Gibb 68 COPO Nova

[Mr70]

Excellent info Ray and William.Thanks for sharing this and the docs with us all.

[copo-2]

Originally Posted by Mr70

Excellent info Ray and William.Thanks for sharing this and the docs with us all.

Thank you for the interest & also William for starting this thread. Many thanks to Steve S. for his assistance in the help he has given.

Concerning the ads that Fred Gibb displayed, these Novas were put on display before many of us, especially members of the " American Hot Rod Association."

Not knowing for sure, it is possible these ads were placed in NHRA's publication, also? The National Hot Rod Association had a membership publication of "National Dragster?" Knowing for sure that NHRA was considered because of their requirements being that 50 factory built units with the same specifications had to be documented before they set up a classification in their association.

Notice that these ads here again, these Novas Fred Gibb was advertising, were built with the newly available introduction of the 396-375 L-78. They do mention the introduction of having the combination of the L-78 with a Hydramatic & not a redesigned Turbo-400. Still nothing that they were a special batch requested just for Fred Gibb Chevrolet?


Most of us knew about the Turbo-400 that was available as a Regular Production Option (RPO) mated to different BB cars that were hydraulic lifter equipped. As was the case, the 396-375 h.p. Nova was now an RPO option that all Chevrolet dealers might not present unless you knew what to ask for? This was happening quite often back in those days, as magazine articles and the publications of the 2 major drag racing association's disclosing the newest options available.

[copo-2]

From an ad from the Dick Harrell's Performance Center that promotes the 396 & 427 Chevy ll, there was no clue given about Fred Gibb's involvement? DH only gave information of the available option being up to 500 horsepower through exclusive Chevrolet Dealers. Fred Gibb is mentioned in this ad only as one of the exclusive dealers of the network Harrell was building toward his performance center located in Kansas City, MO. In this ad, listed many of the things he offered, including Turbo Hydros. He also mentions B & M transmissions. The network of dealers he had established at that time, is shown in this ad showing Courtesy Chevrolet being a large part of the network he had established at this point. Still nothing though to make one wonder anything other mentioned to suspect of the original origination of these Nova's being supplied by Fred Gibb? While being an original owner, knowing it only as a Dick Harrell Nova for some 20 plus years, there was still a lot I could learn about the history of the Nova and the experimental automatic transmission of the DH 427.