Norwood Motor Co - Warwick, RI

[L78M22Rag]

I'm looking for information about the following dealer:

Zone 32 Dealer code 555
Dealer Name: Norwood Motor Co
Info off my NCRS Historic Document Services shipping records

According to my 1969 L89 Chevelle buildsheet, the address at the time was:
Norwood Motor Co
1338 Post Road
Warwick, RI

http://showmystreet.com/#oup9d_-16iygl_j

Today it shows the Norwood Auto Group at 1400 Post Rd.

I'm also looking for information relating to my car that stayed in the Massachusetts area until I bought the car in 2006.
Here are a few photos of the car circa 1984 in case it jogs anyone's memory...
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg155/helmuteckert/1984photos_zps5e1c537c.jpg (http://s247.photobucket.com/user/helmuteckert/media/1984photos_zps5e1c537c.jpg.html)
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg155/helmuteckert/1984photo_zps3beb1f19.jpg (http://s247.photobucket.com/user/helmuteckert/media/1984photo_zps3beb1f19.jpg.html)

[firstgenaddict]

Norwood is mentioned in the Tasca book in reference to racing. It was a large dealer in the area (Tasca was in Providence)

[PeteLeathersac]

Did they they sponsor an AWB '66 Chevelle 2 Dr. Post?
Check out the picture in this eBay ad...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NORWOOD-MOTORS-C...O-/330985226761 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/NORWOOD-MOTORS-CHEVEROLET-FUNNY-VS-SOX-MARTIN-8X10-DRAG-RACING-PHOTO-/330985226761)

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif
~ Pete

[firstgenaddict]

what area of Mass?
Our family owned the Chevrolet Olds dealer (est 1915) in Bristol (hr from Boston), New Hampshire from 1958-1972.
From 1978- 1986 we shippped hundreds of southern rust free camaros, chrysler B bodies, GM A bodies, and countless trucks to New England ultimately selling them out of the Jaffrey and Peterboro area.
My dads cousin currently lives in Peterboro NH owns an auto parts store and has had an Olympic Gold SS 396 since the early 80's. If the car was with=in an hour or two of the area I would think someone would have heard about it.

[L78M22Rag]

With the help of Gill427 and a few others, I've pieced together the following.

The salesman that originally sold my car would have been Mel Perry or Roger Booth. Supposedly Mel Perry lives in FL, but I haven't been able to track him down. Apparently Mel Perry had a Motion Performance franchise that he ran out of Norwood Chevrolet in RI.

The old service manager was Dave Kenahan (still around and live's in West Warwick RI). He worked in the high performance department and with the race team...so did Tony Padula, Tommy Ditmare, Nickey Manilla, Joe Vanny and Dick Pinto.

Dick Pinto was the high performance manager and also worked at Scuncio Chevrolet and is still in RI.

Sadly, back in 91 or 92 Jack the lot guy put all the old Norwood paperwork in the dumpster. Norwood sold a few COPO Camaro's and Chevelle's and Ralph Ridgeway had a 69 Z28 called the ridge runner that was sponsered by Norwood and Motion Performance and lives in Massachusetts. Mel Perry was the head of the race team. They also had a Z11 Impala, a few funny cars and some super stocks.

In 1982, the car was on the lot at Wayside Auto Service in Littleton, MA with just over 60k miles. It sold to a local guy and stayed in the area until 2000 when it moved to Shirley, MA. In 2004 it was sold to a fella in Wakefield, MA who had the car until I bought it in 2006 with 106k miles.

[PeteLeathersac]

Cool update Helmut, do any of the old race team or dealer guys remember your L89?
Is the eBay '66 'Velle AWB Post as below pic one of their cars?
Other pics are of their Z11 car and team found on another site, cool it's a Post too!

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif
~ Pete

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/06/full-2506-13066-66postfunnynorwoodmtrs.jpg

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/06/full-2506-13061-z11postnorwoodmtrs_1.jpg

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/06/full-2506-13062-z11postnorwoodmtrs_3.jpg

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2014/06/full-2506-13064-z11postnorwoodmtrs_2.jpg

[olredalert]

----My electricity has been knocked out for 5 days. Just got it back last night. I bought my 70 LT1 Corvette at Norwood Chevy. They had 10 or so new Corvettes at the late release date of the 70 Corvettes. The dealership always had performance cars around, and I remember Mel Perry!!!......Bill S

[PeteLeathersac]

'

:beers:
~ Pete

.

http://www.yenko.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=90836&stc=1&d=1489337073

-

[PeteLeathersac]

'

:beers:
~ Pete

.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

Sorry but I just can't post more than one pic at a time anymore??
Congrats on finding your L89's Original Owner Helmut also welcome aboard Howard!
Glad to have you back too Bill!
:beers:
~ Pete

.

[ACDELCO427]

MG

[ACDELCO427]

Mel Perry

[L78M22Rag]

Today I spoke with Dave Kenahan, he was the Service Manager at Norwood Motors back in the day. Unfortunately he doesn’t remember my L89 Chevelle at eighty years of age, but we had a few laughs. I spoke with him about five years ago and he still remembers me. He sure helped me fill in a few holes on who did what at the dealership. As he put it, they worked on a LOT of cars… many late nights from 5-1am working on the funnycars and other race cars. He recalls Mel Perry building race cars for customers, and they seemed to do a lot of that work in the late hours. Dave has been trying to locate Mel Perry for the past three years, with no luck so far.

Dave wishes he still had all the records of the cars they sold and/or worked on (so do I), but apparently when Tom Ricci took over Norwood in 1991, he got rid of all the historic records and paperwork.

[fsc66]

Just looking around by name for Melvin Perry, came across attached, states he's 84 years old, may want to give it a try.

Paul Winvoices

[Tomjp]

My 69' Camaro from Norwood Chevrolet

[ACDELCO427]

Tom did you ever swap out the 6 cyl?

[ACDELCO427]

Just looking around by name for Melvin Perry, came across attached, states he's 84 years old, may want to give it a try.

Paul Winvoices

I was told Mel pasted away.

[L78M22Rag]

My 69' Camaro from Norwood Chevrolet

That is a MINT looking Norwood emblem! Is it the original?

I'm looking for an emblem in better condition than this one... to reinstall on my Chevelle. Appreciate any leads... thanks!

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg155/helmuteckert/IMG_7167_zpshungdl7f.jpg (http://s247.photobucket.com/user/helmuteckert/media/IMG_7167_zpshungdl7f.jpg.html)

[L78M22Rag]

I was told Mel pasted away.

Really sorry to hear that. Mel would have had a lot of good stories to tell...

[PeteLeathersac]

'

More Norwood Chevrolet vehicle pics from the interweb.
Man, these guys were sure into some serious action!
:beers:
~ Pete

.

[PeteLeathersac]

.

:beers:

.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

:beers:

.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

System bucking the pics, even loaded separately.
:hmmm:

.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

:beers:

.

[PeteLeathersac]

.

:beers:

.

[hnjr]

Is there any way to get invoice copies from 69 from Norwood Chevrolet in RI?

[PeteLeathersac]

'

Earlier in the thread, Helmut mentioned the Norwood/Warwick records had all been tossed in the dumpster.
More pics yet to post but here's that shot of Ralph Ridgeway's Norwood sponsored '69 in front of the Motion shop I mentioned before Helmut.
:beers:
~ Pete

.

[L78M22Rag]

Hey Pete, thanks for posting that photo showing the connection between Norwood Chevrolet and Motion Performance!

Is that why Norwood states "Member - Performance Center of N.E." at the bottom of their Ad?

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg155/helmuteckert/Norwood%20Ad%202_zpsbvcm01jd.jpg (http://s247.photobucket.com/user/helmuteckert/media/Norwood%20Ad%202_zpsbvcm01jd.jpg.html)

[ACDELCO427]

Mel Perrys speed barn.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

Awesome pic, thanks for posting it!
:beers:
~ Pete

.

[olredalert]

----Used to buy stuff at Mel Perrys Speed Barn back in the day......Bill S

[ACDELCO427]

----Used to buy stuff at Mel Perrys Speed Barn back in the day......Bill S

At which location?

[olredalert]

----Falmouth......Bill S

[PeteLeathersac]

'

The real Norwood Motors excitement is @ the below linked thread and SYC member Helmut connecting w/ Howard, the original owner of his '69 L89 Chevelle that was Supercar converted new by Motion connected racer Mel Perry and Day-1 delivered by Norwood Motors w/ an L88!
I had a few more Norwood pics in my system and thought them best here but anyone interested is best click on the other thread as this link.
Norwood Motors '69 L88 Chevelle thread...
http://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=141828

Looking at the funny pics in both threads, the car w/ Mel Perry on the flanks has a slanted roof but the Super Hugger body not also body up pics show the two chassis appear to be different too?
The chassis could've been updated when body swapped but all seems more likely there were two separate 67/68 body cars plus the '70 body chassis which looks completely different yet also much more sophisticated?
Anyone know more about Norwood's 67/68 funny cars also if they had more than one ZL1 engine?
:hmmm:
~ Pete



.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

:beers:
~ Pete


.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

:beers:
~ Pete


'

[PeteLeathersac]

'

Another shot of Ralph Ridgeway's Norwood Chevrolet sponsored '69.
Note hood scoop height for RR's experimental intake systems.
:beers:
~ Pete


.

[PeteLeathersac]

'

L88 tow car @ right.
:beers:
~ Pete


'

[L78M22Rag]

One of my favourite photos!

[PeteLeathersac]

'

Below pic was posted just today in the Old Drag Car thread.
Hope things are well w/ you Helmut!
:beers:
~ Pete


.

[bbl78]

That is a MINT looking Norwood emblem! Is it the original?

I'm looking for an emblem in better condition than this one... to reinstall on my Chevelle. Appreciate any leads... thanks!

http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg155/helmuteckert/IMG_7167_zpshungdl7f.jpg (http://s247.photobucket.com/user/helmuteckert/media/IMG_7167_zpshungdl7f.jpg.html)

Now I'm on the hunt.... One for me too!!

[L78M22Rag]

Get in line.... ha ha Hope you find one!

[fsc66]

http://cranstononline.com/stories/emblem-of-his-passion-for-the-auto-industry,106670

[L78M22Rag]

Yeah, I’ve been in touch with him a few times over the past few years. No luck.
Thanks for the heads up!

[scuncio kid]

Norwood Motors had some fast cars. This is Frank Marotta owner Conn Dragway he lost to Mario Andretti in a Tasca Cobra Jet

[bbl78]

Awesome!! Thanks for posting, Keep the vintage Norwood picts coming....

[scuncio kid]

Charlestown R I , I think this is Mel Perry vs Bill Flynn

[msclassiccars]

Just found this found while looking for vintage photos of Norwood.

We have a restomod 1961 Impala that came from down South and we found out after the fact that it was bought new at Norwood Chevrolet.

Pretty cool that it came back to New England.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/31/24/2b/31242b08498923bf97a5e962d9d4194d.jpg

[FTC]

My friend just purchased this car,...going to pick it up tomorrow. I'll post a few pics when it gets to his place.

[Richls5]

Charlestown R I , I think this is Mel Perry vs Bill Flynn

where in the world in charlestown? i live one town over. cant imagine where theyd have a drag strip

[FTC]

My friend just purchased this car,...going to pick it up tomorrow. I'll post a few pics when it gets to his place.

Correction,...he bought the 2nd Norwood Chevy, Mel Perry funny car, also named Super Hugger,....the blue one. What a barn find. The guy had it for about forty or more years, horded away in a packed garage covered with crap. Never moved. Pics to follow.

[FTC]

Here it is where it spent the last decades.

[FTC]

Another from the deep sleep it was in.

[FTC]

Here's more photos of the car after it got home and washed a bit.

[FTC]

More

[FTC]

More

[Pro Stock John]

Badass find!

Some other pics I saw