The SS396 and SS454 Chevelles were major players on the ’60s-’70s muscle car scene. Their story starts here with the Z16 in 1965.

The Chevrolet 409 V8 of 1961-65 was a perfectly fine engine, and the Beach Boys even recorded a song about it, but it never made the same impact as the original small-block V8. For its second swing at a large-displacement V8, in January of 1965 the General Motors division introduced another V8, mostly new but borrowing the canted-valve cylinder-head layout of the short-lived 427 “mystery engine” of 1963. With a displacement of 396 cubic inches, this new engine was showcased in a special package for the Malibu SS called the Z16, which happened to be its Regular Production Option code (RPO) as well. The Z16 was rather special as only 201 examples were produced, and no more than 80 seem to have survived.

Actually, there were three 396 CID Turbo-Jet V8s introduced in early 1965: The mildly tuned L35 with 325 hp for full-size passengers cars, the solid-lifter L78 with 425 hp for use in the Corvette and high-performance full-size applications, and the L37, rated at 375 hp and exclusive to the Z16 package.

The L37 in the Z16 was pretty much the same engine as the 425 hp L78, with the same large-port cylinder heads, 2.19-in intake valves, and 11.0:1 compression ratio. Where it chiefly differed was in the camshaft: hydraulic cam followers instead of high-maintenance solid lifters, enabled by a less aggressive lobe profile with .461 inches of valve lift and 342 degrees of advertised intake duration, 356 degrees on the exhaust. On top was dual-plane aluminum intake manifold and a big 4150 series Holley four-barrel carburetor with 1.69-in throttle bores. With this combination, the SAE gross output rating of 375 hp at 5,600 rpm and 420 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm was not at all unrealistic.

However, the Z16 was much more than a Malibu SS with a big hairy engine dropped in.  The special features started with the frame, which was borrowed from the convertible for its extra reinforcement and two additional body mounts. Larger 11 x 2.75-in front and 11.0 x 2.0-in rear drum brakes came from the full-size Chevy parts catalog, while the springs, shocks, and rear antiroll bar were specially calibrated for the application.

The only available transmission was the Muncie M20 wide-ratio manual four-speed with a 2.56:1 first gear, while the sole final drive ratio offered in the heavy-duty 12-bolt rear axle was 3.31:1. Surprisingly, the Z16 package did not include a limited-slip differential. Chevrolet engineers reportedly decided that the rear antiroll bar was sufficient to keep both rear wheels planted under hard acceleration. With the conservative gearing, Motor Trend recorded a quarter-mile time of 15.3 seconds at 96 mph, while Car Life bested that with a 14.9-second e.t. at 98 mph.

A number of special appearance features distinguished the Z16 from a standard Malibu SS, including 396 Turbo-Jet badges for the front fenders and five-spoke simulated mag wheel covers (Car Life’s writers called them “grotesque”). The cockpit boasted vinyl bucket seats, a console, and an exclusive 160 mph speedometer. A small tachometer in the center of the instrument panel banished the clock to a separate pod on the top of the dash pad. The $1,501 package also sported an exclusive rear-end treatment with a unique rear fascia and plain tail lamps borrowed from the base-model Chevelle 300.

Below, Chevrolet general manager Semon E. “Bunkie” Knudsen poses with a Z16 Hardtop Coupe. After turning Pontiac around, he was appointed to head Chevrolet in 1961, and unlike many senior auto executives, he had a clear preference for hot-performing street cars, often built to order. (It’s good to be the boss.) He chose a Malibu SS Z16 for his personal use, but to his own specifications. As a result, the limited production run of the Z16 was not 200 cars but 201: 200 Hardtop Coupes and one Convertible.