1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Here is some pictures of a l78 I recently bought I've wanted this car for years finally pulled the trigger. The car has unusual options for a l78 pw and lots of other cool stuff not usually found on l78 cars. It also has a m21 with BU 373 posi .the original motor was pulled in the early 80s to freshen it up. The owner planed to restore the car so he pulled some parts off and there it sat. After buying the car my buddy started looking for the original owner that was on the pop .He found Richard Cadway in Sandiago when you type his name in Google a realtor standing next to his Lexus came up and I thought this is him .Rich was very surprised when I called him up I was more surprised to find out he had all the original dealer invoices order form and window sticker. He told me how he went to village Chevy in New York to buy a Camaro and the salesman Pete Dodds tried to sell him a Copo but he had to have a convert so they special ordered this car he stated "I ordered every option I could get " he then told me how he built a custom luggage rack for the trunk for his road trip he took to Califonia and he even stopped at the plant in Norwood to see the cars birthplace. He said he didn't order better wheels cause he was going to put craigers on it .i wanted to put the car back together and clean it up before posting pictures but I no we all love as found pictures so he we go https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...3016-image.jpg

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

All the picture I try to add come out sideways or upside down

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https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...3023-image.jpg

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Incredible find... Congrats! Look forward to hearing more details.

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Unbelievable! Glad someone like yourself got this jewel, because it appears from your list of cars that you have an appreciation for originality and leaving the car "as found" except for getting it drive-able and safe. It would be a sin, IMO, to fluff such an interesting car and the back story is priceless...wish it were me placing this original post! Good luck. One last observation: I have seen a fair amount of heavily optioned 69s from "the day" and find it amazing that many of those have no D80 (spoilers) and standard wheels. I understand the wheels because of the aftermarket availability. I imagine the spoiler idea was probably not accepted by many as it was a fairly new item on a car and public opinion had not 'caught on'to the idea.

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

VERY nice Dave. What a find. Love the options and color combo. Send pix to me and I'll see if I have better luck! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

griffithjs.ap@mac.com

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...3024-image.jpg


Here is a email from the original owner after several great phone calls back and forth he found the paperwork to the car . At first he was going to give me all the stuff once he found it a hefty fee was attached . It took a few months for him to give me a price but finally told me the price I quickly made a deal and flew to Sandiago to meet him and get the paper work

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Picture of the luggage rack the original owner made to move from New York to California in 1970


https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...ggage_rack.jpg

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Here's a picture when it was 6 months old...

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-6_mos_old.jpg



And the window sticker (Dave is on the right-the original owner is on the left)

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...ow_sticker.jpg



Close up of the window sticker


https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...ow_sticker.jpg



Order form from Village Chevrolet

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...rder_sheet.jpg


Invoice

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...36-invoice.jpg


Card

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...43037-card.jpg



And loading the Camaro!


https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...33-loading.jpg

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Bruce thank you for the help posting these pictures

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

My pleasure Dave!

Here's an enhanced pic of the car 6 months old...

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics..._6_mos_old.jpg

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Wow, that car is loaded with options and paperwork to back it up. That's amazing itself 47 years later that all this came together. Great Car!! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif[/img]

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

----Dave,,,I cant be the 1st to tell you that the original owner and you bare a striking resemblance.

----Love heavily optioned cars like this. Either all the options or just all motor.....Bill S

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Hey Dave:

Nice addition to your already impressive stable of cars.

Looking forward to seeing this car cleaned up.

Lynn

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Xplantdad</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here's a picture when it was 6 months old...

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-6_mos_old.jpg </div></div>

So cool it hurts! L78, SS/RS, no spoilers, Endura bumper, egg-crate hood, 14-inch Cragars.

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

That's a holy-grail find IMO. You NEED to put Cragars on it again....

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

There is still wintness marks on the deck lid from the old luggage rack I wondered what they were https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...3044-image.jpg

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...3046-image.jpg
Decklid after a few minutes of rubbing on it with a clay bar . What looked like Rust was really a layer of dirt

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Dave, Cool! Take some pics of the blacked out tail panel too [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img] (Like inside the trunk area)

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

More from Dave... [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif[/img]



https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...43048-rear.jpg



https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...43049-more.jpg

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

^^^^ old pictures taken by the guy I bought it from . too bad it wasn't stored in a garage the car was in great shape back when he bought it

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Great new addition Dave. If you purchased that from who I think you did it is an even better score as he does not sell many cars and tough enough to get parts from. He had a survivor L89 convert the last time I talked to him.

I agree with Bill, you two could be brothers!

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Rick the guy I bought it from liked to tell guys it was a l89 but really its a l78 and it was a real pain getting the parts from the guy I flew to Los angeles every Friday after work 4 weekends in a row sometimes getting home at 1am on Sunday then worked the next day . Digging for all the parts every time I was there . the owner would say we will dig out parts this week for you but he never did . After I had a pile of plastic tubs full my buddy in the picture Jim drove my truck out and we loaded the car and parts and hit the road .

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: olredalert</div><div class="ubbcode-body">----Dave,,,I cant be the 1st to tell you that the original owner and you bare a striking resemblance.

----Love heavily optioned cars like this. Either all the options or just all motor.....Bill S </div></div>

Thats exactly what I said.........

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Village Chevy was a well known HiPo dealer and sold a ton of HiPo cars ...and Pete Dodd from there was a well known Trans Am racer

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

IMG_1696.JPG

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Sounds like the same guy Dave. Congrats on finally getting it home.

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

I smell a MCACN candidate. Congratulations!

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Great car. , what a story ! Can't wait to see more pics !!!

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Great Find! Big Block SS/RS 4-speed. My color too.

Mike

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Yes I agree with you I plan to just get it running and clean it up . I have had a handsome offer on it from a gentleman that wants it buy to restore it . I kinda think that would be a crime the car is really cool as is

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: protree68</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yes I agree with you I plan to just get it running and clean it up . I have had a handsome offer on it from a gentleman that wants it buy to restore it . I kinda think that would be a crime the car is really cool as is </div></div>

Then keep it!! Don't sell to anyone who would ruin this car by restoring it. If you have to sell it, then sell to the person that would appreciate it.

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...3132-image.jpg

The protecto plate had Richards moms name on it I originally had no luck finding her . But when i sent the picture to James a member on this site he went into ancestry.com and found her and it said she had 2 sons one still In New York and one in sandiago . Richard was the one in Sandiago and was easy to find
Sorry most of the pictures I try to post come out sideways

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

OMG [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/drool.gif[/img] great car!! why would anyone keep that car on a dirt floor. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/sick.gif[/img]

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

That's what I thought the guy had some not so great cars In the garage under car covers and his best car out side in the dirt . I couldn't really look at the floors due to the rattle snakes he has there

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...3134-image.jpg

I'm lucky the floors didn't get rusty sitting there all those years sitting on flat tires

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

Dave,
That is an amazing car. I love survivors and am glad your taking care of this one.
Rich.

Re: 1969 l78 Convertible Califonia Desert Car
 

A SUPER find!!! Congrats! Have you taken any interior or engine bay pics? If so we would love to see them!

Sal [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]