1969 DH 427 Nova
 

Thanks to Robert Thurlow and Ken Boje, i was able to speak with the original owner of my car and the gentleman that sold it to him.

Car was invoiced from GM to Bill Allen. L78, TH400, Posi, SS. Garnet red, black bench seat, column shift. DHPC purchased car from Bill Allen. Harry May Chevrolet ordered car with balanced and blue-printed 427, tuned headers, 5 spoke headers, glass hood, etc.

Original owner said first run at Milan Dragway was 10.52

The original owner then added two 240 SW fuel pumps, a line lock and converted rear end to a 5.56 from a 5.13. Made some other changes. Best time on the track was a 9.51.

My heart was pounding thru the entire conversation. He was equally as excited to re-live some great memories. Said it was the best time in his life (aside from getting married).

The salesman was also forthcoming. He also recounted an occasion when he and his wife picked up Dick at the airport and brought him to Detroit Dragway. Dick was in town racing his funny car. He said Dick was one of the nicest guys he had met.

What an era.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

Pics ? Cool story.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

WOW, 9.50's back then when everybody else was running 10 teens, even Grump? Was this in 69 or later? Pictures!!

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

i had emailed some pics to marlin, hendersen and schoney a few months ago. maybe one of them can post? unfort they're on my work computer.

Original owner held the car for a short period of time (69-70 maybe 71). I have to call the second owner this afternoon. Original owner sold car with 2,140 miles. Said he used to street race the car for $100 a run. Said he "cleaned up". He just kept laughing in between stories. brought a huge smile to my face. i cant wait to reunite him with the car post restoration...

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

W[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif[/img]W!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What was the customer delivery date from Harry May?
Can't wait for pics and more on this VERY special car!!!


[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]
~ Pete

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

I wonder if Mr. Howie knows about this car? He, to me is the Harrell,Gibb nova guru.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

Great story! Did you find the car in Michigan?

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

Car spent most of its life in Michigan and then Ohio.
Im really hoping the owner or his brother find pics when new
He is also looking for old time slips but low probability given how much he moved over the last 40 years.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

Good on you for following up on it's History.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

WOW - what a great find! The process of tracking down old owners and re-living their memories is half the fun. Good job and can't wait to see your very special car!

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

thanks guys. i got the stiff-arm yesterday from the original owner's sister-n-law. was trying to reach his brother. i'll try again later.

going to try and download a couple pics

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

NOW we are talkin!

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

Is this red car the one that was talked about HERE???

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

not sure. believe its one of a kind. any info or stories are appreciated if people remember the car. Reward for vintage pics when car was new.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

Have you checked the tube stampings yet?.
Being a '69 Harrell transplant car also considering how DH was personally involved w/ many of the different Copo packages, it may be a good possibility of being an original 9511 car too?.


[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/hmmm.gif[/img]
~ Pete



http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/b...090450PM-2.jpg

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

This sounds like a cool car...lots of history, but I have trouble with the 9.50 ET...even the 10.50 is pretty wild for those days. I've read articles that put those 427 Novas at around 12 flat...maybe mid to high 11's...would love to see the time slips. Let's see some more photos...

wilma

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: WILMASBOYL78</div><div class="ubbcode-body">This sounds like a cool car...lots of history, but I have trouble with the 9.50 ET...even the 10.50 is pretty wild for those days. I've read articles that put those 427 Novas at around 12 flat...maybe mid to high 11's...would love to see the time slips. Let's see some more photos...

wilma </div></div>

I am thinking Ray Morrison ran in the 11s with his 427 Gibb/Harrell Nova back in the day.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

i havnt seen any time slips as of yet so who knows.

looking at my notes, he said something about running it in &quot;A fuel stock&quot; during the time of his best run (9.51). what is that? promise to get some follow up when i speak to him next time.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbt...156#Post113156

This article shows an ET of 12.05 for the Harrell prepared 68 car...I suppose with a little more gear it might have gone into the high 11's....a 10 second car would have required some other upgrades...wilma

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

Just spoke to original owner again. real nice guy and sharp as a nail. He worked for Ford back in the day making coil springs. worked 7 days a week and was appreciative that he had a good foreman that would let him swap with others to make a race at Milan.

Confirmed he ran a 10.52 &quot;out of the box&quot;. he restated that the car was balanced, blueprinted, 950 holley, toned headers, traction bars, etc. I explained how fast that was for the time. i mentioned the times quoted in the article above as well as told him what is mentioned on suydams website for the 69 yenko 427 nova.

told me he is still looking for time stlips and pics. Said he also raced on a strip in Michigan called M-50 with bunches of people watching. said that he never lost on street or strip. didnt know anything about the article but reiterated he ran the 10.52 on his first run. further mentioned that he didnt realize until afterwards that one of the brake lines was creating a drag...

As far as the 9.51 goes, he was running nitrous at that point. said something about an 8% mix and sunoco 260. Said he couldnt do more than 10% mix or it would get too hot. i hope that helps as its a little over my head.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

Some of you were asking about the rear.
my mechanic just called me with this information:

original to car
3894860NF
BV1123G
car built jan 69

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Atuckman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just spoke to original owner again. real nice guy and sharp as a nail. He worked for Ford back in the day making coil springs. worked 7 days a week and was appreciative that he had a good foreman that would let him swap with others to make a race at Milan.

Confirmed he ran a 10.52 &quot;out of the box&quot;. he restated that the car was balanced, blueprinted, 950 holley, toned headers, traction bars, etc. I explained how fast that was for the time. i mentioned the times quoted in the article above as well as told him what is mentioned on suydams website for the 69 yenko 427 nova.

told me he is still looking for time stlips and pics. Said he also raced on a strip in Michigan called M-50 with bunches of people watching. said that he never lost on street or strip. didnt know anything about the article but reiterated he ran the 10.52 on his first run. further mentioned that he didnt realize until afterwards that one of the brake lines was creating a drag...

As far as the 9.51 goes, he was running nitrous at that point. said something about an 8% mix and sunoco 260. Said he couldnt do more than 10% mix or it would get too hot. i hope that helps as its a little over my head. </div></div>

The M 50 dragstrip that he referred to might be Onandaga Dragway that was open back in the 60's and 70's. It is very near M 50, north of Jackson, south of Lansing and not that far from Milan. It was a quite a popular track back then with some very big names racing there at the time. I was only there one time, but there were lots of cars and spectators.

It has been closed for 30 plus years, but I've heard there is an effort to reopen it as a dragstrip again. Current interest in the track might lead you to more info.

Ask the original owner if it was Onandaga?

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

I'm thinkin he may have said nitro, not nitous?

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

Nitro doesn't like to mix with gasoline. Won't stay in suspension very long. It's heavier (specific gravity) than gasoline and separates to the bottom of the tank. Needs alcohol as the catalyst.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

I guess I'm not understanding the mix with the 260. I don't remember anybody doing much with nitrous back then, or I just wasn't payin attention.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

DITTO!

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ORIGLS6</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nitro doesn't like to mix with gasoline. Won't stay in suspension very long. It's heavier (specific gravity) than gasoline and separates to the bottom of the tank. Needs alcohol as the catalyst. </div></div>

Amyl Acetate works better when mixing nitromethane with gasoline.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

I'm thinkin' the original owner may be having a &quot;senior moment&quot; in regards to the elapsed times he **thinks** he was turning back in the day. And nobody was running nitrous oxide back in the 60's or 70's.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

Ah yes, the older I get...the faster I was!

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

My 1980 Motion Camaro had a Nitrous setup installed at a cost of 1000.00 in 82

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

There was at least one racer running nitrous at Northstar Drag Strip, MN in the late 70's and that stip closed in 1979. I remember as this was the new rage and as a kid I was amazed by what it could do. Popular Hot Rodding, Car Craft and Hot Rod all ran how to articles on it. I know cuz instead of pin ups, I had them plastered on my bedroom walls! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/wink.gif[/img]

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

<span style="font-style: italic"> &quot;I know cuz instead of pin ups, I had them plastered on my bedroom walls!&quot;
</span>
Are they still there?? [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

Comparision article of L78/396 stocker w/ L78 and L72 Harrell cars!.
Anyone able to blow these pages up enough to read better?.

[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]
~ Pete

http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/76_75/11...1251-vi-th.jpg

http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/76_75/11...l126-vi-th.jpg

http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/76_75/11...l127-vi-th.jpg

http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/76_75/11...l128-vi-th.jpg

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Schonyenko2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm thinkin he may have said nitro, not nitous? </div></div>

maybe you are right. im too young to know what you guys used back then. missed out on that whole era unfortunately.

look at the comment in this article DH and his 67 camaro. maybe he said nitro not nitrous.

What modifications are necessary to run nitro on a street car?

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

didn't use anything back then but pure power Adam. When a BB camaro ran an 11.50 it really ran and 11.50 with 260 Sunoco, headers, traction bars a stiffer gear, a little carb and distributor work and a good raceday tune up. And then we drove them home. NO lawn ornaments in those days.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

so cool.
sadly, i think my generation missed out. nothing like real american muscle.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PeteLeathersac</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Comparision article of L78/396 stocker w/ L78 and L72 Harrell cars!.
Anyone able to blow these pages up enough to read better?.

[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]
~ Pete

http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/76_75/11...1251-vi-th.jpg

http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/76_75/11...l126-vi-th.jpg

http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/76_75/11...l127-vi-th.jpg

http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/76_75/11...l128-vi-th.jpg

</div></div>

here ya go..

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbt...156#Post113156

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bill Pritchard</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm thinkin' the original owner may be having a &quot;senior moment&quot; in regards to the elapsed times he **thinks** he was turning back in the day. And nobody was running nitrous oxide back in the 60's or 70's. </div></div>

The Germans were running it in their fighter planes back in '44, though. (and no, I'm not that old) [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/eek.gif[/img]

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

Also, NHRA was checking for Nitrous Oxide in the early 60's according to an article I read back then. Seems a few of the sharper racers were on to it's performance properties even way back.

Re: 1969 DH 427 Nova
 

The P51's with Merlins also ran Nitrous but I'm told only in emergency situations as afterwords the engines need to be torn down.