Re: '69 Yenko Nova questions
 

Tom, you're right, no US COPO cars could have original heater delete. As of Jan. 1, l968 federal law dictated all cars sold in US must have front defrosters (as thus heater would be required). I don't know about Canadian cars, though. I know one was circulating a few years ago claiming to be original heater delete car but never saw any documentation. Some Camaros were assembled in the Phillipines so probably some heater deletes there but probably all 6 cyls. When we restored my Camaro we installed the heater delete plates (I think it looks neat) but have never claimed them to be original. I always thought Rusty Symmes' ZL1 looked neat with them. Always thought it was weird it was in the '69 assembly manual and not listed as export only though.

Marlin, the Rally green Nova was near Granville, Ohio ( near National Trail Raceway) out in the country. I found it in a car trader type publication. Now bear in mind this was 17 yrs. ago and memories fade but we found the car setting with a bunch of other vehicles, buses, old hulks of cars, and junk at a farm out in the country. I don't think the car had a hood on it and don't remember seeing it although I remember asking the guy if he had the hood. Stripes were still on the quarters and doors but I believe fenders were primed. It had no interior, just 2 ragged 70ish Camaro seats bolted in and a big Competition Plus poked through the floor. Big block was a 512 casting but a '66 date as I remember and had open headers. It had typical rot in the quarters but I think the trunk looked ok. I remember the guy wanted to take me a ride with him... said "it hit a good lick" burt I declined. It was your typical old worn out muscle car going to hell. Price was $5,500. and that was the price as the guy wouldn't barter. Carl later told me that the guy was tough and that's what he had to pay for the car. Carl always had stuff done to his specs according to Dave, especially using white cad. and then doing some phantom cars. I got the vin and called Vince Emme to check it and thats when he told me the story about it being the first SC Nova, Tom. That's about all I remember.

Re: '69 Yenko Nova questions
 

This has been a fascinating topic. I really enjoy the "old" stories of found treasure before the prices got outrageous. What does a restored '69 Yenko Nova go for these days? Noticed Randy Miller had a set of '69 Yenko Camaro, Chevelle and Nova for sale.

Re: '69 Yenko Nova questions
 

Thanks for the extra background info. Granville is just east of Columbus, so assuming that it came from Columbus there would be two possible dealers. Hugh White Chev, Columbus, and Konners Chev, Columbus. It is possible that it came from Glockner Chev, Portsmouth, OH. Other possibles would be Marve Minneman, Youngstown; Cenral Chev, Cleveland; Joseph Chev, Cincinnati; Luby Chev, Cleveland; Central Motor Co, Hamilton; White Allen Chev, Dayton; and White Chev, Lima.

I have heard a similar story from some car guys in the Columbus area about a dark green '69 Yenko Nova in some junk yard. Maybe this is one and the same car.
Marlin

Re: '69 Yenko Nova questions
 

Heater delete was available in Canada without question as we know of a 69 375 Nova with all paper, and has no radio or heater. As far as 68 COPO camaro's are concerned, I can say without hesitation that the 68 Yenko that we restored was a 396/375 car before the Yenko transplant.. We had interviewed the first and second owner. The first owners were brothers about 17 and 19 years old from the next town over Bentleyville Pa (home of the old Yenko Chevrolet). The brothers picked the car out from the showroom floor and had the conversion done to there specs, including Atlas wheels and headers. They would make a daily trip to see the progress on their new Camaro. They recalled the engine transplant very well. Why would Yenko remove the engine if it were a 427 to start with? This car was one of the last cars built at Norwood in 1968 with a last week of July assembly date. I still think that all the cars were 396 to start out with and were received with the COPO suspension and 140 speedo option 9737. I have heard that Yenko received @ 72 cars. With only 64 converted, that leaves a few 396 cars sold with 9737. I have also heard of a few non-converted cars with the 140 speedo etc, in the Pittsburgh area. Also we have a MV code 68 396/375 with a Camaro VIN. What are some other ideas on the MV code motors.

Re: '69 Yenko Nova questions
 

I have a 69 RS Z28 with a Porcupine 302 in it that was owned by Carl Dwiggins and done by Dave Tinnell. It is Yellow with Yellow Houndstooth and it has a ton of white Cad plated bolts on it. Dave says that's how Carl wanted it and Carl was paying the Bills. Dave did a Red on Red 67 RS Z for me that turned out beautiful. Dave also just finished restoring the ZL1 that the Camaro club gave away in 94, now it is a nice car.

Re: '69 Yenko Nova questions
 

Thats kind of what I thought. You do the cars the way the customer wants, sometimes though its not the best way. Others make judgements off what they see and not what you can do. You have these guys that want the killer cars and then wont spend the $$$ to make them right, but they spend the money on the stupid stuff, drives me crazy. I am lucky and have not had much of that. I have seen other cars that Dave has done and thought they were very nice.

[Edited by micky69396 (07-14-2000 at 08:21 PM).]

Re: '69 Yenko Nova questions
 

It's great to see that guys who know alot more than me have honest disagreements about facts relating to these cars. Once again, be wary of "always" and "never" statements.

Re: '69 Yenko Nova questions
 

427 transplants into SS cars was the cheapest and most reliable route to go. With this package you already had the 12 bolt rear end and all the rest of the heavy duty pieces. If the Chevy II/Nova build sheets were like the ones for the Chevelle in 1969, the COPO code (9566AA in our case)shows up on the build sheet at the left hand side of the page below the list of options. The 427 engine code, not the 396 code, will show up in the engine code box at the top of the page. The L78 option shows up in the option list however. It seems like all the COPO Chevelles and Camaros had the specially heat treated 4.10 gears. A COPO Chevelle got the KQ rear end while the L78 Chevelles got a KK 4.10 rear end. I would assume that factory '69 427 Novas would probably have the same arrangement for the sake of durability.

Re: '69 Yenko Nova questions
 

Carl Dwiggins had a white Yenko Chevelle (now in Reggie's collection) with a big NOS plenum air cleaner with the duct boot bolted to the firewall. It looked odd on there but if thats what he wanted...
His restoration guy must have went nuts though.

Re: '69 Yenko Nova questions
 

My Yellow Z28 also has a 4 speed tranny out of someones 69 Yenko that Carl was having restored at the same time. If Dave said " Carl, I need a tranny to keep going " Carl would have him take what was around. The #'s matching 302 out of my car went into a red Z28