Fall 08 Chevy Vettefest 69 Z/28 Feature Showcase

[Schonyenko2]

I've seen you camaro over at the QCCA expo center car show, and I think we talked about it there. No doubt that it is what it is.
Did you ever see the Yenko deuce that went through Ericksen's, or the 68 Yenko that went through Mills? I've always been puzzled why there were apparently no COPO cars sold from any Quad cities dealerships. Mills, and Ericksens were plugged in well enough that they had to know they were out there. And they knew what Fred Gibb had in LaHarpe.Stealy told us that they had a 68 Gibb car go through there real quick after the owner may have gotten into some trouble on he Ia. side. Though it went out around Kewanee. He couldn't recall this red nova we have here, but he said that was a long time ago, and I know a lot of hipo cars went through Mills.

[Chevyman]

Man you were up late last night! No I do not recall any of those supercars. I got married and drafted in '69, and it's like my interest got diverted for years when it comes to cars. I would love to go back for just one day! I started selling at Mills in Feb. '74 and the management seemed so old. They never told me any stories of the 60s. Terry Seams is still there, started in '68 I think. That's unheard of in the car business. George McClain was the General Manager and he told me stories about Bob Eriksen and He drag racing the '57 demostrators. Bob Eriksen got fired from there and went to Milan, IL. and bought out Ralph Palmer Chev.

[Chevyman]

Wow this forum has been dead lately. Well Darren how about an update on the colors of Zs, other wise I'm going to start telling stories again!

[Xplantdad]

Start already!

[Chevyman]

OK you asked! Well it's Saturday morning Nov. 9, 1968 and I had a major problem on my hands. No, I didn't have to work, no my girl friend wasn't late, and no I didn't loose my Beach Boy Albums. The night before I drove over three hundred miles and couldn't wind it past 5500RPM. This was disgraceful and embarassing! After all I had been reading all the magazines about the testing that they had been doing and constantly they talked about 7500-8500RPM. The talk of the day was about the mouse that roars! 800cfm holleys, 2.02 valves, 11 to 1 compression, solid lifter 30/30 cam, and all the rest. Did I own the only 302 pony car in the nation that peaks out at 5500 ? Man I was wreck trying to figure this out. It was pouring rain without any let up, but I was determined to come up with a solution. At wits end I decided it was time to go visit Lee Parks owner of Chevron Speed Shop across the river in Davenport, Ia. When I arrived it was still pouring rain. I went in and explained my major malfunction to Lee and he began to quiz me with all of the usual potential problems. Finally he says let's try something, Chevyman. He suggests that I go out, not him, get the distributor and bring it in. Well after driving clunks for couple of years, I always carried tools with me. Still pouring rain I grab my 9/16 box end that I still have with my other keepsakes for the car, and remove the distributor. I handed it to Lee and he sticks it in his Sun machine. Soon he has it spinning and he asks "did you say it is done at 5500RPM?" Yep. He comes back with "delco points have a very weak spring and what you have is point float." So he sticks in some Mallory Points and heavier weights and lighter advance springs and suggests that I go give it a whirl. Back out in the rain I go. I throw the distributor in the hole, time it close enough by ear, tighten in down, and jump behind the wheel. I was soaked but I had plenty of napkins from Debs Drive Inn from the night before, so I started towelling off. Now it was time for the show. I backed out of the lot onto the street while still coasting backward just ever so slightly, I jammed the Hurst forward into first and dumped the clutch. It roared with tremendous power, I hit all four gears at 7500RPM and only traveled 20 feet. I hit the binders, backed up 15 feet, drove back into the lot, and went in to ask Lee how much do I owe? "That will be $10.00 please." I left the building with a wide grin.

[tabooo]

Hey Chevyman,
Yes,More stories please.

[Xplantdad]

Great story!

[Schonyenko2]

Lee was a pretty cool guy. That place used to be a mad house.The Doug Thorely headers, and super muffs I ran on my deuce came from there. Arnie Beswick used to bring in uncut aluminum heads and have them cut the way he wanted there.
And I think that distributor machine is still down at Ronnie William's, Auto Ron's yet. I think Ronnie bought it from Chevron when they closed.

[Chevyman]

Yes, I heard that Ronnie got some of the stuff from Lee. I have no clue what ever happened to Lee Parks. Do you know anything? By the way after almost 40 years since that day in the rain, I'm still wearing that wide grin. If interested go to guruofrelationships.com Every time I drive the Z it's hard to keep my foot out of it! There is just nothing like 7500 and a big ole holley!