In researching a response for another post, I came across this page in the 1968 Salesman's Specs book:



Note the L77 engine option, the 350 HP (as in normally manual trans only) G-block 400 motor, available with EITHER the M14 three speed OR the M40 TH400 (the 1969 W-32, but available in 1968!). Available in F-85, Cutlii, and Cutlass Supreme as part of the police package.

Never saw this before. Anyone ever seen one of these? I now have to retract every post I've ever written that the 400 was not factory installed in the Cutlass in 1968.

 

Dang. It is also interesting that the auto 400 ci in the 442 was 325 hp, but in the Police app. pkg. it was 350 hp. I wonder if there are any internal differences as this is option L77 and the 442 was L78.

 

Yes, that was my point (FYI, the 1969 W-32 was just the 350 HP manual trans motor with a TH400 behind it and OAI).

The difference between the 350 HP manual trans motor and the 325 HP AT motor was the cam. The 350 HP motor used the 286/286 cam with 0.472 lift, the 325 HP motor used the 262/274 cam with 0.440 lift.

 

I know the Vista was available with the G400 in 1968. I guess only the police could get the 442 in sheep's clothing though. This would be cool- F85 police car MT G400...

 

The '68 Chesrown H/O started life as a 400 powered "scarlet" F85 "police apprehender".

 

Yes, but I did not know the 350 HP version was available - until now.

 

The carbs are different too. The difference between the Police and 442 engines is the Air Cleaner Decal and colder plugs.

Joe, this availability of the 400 in the F85s is also indicated in the Inspectors Manual.

 

So this car would not have been one of the 515 1968 H/Os and had a 33277... VIN instead of a 34477... VIN. Interesting.

 

My recollection is that from 65-67, those were the same differences between the Starfire and police duty 425 engines (and yes, the Starfire engine, if not the car (!) was available in 67).

 

Unfortunately, that name means as much as "Rocket V8". The 1964 330 was called the "Jetfire V8", despite having neither turbocharger nor aluminum block.

 

I mentioned the Starfire engine in 1967 only because that is what I seem to recall from the power teams brochure that year (I could be wrong on that point however) and was commenting only on the differences between that engine and the cop version. Arguably, the "442" engine option means little more, since it was available in non-442s as well (and was a "small block" in '64 and then later a "big block"; yes, I can hear the short circuits THAT terminology is causing for some as I type it).

 

Marketing weenies are often unimpressed by facts.