 HP 'L-35'

* Lift........... .398"/.430"
* Duration..... 244*/286*
* Overlap...... 38*
* LSA............ 110.5*

* Valve Spring Load Rate..... #220 lbs.

The Engine was rated at 325 HP @ 4800 RPM's

The 396 'L-35' would tap out at 5300 RPM's. The 'Factory' Tachometer had a 'Red-Line'
at 5500 RPM's.

The NHRA did rate the 1968 396/325 HP at 325 Horsepower, until later dropping it
down {-5 HP} to 320 Horsepower in Stock Class.
 
69 Cuda 440 said:
396/325 HP 'L-35'

* Lift........... .398"/.430"
* Duration..... 244*/286*
* Overlap...... 38*
* LSA............ 110.5*

* Valve Spring Load Rate..... #220 lbs.

The Engine was rated at 325 HP @ 4800 RPM's

The 396 'L-35' would tap out at 5300 RPM's. The 'Factory' Tachometer had a 'Red-Line'
at 5500 RPM's.

The NHRA did rate the 1968 396/325 HP at 325 Horsepower, until later dropping it
down {-5 HP} to 320 Horsepower in Stock Class.
Click to expand...

Chevrolet/Isky/Crane and the rest of the aftermarket cam grinders sure took advantage of this,lol. 220 lbs psi full open on a 1.7 rocker ratio, geez.(s.m.h.....).
 
A-Body

396/325 HP 'L-35'

Valve Spring Load-Rate
* Valve Closed ...... #84 to 96 lbs.
* Valve Open ........ #210 to 230 lbs.

* Nodular Iron Cast Crankshaft {#3904815}
* Standard-Duty Connecting Rods {3/8" Bolts}
* 2-Bolt Main Block
 
I hate to get away from the engine you are specifying but I wonder what the spring pressure are for the 375 hp engine. I have always heard that the 396 was bad about dropping valves.
 
This was a race I saw on several Saturday nights back in the day. One friend had a 68 RR, Vitamin C orange with a 383 and 4 spd. The other friend had a white 68 Chevelle with the 375HP 396 and a four speed. I don't know the axle ratio on either of them. As long as the RR didn't have poor traction off the line it would beat the Chevelle every time. For whatever reason his Roadrunner didn't have sure grip (he bought the car a little over a year old and he thinks the prev owner made a swap before selling). The RR usually got good traction but if it left the line spinning one wheel the Chevelle got to smile for the week! Another friend had a blue/green Ford Torino with a 390 and four speed that got into the fray every so often too but things rarely worked out well at the finish line for him. The 396 did lose a crank after a couple of years of thrashing and was replaced with a 454.
 
duster360 said:
I hate to get away from the engine you are specifying but I wonder what the spring pressure are for the 375 hp engine. I have always heard that the 396 was bad about dropping valves.
Click to expand...

Here It Is

383/335 HP 'H-Code'
* Valve Closed ... #98 lbs. to #112 lbs. {#105 lbs.}
* Valve Open ..... #226 lbs. to #242 lbs. {#234 lbs.}

396/325 HP 'L-35'
* Valve Closed ... #84 lbs. to #96 lbs. {#90 lbs.}
* Valve Open ..... #210 lbs. to #230 lbs. {#220 lbs.}

396/350 HP 'L-34'
* Valve Closed ... #94 lbs. to #106 lbs. {#100 lbs.}
* Valve Open ..... #303 lbs. to #327 lbs. {#315 lbs.}

396/375 HP 'L-78'
* Valve Closed ... #94 lbs. to #106 lbs. {#100 lbs.}
* Valve Open ..... #303 lbs. to #327 lbs. {#315 lbs.}
 
General Information

The 1968 Chevelle 'SS 396' Sport Coupe
Base Price ........................................... $2889.00

Standard Equipment
* 396/325 HP 'L-35'
* Bench Seat
* 12-Bolt Rear Axle {Open Rear}
* 3.07 Gears
* 3-Speed Manual Transmission
* Drum Brakes {9.50"}
* Special Heavy-Duty Clutch
* F70 x 14" Tires
* 14" x 6" Steel Rims
* Dog Dish Hubcaps
-------------------------------------------------------------

Options

> Bucket Seats {Code A-51}.................. $110.60
> Console {Code D-55} ...........................$50.60
> Soft-Ray Tinted Glass {Code A-01} ....... $34.80

> Posi-Traction {Code G-80}.................... $42.15

> 3.07 Gears {Code H-01} .......................... N/C
{Standard Equipment w/3-Speed Manual Transmission}
{Standard Equipment w/4-Speed 'Wide-Ratio' Transmission}
{Standard Equipment w/T-H 400 Automatic Transmission}

> 3.31 Gears {Code H-05} .......................... N/C
{Standard Equipment w/Powerglide Automatic Transmission}

> 3.55 Gears {Code G-96} ........................ $2.15
> 3.73 Gears {Code G-94} ........................ $2.15
> 4.10 Gears {Code G-84} ....................... $41.10

> Powerglide {Code M-35} ...................... $194.85
> T-H 400 {Code M-40} .......................... $237.00
> 4-Speed Wide-Ratio {Code M-20} .......... $184.35

> 4-Speed Close-Ratio {Code M-21} ......... $184.35
{Only available with; 396/350 HP 'L-34' and 396/375 HP 'L-78'}

> 396/350 HP {Code L-34} ..................... $105.35
> 396/375 HP {Code L-78} ..................... $237.00

> Body Accent Stripes {Code D-96} ........... $29.50

> Heavy-Duty Suspension {Code F-40} ....... $4.75
Includes; Special-Duty Front and Rear Coil Springs,
Front and Rear Shock Absorbers

> Power Brakes {Code J-50} ..................... $42.15
> Front Disc Brakes {Code J-52} .............. $100.10
> Power Steering {Code N-40} .................. $94.80
> Heavy-Duty 70-Amp Battery {Code T-60} .. $7.40
> Heavy-Duty 61-Amp Generator {Code K-76} $5.30
> Heavy-Duty Radiator {Code V-01} ............ $13.70

> Special Instrumentation {Code U-14} ........ $94.80
Includes; Tachometer 7000 RPM's {Redline 5500},
Ammeter, Temperature and Oil Pressure Gauges.

> Bright Metal Wheel Covers {Code P-01} ...... $21.10
> Mag-Spoke Wheel Covers {Code P-A2} ....... $73.75
> Mag-Style Wheel Covers {Code N-96} ........ $73.75
> Rally Wheels {Code Z-J7} ......................... $31.60
 
My '68 had fibre optics, and I could have sworn the factory tach was redlined at 5400. Yellow at 5200.
 
Neech

* 396/325 HP 'L-35'

* 2-Bolt Main Block
* Nodular Iron 'Cast' Crankshaft
* Connecting Rods {Standard Drop-Forged with 3/8" Bolts}
* 10.25-1 Compression Ratio

The big mistake, was when guys would throw in a High-Lift
'Hydraulic' Camshaft into the 'L-35' without changing the Valve Train.

Then they would add; Headers, an Edelbrock Intake Manifold,
a Holley 780 CFM Carburetor and Gears.

Then try to take the 396 up over 6000 RPM's.

"BOOM"
 
grimreaper said:
This was a race I saw on several Saturday nights back in the day. One friend had a 68 RR, Vitamin C orange with a 383 and 4 spd. The other friend had a white 68 Chevelle with the 375HP 396 and a four speed. I don't know the axle ratio on either of them. As long as the RR didn't have poor traction off the line it would beat the Chevelle every time. For whatever reason his Roadrunner didn't have sure grip (he bought the car a little over a year old and he thinks the prev owner made a swap before selling). The RR usually got good traction but if it left the line spinning one wheel the Chevelle got to smile for the week! Another friend had a blue/green Ford Torino with a 390 and four speed that got into the fray every so often too but things rarely worked out well at the finish line for him. The 396 did lose a crank after a couple of years of thrashing and was replaced with a 454.
Click to expand...

In agreement. A Chevelle /El Camino rear suspension needs a ton of work, to really be effective. The 4 link bars should be boxed , and better durometer quality suspension bushing, be installed.{ at a minimum, even low horsepower}. The Lakewood/ Competition Engineering no hop bars, tweak the pivot point ( instant center,IIRC..), does wonders. Never tried the newer adjustable arms yet, they seem to help. Built two Chevelles myself, the first thing to do on one, is proper chassis & a disc brake conversion. My, personal experiences.
 
69 cuda 440 said:
neech

* 396/325 hp 'l-35'

* 2-bolt main block
* nodular iron 'cast' crankshaft
* connecting rods {standard drop-forged with 3/8" bolts}
* 10.25-1 compression ratio

the big mistake, was when guys would throw in a high-lift
'hydraulic' camshaft into the 'l-35' without changing the valve train.

Then they would add; headers, an edelbrock intake manifold,
a holley 780 cfm carburetor and gears.

Then try to take the 396 up over 6000 rpm's.

"boom"
Click to expand...

lmao.........
 
A-Body

I saw many Chevy Big Block 396 2-Bolt Main Chevy engines come into my fathers Machine Shop.

It wasn't pretty.
* Spun Main Bearings
* Cooked or Snapped Connecting Rods
* Cracked Oil-Pump mounts.
* Snapped Pushrods and Broken Rocker-Arms
* Cracked Lifter Valleys

Most of them usually had a Crane 'Fireball' High-Lift Hydraulic Camshaft that was around .550" lift.

But, with 'stock' Valve Train.

Kids back then.................
 
The Base Model 396 wasn't much on the performance side compared to other offerings, That's the reason the 402 came out in 1970 and found duty in passenger cars / trucks.
 
1968 Chevrolet Chevelle 'SS 396' 396/325 HP 'L-35'

w/ Powerglide Transmission
* Torque Converter {1880 RPM Stall}

w/ T-H 400 Transmission
* Torque Converter {2100 RPM Stall}

w/ M-20 Wide-Ratio Transmission
* 11" Clutch Disc
* #2750 lb. Spring-Rate Diaphragm Pressure Plate
* 14" Diameter / 168 Teeth Flywheel {33.5 lb. Weight}
 
My dad had the 68 383 with 3.91 suregrip. Said the only thing that would beat him were the Corvettes
 
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