1972 Chevelle Engine Photos & 402/454 cid Engine Production Numbers

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1972 402/454 Engine Production

Figures are for Chevelle ("A" body), Full Size Passenger ("B" body), and Camaro ("F" body) platforms and are broken down as such.

The LS3 is a 402 cid Mark IV engine listed as a Turbo-Jet 400 and was available on all factory V8 wagons, the standard Chevelle series sport coupe and pickup, all Malibu series body styles including the Custom El Camino. The LS3 was identified with '400' emblems on the front fenders the same as the '350' and '307' emblems. When an LS3 equipped SS-optioned Chevelle was sold, only the SS emblem was used on the front fender behind the tires and no engine size was designated. This is also true of the two 350 engined SS Chevelles and only the 454 engine received any engine size designations. See the how to identify a 1972 Chevelle SS page.

LS3 figures: The LS3 is one of 4 available engines with the RPO Z15 SS Equipment option. Chevelle and Monte Carlo figures for this engine are broken out in the table below. Therefore the LS3 figures for Chevelles and Monte Carlos include all sales of the LS3, not just in combination with the SS Equipment option.

LS5 figures: The LS5 engine required the SS Equipment option, the two 350 cid and 402 cid engines could be ordered without the SS Equipment option. A total of 24,946 Z15 optioned Chevelles were sold.

RPO HP Transmission Suffix Production Notes
LS3/MC1 240 Heavy Duty 3-speed manual CTH 286 "A" body
286 Total LS3/MC1 Engines
        272 Total LS3/MC1 Vehicles
95.1% of total LS3/MC1 engine/transmission production went into cars. The MC1 H.D. 3-Speed transmission was only available in the Chevelle. Some documentation also lists suffix code of CLS for this combination. 014 Service Engines
           
LS3 240 Manual CTA 02,661 "A" & "F" body
LS3/M40 240 TH-400 CTB 85,050 "A", "B", & "F", body
LS3/MC1 240 Heavy Duty 3-speed manual CTH 00,286 "A"
        87,987 Total LS3 Engines
        87,711 Total LS3 Vehicles
  00,276 Service Engines
Total LS3 Car Production    
Chevelle ("A")   20,031  
Full Size Passenger ("B")   66,702  
Camaro ("F")   00,970  
Total LS3 Cars   87,711  
       
99.7% of LS3 engine production went into cars. Some documentation also lists the following engine codes:
CLA - manual
CLB & CTJ - TH-400
CLS - Heavy Duty 3-speed manual
   

Total LS5
         
LS5/M22 270 Manual CRX 01,625 "A"
LS5/M40 270 TH400 CRN * 11,596 "A" & "B"
LS5/B07 270 TH-400 Police CRY 01,009 "B"
14,240 Total LS5 Engines
  13,367 Total LS5 Vehicles
  00,873 Service Engines
     
Total LS5 Car Production    
Chevelle ("A") 5,333  
Full Size Passenger ("B") 8,034  
Total LS5 Cars 13,367  
   
93.9% of LS5 engine production went into cars. Some documentation also lists the following engine codes.
CPA - Manual
CPD & CRW - TH-400
* CRN has not been found on any 1972 Chevelle build sheet with LS5 engine; only CRW and CRX
   
  However, all 1972 Chevelle build sheets I have code the LS3 as either TA or TB.

Arlington



Baltimore

Courtesy Bill Hall
Courtesy Bill Hall

Courtesy Bill Hall
Courtesy Nick Hergica

Kansas City




Los Angeles (Van Nuys)


Engine Pad (unknown plant)



LS5

LS5
Correct painted valve covers and no air cleaner sticker - although ZL2 hood seal is upside down.

LS5
Incorrect chrome valve covers and air cleaner sticker.