Vehicle Description
A long-time fixture on the New York state drag-racing scene, this 1966 Chevrolet Biscayne was ordered new from Leroy Motors of Leroy, New York, by the company’s service manager, Karl Bill. Documentation shows the special-order Biscayne was perfectly equipped for quarter-mile competition: the L72 427/425 HP High Performance V-8 with transistorized ignition, Muncie M21 4-speed, 4.56:1 Positraction rear end, F41 suspension, metallic brakes, Soft Ray-tinted glass and heater delete. It was a potent package, one that earned Bill a number of A Stock and Top Stock Eliminator titles, his two biggest wins coming when he beat the National Record holder at 1320 Dragway in Niagara Falls in 1967 and Ed Miller’s World Finals-winning Hemi Belvedere in 1968. Bill raced the car, which he named “Bonanza,” for several years, often running below the class record and turning an impressive best time of 11.73 seconds. After four more owners it was discovered by John DeRue, who mounted a rotisserie restoration to return the car to its authentic as-raced configuration. It was refinished in the original white to emulate the factory-quality paint finish and the original decals and signage were hand-replicated by well-known sign painter Brian the Brush. Based on a correct High Performance block, the engine retains the original heads, intake and Holley 4-barrel carburetor. It has been dyno-tested at over 470 HP and 440 lb-ft of torque and is mated once again to a Muncie M21 and Positraction rear end, this time using 3.70:1 gears for more driving flexibility. The interior was expertly refinished by Cars Interior, who kept many original components in the process. Many NOS parts were used in the restoration, which has earned the car an AACA National Award at Hershey and AACA Race Car Certification.
