All Aluminum Big Block Corvettes.

[Steve_Hoog]

There were 2 or 3 of the 69's, right?

How about 68?

[Chevy454]

The number of '69s is sort of a hot topic, but there were NO '68s, unless prototypes or something screwy like that...

[Steve_Hoog]

Tom Goad spoke at our POCI dinner this last weekend. In 1968 before he left Chevy Engineering for Pontiac, he had possession of a very nice orange 68 with all aluminum BB built in engineering. As reported by Tom.

Since I was so wrapped up in what he had to say about Pontiac's, it didn't dawn on me to ask the outcome of the Vette. He still has several of his engineering built Pontiacs and one Corvair. One of the Engineer built Pontiacs's was a RAV 303 short deck 69 TA of all things. The Vette was at his home in the pic, so he certainly had it off the GM grounds. I would wonder that the car my still exist today.

[COPO_Anders]

I read somewhere that Arkus Zora Duntov had said that six -69 Corvettes where built, and two of them escaped.

Anders

To my understanding there were 6 or 7 cars built total. I was told that the orange car was scrapped as it was a test mule for many drivetrains. This came from one of the principals at Hechler Motors where the yellow car was sold. To my understanding Ted Patrick (owner of Hechler at the time) was told that if he wanted more than one to retail that there were others (plural) available. The Hechler car (the yellow car and the only one with ir-refutable docs) sat on the showroom for quite some time near the sales tower. The dealership facility was brand new in 1969, having moved from the smaller location in Highland Springs, VA and the car represented a viable sales traffic builder. I understand that people would drive from as far as NJ, NY and PA to look at the car. It was quite a conversation piece. It was started once or twice week, as they found it wouldn't run if it didn't get started with any regularity. When I worked at Hechler in the mid 1990's (sales (retail and fleet) and performance sales)) the spot on the showroom was called the "hallowed" spot as a result of the ZL1. Hechler was very performance oriented (also sold 1 of 4-5 '69 L89 chevelle 'converts..you had to be performance oriented to stock something like that..lol) and took delivery of not only the ZL1 vette, but also two ZL1 Camaros along with quite a few COPO's. They were the ONLY dealer to have had both types of cars..neither Dana,Baldwin, Scunico, or even Yenko can lay claim to that!!! Yet they are virtually unheard of unless talk about the 'vette turns up. The dealership is well remembered locally as having many, many (upwards of 20-30) 'vettes lines up at a time in front of the showroom along Nine Mile Rd. (same spot as today). There has been some talk between the owners of Hechler/now Patrick (same family from the '60's..Patrick (Ted and his son Pat)) along with Roger about reuniting the yellow ZL1 and the dealership. The original salesperson who retailed the 'vette to John Zagos is still around as well..Hoyt Rotella. If anyone wants any pics of the dealership (it looks the same) or anymore info on this area (very, very colorfull past)let me know.

Respectfully,

Gregory Carlson

[Steve_Hoog]

Greg that's some interesting stuff.

This orange one was 68 best I remember, the slide went by so fast I didn't get a chance to rethink the year but I believe Mr. Goad said 68. My friend has the slide show on video cam and I will try to get some stills from it to post, then the year will be un questionable.

[JChlupsa]

Any chance of getting any of the Dealership paperwork on the 69 ZL1 like copies of the Window sticker or shipping docs ??

[Chevy454]

The orange ZL-1 car you saw very well may have been the orange '69 ZL-1 car that was tested back in the day (Motor Trend I believe?). That car is still around, still with the original owner, and it still has the tank sticker...anyone like to see it at SCR8? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

I will email Roger and see what he has. I know the Patricks' really didn't keep any of their old records, as I don't think they foresaw that the car would have been collected. When I worked there the old records were long gone..maybe a few photos from the heyday, but by far most of the paperwork from the musclecar era was gone. John Zagos originally bought the car for the engine to go drag boat racing (he also bought a certain DY Yenko Camaro that has been discussed here at length as well...the infamous DY Yenko thread..;) I know a lot on the car was collected by Wayne Walker of Zip Products (large Corvette parts supplier that is also in this area)when he located the car behind Donati's Amaco service station in Sandston, VA (a suburb of Richmond best known for the Battle of Fair Oaks during the war of northern agression...commonly known as the Civil War..:) If I'm not mistaken there are some papers in Rogers possesion pertaining to the car being assembled for an engineer at the St. Louis plant. I'll see if maybe Roger can chime in here and contribute to this thread.

[ANDY M]

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/99451/page//fpart/2/vc/1
This was a thread back in September about the Vette's.
One White 4spd sold in Salt Lake City, a yellow one, and as Pantera instists, a Blue one that he saw in Tulsa.
Andy

[TimG]

The orange/black ZL1 automatic roadster was at the fall Vette Fest. I spoke with the original owner for quite a while. He told me the story of buying and owning the car since new. I know that there is some dispute about this car and I didn't even go there with him. I just enjoyed talking with a fellow that bought a big block Corvette new and still owns it. Some think it was an L88 converted to a ZL1 by GM and sold. Did anyone else speak with him?

[Chevy454]

I've spoken with him quite a bit here lately, and BKH and some others have known him for years. He raced for Gulf Oil, and in '68 had a '68 L88 Corvette but wanted an orange automatic for '69, so he went and ordered an orange, ZL1, auto 'Vette at a local dealer. He still drives & races the car regularly, and looks at it as if it's just a car...no more, no less. He told me a while back he clipped a barrier with the car, and his buddies flipped out on him, and he basically told him it's just a car, and can be fixed...but if not, it's not the end of the world...

This isn't the orange (maybe red) car that was used by GM for the LS7/LT2 test is it (that car was reported to be a coupe)?? I was under the impression that the car was scrapped as it was a true test car. I know there might have been a few dealers installing the Can-Am blocks (McLaren engines??) in the cars (Ray Ridge Chevrolet is reported to even have made a few 1970 Chevelle LS6 cars with the aluminum 454 blocks (most likely McLaren Can Am blocks) as well)).

[Steve_Hoog]

I have talked to several others that were at the dinner and Mr Goad did say 1968, his car was orange with a black hard top best we all remember from the slide show. My personal uncertainty will all be over after I get a still from the cam corder. I'm anxious to see where it will fall in place from what has been said so far in this thread.

Quite possible it was a convert with the removeable hard top....Ted Patrick used to tell about the good old days and having over 50 '69 Chevelles with chambered exhaust stored at friends houses because he ran out of room at the dealership. I'll see if I can get by the dealership and talk to Pat (his son) and see what pics I can get. Ah..the good old days..:)

[Steve_Hoog]

Here are a couple of pics I took of Mr. Goad.

http://www.empgmc.com/race/dinnerat.jpg

Full Size (http://www.empgmc.com/race/dinnera.jpg)

http://www.empgmc.com/race/dinnerbt.jpg

Full Size (http://www.empgmc.com/race/dinnerb.jpg)