RogerD's 1969 Dick Harrell Chevelle

[RogerD]

I've been advised that the Colvin book has a typo and the correct code for the 69 COPO with auto trans is “MP” So, my car started out in life at the KAN (Leeds) plant as a COPO, was delivered to DHPC some time after the 3rd week of July, 1969 where DHPC did it's magic.

DHPC removed the AIR equipment, plugged the AIR holes in the exhaust manifolds, marked the harmonic balancer at 40 degrees, removed one of the two distributor weights, timed it at 38 deg/3,000 RPM, installed a Sun tach on the steering column via stainless steel hose clamp, installed hood locks and painted hood stripes, installed the large V8 emblems on the sides and the DHPC emblem to the deck lid, generated the "Dealer to Whom Delivered" (Bill Allen Chevrolet) MSRP "Window Sticker" that I still have (40 years later). Then, delivered to Bill Allen Chevrolet (perhaps the 2nd week or into the 3rd week of August) to be sold, I drove by Tuesday, Aug 19th, 1969 on my way to work (Whitaker Cable - about 3 or 4 blocks down the street from Bill Allen Chevrolet) and bought it (BRAND NEW)

Originally Posted by bkhpah

The Yenko Chevelle we are working on has - - for its 76 Daytona Yellow paint. We have restored a number of DH cars, including a Fathom Green 427 COPO Camaro. So without question DH used COPO cars..BKH

[Keith Tedford]

Colvin's book is definitely wrong. We have the MQ code engine and ours has the M20 behind it. What a car to get back.

[camarojoe]

Did I mention this is awesome? Not only is it indeed a COPO, tweaked by Dick Harrell, but its also documented with that Bill Allen invoice. Not too often one has to convice an owner his Malibu is really a COPO, it's usually the other way around! You should be very excited!

[Keith Tedford]

I used to have people walking away in mid conversation when I mentioned having a factory 427 Chevelle. They thought that they were being BSd. Can't blame them. These cars did indeed come with the 5-50 warranty. I don't know how GM looked at them after being modified by others. I still got warranty work done after installing headers with no problems. If everyone keeps beating the bushes, a few more might just show up.

[Schonyenko2]

It's interesting that the Allen invoice is written up the way it is. Dealer invoices usually use COPO nomaclature like "special high performance unit" rather than 427/450 hp. It's written up kinda like a Yenko window sticker that wanted you to think it was a transplant. I wonder if Dick H. was doing the same thing.
I wonder how this Allen invoice looks compared to what Ray Morrison has from his Gibb/Harrell Nova.
Has there been new documents found from DHPC? It was my understanding that they were lost in a flood and none existed. Is Valerie H. saying she has docs on your car and maybe others?

[Keith Tedford]

Being an original owner, Ray would be a good one to talk to. My bill of sale shows the 9566AA option and the price I paid. Back in '69, I was pretty sure that the Yenko Chevelles were based on COPOs but I don't believe that they were advertised as such.

[Schonyenko2]

[ QUOTE ]
Being an original owner, Ray would be a good one to talk to. My bill of sale shows the 9566AA option and the price I paid. Back in '69, I was pretty sure that the Yenko Chevelles were based on COPOs but I don't believe that they were advertised as such.

[/ QUOTE ]

The above statement is what I'm refering to. It was listed out with COPO, and RPO codes through his dealer invoice. Yenko was a licensed mfg of sportscars. He could write his own window sticker like on the deuces. Harrell was doing transplants, and modifications. He was not a mfg like Yenko, or Shelby. I would think a Bill Allen invoice should look like Keith's, or Grady B's rather than one with no COPO, or RPO codes. I'd think somewhere there should be an invoice with factory codes, and specs. This one looks like it was typed up by Allen at the time. How did they square that with GM?
I'm not doubling the car, or Roger, or the fact that it's a COPO, but I can't see the GM factory window sticker matching the Allen invoice. Nor do I see any mention of DHPC mods prior to sale which probably would have voided the factory warranty. Ray's had 90 days.I simply find it unusual, and perhaps the only evidence of how Dick worked with Allen.

[Keith Tedford]

Around here it was common for dealers to remove the factory window sticker and type up their own. We always figured that they were hiking the option prices in the process. Why else would they go to the bother.

[camarojoe]

[ QUOTE ]
It's interesting that the Allen invoice is written up the way it is. Dealer invoices usually use COPO nomaclature like "special high performance unit" rather than 427/450 hp. It's written up kinda like a Yenko window sticker that wanted you to think it was a transplant. I wonder if Dick H. was doing the same thing.


[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I'd say that's pretty much been confirmed by the fact the original owner believed for 40 years that it was a Malibu that was converted to a 427 by Dick Harrell. He never knew it was indeed a factory installed 427 until yesterday.