1969 Harrell Camaro 454 Photos

SMKZ28 · February 07, 2020, 10:05:25 AM

I'm no expert on Dick Harrell Camaro's but I don't ever recall seeing a 1969 Harrell Camaro with a 454 in it. I've seen the original green 1970 Harrell Camaro with the 454 in it but I don't know anything about a 1969. I think these pictures might have been taken at a photo shoot for a magazine article that appeared in the April 1970 issue of Car Craft but I'm not absolutely sure. If they were taken at the same time as the photos for the article, I believe the time frame would be late 1969 or very early in 1970. The article talks about how the weather was zero degrees Fahrenheit and the new 1970 Camaro was not yet available to the public. In addition, the number "69" appears on the license plates. Please share if you know more info.

These photos came from the Petersen Automotive Digitization Project: https://archive.petersen.org/pages/home.php (search "1970 Dick Harrell")

SMKZ28 · February 07, 2020, 10:06:58 AM

more from the article...

SMKZ28 · February 07, 2020, 10:22:01 AM

The original starter of the thread on the Supercar Registry site mentioned, "I wish I did have more pictures of the Nova..."

Here are a couple more photos of the Gold Nova. Perhaps they have never seen these first two. They are from the Petersen.

The third is well known now. It came from here: https://www.gmmgregistry.com/dick-harrell/

The fourth is a cropped version of the third.

crossboss · February 07, 2020, 11:36:27 AM

Its an interesting Camaro, no question. Notice the Yenko-ish stripes and the GTO Judge rear wing. Im sure Chevrolet was intending on a potential install of the upcoming 454 engine at some point in the Camaro for street dominance. Too bad it never happened on a production car. Either way, 1969 was an interesting year for all makes and models. Thanks for posting!

169INDY · February 07, 2020, 12:48:52 PM

I was under the impression the LS6 WAS intended for install in the F body for 1970 but it was cancelled.

Great photos to surface!

bcmiller · February 07, 2020, 02:54:35 PM

Cool. Thanks for posting this.

cook_dw · February 07, 2020, 03:12:14 PM

Interesting that the Camaro or Nova is sporting a 10 bolt!

MO · February 07, 2020, 07:05:28 PM

Great post!

bcmiller · February 08, 2020, 06:42:08 AM

Quote from: cook_dw on February 07, 2020, 03:12:14 PM
Interesting that the Camaro or Nova is sporting a 10 bolt!

Which photo or text shows that?

ZLP955 · February 08, 2020, 07:14:53 AM

The N66 wheel option was dropped in January 1969. But that doesn't tighten up the timeframe for those photos, as that style of wheel popped up on cars at GM media events much later, and were used on other models.
Great pictures and article!

cook_dw · February 08, 2020, 08:32:25 AM

Quote from: bcmiller on February 08, 2020, 06:42:08 AM
Quote from: cook_dw on February 07, 2020, 03:12:14 PM
Interesting that the Camaro or Nova is sporting a 10 bolt!

Which photo or text shows that?

68L30 · February 08, 2020, 10:12:35 AM

Quote from: crossboss on February 07, 2020, 11:36:27 AM
Its an interesting Camaro, no question. Notice the Yenko-ish stripes and the GTO Judge rear wing. Im sure Chevrolet was intending on a potential install of the upcoming 454 engine at some point in the Camaro for street dominance. Too bad it never happened on a production car. Either way, 1969 was an interesting year for all makes and models. Thanks for posting!

Rear wing is made by American Racing...

Steve

bcmiller · February 08, 2020, 11:12:30 AM

Quote from: cook_dw on February 08, 2020, 08:32:25 AM
Quote from: bcmiller on February 08, 2020, 06:42:08 AM
Quote from: cook_dw on February 07, 2020, 03:12:14 PM
Interesting that the Camaro or Nova is sporting a 10 bolt!

Which photo or text shows that?

Ok, the Nova was a small block car, not even an SS.

cook_dw · February 08, 2020, 05:48:32 PM

Quote from: bcmiller on February 08, 2020, 11:12:30 AM
Ok, the Nova was a small car, not even an SS.

I am aware what the nova was. I just meant it was interesting that they didn't upgrade the diff but since it's an auto probably wasn't a concern. And your welcome.

KurtS · February 09, 2020, 12:33:42 AM

That spoiler also came on one of Harrell's COPOs, IIRC.
Thanks Darrell for that picture. Nice vintage shot - notice how dark the springs are.

bcmiller · February 09, 2020, 02:50:56 AM

Quote from: cook_dw on February 08, 2020, 05:48:32 PM
Quote from: bcmiller on February 08, 2020, 11:12:30 AM
Ok, the Nova was a small block car, not even an SS.

I am aware what the nova was. I just meant it was interesting that they didn't upgrade the diff but since it's an auto probably wasn't a concern. And your welcome.

OK but I was just going by what you typed, which seemed to be unclear which car it was. Thanks for the pic. It seems to be a larger view than what was originally posted in the thread. Where is it from?

Interesting that the Camaro or Nova is sporting a 10 bolt!

cook_dw · February 09, 2020, 10:07:55 AM

Quote from: bcmiller on February 09, 2020, 02:50:56 AM
Quote from: cook_dw on February 08, 2020, 05:48:32 PM
Quote from: bcmiller on February 08, 2020, 11:12:30 AM
Ok, the Nova was a small block car, not even an SS.

I am aware what the nova was. I just meant it was interesting that they didn't upgrade the diff but since it's an auto probably wasn't a concern. And your welcome.

OK but I was just going by what you typed, which seemed to be unclear which car it was. Thanks for the pic. It seems to be a larger view than what was originally posted in the thread. Where is it from?

Interesting that the Camaro or Nova is sporting a 10 bolt!

Right. My comment was that I wasn't 100% certain which car the diff shot was from but the Nova was a low horse sb and one would assume the diff was from the Nova but I didn't wanna make a statement without 100% proof. All photos came from the Petersen Archive.

JoeC · February 10, 2020, 08:12:55 AM

great photos

the 69 Camaro looks like it may have been a COPO 427 with that hood and silver grill and bow tie emblems ?

maybe Harrell swapped out the shortblock to make it a 454?

interesting they used a Thermoquad carb and Hurst products and that spoiler
all items that Harrell did ads for

SMKZ28 · February 28, 2020, 12:04:57 PM

Found a few more pictures of the Harrell Nova 454 at the Petersen Automotive Museum Digitization Project. Search "1970 Kansas City International Raceway" to find them here: https://archive.petersen.org/pages/home.php