427 Nova has haunted me since early '70s. Was it a Harrell car?

A 427 Nova has haunted me since 1970 or 1971. I was over at a friend's house, a guy up the street from him had a hot Chevelle. Some guy in a black Nova came to see him. As he left he drove by us and WOW. I remember it was all black, had a stinger hood, sounded BAD, and had 427 in red by the side marker lights in front, a Dana 60, and I think Cragers on the front with plain black wheels on the rear. I especially remember seeing 427 on the side and the sound. It had a reputation as a very bad a** car but I was too young to drive to know more about it . I saw it in Lee's Summit, MO which is about 10 miles from Dickey Harrell’s shop. Could it have been one of his cars? If I only would have been just a little older I could have found out a lot more about the car. A year or so after I saw it the guy had it setting next to his driveway with the engine and transmission out of it. Heard something let go in the engine. It sat there like that for at least a couple of years. Finally another guy in town bought the car. He did not put the 427 back in it. I doubt his son could have handled it:eek:. He put a 350 in it with a tunnel ram, put huge nasty flairs on the back, and painted it yellow with disgusting stripes. Well you can see how this ends up; the son wrecks the Nova and it was scrapped. Scrapped it . If I only woulda known then what I know now. The ’66 L79 Nova in town I missed is another story.

Sounds like a good story, but the dana 60 is what id question, the harell cars i thought all had 12bolts so why put a dana in unless the car was home built.

When I was stationed at Whiteman AFB there were rumors that a Dick Harrell car was sitting in a small town just off HWY 50. I had several people tell me about it and remembered it from when it was new. I never could find out where it was or if it existed.

When I was stationed at Whiteman AFB there were rumors that a Dick Harrell car was sitting in a small town just off HWY 50. I had several people tell me about it and remembered it from when it was new. I never could find out where it was or if it existed.

Interesting! I grew up around there so that makes that cooler. I know there was a single digit build sequence Yenko Nova in Grain Valley that some one finally snatched up from a field up a few years ago.

Have any idea of the year model, automatic or stick shift, and if the car might have been a dark blue and not black, as mentioned? Ray

I suppose since Harrell's shop was in Grandview there could have been more of his cars around here. Must have not been too many though.

Ray:
I wish I remembered more, part of the reason it haunts me so. I want to say it was a stick but I am not sure. I am pretty sure it was black but it could have been really dark blue. It almost would have to have been a '68 thru '70. I thought I read somewhere that the red 427 markers were peculiar to a certain year.

Jake:
I am the LS1 AC bracket guy. Where did they pull the Yenko out of the field at? Rural Grain Valley? That is craziness.

Jake:
I am the LS1 AC bracket guy. Where did they pull the Yenko out of the field at? Rural Grain Valley? That is craziness.


I wish it had been me that pulled it out of the field.:D

[QUOTE=kcmocarguy;1149347]
Ray:
I wish I remembered more, part of the reason it haunts me so. I want to say it was a stick but I am not sure. I am pretty sure it was black but it could have been really dark blue. It almost would have to have been a '68 thru '70. I thought I read somewhere that the red 427 markers were peculiar to a certain year.

Dick Harrell Performance Center was located 11114 Hickman Mill Rd, just off I-71. Since I am kinda familiar with the Harrell prepared 68 Nova's, I can say the 427 emblems were red on these cars. I believe these would more than likely be used on just the 68's, as these were the only 427 prepared Nova's I I am aware of Dick Harrell prepared? These red emblems were the same as the 68 Impala's, more than likely were they originated? The reason I asked what year was 2-fold, because other than the 68 COPO Nova automatics Harrell prepared, I know of only one other Nova automatic car he prepared, but if you remember the 454 was introduced as a LS-6 in 1970, which this car had? The 427 was dropped for the 454 in 1970. I know of no 4 speed Nova's Harrell prepared, however I believe some may have gotten this treatment by owners later? Another question was there were only 4 different colors available on the 68 Nova's he prepared and were sold as actual DH Novas, Matador Red, Fathom Blue, Tripoli Turquoise, and Grecian Green. Harrell had a number of cars with his name and sponsorship that were actually owned by some of his customers, running at especially KCIR. Without more information on the car you speak of or location of paperwork, one might only guess?

Ray:
I so wish I remembered more. I was looking at some Harrell information on the web and there was a picture of a blue car. It easily could have been blue after looking at the picture. The stinger hood is certainly what was on it. I am nearly positive it had 427 in red on the front fenders. I could also almost swear that the car had a Dana 60 under it, which seems odd. If I could have at least stood next to the car at a stand still and looked it over I would be able to remember more. I was not going to KCIR back in those days or maybe I would have seen it down there! Looks like it is going to continue to haunt me unless I go by the guy that bought it for his son's diesel repair shop on 291 and see if he will talk to me.

unless I go by the guy that bought it for his son's diesel repair shop on 291 and see if he will talk to me.

DO IT! That would be awesome to hear more of the story

COPO -2 has been really helpful and yes I almost have to go by the guy's truck shop.

Hope you find out exactly what it was and hope its a Harrell Nova,Good Luck! Just so you know I helped a original owner of a Hugger Orange Harrell 1969 Chevelle 427 auto car find his car.I was extremely lucky finding this car,owner thought it was crushed.Original owner has his car back! You can read about it on Team Chevelle in the COPO section,neat story and pictures!:yes:

dan - good work on the Harrell Chevelle and great story.

Mark,Thanks! Dan