Car Life Road Test 1965 Corvette 396
10-23-2013, 01:41 PM
#1
Safety Car
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Car Life Road Test 1965 Corvette 396
Some of you fellas may find this an interesting read: Sorry for the "sample" watermark. The .PDF to jpeg converter I used promised no watermark, but they lied. If any of you want the .pdf, let me know & I'll email it.
Dan
Dan
Last edited by dplotkin; 10-23-2013 at 01:45 PM.
10-23-2013, 02:10 PM
#2
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10-23-2013, 04:03 PM
#4
Team Owner
This road test has to me always been a benchmark!
One of the competing magazines ran almost exact numbers on a 396. Thus two road tests, give you a true indicator of the accuracy of how quick this model was. Car Life was the best Magazine in my opinion of running a car as it would be sold in their testing!!!!
Whereas a lot of others were tuned, or ran with slicks, or had headers, etc..
This roadtest is available in the Brookland series of Road test books under 63-67 Corvettes also. A reprint of the article.
Whereas a lot of others were tuned, or ran with slicks, or had headers, etc..
This roadtest is available in the Brookland series of Road test books under 63-67 Corvettes also. A reprint of the article.
10-23-2013, 05:26 PM
#5
Race Director
What was the 1/4 mile ET and trap speed? Based on the graph, it looks like about 14.0 sec and around 107
Doug
Doug
10-23-2013, 05:35 PM
#6
Race Director
Car Life was the best magazine of it's time, when it came to road tests and automotive history. They also had some pretty good racing coverage, and technical articles too. As a teenager, I learned a lot from reading Car Life, and my old issues are some of the best reference material available on cars of the era.
Peterson Publishing killed Car Life in the early 70's, and I was very sorry to see it go.
Thanks for posting the article.
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10-23-2013, 06:06 PM
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My pleasure.
I own one of these and always found it curious there was no mid year brochure. Took me a while to find this article at swap meets. What other magazines did road tests of the L78 and what dates? I'll look for those too.
Dan
I own one of these and always found it curious there was no mid year brochure. Took me a while to find this article at swap meets. What other magazines did road tests of the L78 and what dates? I'll look for those too.
Dan
10-23-2013, 07:14 PM
#8
Race Director
Thanks for posting. I have a lot of the old published road tests but I don't think I've seen that one before. 
10-23-2013, 07:56 PM
#9
Drifting
10-23-2013, 10:53 PM
#11
Burning Brakes
I remember that article and especially the one right after it on the GS roadster. First time I had ever seen one of the roadsters or knew they existed. ------ Ken
10-23-2013, 11:06 PM
#12
Team Owner
I have every road test ever ran of every C2/c3 Corvette!
I would have to get other notes out for the issue month and year.
Motor Trend ran the other stock 1965 L-78 3.70 4 speed, 7.75 tire 5.7 0-60 14.10 103mph top 136.
And Road & track ran 14.1 103 same 3.70 4 speed and 7.75 rubber same top at 6400rpm at 136.
Both no headers.
Which 1967 car do you want????? Because slightly different animal! L-71, L-89, L-36 etc.???? I have all of them!
Basically let's start some controversy!
Here-- given the same rear axle and stock tires for the year, tranny etc.. The engine at the top being the fastest and would beat the next with same prep and driver!!!
I am going to type this fast but will have to post and edit and post and edit a few times, be patient everyone!!!!!!
Here is my general list. I have a more detailed one but too many variations and variable and reasons why I place them where they are and it would take too long to type all of my research, this is just a quick summary list and this is for a perfect hook up launch and shifting up the 1/4:
69 ZL-1 Fastest
69 L-88 Next fastest and so on!
69 L-89
68 L-88
71 LS-6
66 HD (just because!)
68-L-89
68-L-89
67 L-88
69 L-71
66 L-72
68 L-71
67 L-71
65 L-78
70 LS-5
71 LS-5
69 L-68
68 L-68
67 L-68
72 LS-5
68 L-36
67 L-36
66 L-36
70 LT-1
65 L-84
64 L-84
65 L-76
64 L-76
71 LT-1
63 L-84
63 L-76
72 LT-1
69 L-46
68 L-79
67 L-79
66 L-79
65 L-79
70 L-46
71 BASE
and so on to L-75's and other bases etc.. a bunch of them. I am already tired of typing!
and so on, I need to add in LS-4'S FROM 73 AND 74 and L-82's etc. Just too much typing. Maybe later I will finish this list out on all of them, if everyone is nice to me!
but this list is considering car weight, tire size, head flow, carb, every factor to place them on this basic list of my creation.
Thus sorry if your favorite RPO- don't rate as high as you thought, it should get beat by what is placed higher on my list!!!!!!!!
Motor Trend ran the other stock 1965 L-78 3.70 4 speed, 7.75 tire 5.7 0-60 14.10 103mph top 136.
And Road & track ran 14.1 103 same 3.70 4 speed and 7.75 rubber same top at 6400rpm at 136.
Both no headers.
Which 1967 car do you want????? Because slightly different animal! L-71, L-89, L-36 etc.???? I have all of them!
Basically let's start some controversy!
Here-- given the same rear axle and stock tires for the year, tranny etc.. The engine at the top being the fastest and would beat the next with same prep and driver!!!
I am going to type this fast but will have to post and edit and post and edit a few times, be patient everyone!!!!!!
Here is my general list. I have a more detailed one but too many variations and variable and reasons why I place them where they are and it would take too long to type all of my research, this is just a quick summary list and this is for a perfect hook up launch and shifting up the 1/4:
69 ZL-1 Fastest
69 L-88 Next fastest and so on!
69 L-89
68 L-88
71 LS-6
66 HD (just because!)
68-L-89
68-L-89
67 L-88
69 L-71
66 L-72
68 L-71
67 L-71
65 L-78
70 LS-5
71 LS-5
69 L-68
68 L-68
67 L-68
72 LS-5
68 L-36
67 L-36
66 L-36
70 LT-1
65 L-84
64 L-84
65 L-76
64 L-76
71 LT-1
63 L-84
63 L-76
72 LT-1
69 L-46
68 L-79
67 L-79
66 L-79
65 L-79
70 L-46
71 BASE
and so on to L-75's and other bases etc.. a bunch of them. I am already tired of typing!
and so on, I need to add in LS-4'S FROM 73 AND 74 and L-82's etc. Just too much typing. Maybe later I will finish this list out on all of them, if everyone is nice to me!
but this list is considering car weight, tire size, head flow, carb, every factor to place them on this basic list of my creation.
Thus sorry if your favorite RPO- don't rate as high as you thought, it should get beat by what is placed higher on my list!!!!!!!!
Last edited by TCracingCA; 08-20-2015 at 12:55 AM.
10-24-2013, 04:25 AM
#13
10-24-2013, 01:14 PM
#15
Drifting
10-24-2013, 01:23 PM
#16
Race Director
I assume the 66 L-72 road test is the 12.8/112 time in the Car & Driver road test with a 3.36 rear? Knowing some of the shenanigans that car magazines and manufacturers pulled back in those days I've always been a little suspicious of that time. No doubt though that the L-72 is a beast.
I would have to get other notes out for the issue month and year.
Motor Trend ran the other stock 1965 L-78 3.70 4 speed, 7.75 tire 5.7 0-60 14.10 103mph top 136.
And Road & track ran 14.1 103 same 3.70 4 speed and 7.75 rubber same top at 6400rpm at 136.
Both no headers.
Which 1967 car do you want????? Because slightly different animal! L-71, L-89, L-36 etc.???? I have all of them!
Basically let's start some controversy!
Here-- given the same rear axle and stock tires for the year, tranny etc.. The engine at the top being the fastest and would beat the next with same prep and driver!!!
I am going to type this fast but will have to post and edit and post and edit a few times, be patient everyone!!!!!!
Here is my general list. I have a more detailed one but too many variations and variable and reasons why I place them where they are and it would take too long to type all of my research, this is just a quick summary list and this is for a perfect hook up launch and shifting up the 1/4:
69 ZL-1 Fastest
69 L-88 Next fastest and so on!
69 L-89
68 L-88
71 LS-6
66 L-72 450HP EARLY
68-L-89
68-L-89
67 L-88
69 L-71
66 L-72 LATE 425HP
68 L-71
67 L-71
65 L-78
70 LS-5
71 LS-5
69 L-68
68 L-68
67 L-68
72 LS-5
68 L-36
67 L-36
66 L-36
70 LT-1
65 L-84
64 L-84
65 L-76
64 L-76
71 LT-1
63 L-84
63 L-76
72 LT-1
69 L-46
68 L-79
67 L-79
66 L-79
65 L-79
70 L-46
71 BASE
and so on to L-75's and other bases etc.. a bunch of them. I am already tired of typing!
and so on, I need to add in LS-4'S FROM 73 AND 74 and L-82's etc. Just too much typing. Maybe later I will finish this list out on all of them, if everyone is nice to me!
but this list is considering car weight, tire size, head flow, carb, every factor to place them on this basic list of my creation.
Thus sorry if your favorite RPO- don't rate as high as you thought, it should get beat by what is placed higher on my list!!!!!!!!
Motor Trend ran the other stock 1965 L-78 3.70 4 speed, 7.75 tire 5.7 0-60 14.10 103mph top 136.
And Road & track ran 14.1 103 same 3.70 4 speed and 7.75 rubber same top at 6400rpm at 136.
Both no headers.
Which 1967 car do you want????? Because slightly different animal! L-71, L-89, L-36 etc.???? I have all of them!
Basically let's start some controversy!
Here-- given the same rear axle and stock tires for the year, tranny etc.. The engine at the top being the fastest and would beat the next with same prep and driver!!!
I am going to type this fast but will have to post and edit and post and edit a few times, be patient everyone!!!!!!
Here is my general list. I have a more detailed one but too many variations and variable and reasons why I place them where they are and it would take too long to type all of my research, this is just a quick summary list and this is for a perfect hook up launch and shifting up the 1/4:
69 ZL-1 Fastest
69 L-88 Next fastest and so on!
69 L-89
68 L-88
71 LS-6
66 L-72 450HP EARLY
68-L-89
68-L-89
67 L-88
69 L-71
66 L-72 LATE 425HP
68 L-71
67 L-71
65 L-78
70 LS-5
71 LS-5
69 L-68
68 L-68
67 L-68
72 LS-5
68 L-36
67 L-36
66 L-36
70 LT-1
65 L-84
64 L-84
65 L-76
64 L-76
71 LT-1
63 L-84
63 L-76
72 LT-1
69 L-46
68 L-79
67 L-79
66 L-79
65 L-79
70 L-46
71 BASE
and so on to L-75's and other bases etc.. a bunch of them. I am already tired of typing!
and so on, I need to add in LS-4'S FROM 73 AND 74 and L-82's etc. Just too much typing. Maybe later I will finish this list out on all of them, if everyone is nice to me!
but this list is considering car weight, tire size, head flow, carb, every factor to place them on this basic list of my creation.
Thus sorry if your favorite RPO- don't rate as high as you thought, it should get beat by what is placed higher on my list!!!!!!!!
10-24-2013, 02:31 PM
#17
Burning Brakes
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I would have to get other notes out for the issue month and year.
Motor Trend ran the other stock 1965 L-78 3.70 4 speed, 7.75 tire 5.7 0-60 14.10 103mph top 136.
And Road & track ran 14.1 103 same 3.70 4 speed and 7.75 rubber same top at 6400rpm at 136.
Both no headers.
Which 1967 car do you want????? Because slightly different animal! L-71, L-89, L-36 etc.???? I have all of them!
Basically let's start some controversy!
Here-- given the same rear axle and stock tires for the year, tranny etc.. The engine at the top being the fastest and would beat the next with same prep and driver!!!
I am going to type this fast but will have to post and edit and post and edit a few times, be patient everyone!!!!!!
Here is my general list. I have a more detailed one but too many variations and variable and reasons why I place them where they are and it would take too long to type all of my research, this is just a quick summary list and this is for a perfect hook up launch and shifting up the 1/4:
69 ZL-1 Fastest
69 L-88 Next fastest and so on!
69 L-89
68 L-88
71 LS-6
66 L-72 450HP EARLY
68-L-89
68-L-89
67 L-88
69 L-71
66 L-72 LATE 425HP
68 L-71
67 L-71
65 L-78
70 LS-5
71 LS-5
69 L-68
68 L-68
67 L-68
72 LS-5
68 L-36
67 L-36
66 L-36
70 LT-1
65 L-84
64 L-84
65 L-76
64 L-76
71 LT-1
63 L-84
63 L-76
72 LT-1
69 L-46
68 L-79
67 L-79
66 L-79
65 L-79
70 L-46
71 BASE
and so on to L-75's and other bases etc.. a bunch of them. I am already tired of typing!
and so on, I need to add in LS-4'S FROM 73 AND 74 and L-82's etc. Just too much typing. Maybe later I will finish this list out on all of them, if everyone is nice to me!
but this list is considering car weight, tire size, head flow, carb, every factor to place them on this basic list of my creation.
Thus sorry if your favorite RPO- don't rate as high as you thought, it should get beat by what is placed higher on my list!!!!!!!!
Motor Trend ran the other stock 1965 L-78 3.70 4 speed, 7.75 tire 5.7 0-60 14.10 103mph top 136.
And Road & track ran 14.1 103 same 3.70 4 speed and 7.75 rubber same top at 6400rpm at 136.
Both no headers.
Which 1967 car do you want????? Because slightly different animal! L-71, L-89, L-36 etc.???? I have all of them!
Basically let's start some controversy!
Here-- given the same rear axle and stock tires for the year, tranny etc.. The engine at the top being the fastest and would beat the next with same prep and driver!!!
I am going to type this fast but will have to post and edit and post and edit a few times, be patient everyone!!!!!!
Here is my general list. I have a more detailed one but too many variations and variable and reasons why I place them where they are and it would take too long to type all of my research, this is just a quick summary list and this is for a perfect hook up launch and shifting up the 1/4:
69 ZL-1 Fastest
69 L-88 Next fastest and so on!
69 L-89
68 L-88
71 LS-6
66 L-72 450HP EARLY
68-L-89
68-L-89
67 L-88
69 L-71
66 L-72 LATE 425HP
68 L-71
67 L-71
65 L-78
70 LS-5
71 LS-5
69 L-68
68 L-68
67 L-68
72 LS-5
68 L-36
67 L-36
66 L-36
70 LT-1
65 L-84
64 L-84
65 L-76
64 L-76
71 LT-1
63 L-84
63 L-76
72 LT-1
69 L-46
68 L-79
67 L-79
66 L-79
65 L-79
70 L-46
71 BASE
and so on to L-75's and other bases etc.. a bunch of them. I am already tired of typing!
and so on, I need to add in LS-4'S FROM 73 AND 74 and L-82's etc. Just too much typing. Maybe later I will finish this list out on all of them, if everyone is nice to me!
but this list is considering car weight, tire size, head flow, carb, every factor to place them on this basic list of my creation.
Thus sorry if your favorite RPO- don't rate as high as you thought, it should get beat by what is placed higher on my list!!!!!!!!
Would any of the '57~'62 fuelie cars make your list ?
10-24-2013, 04:06 PM
#18
Team Owner
Not to cause myself to be excessively quoted!
I will answer a number here. Yes this is a spread the data out on the entire living room floor type project, with tuning specs, head flow rates, carb jetting, the weight change year to year and tire technology yearly was giving better performance. There are a few odd ones that naturally didn't make sense, and some of these placements by me required practically a slide rule and a super computer effort to place.
I have a lot of C1's factored and would like to type those into the standings.
Popular Hot Rodding tuned, changed tire pressures whereas Car Life and Road & Track didn't. Hot Rod tuned. Motor Trend would take numbers from the manufacturer and just believe them or poach from other magazine tests, but they on occasion ran a car realistically.
The 1966 L-72 was a tuned car and the 12.8 should be thrown off of the list, the 3.36 would have killed the elapsed time but help the trap speed. But that type of car was capable very easily of that type of time. The hardest part was figuring out what ran headers and whether I include side pipes etc.. Thus very hard to place them all. In a group of let's say L-79 from 65-67, each year those cars gained a little weight but not noticeably. Therefore when the calculations came out too close to call, I did give preference to the newer model because 10 pounds actually might help the tires hook up better. As with the chief competitor-- 1966 Shelby Cobra 427. A true side oiler without side pipes was a 12.8 car whereas with pipes brought it down to a 12.5 and the true 12.2 run was a Semi Competition model that got that time (one of 31 or one of 51 if you include the competition cars). Even COPO Camaros stock thru the pipes were low 13 second cars. You put some headers on some C1 models with some cheater slicks and you are running 12 seconds with serious tuning.
If you actually took this list to date (not finished typing) and as you guys know, I get busy on some of the recent threads to the detriment of personal time, I have to cut and run and this list I can finish, just give me time. PS this has been developed over about 30 years since first being a Corvette Owner.
PS I am not going to PM and PDF or any of those. I will post times and see if I can grab some magazines. But I hated the top 50 lists for so long, that I from time to time work on my own, so here is the Corvette edition undone but good enough for now.
Lastly a true indicator of hp is the trap speed at the end of the 1/4 mile. Thus pull those for the placement of cars on my list and you will see a definite easy correlation between how I placed them and how fast they trapped.
PS remember that I am an old street racer, never for pinks but for a bill or beer. Thus all of the factors to pick a race sizing up each competitor were employed in this creation of mine... First time I have ever posted up my efforts. I see the thread jumped overnight from 98 to the mid 300's. Thus others can throw info or theory at it. I don't mind, and actually I would enjoy contributions to the placement of our cars. I will try to get some C1's up over the weekend and place the L-82 and LS-4's etc.. But I am not going into C4's etc.. even though I have done those also!!!!!
I have a lot of C1's factored and would like to type those into the standings.
Popular Hot Rodding tuned, changed tire pressures whereas Car Life and Road & Track didn't. Hot Rod tuned. Motor Trend would take numbers from the manufacturer and just believe them or poach from other magazine tests, but they on occasion ran a car realistically.
The 1966 L-72 was a tuned car and the 12.8 should be thrown off of the list, the 3.36 would have killed the elapsed time but help the trap speed. But that type of car was capable very easily of that type of time. The hardest part was figuring out what ran headers and whether I include side pipes etc.. Thus very hard to place them all. In a group of let's say L-79 from 65-67, each year those cars gained a little weight but not noticeably. Therefore when the calculations came out too close to call, I did give preference to the newer model because 10 pounds actually might help the tires hook up better. As with the chief competitor-- 1966 Shelby Cobra 427. A true side oiler without side pipes was a 12.8 car whereas with pipes brought it down to a 12.5 and the true 12.2 run was a Semi Competition model that got that time (one of 31 or one of 51 if you include the competition cars). Even COPO Camaros stock thru the pipes were low 13 second cars. You put some headers on some C1 models with some cheater slicks and you are running 12 seconds with serious tuning.
If you actually took this list to date (not finished typing) and as you guys know, I get busy on some of the recent threads to the detriment of personal time, I have to cut and run and this list I can finish, just give me time. PS this has been developed over about 30 years since first being a Corvette Owner.
PS I am not going to PM and PDF or any of those. I will post times and see if I can grab some magazines. But I hated the top 50 lists for so long, that I from time to time work on my own, so here is the Corvette edition undone but good enough for now.
Lastly a true indicator of hp is the trap speed at the end of the 1/4 mile. Thus pull those for the placement of cars on my list and you will see a definite easy correlation between how I placed them and how fast they trapped.
PS remember that I am an old street racer, never for pinks but for a bill or beer. Thus all of the factors to pick a race sizing up each competitor were employed in this creation of mine... First time I have ever posted up my efforts. I see the thread jumped overnight from 98 to the mid 300's. Thus others can throw info or theory at it. I don't mind, and actually I would enjoy contributions to the placement of our cars. I will try to get some C1's up over the weekend and place the L-82 and LS-4's etc.. But I am not going into C4's etc.. even though I have done those also!!!!!
Last edited by TCracingCA; 10-25-2013 at 12:46 AM.
10-24-2013, 04:15 PM
#19
Team Owner
Member Since: Oct 2000
Location: Washington Michigan
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I'm sure you're aware that the only difference between the "early 450hp" and the "late 425hp" engines was the sticker on the air cleaner.
<<
66 L-72 450HP EARLY
68-L-89
68-L-89
67 L-88
69 L-71
66 L-72 LATE 425HP
>>
<<
66 L-72 450HP EARLY
68-L-89
68-L-89
67 L-88
69 L-71
66 L-72 LATE 425HP
>>
10-24-2013, 04:24 PM
#20
Team Owner
You are one of the highest respected guys on here!!!
Ya 450hp has been talked out here many many times and the last conclusion was it was just a sticker from all of the experts, but I wasn't consulted on that conclusion. Thus I will see if I can locate the justification for that placement and variation and if not I will join the pack, but I don't think I will have to. My respects thou, I got your attention, much respected attention!!!!!!!
I need to get back to work, the whip is cracking!!!! I want to check on some of my other Corvette Forum Shenanigans real quick and see how my Cup holder sharing is being received!!!!!!!!
Last edited by TCracingCA; 10-24-2013 at 04:26 PM.