Sweet Car Thread.

Harvey wrote

Camp or anyone... what is this?



I just took my car in for an oil change.

My buddy told me there are only two in existence and the other one just sold for a million?  Maybe he was BSing me.

It is pretty. Some kind of Camaro I think.

The rare Camaro is a 1969 ZL-1. Only 69 where produced. This looks more like a 1969 Camaro SS because of the decorated vents in front of the rear wheels.

That's what it has to be

I knew a guy that had a vette with a ZL-1 motor...holy crap

It seems odd that Al would get this wrong.

Here is his own Chevy(?) that sat for years.  Then with the Covid thing, he had no business so he and his son made progress:



It maybe ain't legal yet but may have been out late one night.

Did Yenko Camaro's have that motor?

campgottagopee wrote

Did Yenko Camaro's have that motor?

The Yenkos got an iron block 427, the ZL-1 got an aluminum block 427.

x10003q wrote

campgottagopee wrote

Did Yenko Camaro's have that motor?

The Yenkos got an iron block 427, the ZL-1 got an aluminum block 427.

Ahhhhhh, so that's the dif

He showed me the block. It's alum.

 He said that grill might be from a different car.

It has Yenko stamped on it

Do you by chance have a picture of the vin# ?  Then we can find out all kinds of stuff.

campgottagopee wrote

Do you by chance have a picture of the vin# ?  Then we can find out all kinds of stuff.

Wife's car getting an oil change tomorrow, I'll see if I can find it. Is it on the dash or in the door or...?

Check inside the driver door. If it is registered you should be able to take a picture of the registration tag to... At least you can in ny

On that car it will be on the dash, driver's side. Or as TJ says grab a picture of the reg on the windshield. That would be interesting too.

I am looking forward to hearing its history.  Really

I thought Yenko was just a car dealer who put big engines in Chevies and hen painted stripes on them. I didn't think he had enough never factory support to get into the foundry.

mm

VIN# 123379L519198

1 = Chev
2 = Camaro
third position = Engine, 3 = 6cyl, 4 = 8 cyl
37 = coupe body
9 = 69 model year
L = LA plant
5198 = build#

So we know it's not an original V8 car. That said, most of those cars that were originally intended to go to Yenko were ordered with the 6cyl. In 2009 it was restored with a Yenko motor and many Yenko extra's. From what I can tell it is not an original Yenko car as the vin is not registered with Yenko. Yenko has a registry of all cars fitted at their factory.

Here's the listing of the car from 2009.

https://fortpittclassiccars.com/listings/1969-chevrolet-camaro-2/

It's a great car with a great motor but I'm afraid it's not a million dollar Yenko. I'm curious how it ended up in his shop. Did the motor pop???

Going to be fun to lay all that ^^ on him when I pick up my wife's car.


He knows the guy who owns it, some guy around here with 100 acres, that's all I know.

He's rebuilding the engine, but it looks like the block is shot.  The last time it was rebuilt someone used an air gun to tighten the bolts. That kind of pisses him off, he felt it should have been tightened by hand.  There are cracks around the bolt holes or whatever you call them.

Under the hood there is a badge that says Yenko Carbondale PA. Is that where the dealer is?

Still a very nice looking car.

If anyone knows where he could get a block for it, he might cut me some slack for asking a bunch of dumb questions.

He can thank Fort Pitt Classic Cars for the block thing. They're the ones who put it in. That motor is most likely worth as much as the body is. What a cool car

With some digging he should be able to find another block $$$$$

campgottagopee wrote

VIN# 123379L519198

1 = Chev
2 = Camaro
third position = Engine, 3 = 6cyl, 4 = 8 cyl
37 = coupe body
9 = 69 model year
L = LA plant
5198 = build#

So we know it's not an original V8 car. That said, most of those cars that were originally intended to go to Yenko were ordered with the 6cyl. In 2009 it was restored with a Yenko motor and many Yenko extra's. From what I can tell it is not an original Yenko car as the vin is not registered with Yenko. Yenko has a registry of all cars fitted at their factory.

Here's the listing of the car from 2009.

https://fortpittclassiccars.com/listings/1969-chevrolet-camaro-2/

It's a great car with a great motor but I'm afraid it's not a million dollar Yenko. I'm curious how it ended up in his shop. Did the motor pop???

... [show rest of quote]

Good info.
Yenko ordered all the Camaros with the 396 V8 and took the  heads, intake, carb and accessory drives off the 396 and installed them on the L72 iron 427 block. In 1969, Yenko was able to convince Chevy to create a COPO order that would have the engine and all the heavy duty parts he wanted installed at the factory. Other dealers could also place this COPO order if they figured it out. This all started because GM did not want anything bigger than a 400 cubic inch engine installed in any car except the Corvette.

Figuring out the plate codes is mandatory work if you are going to buy an older vehicle. These guys are so good at reproduction that they could fool 99% of us.

Yenko Chevrolet was in Canonsburg, PA. It closed in the early 1980s.

FYI - I can buy a low mileage, used 2017 Camaro SS with a 455hp/455 lb-ft V8  that will run circles around these Yenkos on a track and pay just  $30k. It includes all the modern amenities and safety equipment and I won't be afraid to drive it every day. These are crazy horsepower days as Mustangs and Challengers also can be bought for similar money with 400+ horsepower, too.