There is actually only one year that has held a "good standing" status on the HAMBs' main board, 1965, at least bodywise. So, with this new forum, it is more than exciting for me to be able to acknowledge some of the cars that made this engine option such an iconic offering in the Chevrolet high performance lineup. Feel free to contribute photos/stories, etc of yours, your friends or your favorite historic drag cars with the L79 engine. This is my favorite, Bill Jenkins' legendary 66 Nova drag car. Some examples. 1965 Chevelle/Malibu 1966 Chevy II 1967 Chevy II 1967 Chevelle 1967 Corvette 1968 Nova 1968 Chevelle The article linked below has to me, always been one of the best that gives the history/timeline on these cars/engines. https://www.motortrend.com/features/sucs-0732-chevy-l79-engine/
I love the L79 motor. It was the perfect small block for all around use and in car or truck. The 65-66 were dressed just right in looks, the 302 took over the looks in 67 when the L79 went to the cast iron intake. It was kind of a bummer that it was never offered in a 67 or 68 Camaro, but they wanted push people into the new L48 350. My 68 Camaro has the original L30 which was the next best thing for a 327, but I converted it to a hybrid L79/Z28 motor. The Z/28 parts on the Camaro: 30/30 cam, intake and holley carb. The 327 I just stuck in my C10 is similar, but more in line with a L79 over the 302. Only big change from a stock 68 L79 is the Z/28 intake The C10 has the cl***ic L79 cam in it
This 1967 Nova is one of the rarest of the bunch, it is one of only six ever built with the L79 engine option in 67, there were 5,481 built in 1966. Jack Duerrs' 1967 sport coupe (non SS). Bench seat 4 speed.
I’ve got the 1967 Corvette version in my ‘36 pickup. They are one of Chevy’s best, a real nice rever. But it’s big brother, the L76 rev’s even better!
I just freshened one up. Technically not an L79 anymore, dome pistons gone, heads and cam change, but it was at one time. Still has the winters intake though.
sweet little motor, that's a 69-70 Z/28 intake to be precise. The front runners near the carb base are the give away, also how the thermostat hole is clocked. the L79 intake has a distinctive hard corner on that front runners and the rear runner. The thermostat housing is clocked differently too, but I think that clocking was the same on the 67 Z/28 intake. The first gen Z intakes were different every year. I picked this intake up a couple years ago dirt cheap at a estate sale.
I did a '62 Nova and a '65 Malibu, doing a look a like L79 motor on the outside. On the inside the motors were cloned Z28's interals. I think the L79's had the coolest, from the factory, chrome bling and look. Just right!!
I’m not a die hard Chevy fan, mainly because they are so ubiquitous, but I do appreciate the tri-five cars, the muscle cars and a few of their engines, the L79 being one of them. The L89 in the Chevelle and the ZL1 Camaro/engine combination another. The L79 was a powerhouse for it’s size, with a 4 speed and the right gearing it was a young gearhead’s dream in the mid 60’s. Able to best many cars with larger engines. Concerning the ZL1, I read an article about them several years ago. I’m not sure who it was originally written by but Cars Illustrated had reprinted it from the original article back in 1969. They had taken a ZL1 Camaro to the drags strip in November and were able to click off low 12 or high 11 second times. Amazing machine!
The "461" casting number intake was for the 1965 L79, the 1964/65 Corvette 327/365 hp (L76) also used the "461" intake manifold. The "490" intake was used on 1966 Chevy II, 1967 Chevelle and 1966/67 Corvette L79's. If you happen on an intake that has had the casting numbers ground off, the easiest identifier is on the 64/65 version the oil fill tube angles toward the p***enger side, whereas the 66/67 angles toward the driver side, can't say about the Brits, if they even got these cars, they swap seats you know.
No, it’s a square bore with a spreadbore adapter. And turns out it’s actually a winters LT-1 intake not an L79.
The later 70s L82 350 had a aluminum intake that was a quadrajet base, easy tell besides the carb base is the cast in hatch on the ends and the cylinder number call outs cast into the runners. There was no provision or area for a oil fill tube as well, the area on the manifold went away somewhere in 72/73. Also no snowflake on these manifolds. you can date the 69-72 Z28 manifolds by the oil fill tube area. 69/70 are there and have a plug pressed in. 71 the area is there but cast over. You can machine this to add a tube back in. Then in 72 manifold pattern was revised and the area redone with no area for a oil tube.
The later L-82 motor had big valve 2.02"/1.60" heads with screw in studs... Not sure what year(s) those were made...
GM threw a curve in 67, the L79 option for the Chevy II 327 was "relieved" of 25 hp, from what I've read over the years, the bean counters were in a frenzy to push the Camaro and did not want the lowly Chevy II/Nova line to interfere with sales, horsepower callouts were a big marketing tool back then. The engine stayed the same internally, what changed was the intake/carb arrangement, the aluminum intake was changed to a cast iron version and the Quadrajet carb replaced the Holley. To back up a bit, GM did a similar thing to the Chevelle in 66 when they dropped the L79 option completely from their offerings, they didn't want a 350 hp small block competing with their 396 that had a base hp of 325, then they brought back the L79 in 67 with a 325 hp rating but used the aluminum intake and Holley carb combination. A bit more trivia that completely baffles me is the Chevy II in 67 with the L79 option came with a Saginaw 4 speed and a 10 bolt rearend, figure that all out!
well with the Camaro coming out in 67 along with the 350, that became the new standard performance small block for the the most part. The 327 was on its way out the door was it was replaced in mid 69 for the 307. I can say that GM started going through all their engines and tweaking the combo's. My 68 Camaro is one of the odd balls. It was about as close you get from the factory to a L79 Camaro. In 67/68 if you ordered the L30 275hp 327 with a M20 4 speed it for some reason at on the ***embly line that it was to get a 12 bolt rear end. All paperwork and do***ents show that only Super Sport and Z/28s would get them, but this one motor/****** combo would get it. The biggest difference between a L30/M20 car and a SS350 car is the M20 in the SS car is a Muncie where the M20 in my car was a Saginaw originally. Most of the known cars to survive dont have their Saginaw's anymore. Another odd thing was in 69 you could get a SS350 car with a powerglide and you would get a 10 bolt rear end, even though its a super sport car. I know of one 69 super sport that is a 350/ 3 on the floor car, 100% original car, it has a 12 bolt. Also a factor is which ***embly line put the car together, that made a difference as well. I still have my cast iron manifold, quadrajet and air cleaner on the shelf, Ill never stick it back on my car, but its nice to have. I will say that cast iron manifold is more like the aluminum as its more of high rise than other 283/327 manifolds I have.
Here are some from the internet, my manifold is buried at the moment. There are 2 casting numbers for the intake as it changed late in 68. Intake 3919803 till June 68 Late June changed to 3927184
I have the 3919803 intake on my 350. Can't really see it here, but it sounds like I have one of the best factory quadrajet manifolds. Mine doesn't have the hole for a temperature sender next to the thermostat, like the one posted above. Since a have a 1980 quadrajet, with electric choke, I pushed tiny freeze plugs into the exhaust holes and use a 1/4" phenolic insulator under the carb.
I seem to recall a tell tale sign of the desired intake from way back was the cast in letter. The R might be the one all the dirt track guys claimed as best. Memory is clouded so it seems a S manifold was good too. Anyone have a cast in S to pull the actual casting number off of?
Doesn't look like much but this is Bill Jenkins' 327/350 hp cl*** winning engine that gave the hemi cars a lot of grief in 1966. I know, he didn't win everytime!
It would not have a temp sender hole as in 1968 they moved it to the side of the head in between the exhaust ports.
This is a rare one! From Here: https://www.stevesnovasite.com/threads/1966-chevrolet-nova-wagon-chevy-ll-l79.678288/
I ordered a L79 wagon in January of 1966 but production ended before it was produced so I had to settle for a hardtop. The best I did at the drags with it was 13.28 at 106.6. My brother drove it while I was in the USAF and it was totaled in the summer of 1968.
The Jalopy Journal
