Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

I worked at a chevy dealership (United Cherolet) outside of Worcester, MA in 1970. I moved cars in the lots and drove "car swaps" around the state. It was a very prominent, high volume dealership that always maintained a large assortment of corvettes. We did get an occassional high performnace car, but in general, the LS6's, L78's, Z28's etc were rare. My point: I dealt with hundreds of new '70 chevys, and only a very small percentage were true muscle cars. I believe this was true with most dealers of the period.

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

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could have been the cost of emission certification.

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Probably not. They were allowed to certify an engine/trans combo that could then be used in any platform as long as the components were the same. So the L35 would already have been cert'd under the Camaro drivetrain.

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

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I think I read over at Steves that the Grumps Nova started life as an L79 non SS car.....how cool is that.

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Here's a vintage pic that Ed Hedrick was kind enough to share with me. It's from his personal collection, and is definitely a period photo. It shows Dave Strickler giving the Grump '68 Nova a drink between rounds. Notice there's no rubber flap on the fan shroud/core support, which seems to support it's small block origins. Pretty cool.

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

Cool picture... Thanks to Andrew H., I got the chance to visit with the Strickler family this past year at the York show. Both years I have attended they have had a booth along side a couple of Strickler prepared cars. Usually along side "The Grump", as Ed called him at SCR7.

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

Here's another. What a pair. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

Last one. Note lack of SS hood louvers, or Super Sport rocker emblems.

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

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Probably not. They were allowed to certify an engine/trans combo that could then be used in any platform as long as the components were the same. So the L35 would already have been cert'd under the Camaro drivetrain.


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According to JohnZ (Chevy engineer) the complete car had to be submitted for emission certification.
Here is a quote from a JohnZ thread on Team Camaro "EPA emission certification was done not only by powertrain, but by carline application, vehicle weight, aero drag, and coast-down horsepower testing, which created many variables. Every different situation required full EPA certification"
I also know that Yenko had to get EPA certification on the 1968 427 Camaro. He could not use the 427 Impala certification.

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

Erik, cool Grumpy Nova pictures https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

Wonder who's mighty Mopar is in front of it...looks like Dandy ?

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

cool pic, of mr.5&50

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

Saw 5 & 50 at auction...very cool...check the 61 Poncho wagon in one of those backgrounds...I love looking at the old photos and looking in the backgrounds....post more

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

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I love looking at the old photos and looking in the backgrounds....post more

[/ QUOTE ] How's this for cool?

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

Last one...can anyone spot the body mod on this one? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

Rear fenderwell, moved forward?

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

Looks like the seats are different...not a body mod, though. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif
Radiused fenderwells? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif

Bruce

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

Tom wins this one. While looking over several period pics of his famed DY Yenko that were on display at SCR7, Ed Hedrick had an interesting recollection. Together, Ed and I were examining the changes that were made to the car during the course of it’s campaign, and I had commented on it’s lack of rocker moldings in some later photos. Ed went on to explain that it was a trick of Grump’s to section the outer quarter panel lip, with a few pie slice reliefs, lengthening the wheel opening all the way until it fit flush with the inner wheel tub, freeing up an extra inch or two for bigger slicks. He said it wasn’t technically legal, but it wasn’t technically illegal either. He explained that it was always Grump’s interpretation, that if a modification wasn’t specifically prohibited in the rulebook, it was fair game. He said after they had stretched the opening, they would eliminate the rocker moldings and squirt them black clear up to the door opening to help divert attention away from the alteration. They never got any flak from track officials about it. Just another reason why Grump, Strickler, & Hedrick ran so fast. Pretty slick you gotta admit.

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

Too friggin' cool... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

[ QUOTE ]
According to JohnZ (Chevy engineer) the complete car had to be submitted for emission certification.
Here is a quote from a JohnZ thread on Team Camaro "EPA emission certification was done not only by powertrain, but by carline application, vehicle weight, aero drag, and coast-down horsepower testing, which created many variables. Every different situation required full EPA certification"
I also know that Yenko had to get EPA certification on the 1968 427 Camaro. He could not use the 427 Impala certification.

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I have the actual EPA Certificate for the Yenko Deuce. It was issued to Yenko Sportscars Inc. in March 1971 for the 1970 cars. Do you think Yenko was trying to get them certified for some sort of NHRA class?

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

Both copo camaros that we've had in here had their wheelwells moved forward like the grumps. Richmond's Vitar camaro, and Jude's burnished brown copo. Big slicks, power to the ground.

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

The cut and slice approach was more esthetic than the old "large hammer" approach! On the Sox & Martin hemi-Cuda's, I have been told the factory supplied special rear 1/4's. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

So did they also move the rear axle forward a little or was it still centered for the larger tires after altering the wheel opening? I noticed the lack of rocker moldings right away but couldn't figure out why. Cool car. I love these old pictures showing what people really did with their cars.

Re: 69 Nova L78 TH400
 

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It was issued to Yenko Sportscars Inc. in March 1971 for the 1970 cars. Do you think Yenko was trying to get them certified for some sort of NHRA class?

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Possibly...we have a boat load of correspondance between Yenko Sportscars Inc. and Wally Parks, but apparently it was futile, as the '70 350/360 Novas are still NOT a legal NHRA combo...I helped a guy out east try and get it classified last year, but no go as of yet...