67HEAVEN

OUR CORVETTE HERITAGE:
I know you'll agree that keeping our Corvette heritage alive is important to the hobby. As new owners come on board, I'll bet there's a lot about Corvettes that they don't know.

The OUR CORVETTE HERITAGE series of posts is an attempt to bring us all up to speed or remind us about the history and development of our favourite car.

To see other threads in this series, search in both Recent and Archive on the word [REPRINT]
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For the 23rd in this series of threads, here's a look at one of the most famous specialty model manufacturers - Motion Performance - and their 1969/70 Phase III SS-427 GT.

"The Phase III SS-427 GT shown here started out as Joel Rosen's personal GT and has ended up being the most exciting American sports GT ever offered to the public."

...and...

"The clincher came when Mr. Corvette himself, Zora Arkus-Duntov, blessed the GT and proclaimed it one of the most outstanding examples of an American GT machine."

This story appeared in the August 1969 issue of Hi-Performance Cars magazine.







I visited Motion Performance on Sunrise Highway, Long Island, New York way back in 1968, when it was THE place.....truly the Mecca of east coast performance.

Did I ever tell ya about the 427 Nova pulling wheel-stands in front of the dealership.......? Wait.....that's another story!

Did I ever tell ya about the brand new 1968 Biscayne 427-425 h.p. street sleeper for $2,998.00 with 5-year factory warranty? Wait.....that's another story!

[Modified by 67HEAVEN, 6:48 PM 12/27/2001]


[Modified by 67HEAVEN, 6:58 PM 12/27/2001]

SuperFast80

YES!!!! :cheers: Been waiting for you to post it....

SuperFast80

I find it interesting that the crux of this project was to build a true grand tourer rather than a land-missile. The car as it was finished had some funky lights if I remember right - like Ferrari 206/246 and Datzun Z.

Did this car in its later development come with a 'Phase III L-88' or was that another B-M package?

67HEAVEN

You are correct, Sir. Notice the bottom of the left-hand column of text on page 24 (from magazine).

Even before the GT, Motion Performance / Baldwin Chevrolet offered lots of L-88 optioned cars, like:
. L-88 Nova.....yes Nova!
. L-88 Camaro
. L-88 Chevelle
. L-88 Corvette

In fact, just about any Bow-Tie could be ordered with one.

By the way just so those mid-West and Left Coast guys don't feel left out, maybe I should put up the Nickey Chevrolet, Chicago and Bill Thomas, Anaheim catalog from 1967.

Better not rush things though. I think I'm down to my last 500 Corvette articles! :jester

SuperFast80

So the L-88 was an option on the GT? i.e. It was regularly fitted with a 'normal' 427 *or* did the package include it?

Braggart. :lol:

67HEAVEN

First of all....shame on you! There is no such thing as a NORMAL 427. At Motion Performance, though, (after 1968) the L-88 was considered normal. If you wanted a big-block Corvette, it almost always came with the L-88, then in 1970 they switched to the LS-6 454 unless that wasn't enough to satisfy your cravings! Then they really worked on it! :lol: :lol: :lol:

1968 Ad below...


1970 Ad below...





[Modified by 67HEAVEN, 7:51 PM 12/27/2001]

67HEAVEN

More Motion info.... http://www.yenko.net/dealers/motion.htm

SuperFast80

Sorry - I'm so stupid! :jester The only *normal* engines come in Fords.....

Chuck Harmon

I should have known I would be disappointed. These cars are not stock. They did not come off the assembly line this way. Didn't they know that they would never be worth anything to anybody without the factory assembly line documentation! Just a dealership makeover.

Not even the 1/4 mile performance times are relevant to a factory car. For it to count, those headers sent by GM in the "trunk" had to be installed on the line at the factory, not at the dealership! Using 60 series tires on Vettes is also a "no-no". Oh well, to each his own. :sleep:

Chuck

67HEAVEN

Chuck,

When we were buying muscle cars in the 1960's, thoughts of what they would be worth in 2001 never entered our silly little heads. :crazy:

The only thing that mattered was ground-pounding power. I know that many people are concerned about resale value and factory documentation, but at the time.......1) no one ever thought we'd get old....and, 2) no one ever thought we'd sell our ultimate car.

In my case, yes to #1....no to #2. :lol:



[Modified by 67HEAVEN, 9:02 PM 12/27/2001]

Chuck Harmon

It just doesn't seem right to change engines from what the factory originally installed even if its with another stock engine. I know there has to be a good reason NCRS doesn't like it. And if they don't like it, well then I don't either!
If it's not "numbers matching" it isn't a real car

There, I've said it. I feel much better now!

Chuck :conehead

67HEAVEN

"Let my estate worry about matching numbers."

I'm too busy worrying about the fun factor......... :lol: :lol: :lol:

Chuck Harmon

Someone else is using my name and sig in earlier posts. He sounds like a real IDIOT!

Really guys, it wasn't me!

The real Chuck Harmon

67HEAVEN

What was the RPO code for that Richmond 6-speed in 1969, Chuck?
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

67HEAVEN

P.S. Thanks for the bumps to the top! :D

Chuck Harmon

________________________________________ ___________________
What was the RPO code for that Richmond 6-speed in 1969, Chuck?
________________________________________ ___________________

M222

(M22=4 speed M222=6 speed)

This is a very rare and obscure code known to only a very few; i.e. me.

Chuck

67HEAVEN

Does your wife know what you've done to the authenticity of that beautiful '69? :jester

Chuck Harmon

I think there are more than a few wives who have also altered, some extensivley to a point beyond recognition, what they were given as original equipment. But we digress. Not smart to go there!

To answer your question, yes she knows. But the yellow one must stay numbers matching!

Chuck

67HEAVEN

Well Chuck, my friend, if she likes numbers-matching, I could always post the roadtest of the factory 1969 ZL-1 Camaro (shown on the bottom of magazine cover at the beginning of this thread).

13.16 @ 110mph........engine option alone was $4,160.00

Whoops......this is the CORVETTE Forum. :D

Chuck Harmon

I've got an old HotRod article showing 11 second times with the new 69 ZL1 automatic Camaro owned by Dick Harrell. No, I don't think anyone else would be interested - only us. The Mopar guys that have mysteriously infiltrated this forum wouldn't even believe it!

Chuck


[Modified by Chuck Harmon, 6:37 PM 12/27/2001]