SUMMARY
Fully documented L72 Biscayne / Restored with many NOS and date-correct parts / 300-hour freshening completed in 2013Awarded an AACA National First Prize Award in 2014 / Judging sheets & award included with sale
Featured in the November, 1989 edition of Muscle Cars Magazine / Feature included with sale
All-original sheetmetal / Correct Tuxedo Black lacquer / Correct Red cloth and vinyl interior
Correct 427 cubic inch L72 V8 / 425 horsepower
Correct F41 Heavy Duty Suspension
Era-correct Muncie 4-speed manual transmission
Era-correct GM 12-bolt rear axle / Posi-traction differential / 4.56 gears
Sale includes: Original Window Sticker / Original Sales Invoice / Vintage pictures / Restoration receipts from 2013
1 of only 183 L72-powered 'Bisquicks' produced for the 1966 model year / 1 of only 11 believed to still exist
How do you take a no-nonsense Chevy full-size and make it even more lethal? You put it on a diet, check the option box beside L72 and bolt up a tough Muncie 4-speed! When it comes to performance, durability and sheer intimidation, nothing beats a good old GM workhorse. And, thanks to their simplicity and heavy duty hardware, cars like the Chevrolet Biscayne are ideal foundations for killer sleepers with monstrous horsepower. This sleek sedan, 1 of 183 L72-powered 'Bisquicks' produced for the 1966 model year and 1 of only 11 believed to still exist, is the literal embodiment of brute force. Amenities like manual steering and a tough F41 suspension make it the perfect car for authentic driving experiences, while classic lines, a simple interior and miles of smooth lacquer are sure to wow the purists. Looking for an award-winning investment that's road ready, show-ready and just plain battle-ready? This fully-sorted Chevy has it all!
HISTORY/APPEARANCE
In the spring of 1966 John Enlund III, a Cloquet, Minnesota native, decided that his 1965 Tri-power GTO just wasn't fast enough. So, on Thursday, May 12th, he headed to Larson Chevrolet to trade almost even for this beastly Chevy Biscayne. John thought, rightfully so, that Chevrolet's L72 427 could be a lot of fun in the blue collar brand's most blue collar offering, and he spent much of the next year enjoying his new toy at local drag strips. In June of 1967, when John headed to Vietnam to defend our freedom, the Biscayne found its second owner in 20 year old Leroy Levens. Still wet behind the ears, Levens threw a few go fast pieces on the car and promptly blew its original engine. Luckily, a service replacement block was located and Levens, honing his racing skills on both the road and track, eventually blistered the strip with a best time of 12.69 @ 106MPH. As the years passed, Levens continued to back the car out of the garage for sunny day joyrides and, eventually, coordinated a frame-off restoration which included a roster of NOS components. In 1986, sporting fresh Tuxedo Black lacquer, the Bisquick caught the eye of New Jersey resident Joseph Fasano. And, after 24 months of negotiations, Fasano purchased the car and promptly detailed it to factory-correct guise using many dated components. The next 25 years included a lot of time on the trailer, many award-winning appearances at Super Chevy shows and a couple hundred miles of careful road time. And, circa 2013, the car was purchased by its current, Ohio-based owner who spent $7,000 and 300 hours freshening its original sheetmetal and smooth lacquer paint.
With a wet-look finish and subtle branding, this Biscayne is an intentionally low-key take on the fundamentals of every hard-edged muscle car: tough looks, sturdy components, reduced weight and tons of power! At the front of the car, a broad stainless grille hangs a bright Chevrolet crest and small AACA plaque between a two-tone bumper, four T3 headlights and clear parking lamps. At the sides of that grille, mandatory door handles and a bowtie-branded mirror complement the natural simplicity of NOS ornamentation. At the tops of those handles, straight stainless trim highlights correctly-dated glass. And at the back of the car, 'plain Jane' tail lamps float between a broad chrome bumper, a second Chevrolet crest and an off-set "Chevrolet" script.
ENGINE
Pop this sedan's wide hood and you'll find a fully detailed, date-correct 427 which is branded with a familiar 3869942 casting number. Introduced as the ultimate option for street-prowling bowties, Chevrolet's storied L72 big block spins stout 11 to 1 compression into an as advertised 425 horsepower. At the top of the all-business mill, an NOS dual-snorkel air cleaner funnels wind through a correct Holley 3246 carburetor. That carb rides on a correct Winters intake, which hangs between correct, cast iron heads that benefit from 3-angle valve jobs. Those heads sit on a .030-bored block that's fitted with stock pistons and a correct L72 solid lifter cam. At the back of that cam, correct but deactivated transistor ignition shoots spark through date-coded Packard TV R Suppression cables. Below those cables, correct exhaust manifolds jettison baked Sinclair into a big, true-dual exhaust system. In front of those manifolds, GM-coded belts spin a correct alternator above an NOS fan clutch and idler pulley. And, at the front of the engine, an original, L72 Biscayne-exclusive radiator is fitted with a correct shroud, a correct finger guard, GM-branded hoses and old school tower clamps. Bright Chevy Orange paint coats the block and, as always, looks great against a fully finished hood and glossy inner fenders. Correct decals are present and accounted for. And niceties such as stainless fuel lines, a Delco-branded coil and a high quality Delco battery topper ensure the car looks just as good as it runs.
DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION
Park this Biscayne on a lift and you'll find a solid undercarriage that's been no stranger to mirrors and occasional flash bulbs. Straight floorpans, restored in the same Satin Black livery that details the car's engine bay, ride on a sturdy black frame. A 1967 Muncie 4-speed feeds a 1964 12-bolt axle, which spins a posi-traction differential around big, 4.56 gears. Under that capable drivetrain, a completely rebuilt F41 sports suspension is equipped with manual steering and 4-wheel drum brakes. At the center of the floors, an aluminized, true-dual exhaust system utilizes throaty turbo mufflers to weave an aggressive, full-throttle rumble into a subdued and classy idle. At the corners of the suspension, great looking G78-14 Goodyear Power Streak IIs frame painted steelies and red-detailed hub caps. And everything, from this Chevy's NOS shocks to its leak-free fuel tank, is fully restored and ready to hit the pavement.
INTERIOR
Decked in correct red hides, this sedan's stunning interior has been returned to factory-fresh condition in virtually every way. The wide bench seats feel newer than their NOS covers suggest, and present just as well now as the day they rolled out of the dealership. At the base of those seats, like-new carpet is protected by thick, color-keyed floor mats. At the sides of that carpet, a combination of original and reproduction door panels hang straight stainless trim around simple chrome handles and small, modernist armrests. At the front of those panels, a restored dash, which features a rare, 7,000RPM tachometer, carries what appears to be a correct radio. At the base of that dash, a stylish chrome shifter rows around an NOS boot and baseplate. Opposite that shifter, an original mirror fronts a bright white headliner. In front of the driver, a color-keyed steering wheel spins around a classy blue bowtie. And behind the passengers, a spattered trunk seals a full-size spare tire below clean decklid decals.
PROVENANCE
Simple, sinister and accurate. That's how we'd describe this exclusive Biscayne. And, not surprisingly, that's exactly what the car's VIN, cowl tag and original window sticker have to say as well.
VIN: 154116JXXXXXX
1 Chevrolet5 Biscayne
4 V8 engine
11 2-door sedan
6 1966 model year
J Assembled in Janesville, Wisconsin
XXXXXX Sequential production number
COWL TAG:
05A Assembled during the first week (A) of May (05), 196666 1966 model year
15411 V8-powered (4) Chevrolet (1) Biscayne (5) 2-door sedan (11)
JAN Assembled in Janesville, Wisconsin
6090 Sequential production number
876-A Red cloth and vinyl interior
A-A Tuxedo Black paint
WINDOW STICKER:
FINAL ASSEMBLY: Janesville, WisconsinMODEL: 15411 Biscayne 2-door sedan
DELIVERED TO: Larson Chevrolet in Superior, Wisconsin
OPTIONS:
- M21 4-speed transmission ($231.75)
- L72 427 cubic inch, 425 horsepower Turbojet V8 ($447.65)
- K66 Transistor ignition system ($73.75)
- U63 Pushbutton radio ($57.40)
- A02 Tinted windshield ($21.10)
- T60 Heavy duty battery ($7.40)
- F41 Special suspension ($31.60)
- G80 Posi-traction rear axle ($42.15)
- AA Tuxedo Black paint ($00)
BASE PRICE: $2,484
DESTINATION CHARGE: $103.20
OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT: $912.80
TOTAL VEHICLE PRICE: $3,500
OUR SALE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION
An original Window StickerAn original Sales Invoice
A copy of that Sales Invoice
A copy of the car's lifetime lube certificate
An original Owner's Guide
Vintage pictures taken by the car's second owner
The car's feature in the November, 1989 edition of Muscle Cars Magazine
A copy of that feature
Restoration receipts from the car's 2013 freshening
A complete ownership history and fact list
Judging sheets from the car's 2014 AACA National First Prize Award
The car's 2014 AACA National First Prize trophy
One of the most potent machines of the mid '60s, this Biscayne is an ideal combination of subdued looks and sheer power. In the golden era, few muscle cars could hang with Chevrolet's 'taxi cab special'. And today, few collector cars can eclipse its status as one of the baddest street bruisers to ever wear a bowtie. If you're looking for a unique classic, a killer sleeper, or a proven vintage show queen, you're staring at your next car!