The CONVINCER II

[COPO_Anders]

To avoid hijacking the NMW thread I think it´s better to start a new one about the Convincer II.

The pic from the NMW catalog.

[COPO_Anders]

Here is a pic from Raceway News, Raceway Park, Englishtown.

Now guys, start telling the stories about the Convincer II !

[NovaMob03]

I sent you a PM

[4274speed]

Anders,Joe Spino from the Neighbor Hood Garage(ESSO Automotive Repair Garage) in Jersey City knows both the owners of the Convincer II 69 Copo Chevelle.Joe is very very well known at Raceway Park Englishtown NJ.He ran the 67 and 69 "Born Free Camaro" with Patty Marchetti.

[COPO_Anders]

John, any info he could share would be interesting. Can you talk to Joe about it ?

Another pic from Raceway Park Englishtown NJ.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif

[COPO_Anders]

The last one I have from Raceway Park.
I´m going on vacation tomorrow morning and will be gone a little more than a week.
Give me some interesting info to read when I get back.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[COPO_Anders]

The Convincer II in Sweden !

That is a factory HemiCuda in the far lane. I think that´s the one that caught fire at Santa Pod, England, some years ago. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

[Musclecarkid]

I'll try to find Pete Dedella around Middeltown, NJ. Also will find the window sticker showing its a 427 M22 car.

PS. sc69sam has some Raceway News on his desk with this car in them. Lets see them Sammy.

[COPO_Anders]

Kevin, let´s see if the windowsticker matches this !

[Musclecarkid]

What is that option list printed on? It doesn't look like a buildsheet. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[COPO_Anders]

Kevin, that is a copy of the invoice from Holsey Chevrolet in Jersey City.

I have attached the ad I sent to the Swedish "Wheels magazine" before going to SCR9. When I came home I received just one call, but what a call. He knew where the Convincer was! The same guy had bought the race-rearend off my 1969 SS 396 Chevelle, so he knew me before.

Now I´m off on vacation !

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif

[4274speed]

Dan Rich is the other name.

[4274speed]

Dan Rich is the other name on the door.

[Musclecarkid]

According to my copy of the window sticker I got from Pete Dedella, this 69 COPO Chevelle was very unique. Does anyone know the earliest Vin # on a 69 COPO Chevelle?

VIN#13637 9B3799xx

13637 8 Malibu Spt Coupe $2,690.00
Destination Charge $68.50
6AO1GA Soft-Ray Tinted Glass $36.90
6J52FM Power Disc Brakes $64.25
6M22CB Special 4-Speed Trans $264.00
6753BA Black Cloth Trim .00
6924FF 71-71 Lemans Bue .00
9566AA High Performace Unit $532.95
____________________________________
Factory Installed Options $898.10
____________________________________
Total Cost $3656.60

[Salvatore]

What a bargin! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[COPO_Anders]

Here is another pic of the car in Sweden. It´s from 1978 I think.
It´s a small world. The guy who was the manager of Comfort Custom in Stockholm,is a friend of a friend. He lives only 3 miles from here. We had him and his wife here for dinner last spring. He´s an old school Hot Rodder.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif

Don´t you guys have other pics of the Convincer II ?

[COPO_Anders]

I found a lot of old photos today. I have been looking for some of them for a long time, but I also found some I didn´t knew I had.
Would you believe it! I was actually at Mantorp Park in 1978 and took a picture of the Convincer II ! Look at the first pic I showed of the Convincer in Sweden. I took my pic at the same time, with the HemiCuda in the other lane.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

[COPO_Anders]

Here is a pic of the HemiCuda when it still had "Speedwin" on the doors.

[COPO_Anders]

And here are a couple of pics that I found in an article about the in Sweden famous dragracer Jöran Persåker. They were published in Wheels magazine, January 2008, as you can see. The first one shows the car repainted and the second one taken in 1984 at Santa Pod England, shows the car after the fire. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Until Jöran and his friends returned to Sweden, Jeff Hauser took care of the remains of the car. Jeff Hauser was then the owner of a Super Stock Challenger which for obvious reasons caught Jörans interest. That Challenger was a factory T/A Challenger which had been acid-dipped and turned into a Super Stock car by no other than Paul Rossi. Jöran bought that car in 1985.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif

[COPO_Anders]

It seems like Dan Rich was actually Dan Rzeczkxxxxx, and the story goes that his last name was too big for the door.
Dan was the driver, and at Island Dragway he took the Convincer down the track in 11.20 seconds. They used the L-88 cam in the L-72 to make enough power at the time.

Peter Dedella, the owner, was the parts-guy at Holsey Chevrolet in Jersey City.
I have also been told that Ralph Truppi was involved in some way when the car was ordered.

[COPO_Anders]

Here are a couple of receipts from December 1977. The bought one intake, two carbs, and some other stuff like the hoodscoop from Motion, to use on the car in Sweden.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

What was the deal with the fire?

[COPO_Anders]

Marlin, they believe someone was trying to steal the car during the night and got it off the transporter. But since the thieves couldn´t start it they got pissed off and set it on fire. The guys who did it was never caught, so we really don´t know.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Wow!! That would ruin your day!! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

[Verne_Frantz]

Truppi is still around, I believe. Just ask him.

Verne

[Salvatore]

I believe Rob Richter and Musclecar Kid (Kevin) know Ralph. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[COPO_Anders]

I have been buying old Swedish magazines this last year in search of pictures of the Convincer.
Here is one from 1981 taken at Scandinavian Raceway, Anderstorp.

[jannes_z-28]

I found one image in an old magazine too.

http://www.protouring.se/files/convincer2_in_finland.jpg


Jan

[COPO_Anders]

Are you really sure it is the Convincer Janne ? I believe it was repainted from the original blue paint to the way it looks in the attached pic. I think this was done in 1979.

When was your pic taken ? The Sponsors,"Comfort Custom" on the doors and "Roffes Bilbärgning" on the rearfenders are the same though. And it looks like the lower part of the scoop is the same to.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[COPO_Anders]

John, I talked to Joe Spino yesterday about Brahms Chevrolet where he bought most of his engines and engineparts. I didn´t have too much to ask him about the "Convincer II", but I understood that he had built a new engine for it at one time and that the original engine was sold locally. He said that the guys who bought it "messed it up". He also said that he had replaced the internals in the rearend, so the only drivetrainpart that was original to the car was the axlehousing. When shipped to Sweden it had no engine and transmission in it.

Joe was supernice to talk to ! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[Mr Yenko]

That Comfort Custom shot is a 68 Chevelle, not even the same car? Vent windows and grill (hint)
The "MOF"

[COPO_Anders]

Thats right ! Janne why did you think it was the Convincer ?
Here is another shot from 1981 with the sponsorname on it.

[jannes_z-28]

Well I was just looking at the Comfort custom sponsorship. Not that good on Chevelles http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif


Jan

[COPO_Anders]

I would like to go to New Jersey to visit Pete Dedella, Dan Rich and Joe Spino, if possible. But Pete has a secret phonenumber so I can´t get hold of him.
Kevin, could you or mabye John(4274speed) try to find out a way to get in contact with Pete ?

Thanks

[Musclecarkid]

I'm told Pete DeDella has moved to Florida. His old phone number from NJ is no good. I don't have any other leads at this time.

[COPO_Anders]

Here is another pic of the HemiCuda when i still had it´s American sponsorname "Speedwin" on the doors.
Pic was taken by a guy from Linköping who I bought some old magazines from yesterday.

[Mr70]

That's a great kickass pic!

http://www.yenko.net/attachments/366929-Mantorpimittenav70-talet023.jpg

[COPO_Anders]

Going through old magazines I found this pic of the Convincer II in Colorod #11 1977. It was taken during the 1979 season after the car had been repainted.

http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq85/COPO_Anders/ConvincerIIiStartSpeednr111979001.jpg

[Chevy454]

[ QUOTE ]
According to my copy of the window sticker I got from Pete Dedella, this 69 COPO Chevelle was very unique. Does anyone know the earliest Vin # on a 69 COPO Chevelle?

VIN#13637 9B3799xx

13637 8 Malibu Spt Coupe $2,690.00
Destination Charge $68.50
6AO1GA Soft-Ray Tinted Glass $36.90
6J52FM Power Disc Brakes $64.25
6M22CB Special 4-Speed Trans $264.00
6753BA Black Cloth Trim .00
6924FF 71-71 Lemans Bue .00
9566AA High Performace Unit $532.95
____________________________________
Factory Installed Options $898.10
____________________________________
Total Cost $3656.60

[/ QUOTE ]
Going back through this thread, I see I missed Kevin's question...the earliest 9562 Chevelle vin# I have is naturally a Yenko car (B34xxxx) while this B379xxx vin is just prior to the earliest non-Yenko COPO Chevelle I have info on...looks like Yenko got 50+ before everyone else got privy to the COPO Chevelles.

[BTW: I've started working on the COPO/Yenko Chevelle database/registry again, so if anyone would like to donate any info, please do!]

[COPO_Anders]

I made a typo in my last post http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif. The pic is from Colorod #11 1979. The Convincer II was still in the USA in 1977.

[Salvatore]

Stop stealin all our race cars! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[jannes_z-28]

Found this picture in Wheels Magazine from March 1982.
Picture is taken at Mantorp Park August 1981.

http://www.protouring.se/files/convincer_2.jpg

Jan

[COPO_Anders]

I´m not trying to wake this thread up again. I just want to say what I know before I forget.
When I tried to find the COPO Chevelle “The Convincer II” a few years ago I found out some things that should be known to everyone in case it is being sold in the future.
While searching for it I talked in person, or by phone, or by e-mail with three of the owners in Sweden. The first, the second, and the current owner. And I talked to a friend of another of the owners. I also talked to Joe Spino in N.J, who built the race engine for the Convincer II.
This is what I found out: The engine and transmission was not in the car when it was shipped to Sweden. And since the internals in the rearend had been substituted earlier, the rearendhousing would be the only part of the original drivetrain that COULD have come with the car.
Since the Convincer was imported to be used as a dragracecar, customs fee was not paid to the amount that it could be titled over here. When one of the owners at one point wanted to drive it in the streets, he borrowed a tag from another Chevelle and put it on the Convincer. When the police saw him coming down the street they pulled him in and told him never to use it like that again, or…. Luckily for him, they didn´t find out about the tag-situation. The strange thing is that he told me he had used the TrimTag from the other car since that Chevelle was titled using the bodynumber. I have seen the entire list of VIN´s from the 67-69 Camaro´s in Sweden and some of those are also titled using the bodynumber. So maybe that was the case with the Chevelle also. Anyway, this would mean that the TT was taken off the car and then put back on again.
Some years later another owner who also wanted to drive it in the streets pulled the VINtag and installed a tag from a very early 1969 Chevelle. That car was built in August 1968, long before the COPO Chevelles were built. This is a pity since everyone tells me about the beautiful body this cars had/has. I don´t think the hidden VIN´s has been tampered with but I can´t say for sure since I haven´t been given the chance to inspect it. The current owner knows about the tags being switched since I have told him about it. In Sweden this COPO has been called “the Convincer” but also “the Yenko Chevelle”
I have been told that the original hood was sold in the 80´s, but have not heard about any other bodyparts being sold off.

http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq85/COPO_Anders/ss204.jpg

http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq85/COPO_Anders/ConvincerIIatMantorpParkSwedenin1978.jpg

http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq85/COPO_Anders/ConvincerIV1981004.jpg

[mockingbird812]

Good (sad) info Anders. Appreciate the heads up!!

[COPO_Anders]

Here is an update on "The Convincer II": after having been repainted white pearl/dark red metallic in 1979 the car was campaigned with "Convincer IV" on both sides (look at some earlier shown black and white photos).
In 1995 it was sold to a guy in Malmö who repainted it the way it looks below, with "Idunsgatans Bil" on the doors.

Now to the news: after I spoke to the owner who had it a few years ago he has apparently sold the car to Denmark. I found this pic taken at Feringe Dragway in 1997 on Facebook a couple of days ago, and a danish guy says that the body and crome on it still is flawless. I wonder if the Cragars are the ones used in N.J. in the seventies ??
Before shipping the car to Sweden they bought a hoodscoop at Motion Performance on 12/14/77, paying $69.55 tax included. I assume that is the scoop you see on the car in this pic.

http://i436.photobucket.com/albums/qq85/COPO_Anders/ConvincerII1997pFeringe.jpg

[COPO_Anders]

Yesterday I spoke to the guy in Karlstad who initially told me how to find the Convincer here in Sweden. I sent him the pic of the car in yellow paint with red and blue stripes, and asked him if this is how he remembers the car. When we talked about it an hour later he said that it was his friend who had the car repainted this way. His friend sent the Convincer to Erlings Billack (Erlings Carpaint) in Leksand in 1986 (give or take a year), and Erling must have done a good job as it still is flawless according to the Danes.
He also told me that his friend only drove the Convincer 25 miles before selling it. Racecars/musclecars wasn´t his thing !

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/3gears.gif

[COPO_Anders]

The &quot;repaint&quot; in 1995 or later was obviously just putting &quot;Idunsgatans Bil&quot; on the sides of the Convincer. I thought they had done a complete repaint as I have never seen photos of the car in yellow/red/blue before.
It´s kind of sad that the owner who had the original hood sold it in the early eighties. But I guess that´s what happens to racecars, being changed over time.

[COPO_Anders]

At last a colour pic of &quot;The CONVINCER&quot; in it´s second paint scheme, taken i 1981.
Photo taken by Jan Nyrén, Motala Sweden.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2013/07/full-666-5608-convincer_ii_1981.jpg

[COPO_Anders]

A few days ago a pic from Mantorp Park in 1978 showed up on Facebook. It was taken by Anders Bergman. It shows the Convincer II with som some decals applied in Sweden and with a glassfiber hood.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/05/full-666-11571-convincer_ii_1978_anders_bergm

[HappyCaptainBob]

Hello everyone, I'm late to this thread but new member.
I was there when the Convincer II was new. Peter Dedella (Peter Parts) worked at Holsey Chevrolet in JC, NJ. I knew him by picking up parts for Sip Automotive as a mechanics helper. When the car arrived it was stripped of everything including the interior. Even the battery was replaced with a motorcycle battery. The car was brought to Sip Automotive in JC where it could be transformed under the supervision of Doc San Filippo, the owner of Sip Automotive and a street racer legend in his own right. (1955 Chevy) The first thing done was the car was driven the length of the Garden State Parkway and back. This broke the engine in so it could be disassembled and blueprinted. One shock was left off the rear to help compensate for the torque passing through the posi-traction rear.
As for the robbery attempt. The car was kept in his garage with a security system outside his bedroom window. The thieves made it pass the security and into the garage undetected. Peter had the car chained to the floor so they couldn't move it. I never heard of a fire but there may have been.
Over the last 45 years I told that story many times. I purchased my first car from Holsey Chevrolet and eventually I ended up the General Sales Manager at Bell Chevrolet after it was purchased from Holsey.

[COPO_Anders]

Good to hear Bob, and welcome to the site !
Just a couple of days ago the first Swedish owner put up a photo of the Convincer on facebook. It shows the car in the Swedish Harbor after having been unloaded from the ship. I´m having trouble loading it up on here, but I´ll manage sooner or later.
I´m a bit surprised that there are no pictures of it at dragstrips in the US other than the ones I have found in the magazine from Englishtown. Please share moore stories about the Convincer !

[TJF]

Hi all..
I have talken to the Danish over today, he bought the car for 15 years ago ($8500) Done noting on it, stan stil since he bought it... Without Engine and trans! It have only 3600 km on the odometer!! Stil yellow like the picture Anders have posted.. He would not tel about the vin...And its not for sale!!!!
Do somebody now what the Price tag will be in that condition???
Yours sincerely Torben jensen Denmark

[jannes_z-28]

Here it is, just of the boat that brought it over the ocean.
https://scontent-b-fra.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/t31.0-8/10865724_10153478743454922_6590439782398801473_o.j pg

[COPO_Anders]

Thank´s Janne !

It´s funny that it has KITSON, Eatontown on the quarters. That´s the ordering dealer for my old white COPO Camaro.
And &quot;Neighborhood Garage, Jersey City NJ&quot; is there to.

[COPO_Anders]

I saw a few weeks ago in some old paperwork I have that Copo Connection listed the Convincer II as being a Kitson Chevrolet car. I therefore ordered the NCRS shipping report wich confirmed that the delivery dealer was Holsey Auto Sales Inc. Official production date was 05/27/1969. Dealer code 151 in zone 35.

[COPO_Anders]

Here is a picture that turned up on Facebook today, taken by Kjell Severin on Mantorp Park in 1978. Sorry, I can´t upload it correctly so you have to click on it.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2016/01/full-666-37470-kjell_severins_bild_frn_mantor[/url]

[PeteLeathersac]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: COPO_Anders</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Here is a picture that turned up on Facebook today, taken by Kjell Severin on Mantorp Park in 1978.

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2016/01/full-2506-37473-convincer.jpg


</div></div>


Cool!
<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif
~ Pete