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Ken, here's a couple pics of the diff where you'll find the stamped numbers/characters. They face 'downwards' toward the ground and as Keith mentioned, they are between the leaf spring mounting plate and the strut rod bracket.
This is the diff from my 65 L78, VIN# 17196.
Mike T - Prescott AZ
Good eye on the fuel line just before the pump. It also seems to have the correct L78 pulleys and alternator mount. The transmission heat shield is funny - they have it slid way back by the tail housing and driveshaft. It reminds me of a typical C2 you might purchase in the late 70s or early 80s with all the owner changes and mods popular then, and before they became valuable and started being restored back to original shape. I really like the shape of the frame and that’s a major point for it.
Maybe a bit late but this car was posted and discussed in the "opinions" thread.
This is harsh but IMCO if you're looking for a correct car pass on this one.
Of course for more initial outlay there are better buys.
Too much to make right on this one at that asking price.
Maybe a bit late but this car was posted and discussed in the "opinions" thread.
This is harsh but IMCO if you're looking for a correct car pass on this one.
Of course for more initial outlay there are better buys.
Too much to make right on this one at that asking price.
this car is like a Micky Mantel or Babe Ruth baseball card with glasses and a mustache drawn on a it. It gets you the rare thing but at a much lower cost.
this car is like a Micky Mantel or Babe Ruth baseball card with glasses and a mustache drawn on a it. It gets you the rare thing but at a much lower cost.
Agreed! A great analogy. It seems like the O/P wants to make this '65 BB as correct as possible. How do you get the gasses and mustache off and have it look "right"?
How much money and lets not forget about the time it is going to take to get it there. Not everyone who buys one of there cars or a hobby car in general as the skills, time, and facilities to do what you do. I as well as others admire and respect your abilities and contributions. We discuss used car dealers all the time. The craigslist add is still up. There's not a lot of accuracy in the description. I posted it on the "opinions" thread. What else are you going to find when you actually get eyes on it? There's a commitment ahead. You have to be all in. That's all I'm trying to bring out.
Agreed! A great analogy. It seems like the O/P wants to make this '65 BB as correct as possible. How do you get the gasses and mustache off and have it look "right"?
How much money and lets not forget about the time it is going to take to get it there. Not everyone who buys one of there cars or a hobby car in general as the skills, time, and facilities to do what you do. I as well as others admire and respect your abilities and contributions. We discuss used car dealers all the time. The craigslist add is still up. There's not a lot of inaccuracy in the description. I posted it on the "opinions" thread. What else are you going to find when you actually get eyes on it? There's a commitment ahead. You have to be all in. That's all I'm trying to bring out.
this car will take about 10K worth of rare parts and repro parts and countless hours of man hours to work on, and that does not include body and paint work
this car will take about 10K worth of rare parts and repro parts and countless hours of man hours to work on, and that does not include body and paint work
Agreed again! If the O/P is all in I wish him good luck if he goes forward.
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
Leaving the price for another discussion, this looks like a nice car for someone who just wants to drive it as is. I would not be ashamed to be seen in it at all. But if originality is important, there may be better choices out there.
Leaving the price for another discussion, this looks like a nice car for someone who just wants to drive it as is. I would not be ashamed to be seen in it at all. But if originality is important, there may be better choices out there.
for anther 35k you can have this highly documented and award wining L78
and you will have way more then 35k to make this 65 in the OP post any where close to the one in my pic.
It is a great looking car with many strong points, Paint, Interior, look perfect. If it runs and drives great that is a really fine car. The buyer just needs to know what is correct and what is not and decide if they can live with that.
Really fine looking cars that drive well and are fun to drive is 75% what this forum is about. Making every nut and bolt match OEM is a dream for some owners but certainly not all.
The stinger hood upgrade is so popular I bet 25% of the cars on this forum have one regardless of the year the car was manufactured. If the buyer likes it as is let him enjoy it.
A big block C2 is still a rare bird and offers a bunch of fun for the driver.
Looking at the beautiful all original L78 in the post above it is very pretty but who wants a 4.56 powered L78 for street driving. That is a Drag Strip only combo. As is you would be lucky to get 5 MPG and probably tach 3600 RPM at 60 MPH. It would be very quick for sure but probably only hit 105 MPH at 6500 RPM top speed. Beautiful car but not my choice.
Maybe swap in 3.36 gears for not a lot of money so it is easier to live with but then it is not original and we are back to picking it apart.
Last edited by Westlotorn; 03-02-2024 at 01:19 PM.
As I posted in another thread recently, it seems like half the L78 cars I’ve seen for sale over the decades have had 4:56 gears.
when the 396 was debuted in March of 65 it seems Chevy advertised it to drag racers. I know for the 65 Z16 cars they where allocated to dealers who had heavy influences on local drag racers that ran Chevy cars at the time So it seems natural the buyers bought them for one thing.
Gauges etc. are easily changed. Battery on left, and the wheel access panel is big block specific. The inside fender special for this, and not so easy to "forge". I think its one of the best indicators of BB if the original skirts are in intact.
My L78 has FB. It not only means 4.11, it means 396 too. I thought 4.11 was most common for L78. So the rear seems correct.
It should have the rear sway bar.
Seems like it is at least an original BB car, even if the motor isn't original, and lots of parts are gone.
Does the trans vin match? What carb does it have?
Is this the original power steering drag link pictured? I see a double pulley on water pump also. I'm thinking this might have had power steering originally
03-01-2024, 10:56 PM
Agreed! A great analogy. It seems like the O/P wants to make this '65 BB as correct as possible. How do you get the gasses and mustache off and have it look "right"?
