67 Corvette

[Charley Lillard]

Awhile back I was offered a 67 435 hp Corvette. It had 43000 miles and was supposed to be all orig with orig paint. I went to see it and found a tired car with a Earl Sheib paint job on a 67 with flared 1/4's and a front clip that had been replaced. It had sidepipes that were made to fit by cutting the front fenders with a hacksaw. I told the lady I had no interest until I looked in the glovebox and found the protecto plate that confirmed it was a 435 hp car. I bought the car and tucked it away. I dropped the tank and found the tank sticker that confirmed it was a sidepipe car. Yesterday I started thinking and did a internet search for the name on the protecto plate. I found a phone #, called and left a message. Well today the orig owner call me back. He wondered where it was and said the guy I bought it from still owed him money and parts. I informed him the guy died about 9 years ago. The guy was great to talk to. He told me the car was stolen and wrecked in 67. When the police came upon the car the engine was running wide open and they had to turn the key off. The engine was not damaged. He had owned three Corvettes and all had been stolen. Hid dad picked the Corvette for him when new. As soon as it was home he pulled the heads and milled 30 thousandths off them. At some point he changed the cam to what he called a Trans Am cam with a different firing order and went drag racing at Fremont dragstrip. Said it ran 11.27 at 127 mph. He had the engine on a dyno in San Raphael and made 454 hp. He had mags with wide tires on the rear and at one time coming back from a nearbye lake a rear spring collapsed and dropped the rear 1/4 down on the tire. The 1/4 was cutting the tire so at a tire shop they proceeded to grind away the 1/4 until it no longer rubbed the tire. After that he flared the 1/4's. During a divorce his wife either sold or gave the car to a Friend of his. He later bought it back from him and had it for a few more years but he would have to ditch the people following it around before he could take it home as he new they were just following with the intent of stealing the car just like before. He ended up selling it back to his Friend. He thinks he has at least one old pic of the car and I am gonna send him some new pics. When I asked for his address to send pics to I realize he still lives at the same address on the Protecto plate...Pretty cool