[RMC1218]

Can anyone help to find out the which engine came in my 1966 Impala SS.
I have managed through the Cowl Tag and VIN to find everything else.
Thanks for any assistance.

VIN: 168676F170460

Cowl tag :
02D Made Date = February - 3rd week
66-16867 FL21672 1966 - Impala Super Sport Convertible Flint Mich.
844-B F1 paint: Marina Blue / Interior: Bright Blue
D 2M
-177480

 

[Big Dave]

The style number tellsyou one other thing besides having a SS two door convertible body, and that is it was powered by a V8 and not an L6 The number 16767 denotes a six). That is all it will tell you however.

V8 engines available in the Impala in 1966 include:

283 cubic-inch Turbo Fire V-8 rated at 195 horsepower
an optional 275-horsepower 327 cubic-inch Turbo Fire V-8
an optional 325-horsepower 396 cubic-inch Turbo Jet V-8
and the optional 385-horsepower 427 cubic-inch Turbo Jet V8

If it was factory equipped with a BBC it will have a ⅜ inch (I.D.) fuel line, if not it had a 283 or a 327. The 283 V8 was the base engine (included in the price of thre car any other engine added to the price and was optional. You have to remember that the cars were ordered by the sales manager relying upon his experience in knowing what his customers wanted. The sales mans job was to get you to buy a more expensive car than the base model based upon what was in inventory. Options like FM radios cost as much as a 427 big block, but more bought the radio than the bigger engine unless the car was destined for a mountainous area.

Big Dave

 

[RMC1218]

Thanks Big Dave,
The original fuel line was long gone before I bought the car, so I probably will never know what came in it.
The car has a 1968 396CID from a light truck with a TH400 trans.

Thanks again

 

[fsc66]

Engines

If you Turbo 400 trans is original then the car was definitely a big block

Paul

 

[Deadwolf]

Might also check on the intake, heads, exhaust manifolds, carburetor, and accessory drive brackets and pulleys for date codes. If your intake, exhaust manifolds, or heads are proper numbers for your car and the date codes look right they may have blown the original 396 and picked up a 396 short block from a junk yard for an "in-kind" replacement. Engines didn't last 200,000 + miles back in the 60's unless they were the stout 250 Straight six, I swear you couldn't kill those things as long as you kept them in oil.

Back to the TH400 transmission, if it is a floor shift with the correct shift pattern or a column shift with the correct pattern it is a good sign the car had the TH400 origional as the other auto option was a power glide and the shifter detents from it would only allow you to manually shift into P R N 3rd 2nd, you wouldn't have the final detent to allow you to shift into 1st gear.

 

[TAR6569]

2M is powerglide trans normally but Flint also used that code with Turbo 400. So yes, check the shift indicator.. Wonder if the Turbo 400 is original to that truck engine

 

[TAR6569]

Also, if it has a 10 bolt rear, then it had a small block originally

 

[Big Dave]

2M is powerglide trans normally but Flint also used that code with Turbo 400. So yes, check the shift indicator.. Wonder if the Turbo 400 is original to that truck engine

Depending upon the year it was made it will share the same partial VIN as the BBC engine. Partial VINs were being stamped on engines starting in 1966 for the BBC, and on trannies by 1968. If the TH400 has no VIN stamped it could be original depending upon the date code cast into the housing and the build date on the trim tag.

Big Dave