Does anyone remember this 69 Green 427 coupe from California?

[Norris W.]

According to the NCRS Shipping Data Report on this car it was sold by Jack Head Chevrolet in Alhambra, Ca. Production date was 2/18/69. This dealership does not still exist and according to the Toyota dealer I found there on the internet there is NO Chevy dealer in Alhambra.

The car is Fathom Green with tan leather. It has speed warning, TI ignition, high RPM redline on tach, HD 3.36 rear with casting date expected to be original and high shift turbo 400 serial numbered to the car. The car is basically unmolested underneath and because of the time I've owned it and he condition I believe the rear is original to the car and there's no doubt in my mind the transmission is also, rather than being a restamp. The original engine is gone and the gas tank has been changed years ago because it had a dirty shipping label taped to the side showing a dealer (I THINK) in Arkansas. At one time the car was apparently in Texas and at some point had the big block hood removed and a std. late hood that eliminated the wiper door. It was also painted burgundy. In bare glass now, the car has never had damage.

In spite of the characteristics above that would have only been available on SHP or HD (I've eliminated HD because the antenna hole in the rear appears factory instead of someone's after purchase install of a radio and other HD required pieces are missing) The car wears a 400 HP label on the console, but this would not be possible because of the tach and rear (which could have been changed) and also the high shift point turbo 400 which I'm positive is original.

Any information appreciated.

[Richard M.]

Re: Does anyone remember this 69 Green 427 coupe from California?

Norris,
I have a similar problem to yours, my 69' L71, M40 has a G28 body build date, delivered new to a dealer in Nevada, no tank sticker, engine MIA, but trans is original, look for the partial vin on your transmission, to find it you will need to remove the shift linkage bracket on the left hand side of the trans pan, it is stamped on the case rail right above the pan.

Best regards

Richard

[Norris W.]

Re: Does anyone remember this 69 Green 427 coupe from California?

The transmission is original to the car, (my original post above: "high shift turbo 400 serial numbered to the car") and identifies it positively as being L71, L89 or L88 as does the AU rear axle, also original to the car based on my time frame of ownership and condition at time of purchase, dirty and old looking in 80's before number swappin' had reached today's state of the art) combined with date code in range that would be right for car.

What I'm absolutely positive of: The car was 435 from the factory. What I do not know is if it was L89. There's too much changed to think it could have been an L88 at one time although I was stubbornly optimistic of the possibility in the beginning of the evaluation when I first bought the car in the 80's. The thing that continues to puzzle me is the 400 horse badge on the console. Interestingly one of my OTHER 2 known to be original '69 L89 cars also had a 400 badge. That one was sold new here and the original owner is still here, and I am going to contact him and see if he has any memory of them replacing the 435 badge with a 400 one for any reason. Like the ZL1 Camaro I was rambling about in another post here, this car too was a local teenager's birthday present in 1969 and both he and his father still live here. This car has a nice tank sticker still on tank (I dropped the tank and then packaged it in a box and stored it, tank sticker intact for preservation about 20 yrs ago) and the father still had the dealer invoice where he bought his son a 375 Camaro for the birthday because of the Corvette plant strike in '69 and then traded the Camaro back in to the dealer when the Corvette was finally delivered. The L78 Camaro was L89 also, and I've chased that car for years since I have the Vin from the invoice, but have never had any success. I was told it went to Detroit area somewhere.

I do love the search and the discussion.