Author Topic: 1969 396 axle ratios  (Read 8888 times)

ko-lek-tor

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1969 396 axle ratios
« on: April 29, 2013, 03:55:42 PM »
I thought I saw somewhere where the standard axle ratio choices were listed for 1969 Camaros, but I have not been able to find this info by doing a search. The chart: It listed three axle choices, like a std. default, a performance and economy ratio for engine / trans combinations. I am primarily interested in SS optioned cars. My particular car has it's original BS code. It is a 396, 4speed M20 car. I also have a 1969 L48 with it's original BS code. Just curious as to what was standard and what was optional for L48,L34,L35 and L78 1969's? I believe Ed Bertrand would know based on another post. Thanks.Bentley B.
Bentley to friends :1969 SS/RS 396 owned 79
1969 SS 350 (sold)
1969 D.H.COPO replica 4spd. owned since 85
1967 302 4 spd 5.13

bertfam

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Re: 1969 396 axle ratios
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2013, 04:16:05 PM »
Bentley, the info you're looking for is in the 1969 Power Team Chart. I don't know of any WEB site that has it, but you can download the 1969 SPECIFICATIONS (as well as other models and years) from the GM Heritage Center. Scroll down to page 11 for the Power Team Chart.

It's also in the 1969 Sales Brochure if you have that.

Ed

ko-lek-tor

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Re: 1969 396 axle ratios
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2013, 05:34:51 PM »
Thanks Ed,
While there was some useful information, I did not see any specifications for any other 396 other than the 325 H.P. engine. My 396 car has M20 and BS rear(both,original born with). Could a 375 H.P. L78 have had that ratio (3.31)? I would guess it could have had any ratio,but was that commonplace?  If so, would the transmission be a 356 or 797? I ask,because I thought L78 cars were normally 3.55 ratio(not sure where I got that info from) Based on AIM, L78 trans  would be 797. I am trying to understand why or what would be different opposed to a similarily equipped lower horse BB with 356 trans? My point is to ID the tag I would want to put on the trans case to restore to correct (for L78). My other point would be if I were IDing a trans. without a tag (out of a car,like at a swap meet) could I determine which tag it should have? I ask this so if I come across a trans. with Camaro vin,could I definitvely ID it as coming out of a high Horse car? Is it by color of speedo gear? As far as determining type of Muncie I.E. close or wide, I already know how to determine this, same with BB fuel lines regarding H.P. these are elementary knowledge, at least to me, and well documented. I mention this to save unneccessary posts regarding these topics. Thank you. B.B.
Bentley to friends :1969 SS/RS 396 owned 79
1969 SS 350 (sold)
1969 D.H.COPO replica 4spd. owned since 85
1967 302 4 spd 5.13

bertfam

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Re: 1969 396 axle ratios
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2013, 05:59:22 PM »
Yes, the L78 could have the 3.31 as the optional "Economy" ratio. The following ratios were available for the L78/M20, but if you pressed hard enough you could get others not on the list!

3.07 (special)
3.31 (economy)
3.55 (standard)
3.73 (performance)
4.10 (special)

The 3946797 M20 was used on the 69 Camaro with the 302, 350 and 396 engines with 3.55 and 3.73 ratios. The 3950356 M20 was used on the 69 Camaro with the 302, 350 and 396 engines with 3.07 and 3.31 ratios. There's NO difference in the transmission between an L34, L35 or L78 application. They all used the same M20 as long as the rear axles were the same.

I'm not sure what you're trying to determine, but there's no way to ID a transmisson without the tag. Even checking the speedo gear is useless since they're easy to replace. And after 45 years and lots of rebuilds, even checking the tag isn't a good indicator of what the transmission started out as.

Ed



ko-lek-tor

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Re: 1969 396 axle ratios
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2013, 06:31:15 PM »
Ed, You are very helpful,like JohnZ. While messing around with these cars for a long time I have come to know that internally muncies were all the same(other than gears), at least for a particular year comparrison. I guess what I was getting hung up on is that the AIM called for a different #, 797, on the L78 car and I could not figure out exactly why. My car,like I said has the original trans and rear. I do not have the original engine though. The car is in the data base and my info to Kurt reflects that. I have a correct date coded L78 that I will be putting in the car and I want the details of this car to be correct for my own satisfaction. I am NOT re-stamping the engine, but I want the car correct regarding correct parts for a L78 car.  The trans. currently has it's original 356 tag on it. Nothing on the car appears to be tampered with and I believe it never has been tampered with and that is with good evidence and the fact I have owned it since 1980. In my pile of xtra parts, I found a 797 tag. I was under the impression that this is the tag that should be correct for the L78, but was not sure why a different tag was denoted. Again, just in pursuit of making car accurate. According to what you say though, the 356 tag would be correct. I kind of thought that was the case, based on why would it be different based on H.P., but AIM seemed to confuse issue and I did not want the wrong tag if AIM said that it was supposed to be 797. Thanks,B.B.
Bentley to friends :1969 SS/RS 396 owned 79
1969 SS 350 (sold)
1969 D.H.COPO replica 4spd. owned since 85
1967 302 4 spd 5.13

KurtS

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Re: 1969 396 axle ratios
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2013, 03:50:42 AM »
I guess what I was getting hung up on is that the AIM called for a different #, 797, on the L78 car and I could not figure out exactly why. My car,like I said has the original trans and rear.
The AIM only listed the base configuration. Your car has an optional ratio, so it used a different trans than the base.
Kurt S
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1969L89JEFF

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Re: 1969 396 axle ratios
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2013, 01:37:04 AM »
My 69 I've owned since 1984 was a dealer ordered car for SS/EA in Ohio. Here's a pic of the rear after I finally got around to stripping the paint for a fresh coat of semi gloss. It also has a T400 in front of it.

Jeff