Joe Tower (Jtowers) 1969 L78 Camaro

**Xplantdad** · #1 02-12-2007, 03:48 AM

I can trace my car obsession back to the summer of 1969. My mom was pregnant with me as she was walking through the staging lanes at Englishtown…some fumes made her dizzy and she passed out. That was it I was hooked. I was born in November and as soon as I could stand, I was behind the wheel of my dad’s Nomad (a 56 with a dual carb junior stocker motor and 5.13’s) turning the wheel and making car noises. This is the same car I would push out of gear while my mom was driving. A car seat in the front seat still boggles my mind.

My dad and uncle were very involved in the car scene. My father was friends with Carmen Rotonda, in fact the Belleville shop was about two blocks from my house. All of my life, I’ve heard stories of Carmen’s Vette, Frankie Iaconio’s banana car. One of my favorite stories was when Brooklyn Heavy purchased Tony Festa’s “flat hood” Chevelle and before he would take it, they had to make two passes past the Brooklyn shop with it. Heavy said, “when it comes past the shop you better be ON IT”

I always wanted a 1969 Camaro. My dad had a Daytona Yellow 69 Z/28 D/MP car in the early 70’s. It became a racecar with only 500 miles on it. He held the national record a few times with it. I remember crying when it was trailered away the day he sold it. I was like 5 or 6 years old.

I purchased my car at Spring Carlisle in 1994. I remember seeing it for sale the year earlier in the same place. It was in tough shape mechanically but the body and paint just needed some TLC. I struck a deal and drove it the 180 miles home at 35 MPH because of the 4.88’s. The car had an intake gasket leak and a bad right front rotor. Four quarts of oil later and I was home. When I got home I replaced all of the wire harnesses along with brake and fuel lines. We also rebuilt the rear and swapped in some 3.73’s that belong in the BU coded rear. I also installed sub frame connectors, new springs, shocks and traction bars to replace the old stuff that was well worn out. The car cleaned up real nice and ran well too. Two weeks later I was offered double of what I paid for it. I drove it as my everyday car for the summer of 1994. It even drove the 100 mile round trip to The Jersey Shore every weekend. When I got a better job and a company car, the Camaro became more of a cruise night car for the next few years. I pulled the motor out in 2001 and I learned a lot more about my car. I always knew it was an early Norwood car built 10 A. But I had no idea if it was a real L78 car. After talking to the previous two owners (I’m the fourth) and both telling me that they never took a valve cover off it I firmly believe that the original owner “windowed” the “440” block and replaced it with what they had. There were a few other strange parts on the car. It had a radiator and windshield wipers out of a mid year big block Corvette. My uncle is a NCRS judge and noticed them. Than he took them for a Corvette project he had at the time. The M 21 is original to the car it has the VIN on it. The rear is also a “BU” dated 9-26-68. The Block is incorrect, it is a 1967 “406” block but everything else is correct. The intake is a “163” dated 9-20-68 the heads are “840’s” dated June 18 & 19 1968. That’s where the correct numbers thing ends. I have sort of a day 1.5 theme going on. My dad completed the motor in November for me. He did all of the machine work and assembly. It’s now balanced and .40 over, the heads have a set of Manley valves and a Comp Cams valve train. The cam is a “wild” solid from Bullet. I also installed a full MSD ignition. The old carb is on for now it’s a 750 DBL pumper, but will be replaced it in the Spring with a tricked 830 cfm Annular discharge for a little more Power. I’m very happy with the way the car is. I may eventually restore it completely but for now….it’s a driver.

Before the season gets here I want to install a set of Cragar S/S’s and re do the front suspension. I drove it to Englishtown back in 1996 and it went 14.02 @ 101, in four passes it used a quart of oil. I think it should be a lot faster now. I also need to figure a way to get two car seats in the back. My 4 yr old loves taking “The Green Car” out.

Owner number Two is looking for the name of the guy he purchased the car from in the mid 70’s. The car was from Ohio. I found a matchbook under the seat from a place named “Ladd’s” in Cuyahoga Falls. Does any one know it? It looks like it was a drive in or a carhop.

Thanks!

The first day it was home!

**WILMASBOYL78** · #2 02-12-2007, 04:19 AM

Great story.....cool car...good luck with the baby seats!!

wilma

**SS427** · #3 02-12-2007, 05:33 AM

Great looking day II car. I am sure you get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

Rick

StriperSS · #4 02-12-2007, 06:57 AM

That's a beautiful car. A nice combo.

Chevy454 · #5 02-12-2007, 07:03 AM

After seeing his first picture of a '69 Rally Green Camaro, a buddy of mine commented that while it was a *different* color it looked AWESOME on a '69 Camaro...the same holds true with this car...