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continues: the screaming yellow sleeper
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1 The austere bench seat interior looks brand new thanks to a stash of correct N.O.S. GM upholstery Curt located in San Francisco via the Internet. A genie L79 shifter plays peek-a-boo and controls 7,000-rpm powershifts. 2 You can't just yank the heater and radio and leave it at that. The factory knew this and tooled specific metal delete plates to cover the holes. It took a small fortune to source these rare goodies, the heater-delete plate (bottom) being toughest to locate. 3 Curt scored the original L79 long-block from a life-long friend who bought it new in '66. Wanting the complete L79 experience, he rebuilt it using N.O.S. Chevrolet parts before crowning
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it with the Holy Grail of small-block induction setups from a '63 Corvette. 4 Tuff guy Stimpson ran it minus air cleaner, but current owner Randy Palmer is looking for some damaged Vette stuff he can cobble into a plausible OE-looking filtration unit/intake duct. 5 The super-clean undercarriage was assembled by Stimpson then detailed by Palmer. Note the rare L79 Nova front-sump oil pan and custom Doug Thorley equal-length headers. 6 CalTracs bars prevent spring windup with stock monoleaves. Without slicks, any attempt at hard acceleration leaves marks on the street that look like they were from a couple of 10 speed bicycles in a drag race.
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The beauty of the car is the way it provides a stark contrast to the usual chromed, striped, slammed, and scooped street machine. Close inspection reveals layer upon layer of precisely calculated understatement and a highly disciplined addiction to rare factory parts. For instance, there's enough money tied up in the Rochester fuelie unit to build another short-block, but without it, the car wouldn't be nearly as effective at transporting its viewers (and passengers) into the netherworld of pseudo-factory what-ifs.
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After completion, Curt decided to move onto another project and sold the little yellow bomber to supercar collector Randy Palmer of San Marino, California. Randy's in the business of supplying roller and ball bearings to companies like Crower and knows that true performance often comes without much flash. Keeping Stimpson's vision alive, he refrained from the addition of snazzy wheels and other dress-up items that would only serve to distract attention from the true beauty buried within. Sometimes less really is more. HR
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Quick Inspection
Randy Palmer
San Marino, CA
'66 Chevy II Sedan
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ENGINE
Type: 327 L79/L84 hybrid
Induction: '63 Corvette model 7017375 Rochester fuel injection with '65 cranking enrichment solenoid for easier startup, prepared by Chris Wykersham, Monrovia, CA
Heads: Stock Edelbrock Performer RPM (PN 6099), fully assembled with 2.02/1.60-inch valves, 64cc chambers, 170cc intake ports and 60cc exhaust ports
Cam: NOS L79 hydraulic, 0.472-inch lift, 342 advertised duration, 114-degree lobe separation
Pistons: NOS forged L79, 11.0:1
Rods: L79 forged with ARP 3/8 fasteners
Crank: Stock L79, forged
Ignition: '63 Corvette fuelie single point
Exhaust: Custom headers by Doug Thorley, dual 2 ½-inch pipes, and MagnaFlow mufflers
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission: '66 L79 Nova M22 close-ratio four speed (2.20/1.64/1.28/1:1) and shifter, McLeod clutch and pressure plate
Driveshaft: '66 L79 Nova
Rear Axle: '66 L79 Nova 12-bolt with 3.73:1 gears and Positraction
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CHASSIS
Front Suspension: Stock suspension with V-8 coil springs, heavy-duty sway bar
Rear Suspension: Stock monoleaf with CalTracs bars and heavy-duty sway bar
Steering: Stock power assist
Brakes: '67 Nova discs (F), stock 9-inch finned drums ( R )
WHEELS & TIRES
Wheels: 14x5 steel rims, NOS hubcaps
Tires: Manco bias-ply 6.95-14
BODY
Repairs: Minor dent removal
Materials: PPG GM Cream Yellow
By: C.A.R.S, Pasadena, Ca
INTERIOR
Materials: N.O.S. '66 Chevy II brown saddle cloth, Mooneyes electric tachometer
By: Quality Upholstery, Irwindale, CA
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