LT1 Nova
 

If I wanted to build a 70 nova with a LT1 where would i start to get the combination legalized for stock. Seems to me that would be a killer combo. What do you think? Thanks Jerry.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

I saw this old listing on Racing junk that might be a good combo for my 442 in E/SA.What do you think?

Fresh Jenkins 500cid DRCE Olds engine.GM drce heads. Drce block.Titanium valves. Comp valve springs and titanium retainers. Comp cam. Jesel lifters, belt cam drive and belt dist. drive. GRP rods, Callies crank. Moroso dry sump 4 stage. Engine is complete carbs to dry sump. Carbon fiber valve covers, ATI damper. Engine parts have dyno time only on them. The valve springs, rods & bearings are new. Engine came from Bill Orndorff and Jerry Eckman when they were running the Pennzoil Pro Stock Car.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

...or get a letter from Don Yenko or Motion Performance... :)

Re: LT1 Nova
 

Unless you have or can get GM documentation proving there were at least 50 cars built like that by GM, you have no place to start.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

As I understand it, GM built 173 LT-1 Nova's of which 170 went to Yenko and that an individual in Canada has 2 that didn't go to Yenko

Re: LT1 Nova
 

If there was 175 LT1 novas made under a copo what makes them different than the 427 chevelles? Thanks Jerry

Re: LT1 Nova
 

Maybe then you could go .2 under.

Ed F.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

Probably not if the indexes are lowered.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

Then ask for 20 off.

Ed F.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

I would rather be allowed to use the Edelbrock heads like others are allowed to use,and the horsepower rating can stay the same.Thanks.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

If you get the Edelborcks maybe you can persuade NHRA to let me have the Clifford head.

Thanx back
Ed F.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

I don't think NHRA will let Yenko cars in (meaning Yenko cars by themselves, not Yenko cars that are also COPO cars). NHRA does NOT look at Yenko cars like they do Shelby cars, even though they should be comparable.

Any idea what the COPO is for the 70 LT-1 Nova? Was the COPO number made available to the public, and not JUST Yenko (in the U.S.)?

I heard the other day that since there were supposedly some NASCAR Hemi cars that were not sold to the public that are allowed, they may let the 67 L-88 Corvette back in.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

I think that if they are going to allow Edelbrock heads on some cars, they should allow them on all cars Edelbrock makes a head for (so long as they are at least as close to production heads as the Edelbrocks that are allowed now are) for the same 10HP penalty, or close to it. If the Chevy and Ford big blocks have them, then the Olds, Pontiac, and Chrysler cars should get them as well, again, provided they are as close as those already allowed, and they carry at least the same 10HP.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

COPO 9010 with engine codes CTB or CTC. That is fron the GM COPO site. COPO for substitution for LT1 engine in 1970 nova.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

You will need GM to OFFICIALLY submit that to the guys at NHRA.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

Alan,
I agree, as long as the replacement heads use the same factory length head bolts (which means that the head isn't thicker, thus the ports are at stock heights) this also means that the original push rods and rockers will work. If the stock intake will bolt up, they should be considered as a replacement head. Think about it, how cool would Yenko and Baldwin Motion cars be in Stock and Super Stock, the Shelbys added flavor and these could too. Think of it, somebody somewhere will try to run a turbo charged Covair? Kinky!

Re: LT1 Nova
 

If there ends up being a performance gain,the AHFS will take care of it.I'm guessing this thread started because of this........

http://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCSt...r=100#indextop

Re: LT1 Nova
 

i just want my Callaway Twin Turbo Vette

Re: LT1 Nova
 

Why not Chad, but how would they class it a AAAA/SA. Run on a 9.50 index! I like things better like this.
People need to remember the other end of the spectrum. NHRA in the 70's would check the serial number to make sure that the year car that you were claiming was in deed that real year. You couldn't take a 69 Nova and use it as a 68 or 70 Nova. They would make sure that you did NO cross breeding of parts, like radiators, leaf springs, door handles, grills or anything! Like it really mattered!

Re: LT1 Nova
 

A good friend of mine bought a Yenko Deuce new. It was dark green with all the Yenko ID stuff on it. He installed some steep rear gears( maybe 5.38's) and slapper bars and headers. It ran 12.7's at E-Town driving it there !.....He blew it up with less than 5000miles on it and took it to Wallace Chevrolet in Linden NJ I think it was....they removed the engine and said it was NOT under warrantee. We picked the car up and the shortblock was in the trunk and was a mess. I installed a 302 Z/28 race engine from his '69 Z racecar (F/S) at the time. That Yenko was one of the most fun cars I ever drove around on the street for a few weeks....Pro Track 60 series tires and a 4 speed........I could get that car sideways anytime I wanted. I tried to race a few street squirrels with it but had no takers on that once they saw how the thing ran. The 302 ran 12.15 in the F/S Camaro!.....That friend owned some cars that would be worth a fortune today and that was one of my favorites that was sold for peanuts.......It would not make a good Stocker as the HP rating was 360 or 370 if I remember right....I also think they only made 4 speed cars...they were fast and great to drive on the street as all small block 4 speed cars were back then.....

Re: LT1 Nova
 

LOL a letter from Don....would be a neat trick.


Hmmm, let all Motion cars in.....wonder what class those 454 Vegas would fit; of course good luck any rust free bodies up this way lol.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

That was the thing about most them, they were just about all available with only 4 speeds. That takes many out of the equation, since many people won't race a stick shift, kind of like it is self policing.
But back "then" GM was offically out of the factory thing to make race cars legal. There were no Chevelles to run at Daytona like there Ford Talledgas or Plymoth Super Birds. No LS7s like there were Boss 429s or race HEMIs. Yet we all scrutinize GM cars to the same standards as the factories that really were involved in racing.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

COPO 9010 LT-1 Nova was available with auto trans. TH400

Same as LT-1 Z 28.
Seen several Yenko Dueces with auto back in the old days. Hurst auto stick shifter if I recall.

Silver Copo 9010 Nova from Canada has auto. It has been in several muscle car magazines over the years.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

Jerry,

I talked to some people in the Motorsport group at GM a couple of years ago for someone that was interested in build this combination. At the time they told me that they were getting a lot of flcak from NHRA about paper cars. I, like many people realize that these cars were real but they have become an obscure forgot entity. You might be able to make another run at this again. I can get you a contact if you really want to try again.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

LOL, GM getting flack from NHRA about paper cars. Now THAT is funny.:D

Re: LT1 Nova
 

Funny it may be, but that was the story that I got.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

If GM served NHRA the same or similar dinner and dessert that Shelby Served NHRA, we might get to see some of our greatest and rarest classic muscle back in the stock eliminator.

olds 442, I beleive that the edelbrock olds heads use stock style(small block chevy) rocker arm set ups, not the trunions. If I am wrong I apoligize. I sure would like to see it happen tho. GM's rule!

Re: LT1 Nova
 

Bruce, I don't doubt that one bit, not at all. It does not even come close to surprising me, either.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

The Edelbrock Olds head uses regular studs and guide plates. However, it would not be a problem at all for Edelbrock to make a run with 5/16-18 threaded rocker bosses to accept factory valvetrain. They did not alter the valve location or angle on the Edelbrock head.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

You do not need to run the factory rocker bosses anymore, the rules are already changed to allow guide plates and studs.

Refer to:

Stock Cars

Section 9A

Engine: 1

Page 136 (05/08)

Camshaft/Lifters: Delete last sentences of paragraph and replace with "Larger diameter pushrods permitted. Pushrod guide plates permitted. Cylinder head may be clearenced for larger diameter pushrods."

:)

Re: LT1 Nova
 

The information was submitted to NHRA way back in 1970...we have a lot of the original correspondance between Don Yenko and the NHRA...why it *never* got a factor is beyond me?

Re: LT1 Nova
 

Probably because Farmer Dismuke was in charge and he was known to not be as "lax"...

Re: LT1 Nova
 

So, why isn't it legal? Chevrolet produced 177 of these cars...that's right, CHEVROLET. Yenko Chevrolet got 175, and 2 went to Canada. Nothing fancy about them, just plain-jane Novas with the LT-1 & 4.10 gears, and your choice of transmission...granted, Yenko hung stripes/emblems on the majority of them (not all), but that was about as far as he went, unless the customer asked for more.

When I get home tonight, I'll dig out the Yenko-->NHRA correspondance and see about posting some of it. Then maybe someone can tell me *why* it never happened...

HERE IS SOME LIGHT READING ON '70 YENKO NOVAS

Re: LT1 Nova
 

I tried to help a friend get the "Duece" into the SCCG a few years ago and ran into a problem finding original documentation to submit to NHRA. Many of the Yenco troops are long on tribal knowlege but short on the written word. Somewhere there is documentation or clay tablets or something to verify what we all know and I have found NHRA to be very receptive to this approach in the past. It does chap me that Shelby can wiggle their nose and get absolute BS approved but if it's a Chevrolet; bulletproof documentation and three part harmony is required. It would be OK if all scrutiny was equal. The LT-1 Nova (and others) belong in the SCCG, if I knew where the bones were buried I would dig them up and submit them today.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

Tom: what info do you need? I can supply a large marjority of the VIN #s of the 177 cars...lots of advertising material...even names/addys of original owners still with the car...and as mentioned above, the original correspondance where all of this took place back in 1970.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

Yes, but what about rockers? What rockers are legal with studs and guide plates?

Re: LT1 Nova
 

Id rather see the LT1 Nova accepted rather than the Roush Mustang. They should let the Yenko/Moton/Dana Cars run AA/SA.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

OEM rockers with modified sleds.

Re: LT1 Nova
 

Yep...let me get the popcorn...so, while you are at it, why don't get rid of the Buick GN's and T-Types, and also the 1989 Turbo Firebird, or Mark Yacavone's Turbo 4-banger, or Neil Smedly's previous Turbo Firebird, or the Turbo FWD Dodges...let's also get rid of all the F.I. cars too.

The Roush cars are no more different than the new S/C Shelby Mustang...so, let's also ban them too!!!

Re: LT1 Nova
 

Decal on cover of original folder from Yenko Chevrolet...