Neat local barn find 66 Chevelle L78

[njsteve]

My mechanic buddy had this delivered to his garage today to get it running for the new owner. My buddy knew this car from when it was a year or two old and used to race against it. It has 29,000 miles and original paint. It is supposed to be an L-78. The motor in it now is another big block but the original block should be coming to the shop soon. Amazing time capsule.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/drside.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/emblem.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/nose.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/passfront.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/tail.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/passrear.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/rearpanel.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/reedman.jpg

The fenders have the ghost image of the phrase "CAUTION 1" on them. The car had tarps on it all these years and they wore away the tops of the rear stripe and the fender letters.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/caution1.jpg

[njsteve]

Here's the interior. This vintage customizing was called a "Palamino" interior back then. The car is covered in dust and mildew but the paint and interior will be in very nice shape (once they get cleaned)

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/int5.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/int3.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/int4.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/int1-1.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/int2-1.jpg

That helmet was done by the Bontempo Brothers back in the 1960s. These are the same guys who still have a speed shop in Linden, NJ. (They were the guys that I had rebuild the rear differential in my 72 T/A a year or two ago.)

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/dash.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/console-1.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/speedo.jpg

[njsteve]

Here's the cowl tag and engine compartment. Anyone know how to decode this tag?

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/cowltag.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/eng1.jpg

The battery is toast. The side of the case is blown out - probably froze and cracked over the past 30 or so years in storage.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/batt.jpg

Single fuel line.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/fuelline.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/S7002386.jpg

[njsteve]

Check out the junk in the trunk:

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/trunk3.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/trunk4.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/trunk5.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/trunk1.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/trunk2.jpg

[njsteve]

Got the old E-Town win stickers, too!

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/window1.jpg

[MosportGreen66]

Neat find! I love the faded fuzz T-Handle!

[Tarrytown SS427s]

Cool car! It's neat how the Posi tag stayed stuck on the trunk lid all these years. What does the block in the car have for a stamping? What does the new owner have planned for it?
Steve

[njsteve]

The block in the car was decked, so no stamps. The original block is supposed to be coming out of the garage in the near future. It will fun to see the old monster up and running again.

[Les Quam]

My friend put one of those fuzzy T handles in his Mach 1 in the early 70s. We thought it was the coolest thing back in the day.

[snydes]

Reedman motors, I have a car that was sold there also. Great pictures!

[Donutblue]

If that is going for restoration I would leave those Raceway stickers on the glass http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Shankin]

This is a great find. I would leave it alone and just get it driveable.

[Bill Pritchard]

[ QUOTE ]
Here's the cowl tag and engine compartment. Anyone know how to decode this tag?

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/cowltag.jpg


[/ QUOTE ]

You bet. 06A is June (06), first week (A) production date for the body. 873 is http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif 66 is self explanatory. 13817 is a Chevelle SS396 (138) 2 door hardtop (17). BAL is Baltimore assembly plant, where the car was produced. 4898 is some internal plant sequencing number. TR (trim) 763 is black vinyl bucket seat interior. N2 PAINT is Madiera maroon (N) with black vinyl top (2).

Cool car....that interior is too much! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Salvatore]

Nice find. Keep us posted with info and pictures. Maybe NHRA still has that number in its system form the 1970 era. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[njsteve]

My buddy said that Village was a local Getty Station here in central NJ back in the day and that is where the name Village Express came from. He couldn't figure out the "Caution 1" logo, though.

[bashton]

What a cool find.

Can you share the story of how it found its new owner and why it was stashed away for so long? I love hearing about these discoveries.

BA

[owners2]

Very cool piece . I would just clean it up, get it running & leave it be. just enjoy..

[njsteve]

Didn't get much on the purchase story. I think the prior owner had to get rid of it based on recent economic conditions and he owed money to the guy who now has it and the car was in payment of the debt.

[COPO 70 RS/Z28]

Sweet,

Wisconsin Door panels http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/headbang.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/headbang.gif

[Xplantdad]

Very cool! Has the car been repainted? How about the blacked out tail panel...does it look original?

[Dog427435]

What a great find!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif


(watch out for Mad Cow!!)

[Gregs396]

[ QUOTE ]
My buddy said that Village was a local Getty Station here in central NJ back in the day and that is where the name Village Express came from. He couldn't figure out the "Caution 1" logo, though.

[/ QUOTE ]
I grew up in Central NJ, but don't recall that name. Do you know what town it, or the car were located in?

[njsteve]

[ QUOTE ]
Very cool! Has the car been repainted? How about the blacked out tail panel...does it look original?

[/ QUOTE ]

All the maroon paint and the tail panel black appear to be factory applied. Some checking here and there. It appears that the original owner did some wierd customizing by tryng to fill the gap between the hood vent inserts and the hood - the black stripe section on the hood covers that area.

[Xplantdad]

Thanks Steve...very cool stuff! Please keep us updated!

[njsteve]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
My buddy said that Village was a local Getty Station here in central NJ back in the day and that is where the name Village Express came from. He couldn't figure out the "Caution 1" logo, though.

[/ QUOTE ]
I grew up in Central NJ, but don't recall that name. Do you know what town it, or the car were located in?

[/ QUOTE ]

The Getty station was on Stuyvesant Avenue in Irvington. Not exactly a nice place these days, or back in the 1960's. I think the last time Irvington was a "nice place" was in the late 1600's. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

I stopped by the shop today. He had the valve covers off and there was no sign of any rust. Everything was all nice and shiny inside. He said it was from the "green oil". I said, What? And he enlightened me that the Valvoline racing oil back in the 1960s was a green color and turned yellow when the additives were used up, indicating that it was time to replace it. I never heard of that but obviously the stuff works since according to him the car has not moved from its hideaway since the mid 1970s.

[HPMIKE]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
My buddy said that Village was a local Getty Station here in central NJ back in the day and that is where the name Village Express came from. He couldn't figure out the "Caution 1" logo, though.

[/ QUOTE ]
I grew up in Central NJ, but don't recall that name. Do you know what town it, or the car were located in?

[/ QUOTE ]

The Getty station was on Stuyvesant Avenue in Irvington. Not exactly a nice place these days, or back in the 1960's. I think the last time Irvington was a "nice place" was in the late 1600's. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

I stopped by the shop today. He had the valve covers off and there was no sign of any rust. Everything was all nice and shiny inside. He said it was from the "green oil". I said, What? And he enlightened me that the Valvoline racing oil back in the 1960s was a green color and turned yellow when the additives were used up, indicating that it was time to replace it. I never heard of that but obviously the stuff works since according to him the car has not moved from its hideaway since the mid 1970s.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

We sure have our share of heavyweights in this area of Jersey. I am about to uncover a great find of a pair of survivor one owner big block cars. I will let you all in on it when it comes to fruition.

Keep us posted!!

Mike B.

[buickgn]

Steve, remember mine??? (see attachment) You probably remember it when it was red before I tubbed it. Of course, mine wasn't a real SS but I modified it so much it didn't really matter. Sold it in 95 and lost track of it. Was somewhere in NY last I knew. Blown 454, Doug Nash 5 speed, 9" Ford rear. Been trying to track it down just to see what happened to it.

[njsteve]

[ QUOTE ]
Steve, remember mine??? (see attachment) You probably remember it when it was red before I tubbed it. Of course, mine wasn't a real SS but I modified it so much it didn't really matter. Sold it in 95 and lost track of it. Was somewhere in NY last I knew. Blown 454, Doug Nash 5 speed, 9" Ford rear. Been trying to track it down just to see what happened to it.

[/ QUOTE ]


Holy Cow! Is that you Mark? I just went over to the thread on the "ZL1 and Yenkos at B-J" and saw your response on the Armstrong Show photos. Too cool dude!

So how have you been?

[njsteve]

Hung out at the shop this morning. He's made some progress on the car. The owner wanted him to remove the roll bar (yes, everything taken off has been carefully packaged up for storage and is not for sale).

He finished the brakes, replacing the shoes and wheel cylinders at each corner, as well as the master cylinder (he's sending the original out for a rebuild so this one is the temporary replacement). He flushed out the tank and lines which still had a few gallons of well-preserved racing fuel that was crystal clear and smelled pretty good.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/S7002593.jpg

Valvetrain, still nice and shiny. I heard the monster run a few weeks ago. Sounds very angry!

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/S7002597.jpg

The original slicks still hold air nicely.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/S7002592.jpg

The interior. The owner has pealed the palomino fabric off the doors. Needs a bit of cleaning inside...and no, it's not for sale - the "for sale" sign was a practical joke.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/S7002596.jpg

The underside. very dusty but rust-free.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/S7002599.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/S7002600.jpg

[x Baldwin Motion]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Very cool! Has the car been repainted? How about the blacked out tail panel...does it look original?

[/ QUOTE ]

Bruce, that sure looks original to me. Whoever put those dealer tags back on again? Just the dealer, right?
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i30/nk15268a/rearpanel.jpg
All the maroon paint and the tail panel black appear to be factory applied. Some checking here and there. It appears that the original owner did some wierd customizing by tryng to fill the gap between the hood vent inserts and the hood - the black stripe section on the hood covers that area.

[/ QUOTE ]


Steve, a picture inside the trunk to show the black overspray and/or masking details for the tail panel paint would be great reference. Thanks in advance http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/headbang.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif

[firstgenaddict]

I want it! I want it! I want it!

[njsteve]

Stopped by the shop today. Here is the trunk edge detail inside and out. No black overspray anywhere.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/S7002734.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/S7002737.jpg

[njsteve]

For those of you that seek to duplicate a 1960's quality tow bar mount, just see if you can try to copy this quality piece of welding:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/S7002717.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/S7002718.jpg

[njsteve]

The car was on the lift so I got a few shots of the underside. They ran a buffer over the paint last week and it really woke it up. Nice and shiny now. The areas where the front fender decals were, are raised up above the adjacent paint so the ghost image of the original text still remains.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/S7002720.jpg

Factory exhaust hangers still in place:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/S7002706.jpg

Nice quarter bottoms. The tack welds were perfect with no rust anywhere:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/S7002708.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/S7002707.jpg

[njsteve]

Here's a video clip of the engine running. Sounds rather docile. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll140/njstevecars/th_S7002739.jpg (http://s287.photobucket.com/albums/ll140/njstevecars/?action=view&current=S7002739.flv)

[mockingbird812]

Nice shots Steve. Thanks. She does sound healthy!!

[njsteve]

Here's the 1976 receipt for the engine work. If only the prices were the same today.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/S7002746.jpg

[markinnaples]

That sounds freaking awesome!

[MosportGreen66]

That video sums up why I love muscle cars. Thanks for the reminder Steve!

[chevelleheart]

What a great car, can't wait to see some more pics.

[firstgenaddict]

the sound of radically cammed big blocks brings tears to my eyes...

[firstgenaddict]

$350 to blue print and assem engine... LOL

[JJEH]

Sounds great... very nice car http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[lwkitt427]

THE VIDEO MAKES UP FOR ALL THE TIME WE SPEND AWAY FROM OUR LOVE ONES AND OTHER HOBBIES. WHEN YOU HEAR THAT RADICAL MOTOR RUN YOU JUST KNOW WHY.

[njsteve]

Just a little extra compression there. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

-You can see how the engine barely turns over a couple times and then explodes into ignition mode.

[Jerry@CHP]

My white survivor '68 Z28 came out of Reedman too. Dealer is still there but it has grown a lot bigger today. One of the dealer malls. They have a test track for road tests.

Sold a ton of performance cars there in the 1960s!

I suspect this Chevelle ran Super Stock at one time and maybe even Stock? Back in the late 1960s, Super Stock class would only allow you to run rear slicks that fit in the rear wheel wells. Looks like no mods were done back there. Cool car!

Jerry

I'm only a minute from Reedman auto. Actually it was bought out by Bruce Toll from Toll Brothers "housing developer" It is now called Reedman-Toll. I have a good friend who's wife has been there for a while, She knows so much that she was kept on after the buy out, and is a big wig in the company. I know people have been trying to get paper work from there for a while. THE PAPER WORK IS STILL AROUND, I've been working on it for about a year know. As part of the buy out they had to get rid of all the old "crap" that was in one of the buildings. I have been told alot off the old paper work is in storage place with alot of office furniture they kept. There is still 2 salesmen that work there still from the 60's. Just my 2 cents.

[pSYCo]

[ QUOTE ]
For those of you that seek to duplicate a 1960's quality tow bar mount, just see if you can try to copy this quality piece of welding:
EASY !!!!...just leave the GAS off on your mig !....AWESOME car !
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/S7002717.jpg

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b216/nk15268/S7002718.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

[MotionPerformance67]

Anything new happening on this? What kind of roll bar is that? Lakewood maybe?

[Valsmere]

Damm awesome car thank you for sharing. Keep us posted.