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LS6 Monte Carlo


Andy's Auto

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Allegedly a dick Harrell dealership LS-6 conversion before the car was delivered to the original owner I believe.

  The closest, documented Monte Carlo SS454 to being a factory built LS-6 Monte Carlo. 

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Weird, I was just reading up on that car like 4 days ago!. It's gotta be sitting hidden in a private collection somewhere. I believe from what I read is that it's only been with maybe 3 owners its whole life.

It was a Dick Harrell conversion. A car that was converted from an LS5 to a dealer ordered LS6 engine, I think the only other things added were the rims and an oil pressure gauge. 

 

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Thanks for sharing the info and photos of a true LS6 First Gen Monte (dealer modified), Dan!  I had no idea the current owner lived in my hometown, Salina, KS!  I didn't know any Pestingers when I was either there or at K-State and I've not spent much time there in the past 50 years, but my first cousin is the Salina City Attorney so he undoubtedly knows Tim and/or his family. My last visit to Salina was in May this year so I'll have to see if I can make contact with Tim through my cousin next time I'm in town.  I'd love to see his special Monte in person!  Looks like he may own some other rare gems, as well.

 

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chicago ,i believe i saw this car does anyone know when and at what event this was at ,I told my wife  that was an awesome car ,while we were walking around , at that event,

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Paul, that's the show it was at. I talked to a fellow Monte owner at a show at Ottawa, KS last summer that knows Tim Pestinger. He said Mr Pestinger was invited and was paid to attend the show where these photos were taken. 

I wonder how much it takes to get that car at an event. 

Dan 

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My brother is taking two cars. I'll have to ask him what's involved. He told me it was 100 per car to get in but he's not getting judged. The money might cover passes to the show. I may try to get over there Sunday.

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  • 2 months later...

I spoke with my first cousin who lives in Salina, KS recently and learned that his family and Tim Pestinger's family have been friends for several years.  My cousin's oldest son and Tim's son were high school classmates in Salina. Also, my cousin has toured Tim's car collection and is certain he has seen the LS6 modified Monte Carlo although he didn't recognize the significance of its rareness or appeal at the time (but he knows now).  He just remembers it reminding him somewhat of my first '70 Monte Carlo that I had in Kansas City while he was in law school at KU in nearby Lawrence, KS.

Based on their family friends relationship, I am hopeful to get my eyes (and camera) on Tim's LS6 '70 SS on my next visit to my hometown and will report back if/when I do.

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  • 3 months later...

A week ago last night I had the pleasure of speaking with Tim Pestinger, owner of the Dick Harrell prepped '70 SS with a transplanted LS6, 1000 cfm Thermo Quad and 4.10 gears.  My first cousin and his family are personal friends with Tim and his family there in Salina, Kansas as two each of their respective children were high school classmates.  My cousin arranged the three-way phone call and we visited for just over a half hour, mostly about the Dick Harrell and Tim's rare Monte.

Tim and his brother Tom house a personal collection of rare and classic cars there in Salina - one that I hope to see some day.  Tim confirmed everything I had already read about his rare car in prior threads on this site.  I won't bother to repeat what has already been shared on this site but point anyone who is interested to this LINK for the transcript of an excellent interview conducted by  Peter McLearen on 12/10/2001.  Little has changed since then, although the car has been meticulously cared for and occasionally driven by Tim since that interview.  Yes, it was shown at a National Corvette Show in Chicago a couple of years ago and Tim sent me some confirming photos like some we have already seen posted on this site.

I'll comment briefly on a couple of things that stood out to me from our phone visit.  The original owner, James Stewart, ordered a 1970 SS454 (LS5) from Don Hatten Chevrolet in Wichita, KS but had it immediately transferred to the Dick Harrell Performance Center in Kansas City, MO where the LS5 was replaced with a new LS6 from GM.  A 4.10 rear gear, a 1000 cfm Thermo Quad, an oil pressure gauge and Dick Harrell badges were also installed.  As others have long asserted, this lone Monte Carlo is not evidence that GM ever shipped an LS6-equipped Monte Carlo from one of their assembly plants.  It is a unique, one-off, post-assembly, drag racer-modified vehicle - not even technically a GM COPO car.  I guess I was most surprised to learn that the original owner only kept it for 6 months before it ended up on a Cadillac dealer's used car lot!

Of course, it is still a very rare and very cool car and I hope to see it in person some day.  Although I did mention FGMCC to Tim and asked him if he would entertain questions or contacts from any of our members who might be interested in learning more about his car (he is agreeable to that, BTW), I did not mention anything about our annual meets or the 50th Anniversary celebration since I was unsure of their status.   If the Eastern Meet is actually going to happen (and I hope it can), Tim might be approached to see if he would bring his Dick Harrell Monte to the show.  If someone wants to pursue that, just let me know and I can establish the contact with him.

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  • 1 year later...

This is one of my favorite cars of all time. I'm so happy to see it has survived. As a teenager, I lived in Emporia Kansas. The man who owned the car at that time was a teacher at Emporia high school. He was a paraplegic and had hand controls in the car, but when he would really romp down on it, he would push his leg down to accelerate. I was able to get to know the car a little better when he had it in a speed shop there in town. I always thought all 1970 SS Monte carlos  were Dickie Harrold cars. I know now how special that car really is. One of one. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

WOW! I had no idea any of these cars actually existed!

Much like the GM discussed "Convertible", the LS6 was also a no show once the Monte was produced.

Thanks for ALL this detailed and insightful information on a such a rare car!

I wonder if some "Multi Millionaire" was to make an offer, how much this car could go fo

Jeff ("just" an LS5 Monte SS) 

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  • 2 weeks later...

True. This is not a factory installed LS6.  It was ordered from a dealership with the LS5, and it was converted with an LS6 at Dick Harrell Performance Center on Hickman Drive in Kansas City, Missouri, not a Chevrolet dealership.  I met a number of Monte owners at the Ol' Marais River Run car show at Ottawa, Kansas in 2018.  One of the guys said he knows Mr. Pestinger and Tim told him he gets paid good money to take the car to some of the big shows he's displayed it at.  The MCACN show is one he's been paid to attend. 

Dan

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