69 Nova L78 TH400

[Xplantdad]

Looks like the seats are different...not a body mod, though.
Radiused fenderwells?

Bruce

[Supercar_Kid]

Tom wins this one. While looking over several period pics of his famed DY Yenko that were on display at SCR7, Ed Hedrick had an interesting recollection. Together, Ed and I were examining the changes that were made to the car during the course of it’s campaign, and I had commented on it’s lack of rocker moldings in some later photos. Ed went on to explain that it was a trick of Grump’s to section the outer quarter panel lip, with a few pie slice reliefs, lengthening the wheel opening all the way until it fit flush with the inner wheel tub, freeing up an extra inch or two for bigger slicks. He said it wasn’t technically legal, but it wasn’t technically illegal either. He explained that it was always Grump’s interpretation, that if a modification wasn’t specifically prohibited in the rulebook, it was fair game. He said after they had stretched the opening, they would eliminate the rocker moldings and squirt them black clear up to the door opening to help divert attention away from the alteration. They never got any flak from track officials about it. Just another reason why Grump, Strickler, & Hedrick ran so fast. Pretty slick you gotta admit.

[Chevy454]

Too friggin' cool...

[Schonyenko2]

Both copo camaros that we've had in here had their wheelwells moved forward like the grumps. Richmond's Vitar camaro, and Jude's burnished brown copo. Big slicks, power to the ground.

[68TopStock]

The cut and slice approach was more esthetic than the old "large hammer" approach! On the Sox & Martin hemi-Cuda's, I have been told the factory supplied special rear 1/4's.

[Jeff H]

So did they also move the rear axle forward a little or was it still centered for the larger tires after altering the wheel opening? I noticed the lack of rocker moldings right away but couldn't figure out why. Cool car. I love these old pictures showing what people really did with their cars.

[Chevy454]

[ QUOTE ]
It was issued to Yenko Sportscars Inc. in March 1971 for the 1970 cars. Do you think Yenko was trying to get them certified for some sort of NHRA class?

[/ QUOTE ]

Possibly...we have a boat load of correspondance between Yenko Sportscars Inc. and Wally Parks, but apparently it was futile, as the '70 350/360 Novas are still NOT a legal NHRA combo...I helped a guy out east try and get it classified last year, but no go as of yet...