Random # 334: 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle 396 Super Sport Turbo-Jet

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This 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle 396 Super Sport Turbo-Jet is one very, very green machine!   Perhaps not “capital G” green, though.  396 cubic inch (6.5 litre) V8-powered cars are pretty much exactly what Priuses and Teslas are not.  It's also got a ludicrously long model name.       


The contrast between Mr Toyoda's and bestie-to-President-Trump's automobiles don't just end there.  The big Chev has more style, presence and cachet than any of the appliances that Toyota and Tesla try to pass off as cars, and this particular example - photographed in central Hobart on a gorgeous summer's day - really was quite breathtaking.


Being a Chevy ignoramus, I had to do some online research, only to have Google’s AI Overview rush in like that over-eager, smart-arse kid we all shared a primary school classroom with - the one who'd have you believe they knew  e v e r y t h i n g  there was about anything and wasn’t shy about letting all of us know about it.  Especially the teacher!  These days there are labels for children like that. 


I kind of resented this, not just because AI's potentially inaccurate (shit input = shit output), but because I rather enjoy finding stuff out all by my analogue little self and it seems Hell bent on ruining the experience for me.  Anyway … .


Turns out the Turbo part of that verbose moniker has nothing to do with any form of forced induction. Disappointing!  I guess there’s no jet-propulsion, either.  


Even so, the 396 "big block" V8 puts out in excess of 350 horspower and a whopping 415 foot-pounds of torque.  It debuted in the 1965 Corvette and also saw duty in Camaros of the same era.  It wasn't Chevrolet's biggest iteration of the lump, though; there was also a 402 cubic inch (6.6 litre) version (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Chevelle - accessed 12 JAN 25).


As a final tit-bit, the 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle 396 Super Sport Turbo-Jet came with an amazing seven transmission options:  two manual three-speeds, two manual four-speeds, an overdrive three-speed, and two automatics, one being a two-speed unit and the other with three forward cogs.  The three-speed version - the Turbo Hydra-Matic - included manual shift selection (ibid.).


Did you enjoy this post?  If so, why not browse the rest of the uppermiddlepetrolhead site?  There are loads and loads of classic, sports and performance vehicles featured, as well as stacks of car shows and motorsports events.  Even better, you can follow either the 'blog itself or do so via Upper Middle Petrol Head's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/uppermiddlepetrolhead1?).  And please do like and share!






U M P H

(uppermiddlepetrolhead.blogspot.com.au.)


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