King of the Muscle Cars

[EZ Nova]

Funny, I don't see the overweight LS-6 being on the top of the list as far as ET's are concerned? They were a bit limited in availability to about 4500 in 1 year of production, and I honestly don't think it has much of an advantage (other than Hp rating) over a a L-78 Nova? I happen to know of a '69 L-78 Nova, headers slick and re-curved dist and it was an 11.70 car back in 1969. PLUS it was available for 3 years (68-70) and was a bunch cheaper then the LS-6.

Is this not exactly the reason Don Yenko waited for a COPO version of the Nova 427 before he would jump in with a YSC version? Curb weight of a SS396 Nova 4sp "on-line" is 3370 as posted here:

http://www.automobile-catalog.com/ma...e_ss/1969.html

Curb weight of a 1970 SS454 4sp LS-6 is 3743 as posted on the same site:

http://www.automobile-catalog.com/ma...e_ss/1970.html

So a 396 Nova would be 378 lbs lighter and we all know the L-78 can run HARD as well.

Therefore, I really think the SS396 Nova we the actual street KING. ET wise, there were very hard to beat, available for 3 years with hi compression, and low buck so more could afford them.

Then you can talk about the COPO 427 Nova's!!!! Only the Zl-1 and the A990/'68 Hemi cars could run with that beast.

[Lee Stewart]

Originally Posted by Survivor 69/Z28

IMO the 1970 Chevelle SS LS6 is very hard to argue that its not King.
The ZL1 Camaros were amazing of course, but lets face it that is an "extremely" rare car and I don't see how you can put that in with general muscle cars of the day. To be king it has to do everything well IMO. Fast, build quality, solid interior, handling, and just overall well sorted out. I have the LS6 at the top of the list. There are other cars to make the argument, but you can't argue the fact that GM musclecars were overall the most sorted out right out of the box.

I beg to differ. Again the LS6 came standard with a 3.31 non-posi rear. It was limited to F70x14 tires at a time that F60x15 tires were becoming very popular. The 1970 Chevelle SS, 442 and GTO did not offer 60 series tires as an option. The Buick GS455 did - G60x15. And speaking of those GM muscle cars, all except the Chevelle SS came standard with G70x14 tires. Why didn't Chevy make them standard on the Chevelle SS?

When it's all said and done, tires are such an important part of a muscle car. Right up there at the top of the list with rear end gear ratio and "posi" rear.

[EZ Nova]

Have you guys seen this list:

http://roadtests.tripod.com/

BUNCH of test from the time of different cars and times they ran?

[Lee Stewart]

Originally Posted by EZ Nova

Then you can talk about the COPO 427 Nova's!!!! Only the Zl-1 and the A990/'68 Hemi cars could run with that beast.

There were no COPO 427 Novas. Chevrolet refused to put the L72 427 in a Nova for Don Yenko or anyone else for that matter. All the 1969 Yenko 427 Novas were engine swaps. Cars were ordered as L78s then the short block 396 was replaced with a short block L72 427. The L78 heads, intake and exhaust manifolds were then put back on.

Chevrolet built 4 COPO cars:

1968 L78 Nova SS396 with special HD TH400
1969 L72 427 Camaro
1969 L72 427 Chevelle
1969 ZL1 Camaro

[EZ Nova]

Sorry, I thought they DID come with 427 from the factory? Something about 37 to Yenko and 50 to Gibbs or Dana or something like that??? I thought for some reason a couple of the early '69 Yenko Nova's were conversions as COPO was on board with the other 37???

I could be wrong? If I am, opps my bad.

[Crush]

Originally Posted by EZ Nova

Funny, I don't see the overweight LS-6 being on the top of the list as far as ET's are concerned? They were a bit limited in availability to about 4500 in 1 year of production, and I honestly don't think it has much of an advantage (other than Hp rating) over a a L-78 Nova? I happen to know of a '69 L-78 Nova, headers slick and re-curved dist and it was an 11.70 car back in 1969. PLUS it was available for 3 years (68-70) and was a bunch cheaper then the LS-6.

Is this not exactly the reason Don Yenko waited for a COPO version of the Nova 427 before he would jump in with a YSC version? Curb weight of a SS396 Nova 4sp "on-line" is 3370 as posted here:

http://www.automobile-catalog.com/ma...e_ss/1969.html




Curb weight of a 1970 SS454 4sp LS-6 is 3743 as posted on the same site:

http://www.automobile-catalog.com/ma...e_ss/1970.html

So a 396 Nova would be 378 lbs lighter and we all know the L-78 can run HARD as well.

Therefore, I really think the SS396 Nova we the actual street KING. ET wise, there were very hard to beat, available for 3 years with hi compression, and low buck so more could afford them.

Then you can talk about the COPO 427 Nova's!!!! Only the Zl-1 and the A990/'68 Hemi cars could run with that beast.

X2 on 69 Nova L78!!!

[Lee Stewart]

Originally Posted by EZ Nova

Sorry, I thought they DID come with 427 from the factory? Something about 37 to Yenko and 50 to Gibbs or Dana or something like that??? I thought for some reason a couple of the early '69 Yenko Nova's were conversions as COPO was on board with the other 37???

I could be wrong? If I am, opps my bad.

Yenko built approx. 37 1969 427 Nova Super Sports.

The 50 are the ones Chevy built for Fred Gibbs (COPO 9738) - 1968 L78 Nova SS396 with the special HD TH400 - the first cars to have a TH400 behind a solid lifter Hi Performance BB engine. They also came standard with power drum brakes, HD radiator and a 4.10 posi 12 bolt rear.

[Lee Stewart]

The problem with the L78 Nova SS 396s were the tires: E70x14. No problem if you are street racing from a running start. BIG problem from a standing start.

[EZ Nova]

WHO kept the stock tires on??? All these "day 2" thread an no-one had stock OEM tire!

So the OEM tire is a "moot" point.

[EZ Nova]

IF your looking at EVERYTHING being OEM stock and correct with ALL cars. It comes down to the 15X8 rim'med Vettes. 15 X 8 rims and sidepipes for the win.