1965 Z16 Chevelle SS396 MUSCLE MACHINE

Posted on September 27, 2026September 27, 2026 by MartynL

Whatever the 1965 Z16 Chevelle SS396 MUSCLE MACHINE lacked in head-turning styling, it more than made up with tire-shredding performance! Musclecars were big news in 1965, but for me personally, it was one of the biggest years in my career as an enthusiast automotive magazine editor! Not long after having access to 1965 high-performance test cars, I suggested to Mel Jacolow, editor of CARS magazine, that he change the name of the award “American Classic of the Year” he presented annually to car...

’65 CHEVELLE SS396 BIG-BLOCK Z16!

Posted on December 13, 2024 by MartynL

Chevrolet’s entry in the Supercar Sweepstakes - ’65 CHEVELLE SS396 BIG-BLOCK Z16! – is a rare, fast collectible. Chevrolet had been slow to bring a high-performance midsize car to market. Toward the end of the 1965 model year, they revealed the potent Z16 Chevelle Malibu SS396, powered by an all-new Mark IV 396 big-block. While somewhat boxy, it was the most powerful car in the Supercar Sweepstakes. But there was a problem. Chevrolet General Manager Bunkie Knudsen’s foray into the marke...

’65 CHEVY Z16: ONE-YEAR WONDER!

Posted on April 23, 2018April 23, 2018 by MartynL

One of the highlights of Chevy’s 1965 performance portfolio was the limited-production big-block 396/375 Malibu. Chevrolet had been slow to bring a high-performance midsize car to market in 1965. Toward the end of the 1965 model year, they revealed the potent Z16 Chevelle Malibu SS396, powered by an all-new Mark IV 396 big-block. While somewhat boxy, it was the most powerful car in the Supercar Sweepstakes. But there was a problem. Chevrolet General Manager Bunkie Knudsen’s foray into the marke...