The Top 5 Missing Muscle Cars of all-time

[69hurstSC]

I had fun putting this one together. Not including GT40s, Corvettes, and Cobras, what would you guys put in the top 5?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75Wli_aJy-k

[Derek69SS]

The '65 "Z16 Convertible" deserves a spot on that list.

[1903USMCUnertl]

My 2 contribuitions

Joe Oldham's (sp?) 1969 BM Camaro...read where it might have been a JL8 car as well...

Jim Morrison's 1967 GT500 Shelby

[William]

Wire wheels, white wall tires and faux wood-grain trim may have been the inspiration for the 1984 Chrysler Mini-Van. The Waikiki was anything but a Muscle Car.

How could you pick that over the 1969 Camaro ZL-1 Show Car?

BTW the Oldham Camaro was built long before JL-8 was an option.

[tjs44]

What about the one of 6 1963 421 SD Lemans that won the Daytona race in 63 and was supposed to have been bought by MBZ and never seen again!The othe 5 have been accounted for.Tom

[GMC_Typhoon]

I had fun putting this one together. Not including GT40s, Corvettes, and Cobras, what would you guys put in the top 5?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75Wli_aJy-k

I know you said no Corvettes but these two motion Corvettes are stolen and missing and probably the ones I would like to see found.
https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=87307&highlight=PanterA

[X66 714]

There were 2 Cougar Eliminator Boss 429s built. I've heard only one has been found.....Joe

[1967Z28]

AJ Foyt's 67 Pace car prize for winning the Indy 500. Maybe not a muscle car and not top 5 but it would be nice if it was ever found.

[William]

I read that he declined all the festival cars because none of them had a/c. So, Chevy built one with a/c. It would likely be one of few June cars, a 350 with a/c.

[JoeC]

Grumpy's Toy VII - The 1970 ZL-1 Camaro show car Bill Jenkins built with the help of Chevrolet and Ammon R. Smith Chevrolet.

The Camaro was built similar to the proposed 1970 Camaro ZL-1 (LT-2) 454 aluminum engine option that was cancelled.

I have the original hood I bought from Bill Jenkins. The hood is one of two all steel 1970 cowl induction prototype hoods Chevy built then later gave to Bill Jenkins.

Grumpy's Toy VII was built as a show car with a ZL-1 engine, cowl induction hood, 4 speed, Lakewood traction bars, Hooker headers, Hurst Shifter, and Cragar wheels.

Grumpy's Toy VII was a straight bumper car , Grumpy's Toy VIII 197O race car was a split bumper RS style car.

The 70 Toy VII Camaro was returned to stock and sent back to Ammon R. Smith Chevrolet, then sold as a used car. Bill kept the cowl induction prototype hood.

The hood photo is from Bill's shop when I bought it and still has original paint.

[dykstra]

Way cool!!!!

[jer]

Love it!!!

[njsteve]

The green 70 "hemicuda" convertible listed never actually existed as a hemi, that is. The car pictured was an F8 green 'cuda convertible with a set of hockey stick stripes that said hemi. They used it in the backgrounds of several group shots back in 1969/70. No shaker hood (it's really hard to fit a hemi under a flat barracuda hood unless there's no air cleaner), standard (non-rallye) instrument cluster, base model steering wheel with horn ring, etc.

P.S. Gotta love how the exhaust tips were crooked, even back when new!

[LetsFNgo]

Steve Juliano’s stolen and still missing Mod Top Hemi Cuda. The only known known to have been built.

[tom406]

This Nova that’s posted again on the Lost Muscle Cars FB page has to be an honorable mention, at least. Tuxedo Black L78 with M22 and (COPO I believe) 4.88 gears is top of the mountain for desirable Novas.

[JoeC]

I believe that 1969 Nova was a COPO 9511 special order.

The last line on the 1969 Nova window sticker shows the COPO 9511 4:88 axle ratio

I believe some of the 1969 Yenko Novas were ordered with COPO 9511 4:10 axle ratio but have not found any documents that show it.

[EZ Nova]

So, ordering a 4.88 gear in a L78 Nova, it became a COPO? I know of a few local Novas from back in the day. A friend race a '69 L78 with a couple day 2 things and went 11.70's. He swears that another car from the time was a L78 4.88 car.

[Steve Shauger]

So, ordering a 4.88 gear in a L78 Nova, it became a COPO? I know of a few local Novas from back in the day. A friend race a '69 L78 with a couple day 2 things and went 11.70's. He swears that another car from the time was a L78 4.88 car.

The use of the COPO process for performance oriented and not available as an RPO in your example would in my opinion be a COPO 9511.

If the COPO process was used for color changes or truck/cab fleet orders they are Special Orders (SO). This has been discussed for years and there are many opinions.

The debate continues but that is my opinion!

[Keith Seymore]

If the COPO process was used for color changes or truck/cab fleet orders they are Special Orders (SO). This has been discussed for years and there are many opinions.


By the time I started (1979) they were called Specialty Equipment Options (SEOs).

They are three character option codes but the format is slightly different (ie, 9C1, or E6D).

They were used for fleet and low volume production, like U Haul prep, special colors or Police package.

K

[Keith Seymore]

I'm probably the only guy in the world but I wouldn't mind knowing what happened to these cars:

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b369/hotrod001/DickJesse.jpg~original

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b369/hotrod001/PackerPamperedPapoose.jpg~original

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=504203&stc=1&d=1548784398

[Kurt S]

So, ordering a 4.88 gear in a L78 Nova, it became a COPO?
No. For 68 and earlier, it was just an RPO.
By 69, they were clamping down on the axle ratios, probably due to warranty costs. Ordering a 4.56 or 4.88 in a 69 Nova or Camaro required a COPO.

[JoeC]

No. For 68 and earlier, it was just an RPO.
By 69, they were clamping down on the axle ratios, probably due to warranty costs. Ordering a 4.56 or 4.88 in a 69 Nova or Camaro required a COPO.

1969 Nova was different then Camaro and Chevelle , for some reason.

1969 Nova 396 L-78 power team charts show 3:55 as the high ratio RPO so COPO 9511 was needed to get 4:10 4:56 4:88

1969 Chevelle and Camaro L-78 can get 4:10 RPO but needed COPO 9511 to get 4:56 4:88

I been researching this because the found Yenko sold 1969 SS396 L-78 Novas show 3:55 ratio.

Yenko was very good with the COPO program so I believe he used COPO 9511 to get 4:10 since the Yenko 427 Nova was advertised to have 4:10 gears

I have not found paperwork that shows a Yenko Nova COPO 9511 4:10 but there is not much found on the Yenko 427 Novas

[69hurstSC]

There were 2 Cougar Eliminator Boss 429s built. I've heard only one has been found.....Joe

At least 4 built with 1 fully found and the parts from the other used to build a tribute.

[lowmile]

I'd like to know where the missing Este's Z/28 convertible documents are.

[olredalert]

----More than likely thrown in the closest garbage can, Dave, as the perp or perps were just after money....Bill S

[69hurstSC]

One car I considered was the '69 Knafel RAV GTO named the "Golden Sabre". It's purported 5 were built. I've spoken with one of the owners who had photos, but lost them in one of the Florida hurricanes :-(

[PeteLeathersac]

One car I considered was the '69 Knafel RAV GTO named the "Golden Sabre". It's purported 5 were built. I've spoken with one of the owners who had photos, but lost them in one of the Florida hurricanes :-(

‘
Wes, have you tried back-tracking the 08/70 Ohio Private Ad for a Sabre, not the RA-V car Ad from ‘72 you commented about on F-book…lmk if you need a copy.
:beers:
~ Pete

.

[fsc66]

AUG 7, 1970 AD, Akron OH

[69hurstSC]

‘
Wes, have you tried back-tracking the 08/70 Ohio Private Ad for a Sabre, not the RA-V car Ad from ‘72 you commented about on F-book…lmk if you need a copy.
:beers:
~ Pete

.

I have. It was a frat house. I was able to pull names from who was there during a fire they had. I spoke with two of the people that lived there. One remembered the car but stopped communicating after a handful of emails. The other guy didn't remember the car.

Based on the ad dates I feel both could be the same car.

[tjs44]

Maybe Kieth would confirm more but I dont think any V engine actually got in a car for the public.I saw a 69 bird with MFG plates that had a complete SCCA short deck V in it.Have never seen a PHS that shows one.They made 50 complete 303 short deck SCCA engine with exhaust manifolds and all.The 400 version when sold from a dealer did not have exhaust manifolds on them.The 50 303s had smog pumps also,no 400s did.I really believe the 303 had a shot to be a car the public could have gotten if the program would have gone forward.FWIW,Tom

[69hurstSC]

Maybe Kieth would confirm more but I dont think any V engine actually got in a car for the public.I saw a 69 bird with MFG plates that had a complete SCCA short deck V in it.Have never seen a PHS that shows one.They made 50 complete 303 short deck SCCA engine with exhaust manifolds and all.The 400 version when sold from a dealer did not have exhaust manifolds on them.The 50 303s had smog pumps also,no 400s did.I really believe the 303 had a shot to be a car the public could have gotten if the program would have gone forward.FWIW,Tom

A PHS wouldn't show one. These were Knafel converted cars. Much like the 67/68 Yenkos.

[Keith Seymore]

A PHS wouldn't show one. These were Knafel converted cars. Much like the 67/68 Yenkos.

Agree.

K

[JoeC]

quote from a FB site "The 1969 Knafel Pontiac "Golden Sabre" Ram Air V GTO. Knafel Pontiac was out of Akron, OH. Bill Knafel claimed that he purchased Ram Air V engines directly from Pontiac and installed them into 12 1969 GTO's. All were ordered with a white exterior, then repainted in-house with a special Pearlescent White paint obtained from a vendor in Florida. All 12 cars also received polished Hurst Wheels, special gold accents, and the "Golden Sabre - Super Tuned" lettering on the front fender was hand painted in gold leaf. According to Bill Knafel, all 12 cars had 3.90 - 4.33 gears, some were automatics, and they cost a few hundred dollars more than a RAIV GTO. There was no warranty with these cars."

[1967 4K]

Are any of the 12 Golden Sabre cars known to exist?

[69hurstSC]

Are any of the 12 Golden Sabre cars known to exist?

Not to our knowledge. High attrition in the salt-heavy Akron area. None of the Magnum 400's are accounted for either. I did have someone reach out who's attempting to buy one (Magnum 400). Hopefully we can do a podcast on it.

I wrote about both cars in my new book. If interested, I sell copies. Send a PM.

https://i.ibb.co/sdy1M6rn/1-of-1-3-D.jpg

[LetsFNgo]

Here would be another fun car to look for. In 1972 Super Stock and Drag Illustrated gave away their 1970 Hemi Cuda they raced in SS/D. And they list the VIN in the contest entry form:
BS23R0B111679
Would be neat if the car still existed in any form after being run as hard as it was. Originally ran SS/DA then converted to 4 speed.

[lycan]

In 1965, Bill Stroppe built 7 (maybe 8) A/FX Comets for Mercury. Four (4) of them were built with the legendary Ford 427 SOHC "cammer" motor, for these drivers:
Don Nicholson
Hayden Proffitt
Arnie Beswick
George DeLorean


The whereabouts of the first 3 are known. But what happened to the George DeLorean car?

[JoeC]

None of the first 1967 Camaro 427 conversion cars have been found.

Yenko Motion Nickey Dana Bill Thomas Dick Harrell or other Chevy dealers

Some of the first 1967 Camaro 427 conversions were race cars and some were used as demonstrators

[Kurt S]

None of the first 1967 Camaro 427 conversion cars have been found. With not identifying features and no VINs known, they would just look like any other backyard 427 conversion. Especially after a year or two.....

[BillyHawk]

Interesting watch!

[69hurstSC]

With not identifying features and no VINs known, they would just look like any other backyard 427 conversion. Especially after a year or two.....

I've spoken with the owner of this car. He has personal photos as well of this shoot, with Dick standing next to his car. The owner also has multiple communications on Nickey Chevrolet letterhead with Dick, and Dick's signature on every piece of paper as they negotiated the build of his car. Some of this goes back into October 1966.

I would be this car would be in the conversation for one of the earliest conversion cars.


https://i.ibb.co/ZpT1t4yW/29249356-10211374656551376-4353112417224359936-n.png

[JoeC]

not sure if this is same car
this is an early Harrell Nickey build

early no V 350 fender emblem

[JoeC]

a better photo with Harrell and engine install

no V 350 fender emblem

[69hurstSC]

Would the Hedrick Yenko be considered the most valuable of the '69s? The criteria for my top 5 was if they were either restored or in pristine survivor condition. We know the Hedrick car went through a lot of changes. But if fully restored back to stock, would it be the tip of the spear for the '69 Yenko Camaros?

[iluv69s]

Are all the T/A verts accounted for?

[Formula455SD]

Are all the T/A verts accounted for?

Yes. The last unknown was found a few years ago in a wrecking yard.

[dykstra]

Doesn't The Brothers Collection own half of the '69 T/A verts?:dunno:

[JoeC]

The vins are known on the 1967 Yenkos but not much is known on the earliest vin car. YS-606

I think YS-606 it is the butternut yellow black top car used in all the early ads.

I was told it was a demo used by James Spencer from Span Inc then sold to a Yenko network dealer when Spencer got a 68 Yenko demo.

YS-604 is known and restored , butternut yellow , no black top, side pipe car

photo is an early 427 Yenko ad

[JoeC]

Even when you have the vin numbers and the YS numbers , it can be hard to tell which was the first car built.

This photo was captioned as Stinger production car #1


I asked about this car and was told at the time, it was not known what the YS number is on this car.

Does anyone know what YS number this Stinger is?

Yenko didn't put the YS numbers in order of cars built.

[Charley Lillard]

Doesn't The Brothers Collection own half of the '69 T/A verts?:dunno:

Yep.

[69hurstSC]

There are three Boss 429's that I feel that could be in the conversation for top 5 missing muscle cars.

1. Bunkie Knudsens personal Boss '69 Boss 429 w/ A/C
2. The Low Investment Driveline Mustang"Midship" '69 Boss 429
3. The '69 Shelby Boss 429 prototype (no photos exist)

https://i.ibb.co/JjwS4J0D/Screen-Shot-2025-04-11-at-12-27-23-PM.png