Cars in that era could be beasts!I had a '66 Chevelle SS396 (my last Chevy). No longer recall which version of the 396 engine was in it but the only thing driven by the accessory belt was the alternator (and probably the water pump). No AC or power steering. 4,11 rear axle. My girl friend has a VW bug and could drive a stick shift during times I partied too hard. Enough torque that the first 3 gears were probably unnecessary. Bent a push rod in rural north Alabama. That's how I know it had solid lifters. Lifters were OK but we replaces all 16 push rods. Tired of the car after less than a year. Got a more civilized Olds 442 with AC, etc. The 442 water pump failed after a year or so and the fan propelled itself into the radiator. Tried one more GM car, another 442 with the 454 engine. Can't remember what happened to it.

-- Chuck

 

Someone on another board said that the sounds of Steve McQueen's Ford Mustang, in Bullitt were overdubbed Chevy 396 and Ford Mark IV GT exhaust notes. Esp the upshifting sounds. The big Fords just didn't rev that fast and the producer and director wanted a more "urgent" sound.

Interesting...

 

We're drifting quite a ways from the original topic -- as usual! .

At roughly minute 4:00 of this clip the claim is made that the Bullit engine sound track is re-used in the 7-ups but doesn't mention the source of the Bullit engine sounds. Sounds great as does that 409.


-- Chuck

 

I enjoyed the video immensely! Don't know how Dan was able to achieve 450hp out of a 360hp 409ci factory rated engine. Tuning and some major mods must have taken place for the performance increase.

 

My first car was a 1961 Chevy Impala 4 door sedan with a straight 6 and a Powerglide transmission. I inherited it in 1969. You could never convince me that you could race that car. It was as big as an aircraft carrier and handled like a polar bear on an ice float. That, of course, is assuming that you could get it started. Out of fairness, mine was ready for the junkyard by the time I inherited it.