1969 ZL1 Vette?

[DarrenX33]

I just found this pic. I took this when I went to the Muscle Car Review Magazine show in Cypress Gardens Florida in the 80's. I remember Larry from Oklahoma (us old timer site members will remember him) said he distinctly remembered seeing a blue ZL1 Vette back in the day. Well, take a look. Should be fun.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v370/darren_costello/ZL1Vette.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/darren_costello/media/ZL1Vette.jpg.html)

[the427king]

I believe there were 2 . One white one yellow

[Starship]

The yellow one belongs to Roger Judski. There is also an orange one that supposedly has been verified.

[Keith Seymore]

My understand was one white, one yellow.

George Heberling (Asst Staff Engineer - Production Engineering) drove one of those as his company assigned vehicle. (I went to GMI with his son Chris).

The orange car you are thinking of might be the mule vehicle used during the Long Lead Press show on the GM Milford Proving Ground's vehicle dynamics pad (aka "Black Lake"). The car has been reproduced, quite authentically, but is not the original.

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/17/automobiles/collectibles/a-blast-while-it-lasted-unique-corvette-earns-an-encore.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSumMediumMediaFloated&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

http://www.motortrend.com/news/1969-chevrolet-corvette-lt-2-review/

K

[Tracker1]

My understand was one white, one yellow.

George Heberling (Asst Staff Engineer - Production Engineering) drove one of those as his company assigned vehicle. (I went to GMI with his son Chris).

The orange car you are thinking of might be the mule vehicle used during the Long Lead Press show on the GM Milford Proving Ground's vehicle dynamics pad (aka "Black Lake"). The car has been reproduced, quite authentically, but is not the original.

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/17/automobiles/collectibles/a-blast-while-it-lasted-unique-corvette-earns-an-encore.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSumMediumMediaFloated&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

http://www.motortrend.com/news/1969-chevrolet-corvette-lt-2-review/

K

No Keith not that one. This one, the Gulf car:

http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2013/08/12/pics-monaco-orange-1969-zl1-corvette-convertible-at-bloomington-gold/

[Tracker1]

I'm not sure if this is the same car Darren posted above, possible though:

http://www.superchevy.com/features/vemp-0606-1969-corvette-zl1/

[mr 707]

I remember seeing the white one @ indy 1987. At the time they wanted 100k. Wife said dont you dare lol

[markinnaples]

I've seen that Orange Gulf Corvette a few times when I lived in Pittsburgh at a couple car shows. Guy said he bought it at Yenko Chevrolet from Don and that it was, indeed, an original ZL-1 car that was a testing mule or something. He had a 482(?) BB in it then, with the orig ZL-1 427 on a stand at his house. Older guy, seemed legit.

[Tracker1]

In Gulf livery -

"But there was one Corvette buyer then who had no problem with the ZL1-powered Corvette's $9,900-plus sticker price: John Maher, a western Pennsylvania drag racer who was a personal friend of Don Yenko. Says Kevin Mackay of Corvette Repair in Valley Stream, New York, who restored this ZL1, "He had an International Blue '68 L88 originally, and when he found out that they were making another car that was lighter, and with the aluminum block, he decided to order that, and he got it through Gulf Oil and he drag raced the car."

John raced the Monaco Orange ZL1 "Winning Automatically," with its heavy-duty Turbo 400 for a number of years, while adding different stripes, colors, and decals during the years he campaigned it.

Eventually, it was parked and stored where it avoided the ravages of time and weather. There it stayed until he sold it to Bruce Perrone, its current owner. "I bought the car in 2007," he says. " It was largely unrestored. It had just under 3,000 miles on it. Over the years, it had gone through a few paint schemes, but I bought it from the original owner who'd raced the car from day one." Bruce adds."

John held onto a copy of the original invoice and the original tank sticker that shows the ZL1 engine option and the M40 automatic transmission. With this original documentation, there is little doubt this Corvette is the real deal.

[markinnaples]

That is exactly how I remembered seeing it back in the 80's at some local Pgh car shows. Pretty cool to have been able to see it in it's as-raced condition. Thanks for the pics.

[olredalert]

----Have seen this ZL1 several times at Carlisle over the years. Matter of fact we stayed at the same hotel more than one year and talked about his car at length. Absolutely the real deal!.......Bill S

[novadude]

That is exactly how I remembered seeing it back in the 80's are local Pgh car shows. Pretty cool to have been able to see it in it's as-raced condition. Thanks for the pics.

Yup. I've seen that car at shows around Pittsburgh too... late 1990s maybe?

[duskblue]

I think they built 7. There was a white one it was duntovs toy. They thrashed it at the proving grounds. Google duntovs toy for more. There was also another white one that sold new at Gus Paulos Chevrolet salt lake city Utah. They say it is in the north west now.

[DarrenX33]

I wish I could fine the old thread where Larry Clain (I think that's how his last name was spelled) was talking about the blue one.

[Tracker1]

This is what Larry Clain had to say about the car he saw in Tulsa, OK in 1969 -

"I can remember so vividly seeing a Blue '69 cpe. with a window sticker showing the ZL-1 motor setting at a bodyshop here in Tulsa OK. back in the spring of '69. It had a blue interior too. I tried to find out who owned it but nobody knew for sure. Wish I had took pic of it so everybody would believe me. It didn't have any stripes on it but perhaps they were installed by the dealer when it got to the final destination.

I am sure about the color as I had a same color '68 400 hp turbo 400 cpe that I had picked up from the local salvage pool and it was still in the bodyshop at that time but almost finished. Because of the color of the coupe being the same as mine, it caught my eye and I stopped and looked it over.

It was still cold in the mornings and this was a Sat and the place where it was setting in their parking lot, was not open.

I drove back by two or three times and it was still there and then after 1 pm it was gone? Never saw it again or pursued it any farther. Wish I had. "

[DarrenX33]

I'm not sure if this is the same car Darren posted above, possible though:

http://www.superchevy.com/features/vemp-0606-1969-corvette-zl1/

Very interesting.. Good candidate.

[DarrenX33]

I found the thread where Larry (Pantera) discussed the car.

I saw the blue one when it was new. Setting in the parking lot of a auto appostery shop with the window sticker still on it. That was about a mile from two different Chev dealers here in Tulsa. Never saw it again. It could have been used by the DX racing division. They were in and out of Tulsa all the time.

It was newly off the trunk and still had the window sticker. No stripes on it yet.

It was almost closing time and nobody was around. (yes that was tempting to a kid my age) It was gone later (6:30)when I left my aunts house a few blocks away. I had a '68 400hp th400 the same color being rebuilt from a wreck which is why this one caught my eye in the first place.

http://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=78499&highlight=blue

[KLars1]

http://corvettes-musclecars.com/gallery2/v/al_corvette/1969+Corvette+ZL-1+427-430HP/

The white one in the Northwest.

[Big Block 69]

The white one was in a muscle car mag in March of 1986. At that time, the build sheet said the engine was L88 at a cost of 1032.14 with no mention of ZL1. The article also said the car was purchased "as a new car" from a broker with 900 miles on it by a gentlemen named Jack Chetaskey. The writer said that "anything" could have happened in that 900 miles and probably did and the ZL1 was probably installed at that time.

[Keith Seymore]

No Keith not that one. This one, the Gulf car:

http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2013/08/12/pics-monaco-orange-1969-zl1-corvette-convertible-at-bloomington-gold/

Thank you; I had never heard of this car until today.

K

[Tracker1]

The white one was in a muscle car mag in March of 1986. At that time, the build sheet said the engine was L88 at a cost of 1032.14 with no mention of ZL1. The article also said the car was purchased "as a new car" from a broker with 900 miles on it by a gentlemen named Jack Chetaskey. The writer said that "anything" could have happened in that 900 miles and probably did and the ZL1 was probably installed at that time.

The ZL1 Corvettes have L88 on the tank sticker because the L88 was the package - cooling, brakes, etc. - then the L88 engine was substituted with the ZL1 427. That's why L88 shows up on the white car's (and other ZL1s) sheet.

Chestaky is an IRS Officer and has sworn legally in writing - on US Treasury Letterhead(!) - that he ordered and purchased the car as a ZL1 with a $10,000+ purchase price - he was offered no money and received no money to do so, long after he had given up ownership of the car. Subsequent owners and racers of the car also have signed affidavits attesting to the car as a ZL1. No less than Zora Duntov sat in the car in the 80s at Otis Chandler's Museum and verbally verified it as a factory car. Yes, the white car is a factory ZL1.

[southernfriedcj]

No Keith not that one. This one, the Gulf car:

http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2013/08/12/pics-monaco-orange-1969-zl1-corvette-convertible-at-bloomington-gold/

Sweet!

[ANDY M]

The white car was in the Otis Chandler collection, and was featured in the Randy Leffingwell book "American Muscle". The story in the book says that Cheskaty was an engineer with the Atomic Energy commision, single and living at home. He bought the car for full sticker in Salt Lake City and drove it home to Denver.
Lucky for him, Sunoco 260 was around .35 cents a gallon. This car was what you'd call thirsty.

[rich p]

How did he buy the Gulf racing car from Don Yenko but have an invoice from another dealership??
Is Invoice fake??

[HawkX66]

Chestaky is an IRS Officer and has sworn legally in writing - on US Treasury Letterhead(!) - that he ordered and purchased the car as a ZL1
No disrespect intended, but that does nothing for your argument... Lerner was the head of the IRS and lied to Congress as sworn testimony. If it were me, I'd just say the original owner swore is was a ZL1. Also, Chestaky broke the law when he wrote it on US Treasury letterhead. Just sayin'....

[Charley Lillard]

How did he buy the Gulf racing car from Don Yenko but have an invoice from another dealership??
Invoice is fake!!

Rich.. If you are going to make a statement like that you need to give info to back it up. My understanding is you were involved in a attempt to purchase this car and have more info.

[rich p]

Read the numbers on the invoice in corvette fever and most people can spot the mistake made..
Love the car and Johns story!!

[rich p]

Rich.. If you are going to make a statement like that you need to give info to back it up. My understanding is you were involved in a attempt to purchase this car and have more info.

Was questioning buying from Don Yenko! With a invoice from another dealer. Why do I need to back it up!!

[HawkX66]

Why do I need to back it up!!
Because you're accusing someone of having fraudulent documents. And why are you yelling so much?

[rich p]

Really Dave!! Yelling..

[firstgenaddict]

Corvette Tank Sheets and window stickers can be verified by NCRS through the IDENT number or the ORDER NUMBER.

Both numbers are in the possession of the NCRS and they will validate your paper using them.

[iluv69s]

Rich, can you post the invoice for us all to judge ? As Charley stated, probably should not question a car like this w/o posting proof. And feel free to fill us in on your experience trying to purchase vehicle.

[muscle_collector]

This is what Larry Clain had to say about the car he saw in Tulsa, OK in 1969 -

"I can remember so vividly seeing a Blue '69 cpe. with a window sticker showing the ZL-1 motor setting at a bodyshop here in Tulsa OK. back in the spring of '69. It had a blue interior too. I tried to find out who owned it but nobody knew for sure. Wish I had took pic of it so everybody would believe me. It didn't have any stripes on it but perhaps they were installed by the dealer when it got to the final destination.

I am sure about the color as I had a same color '68 400 hp turbo 400 cpe that I had picked up from the local salvage pool and it was still in the bodyshop at that time but almost finished. Because of the color of the coupe being the same as mine, it caught my eye and I stopped and looked it over.

It was still cold in the mornings and this was a Sat and the place where it was setting in their parking lot, was not open.

I drove back by two or three times and it was still there and then after 1 pm it was gone? Never saw it again or pursued it any farther. Wish I had. "

I knew larry and often went over to his business and talked corvettes with him. he told me the same story when I first met him around late 79. a few years later I ended up buying a ZL1 engine from a guy that lived outside of tulsa, he was into all kinds of racing. I originally went to buy a 421 HO Catalina that he drag raced and while doing some testing on the country road he lived on lost control and rolled it a few times. I bought it sitting upside down in his pasture where it landed. while I was there I spotted the ZL1 and was able to get it bought. he said it was out of his 69 vette he bought new to race and never titled it. he said he totaled the car a few years later and totally destroyed the body. I questioned him on whether it was a dealer installed deal and he insisted he special ordered it. he pointed out that the block did have a vin # on it. I hired a private detective to search for the history of the car but it never turned up as being registered. I kept the engine for a few years and a guy offered me some crazy money for it (back then money). I had 3 ZL1 engines so I sold it to him. never ever heard from him again and the guy who I bought it from passed away.

[Charley Lillard]

What was the vin ?

[muscle_collector]

don't remember I do have it somewhere in my paperwork. but im not stupid enough to give it out to the public

[Fast67VelleN2O]

I saw this on the Simeone Museum's page.

https://www.simeonemuseum.org/museum-news/interesting-guest-cars-added-to-our-oct-27-corvettes-demo-day

[muscle_collector]

I was able to take some time this afternoon and dig up some pics. here is one of just the ZL1 block and casting number of the engine out of the vette.

[muscle_collector]

just for grins, here are some pics of the Catalina 2+2 421HO 4 speed.
this would have been in the winter of late 1983 or early 1984 because my dually was new in this pic. dang I was a young guy back then. the day before I had cut all the emblems out of it and removed the 8 lug drums and rear end.

[Tracker1]

I knew larry and often went over to his business and talked corvettes with him. he told me the same story when I first met him around late 79. a few years later I ended up buying a ZL1 engine from a guy that lived outside of tulsa, he was into all kinds of racing. I originally went to buy a 421 HO Catalina that he drag raced and while doing some testing on the country road he lived on lost control and rolled it a few times. I bought it sitting upside down in his pasture where it landed. while I was there I spotted the ZL1 and was able to get it bought. he said it was out of his 69 vette he bought new to race and never titled it. he said he totaled the car a few years later and totally destroyed the body. I questioned him on whether it was a dealer installed deal and he insisted he special ordered it. he pointed out that the block did have a vin # on it. I hired a private detective to search for the history of the car but it never turned up as being registered. I kept the engine for a few years and a guy offered me some crazy money for it (back then money). I had 3 ZL1 engines so I sold it to him. never ever heard from him again and the guy who I bought it from passed away.

Wow. Did he also have a Volvo XC70? lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDT_ps-_8oE

[nova67]

Gus Paulos was a personal friend of mine since passed so we cant ask him any questions but he always told me his dad was always ordering High Performance cars and told me they would store them in the basement at their old location before they moved the Dealership to West Valley.

[Drew Papsun]

just for grins, here are some pics of the Catalina 2+2 421HO 4 speed.
this would have been in the winter of late 1983 or early 1984 because my dually was new in this pic. dang I was a young guy back then. the day before I had cut all the emblems out of it and removed the 8 lug drums and rear end.

Hello,
What model year was the Pontiac ?
Thanks,
Drew

[The Boss]

Gary (muscle_collector) I was thinking again about our conversation yesterday and have to think the text and e-mail you got were the result of too many uncle-brother-cousin once had stories. That when these guys get confronted with an actual recollection from a no bull kind of guy like yourself, they naturally find it hard to believe.

For those of you who don't know Gary, here's a picture that I'm pretty sure has been posted here before (probably by Steve Hoog), it's Gary's garage taken years ago. Just so you know what you are looking at, at least one of those TA's is a IV, the blue convertible with the black top is the 71 4spd Judge Convertible Milt restored in it's day-2 Cadillac hue and correct me if I'm wrong but was that your 69 TA convertible under the white cover in the back that Rob now has?

If Gary tells a story, you can damn well bet it's true.

[PeteLeathersac]

What model year was the Pontiac ?
Thanks,
Drew

Looks like a '64?
:hmmm:
~ Pete

.

[EZ Nova]

So what is the consensus now on number of ZL1 Vette's?

1 Yellow (Rogers)
1 White (Chestaky)
1 Orange (GULF car)
1 Blue now (Larry Cain mentioned)

That's 4.

+1 Duntov's White car that was supposed to be trashed.
+1 That Muscle Collector posted about in post #33 that was crashed.

So that would be 6 of the mentioned 7 duskblue mentions in post #13. So I was wondering, maybe some of these cars were NOT supposed to leave GM and go to the crusher? Like Dontov's car.

[442w30]

Looks like a '64?


Yes, that's correct.

The '64 2+2 is more like an Impala SS than a GTO. In 1965, it truly became a performance package.

[muscle_collector]

So what is the consensus now on number of ZL1 Vette's?

1 Yellow (Rogers)
1 White (Chestaky)
1 Orange (GULF car)
1 Blue now (Larry Cain mentioned)

That's 4.

+1 Duntov's White car that was supposed to be trashed.
+1 That Muscle Collector posted about in post #33 that was crashed.

So that would be 6 of the mentioned 7 duskblue mentions in post #13. So I was wondering, maybe some of these cars were NOT supposed to leave GM and go to the crusher? Like Dontov's car.

the one I posted about, I believe has to be the one that larry talked about. doubt very serious that there would have been two of them sold new in tulsa

[EZ Nova]

Sorry Gary, I thought in the post #33 that the body was thrashed and therefore gone, and that's how you got the motor? If so, my mistake.

Just trying to find out as much as I can about these cars. I'm involved with a shop in Ontario and were getting a rece deal going where rules (which are NOT finalized yet) will be fairly open, but MUST use factory STEEL wheels and MUST use dual plane intake. I have a nice set-up now with my '69 Nova and the ZL-1 in it. But would like to get a nice '69 Vette roller and do a "cloned" '69 ZL-1 Vette. Interior color will end up dictating the outside color, but if I have a choice I would go gold with tan interior. It would get the black strip like Roger's yellow ZL-1, but add the Motion style black around the back and down the center to the hood.

Looking for a A/SA or even older SS chassis.

[muscle_collector]

ok I might be getting confused, sorry, I thought you were talking about ones built new. yes the one I got the engine out of was destroyed. what I was saying was it has to be the one larry was talking about being sold here or being here in tulsa back when new or fairly new. sorry if I got things twisted on that.

[Tracker1]

Some guy Eubanks has apparently had this in his 100+ car collection for decades in North Carolina. Saw a Hagerty video today with Tom Cotter and while the camera passed over it, Cotter never even acknowledged its presence....makes me wonder, L88 or....

[olredalert]

----My 69 435hp Corvette, bought new from Ed Stinn in Cleveland, had a factory L88 hood installed within weeks of the purchase date. I had to trim the air cleaner hole in the bottom for clearance of the triangular air cleaner...….Bill S

[EZ Nova]

ok I might be getting confused, sorry, I thought you were talking about ones built new. yes the one I got the engine out of was destroyed. what I was saying was it has to be the one larry was talking about being sold here or being here in tulsa back when new or fairly new. sorry if I got things twisted on that.

Ok, so the picture on the first page of the Blue car, IS IT A REAL CAR or made up? Mr. Cain state's he saw a ZL-1 cpe in the thread from his post. Is this blue one in the picture a convert with a hard top? Much like the "GULF" car? Meaning possibly 2 Blue '69 ZL-1 vette's one cpe and one convert?

Gary your timeline on the engine is 83/84 and the picture on the first page is 80's and the car is clear registered. So if you did get a Vette ZL-1 engine of the guy, and this one is legit, would that not make a min of 6 '69 ZL-1 Vette's to be accounted for to date?

[muscle_collector]

Ok, so the picture on the first page of the Blue car, IS IT A REAL CAR or made up? Mr. Cain state's he saw a ZL-1 cpe in the thread from his post. Is this blue one in the picture a convert with a hard top? Much like the "GULF" car? Meaning possibly 2 Blue '69 ZL-1 vette's one cpe and one convert?

Gary your timeline on the engine is 83/84 and the picture on the first page is 80's and the car is clear registered. So if you did get a Vette ZL-1 engine of the guy, and this one is legit, would that not make a min of 6 '69 ZL-1 Vette's to be accounted for to date?

well then I guess the one that my engine came out of obviously isn't this one pictured. I just assumed back then (and now) that it was the one larry had talked about because of it being here in tulsa area. however, im sure some of you guys remember howard kirsch from here in tulsa that had the large vette collection. I was friends with his daughter growing up and when I was in high school mr kirsch and I were talking vettes and he said that they made several more than most people think of the ZL1 cars. I don't know anything other than heresay to that.

[Tracker1]

Ok, so the picture on the first page of the Blue car, IS IT A REAL CAR or made up? Mr. Cain state's he saw a ZL-1 cpe in the thread from his post. Is this blue one in the picture a convert with a hard top? Much like the "GULF" car? Meaning possibly 2 Blue '69 ZL-1 vette's one cpe and one convert?

Gary your timeline on the engine is 83/84 and the picture on the first page is 80's and the car is clear registered. So if you did get a Vette ZL-1 engine of the guy, and this one is legit, would that not make a min of 6 '69 ZL-1 Vette's to be accounted for to date?

Did you read the Super Chevy article I posted? I'm betting it is the same car - convertible, optional removable hardtop, blue - and thus has no docs and no pedigree so would have to be accepted as a car that has simply had a ZL1 in it for a long time, that's it. No docs, no dice.

And the Chestaky white car has been a known entity since the early to mid-eighties, yes - VIN, docs, etc.

[Tracker1]

GULF car docs

[PLATINUM6BBL]

GULF car docs
I first met John in the mid/late 90’s when he brought his beast to the Autumn Leaf Festival in Clarion, PA. John was up here because he had friends / ties to the area. On his windshield show card he had written “1 of 7 built” which of course led me to strike up a conversation with him having known for a long time that “2 built” was the accepted amount. He told me of how he physically stood in a holding lot looking at each one of the 7 (his included) before his was shipped to the dealer. I don’t remember the particulars of where the holding lot was (but remember envisioning it being the Corvette plant as we talked). I was able to get John’s number from a friend of mine (who mounted the 1st set of slicks for it at the Quaker State Service Station in Clarion) and shared that with Rob Clary who called John and discussed the car quite extensively.
As for the Yenko mention I think there is some confusion there. John’s father owned a large trucking company and all of his truck tractors were ordered through the Yenko dealership. Having purchased as much as his dad did put the Mahr family in pretty good standing at and with Yenko. Why it came through West Penn I don’t recall. I know that my (and John’s) friend Jimmy Stewart (not THAT Jimmy Stewart) was with him when the car arrived. John took Jimmy in quite a few harrowing rides from day 1.
I have no reason to doubt John, Jimmy and Burr who were around the MO ZL1 from the very 1st day.

[duskblue]

duntov's toy was thrashed at the proving grounds not trashed.

[Lee Stewart]

The Vintage All-Aluminum 427 Big-Block Chevy V-8

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/vintage-all-aluminum-427-big-block-chevy-v8/

Just showed up today

[Tracker1]

duntov's toy was thrashed at the proving grounds not trashed.

What a great day to be alive this must have been. The sounds out of those pipes at full song must have been heavenly.

[Drew Papsun]

Some guy Eubanks has apparently had this in his 100+ car collection for decades in North Carolina. Saw a Hagerty video today with Tom Cotter and while the camera passed over it, Cotter never even acknowledged its presence....makes me wonder, L88 or....

Hello Tracker1,
The shark body Corvette photo.
The hood is not typical factory production L-88. (too high)
The front driver side marker light is used with a 1970-1972 model.
The photo is NOT a 1968 or 1969 convertible.
Regards,
Drew Papsun

[Tracker1]

Yes, I think you're right Drew. I believe you mean passenger side turn signal, in the grille?

[Drew Papsun]

Yes, I think you're right Drew. I believe you mean passenger side turn signal, in the grille?

Hello Tracker1,
Yes, The side turn signal light.
The 68-69 light is shorter and the 70-72 is longer.
The photo is to dark to see the grill light.
Regards,
Drew Papsun

[Tracker1]

John Mahler was certainly "in the know" - to say the least - when he ordered that ZL1, if this is the same John Mahler who piloted the Owens-Corning L88:

[Drew Papsun]

John Mahler was certainly "in the know" - to say the least - when he ordered that ZL1, if this is the same John Mahler who piloted the Owens-Corning L88:

Hello Tracker1,
The John W. Maher is the person who had the 1969 Orange ZL-1.
The photo of the co driver is John Mahler.
The spelling is different of the 2 names.
Regards,
Drew

[Tracker1]

More than one recent source lists it as Mahler. The Penn Garage invoice is possibly a misspelling of his name.

[Drew Papsun]

More than one recent source lists it as Mahler. The Penn Garage invoice is possibly a misspelling of his name.

Hello Tracker1,
I see your source of the the spelling the name in the magazine.
I see the name on the dealers invoice.
I think the magazine misspelled the last name from the writer of the story
The dealer invoice has the correct spelling.
Thank you,
Drew

[Tracker1]

Not sure why the tank sticker of the Orange ZL1 has the actual RPO ZL1 code listed. My understanding is it should be L88, as Judski's yellow car is - but I have to go find my pics of the Judski tank sticker to make sure

[PLATINUM6BBL]

Hello Tracker1,
I see your source of the the spelling the name in the magazine.
I see the name on the dealers invoice.
I think the magazine misspelled the last name from the writer of the story
The dealer invoice has the correct spelling.
Thank you,
Drew
You are correct in that John's last name is Maher

[Keith Seymore]

What a great day to be alive this must have been. The sounds out of those pipes at full song must have been heavenly.

When I transferred from the assembly plant into engineering, the guy I replaced (he was retiring) had worked for Duntov.

He said Duntov would fire that stuff up right in the Chevrolet Engineering building and then go "rump rump"-ing through the hallways and out to the test track at the Tech Center.

He also said you had to keep your eyes (and ears) open or you'd get run over.

K

[firstgenaddict]

Where is this car? Has it been located? It was also at the 1970 Press Event with the LT1 Corvette etc. IT is a 68 Body with Stingray emblems and no antenna with Head rest seats.
https://www.yenko.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=127729&stc=1&d=1545424927

[Tracker1]

Another pic of it

[rsinor]

Not sure why the tank sticker of the Orange ZL1 has the actual RPO ZL1 code listed. My understanding is it should be L88, as Judski's yellow car is - but I have to go find my pics of the Judski tank sticker to make sure

Please take this in the spirit it was written, personally I have no dog in the fight, don't care if there were seven or two ZL1's. Do care that facts are facts and can't or shouldn't be changed.

Attached here are two dealer invoices same car? with the same signatures?, dates, and invoice numbers but different dollar values and terminology.

Draw your own conclusion.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

The first one has font issues....

[1971ls6]

The motor stamp numbers are different, one in August and the other October? One has the 427 motor listed as $1,000 plus the $3,000 alluminum ZL1 the other just the $3k.

[Tracker1]

So I looked at Judski's yellow car's tank sticker (thanks rsinor) and it is way different than the Maher car. As the yellow car is the gold standard and is a known ZL1 since the late 1970s
(Vette Vues Magazine in March 1980), the tank sticker has L88 as the listed RPO FIRST, then down near the bottom is ZL1 ALUMINUM CYLINDER BLOCK. Which is what I found weird about the orange car's sticker: no mention of L88. It should be there as the ZL1 block is simply a substitution INTO the L88 package on a Corvette, replacing the L88s iron block.

My 2 cents, and THIS IS JUST LITTLE OLD ME EXPRESSING AN OPINION, not disparaging the car or John Maher (unless he paid for fake docs then that's fraud), but even if I had the money to have Kevin McKay restore a Corvette for me - and that must be astronomical $$ - it would NOT be the Maher car. There's just owner oral history there, and that's not enough. I don't trust the docs on the Orange car, now, as far as I could throw them.

Vette Vues March 1980 picture of tank sticker for yellow ZL1 Coupe, compare to Maher car tank sticker I posted earlier.

[muscle_collector]

got a question for the guys who know, why do I see some of the "L88" (put in quotation marks as probably more are fakes than real ones) have the emblem at the rear of the hood scoop instead of the front of it? which is correct? did all the originals say 427 or did any come with L88 call out?

[SBR]

got a question for the guys who know, why do I see some of the "L88" (put in quotation marks as probably more are fakes than real ones) have the emblem at the rear of the hood scoop instead of the front of it? which is correct? did all the originals say 427 or did any come with L88 call out?

The L88 emblem on the hood is an add on. Real L88 hoods had only the 427 numbers on them.

[olredalert]

----Only L88 emblems from GM are decal style. As far as I know, and I bought a 1969 3000 mile original L88 Monaco orange convert from the original owner, there were no actual L88 callouts anywhere but on the console. New owners to the L88 family really want to announce their arrival. I guess the hood alone isn't enough for those guys. The 427 emblem is correct as SBR has stated.

----As usual with all of us, I really wish I wouldn't have sold it!!!......Bill S

[muscle_collector]

and it should be at the front correct??

[olredalert]

----Yup! If its a factory hood the holes should be there......Bill S

[rynoshark]

The orange and yellow 1969 RPO ZL1s are both at Bloomington this week, is this the first time both have appeared at the same event? Timely show, especially as recently uncovered ZL1 development documents in the GM Heritage Center seem to be starting to clear up some of the mysteries and myths of the 1969 ZL1s. One GM document reportedly temporarily authorizes closed chamber heads specifically for type L88/ZL1 engines with M40 automatics right before the orange car was built, so sounds like that debate can be put to rest. Has anyone had a chance to see the documents in person at Bloomington?

[1903USMCUnertl]

I used to work at Hechler in the early 90's (1992-1996) and a lot of the key people involved with the yellow car were still around at the time. The salesperson who retailed the car (Hoyt Rotella..since passed), the mechanics who used to work on the car (Mikey Toler and Dick Burton..both passed), the asst service manager (Lloyd Spence...still here I beleive) and the General Manager (Ted Patrick...who later bought the dealership...passed).

It was interesting to get their perspectives on the car. At the time it was there it was more of a pain in the ass than anything else...it sat inside the showroom and people were always asking to hear it run or climbing into it. It was hard to start and stunk up the dealership (fouling maybe) when it needed to be moved. It also apparently used to bring the Zone people over (the Richmond Zone office was about 3 miles from the dealership) and they were always nosing around. The funniest one to me though was how when it started up it almost rattled the window glass out of the building when reved up.

Hechler had a long straight service bay and apparently when the mechanics worked on it...they were always trying to "holeshot" the car through the service department. Lloyd mentioned one day they almost broadsided a customers car when a mechanic was backing out of a lift area.. after that the "holeshots" stopped.


Cool car

[AutoInsane]

The orange Gulf ZL-1 was in Dr Simeone’s collection I don’t see it on the website any longer. Any idea of where this car is?

[427.060]

Does Kevin Suydam own the white car?

[Tenney]

The orange Gulf ZL-1 was in Dr Simeone’s collection I don’t see it on the website any longer. Any idea of where this car is?

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/some-fun-corvette-history.578525/page-13