35th Anniversary

[Roger Legge]

Re: Something Coral or Jade!

Traditional is Coral and modern is Jade. Congrats, Joe!

[Roberto L.]

Re: 35th Anniversary

Happy aniversary Joe, glad the car is in the same home.. nice day September 13th, I was born Sept 13th 1955

For another 35 years!

Roberto, NCRS #30019, RMC

[Dick W.]

Re: 35th Anniversary

Joe, you have one option that in my opinion is rate. That is hard top only. My '69 L/88 was hard top only and I was questioned many times about the authenticity of this option.

[Joe L.]

Re: 35th Anniversary

Peter-----

The 68 L-78:

1) Had terrible pre-ignition problems despite timing adjustments and using Chevron Custom Supreme gasoline, the highest octane gasoline generally available in California at that time;

2) Broke valve springs repeatedly;

3) The Holley carb was miserable. It required THREE overhauls and several power valves during the 18,000 miles I had the car;

4) The car required TWO clutches in the 18,000 miles and I drove it very conservatively. No burn outs and no racing, at all;

5) It had 3.70:1 rear gears. Still, the best mileage I ever got with it was 8.6 MPG and that was on a strictly highway trip from the SF Bay Area to Los Angeles on old US 99. I remember the 8.6 figure very well. Also, I ran out of gas twice during the 18 months, or so, that I owned the car. It was the only car that I EVER ran out of gas, either before or since to this day;

6) It was, basically, a miserable car to drive. The engine had terrible "street manners" and the car, itself, handled very poorly. It looked great and it ran strong, but that wasn't enough to off-set the "negatives". At the time, I was glad to see it go; I didn't shed a tear when it drove off. Of course, NOW I wish that I still had it. But, if I had it now, I wouldn't be driving it on a day-to-day basis as I was then.

[Joe L.]

Re: 35th Anniversary

Geezer-----

I'm ashamed to say, SLOWLY.

[Joe L.]

Re: Happy Anniversary Joe

Scott------

Hopefully, a "ZL-1"!

[Joe L.]

Re: 35th Anniversary

Mike-----

Although I never raced any of my cars there, I was over there quite a bit. I had quite a few friends who did race there. The strip is gone now and, as far as I'm concerned, it was a GREAT loss to the sport and to the area.

[Joe L.]

Re: 35th Anniversary

Dick-----

I can guarantee the authenticity of the AVAILABILITY of the option. In 1969, the soft top was the standard way that the convertible was supplied. However, you could get the hard top IN PLACE OF the soft top as a no cost option. If you wanted the hard top IN ADDITION TO the soft top, then the price of the coupe and convertible (with both tops) was about the same.

[Terry M.]

Re: 35th Anniversary

Joe,
Was the Chevelle red?

[Joe L.]

Re: 35th Anniversary

Terry-----

No. My 1966 Chevelle SS 396 with L-34 and M-20 was yellow with black interior. The 1968 Chevelle SS 396 with L-78 and M-22 was black with black interior.

[Joe L.]

Addendum

By the way, I bought both of the Chevelles and the Corvette from the same salesman at Central Chevrolet. His name was Frank Camilleri. After I bought the first Chevelle, he and I became good friends and were remained so for many years.

Poor Frank lead a rather "hard life". He had been married and divorced 4 times before he was 35 years old. Lots of partying, drinking, chain smoking and the stresses imposed by the car business and his habit of heavy gambling took their toll. He had his first heart attack when he was about 40. Fortunately, it happened when he was at work and, as luck would have it, a doctor and a nurse were buying a car in the office next to his. They saved him and after a quadruple bypass he was as good as new. For about 2 years. Then he had another heart attack and the only way he could be saved was through a heart transplant. Luck shined his way again. He got sent to Stanford Medical Center and quickly got to the top of their priority list. A match was found within a week and he got his transplant. It was a rough recovery, but he came out of it "cured" of cigarettes and drinking (mostly, anyway).

For many years afterward we used to talk about Corvettes and "originality". One day he quipped that when he died, I could have him sent to a taxidermist and "stuffed". Then, he said, I could go to shows, prop him up in the passenger seat, and brag that I was the only Corvette owner that had the car's original salesman.

About 4 years ago I went up to see him in Lake Tahoe where he lived for several years. He always hung around the racebook at Ceasar's Tahoe and I found him there. He was in pretty bad shape. I spent the whole day with him and when we parted, I knew that I would never see him again. He knew it, too. And, that's how it came to pass. He died about a month later. I didn't have him "stuffed", though. I thought about it, but I just didn't think that anyone besides Frank would understand.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Addendum

That is a GREAT story, no matter what.

Patrick

[Terry M.]

Amen *NM*

[Warren F.]

Re: 35th Anniversary

Joe:

I can relate to your views on the L78 engine. I had 2 '69 Camaro ragtops both at the same time. One was a L35, TH400, 3:07 ratio, the other a L78, M20, 3:55 ratio. The latter, never got better than 9 miles per gallon!

[Clem Z.]

pick up the pace joe,you not getting any younger *NM*