Yes there were other dealers that would do engine transplants once the headers became available. I know in 1967 Yenko had to buy headers from different vendors because one company could not supply them fast enough.

 

Dana Chevrolet and Bill Thomas Engineering, both in CA, also did them. Car Life and Car and Driver magazines tested them in 1967. I believe Dick Harrell also did some and is known to have done 427 conversions for Yenko. Motion Performance in NY may have done some for Baldwin Chevrolet.

Any claimed '67 427 conversion needs original paperwork. Most do not have any.

 

I have a chance to purchase a so called converted 67 with a 427 in it. besides paper work from the dealer, is there anything else to look for? I know the car came from CA. originally.

 

Early 67 conversions were done on SS-350 cars. Dealers like Nickey would get a 66 or 67 425hp long block and weld or cobble as required. Mid production year, Chevrolet started installing lopo 396 engines and the conversions became easier. In mid/late april 67, the first hipo/L78 cars started rolling off the assembly lines-then most if not all the conversions became a swap of vett 427 short blocks for 396 short blocks, the dealers would then sell the leftover 396 hipo short blocks to racers. I personally saw several of these "leftovers" for sale in the showroom in the mid-67 to 68 timeframe. For identification now, look for the identification of a bigblock car, ie; big fuel line (3/8), big block heater box, big block radiator, deep grouve pulleys, Correct "170" distributor-installed on most L-78. high red line tach (if guage pkg equipped), 12 bolt,etc. Please note though, SS-350 cars MAY have had some of these features.

 

i'm going to look at the car this week, he said it was a L78 car to start with. It was converted by the dealer when new to a 427, never titled, just raced. If this car is what he said it is would it bring the same money or close to it , as a DANA, NICKEY, OR YENKO? I just don't know what it is worth.

 

Gary Dodd of California owned a 67 Dana 427 car that was raced its whole life.Have a picture of the car,NOT found.I talked to Gary personally.Another thing to check is if the car has LOS built I believe the build sheet will be on top of the gas tank. I found one on a 69 LOS Z/28 I bought.

 

I used to buy parts from a guy named Jerry Dodd near Riverside CA. He had lots of rare stuff back in the eighties.
Same guy or perhaps related?

 

A few further thoughts; most of the 67 cars will not have any paperwork due to the fact that they were dealer conversions, not like the later factory built copos with window stickers. However, they are still 427 cars-a potent combination-many a car has lost to them with the last image of them as a set of tailights accelerating away at warp factor 5 or better. To build a good one today would cost you in the upper 30s minimum to do it right with the correct pieces as I discussed previously and probably more. If this car can be bought for mid 30s or less ready to go, I would jump on it, worry about documentation later.

 

Another thing to look for was the use of the piece they put under the front springs from ac cars to make up for the wight of the big block over the ss 350 block. A car that was not listed was the black panther from Gorries in canada I have a stroy in a canaden mag about the cars it was a little on the short side I wanted a lot more info on the car.Good luck I hope you found one. I wish it had been me (LOL).
Bob

 

If the dealer converted an L78 car using a new crate motor, the motor will have a CE code on the front stamp pad, and no VIN anywhere. If it has a big chevy or corvette code, then it was either taken from a wrecked car by the dealer (possible, but unlikely) or it's not the original transplant motor.

Also check the casting date on the block. if it's more than a a couple of months newer than the car build date, I'd be suspect.

As for value, without paperwork, it's just another Camaro with a 427. With proof, it would be more valuable, but not as valuable as say a Dana.

I personally would prefer to own a Dana or Harrell car, but I think the Yenko is still more sought after and thus more valuable.

 

I found the Dana Chevrolet 1967 Camaro that Gary Dodd raced on my digital disc.If someone can post it ,send a email to me at chevyiimuchpa@msn.com and I will share it with everyone.

 

And here it is. Thanks for sharing with us.

 

Thanks for all the info guys, I was not able to get there this weekend. i"ll keep you posted.:thumbsup:

 

Look at the hood,you can see the original Dana hood with the Tunnel ram Hood scoop grafted to the top of it.Go to Kevin Suydams musclcar site,look at his 68 Orange Dana 427 Camaro to see the Dana hood...

 

nice picture Dan, it does look like same hood as used on Dana Camaros.

back to the original thread, I don't think the CE engine prefix code was used in 1967 but you can look for the casting date code and see if it is a 1967 427 block.

Also if you can get an NICB report it would show original dealer. They are hard to get but if you know the original dealer, you have a good place to start.

As been said, it will be hard to prove it is a dealer built 427 without original paperwork

 

nice picture Dan, it does look like same hood as used on Dana Camaros.

That hood was one of the first aftermarket products for Camaros, It was made by Barry Fiberglass manufacturing in one of the vally towns Glendale or Burbank. Dick Gulstrand got them for the Dana 427's. when I was making my style-copy, I found old ads from hotrod 1967 at the big public library. The origonal 67 SS350 hotrod magazine car -now in the edelbrock collection has a three phase buildup series--and ran a lot of the new aftermarket parts--this hood,, some body's headers, a holly 3 barrel. the last phase they stuck a 396 in it.

 

Pretty sure Gary has a brother.

 

Back in 74 when I was looking to get my car, my cousin rolled up in my driveway in a 67 427 Camaro, It had the factory aluminum heads & intake and muncie 4 speed. It also had the factory 427 emlems. He was supposed to have been keeping his eye out for a Camaro for me. I was crushed, it was my dream car. About a month later he found my 68 SS/RS big block, so I forgave him. The sad part of the story was he sold the car around 1979 for $2000.00. It could have been (should of been) mine! :clonk:

 

Back in 74 when I was looking to get my car, my cousin rolled up in my driveway in a 67 427 Camaro, It had the factory aluminum heads & intake and muncie 4 speed. It also had the factory 427 emlems.

Might have been factory 427 emblems from a Vette or Impala, but no Camaro ever left the factory with 427 emblems. The only Camaro to leave the factory with a 427 engine was the 69 COPO and 69 ZL1, but they were not badged.

 

Wonder if the dealer put them on?