SEMA 2009: Yenko Camaro makes it's debut

Well that was quick. It was only a couple of weeks ago that we had some nice artist renderings of the new Yenko Camaro, and now we get to see it in the flesh at SEMA.

Behold, the Phase I. It features an LS3, the same 6.2 liter present in the Camaro SS. While that may not match the cubes of the original's 427 big block, it does make a stout 600 horsepower thanks to a supercharger.

The Phase II and Phase III are in the pipeline with what is expected to obviously be more horsepower. Think perhaps an LS7, or LS9?

Yenko to make a comeback?

It's been 45 years since Don Yenko used GM's COPO (Central Office Production Order) program to build his first hot rod, the Yenko Stinger Corvair. But it's not the Corvair that Yenko is famous for, rather the Nova's and Camaro's he built with the sole purpose of dragstrip (and street light) domination.

And now General Marketing Capital Incorporated (GMCI) owner Jeff Leonard has just taken control of the Yenko name and brand with the promise of new product. Now seems as good a time as any, with American muscle cars alive and kicking.

PRESS RELEASE

ON IT'S 45th ANNIVERSARY - THE YENKO NAME IS ALIVE AND WELL

Avid Car Collector and Yenko Enthusiast Recaptures Yenko Magic with Possible New Yenko Models, Fresh Product Lines

Westminster, Calif. – (October 14, 2009) As the 45th Anniversary of the Yenko legacy draws near, General Marketing Capital Incorporated (GMCI) announced today its ownership of the classic trademark and its plans to revitalize the brand.

To jump start this effort, Yenko owner, enthusiast and GMCI CEO Jeff Leonard, is consulting with several notable limited production vehicle companies in the automotive industry on possible new Yenko project cars as well as upcoming Yenko product lines.

GMCI will also launch a brand-new online home for the Yenko brand in the upcoming weeks, where owners and enthusiasts can find information about upcoming cars and products, access historical information about the brand, register to be a part of the site's forums and much more.

"The muscle car era has made a huge comeback this year and we expect this trend to grow," said Leonard. "The Yenko name is very much a part of that magnificent history and we plan to resurge its magic and its historical significance. Through GMCI's efforts, Don Yenko's name will be kept alive with the highest degree of integrity and respect."

Growing up in Detroit in the shadow of the famous Woodward Avenue during the muscle era heyday, Leonard always had a keen interest in Detroit muscle culture. As a muscle car enthusiast and owner of an original 1968 Yenko Camaro, Leonard shares the enthusiasm and excitement of many towards owning a unique piece of Yenko history.

Originally, the 60s era Yenko car was a special order vehicle, available only through Don Yenko Chevrolet in Canonsburg, PA. Don Yenko used the Central Office Production Order (COPO) program, a program GM used for fleet vehicles like police cars, taxi cabs, etc. to special order the most powerful vehicles available.

Yenko modified his first vehicle, the Chevrolet Corvair, in 1965 for the Sports Car Club of America racing team. Yenko later went on to build the Yenko Super Camaro, Yenko Deuce, Yenko Chevelle, Yenko Super Nova, Yenko Vega Stinger and the Yenko Camaro Turbo Z among the fastest SCCA racing cars ever produced.

Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the 1969 Yenko 427 with matching Camaros

Don Yenko is the legendary owner of a Chevy dealership in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania who produced his own high performance versions of Chevy's finest. In the late 60's he realized that Camaros could be ordered with L-72 427CI V8 through GM's Central Office Production Order program, originally intended as fleet vehicles for police cars and taxi cabs.

He took the cars and outfitted them with power disc brakes, a 4.10 rear end, upgraded suspension, a heavy duty radiator, front and rear spoilers, a cowl-induction hood, and plenty of Yenko badges and graphics. Just over 200 of the '69 Yenko Camaros were built, and they are still one of the most sought after muscle cars of today.

Chop, Cut, Rebuild teamed up with Original Equipment Reproduction (OER) and D&P Classic Chevy to build a tribute car that would honor the Yenko's legacy and celebrate it's anniversary. The overall goal was to produce a car that would look like something Don Yenko would produce today.

Starting with a brand new repo '69 body shell, the builders dropped in an LS7 crate motor and six speed transmission. They then decided to paint a new Camaro to match, creating a duo of sweet looking cars.

Source: Autoblog, Original Equipment Reproduction
Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

PRESS RELEASE:

As Camaro fans worldwide celebrate the 40th anniversary of the legendary 1969 Yenko Camaro this year, the guys over at "Chop, Cut, Rebuild" decided to get in on the fun and partner with D&P Classic Chevy, Original Equipment Reproduction (OER) and Classic Industries to build a unique, never-before-seen vehicle: the 1969 Yenko Tribute Car.

The Tribute Car is actually a "new", modernized 1969 Camaro built using the best products available in the automotive aftermarket today. The build was a complete ground-up re-creation, beginning with a brand new body and using an extensive list of products and parts from OER, a leading manufacturer and distributor of classic restoration parts and the project's principal sponsor, based in Westminster, California.

The goal was to maintain the classic design and appearance of the '69 Camaro, but integrate a high level of modern components into the construction; a concept based on what D&P feels that Don Yenko himself would have done.

To complete the "What If" project, OER, a long time sponsor of "Chop, Cut Rebuild", provided an extensive list of parts including body, trim, interior, chrome, and many other reproduction components.

The completed Tribute Car is a driver-friendly, comfortable street machine that is also able to competitively handle a drag strip or road course. The vehicle's exterior looks relatively stock, but the modern drivetrain components and cutting-edge technology inside are what allows it to be very fast and far exceeding what was available in 1969.

Originally, the '60s era Yenko Camaro was a special order vehicle, available only through Don Yenko Chevrole tin Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. Don Yenko used the Central Office Production Order (COPO) program, a program GM used for fleet vehicles like police cars, taxi cabs, etc. to special order the most powerful Camaros available.

Today, an original Yenko is one of the most sought after Camaros in the world, garnering five to 10 times the resale value of a regular Camaro.

Currently, Darryl and Peggy Nance, owners of D&P Classic Chevy, a full service restoration and street rod shop based in Huntington Beach, Calfifornia, own this car.

Engine:
- LS7, 427 Cubic Inch – fuel injected by GM Performance Parts (rated at 505 horsepower)
- Front Engine Accessory Drive system for the motor, computer, computer harness and engine accessories by GM Performance Parts
- Headers by Lemons Headers
- Exhaust system by Flowmaster
- Radiator and electric fans by Be Cool
- LS7 oil tank and components by Petersen Fluid Systems
- High performance battery by Knetik

Transmission:
- Tremec T56 Magnu 6 speed transmission – this was the first T56 Magnum rated at 700 foot pounds of torque
- Transmission conversion products and technical/installation support provided by Keisler Engineering

Suspension:
- Front and rear suspension by Detroit Speed & Engineering
- Powder coated 1st Generation Hydro-formed subframe, including rack and pinion steering, tubular control arms, front suspension and spindles by Detroit Speed & Engineering

Brakes:
- Complete front and rear 6-piston brake calipers with drilled and slotted rotors by Baer Brakes
- Brake master cylinder and special accumulator assembly by ABS Power Brake

Tires and Wheels:
- 18" BF Goodrich KDW tires
- D&P custom 18" wheels built by US Wheel

Exterior:
- Paint materials were provided by PPG

Interior:
- Air conditioning by Vintage Air
- Kicker stereo system
- Clarion stereo head unit
- Interior installation by Stitchcraft

Yenko collection being auctioned at Barrett Jackson

Don Yenko is a GM legend, having made some of the most wanted cars of the muscle car era. They are just as coveted today, if not more, than they were when they were sold new. Yenko just simply built some of the most powerful bowtie muscle cars of the 1960's.



And since there were only a few hundred built, they are also some of the most desirable and valuable. Coming up at the Barrett Jackson auction in January, a private collector will be selling off his collection of 5 Yenkos, which are amoung the best and most original in existence.



On the block will be three 1969 Camaros, a 1981 Turbo Z Camaro, and a super rare Yenko Nova. The highlight is the Daytona Yellow Camaro that is one of three existing cars used by Yenko for NHRA racing. It features a COPO 427/425 V8, 3-speed automatic transmission, Hurst shifter, and more.





[Source: Barrett-Jackson]





PRESS RELEASE:



Five rare Yenko muscle cars from a celebrated collection will be sold at No Reserve during the 38th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz., Jan. 11-18, 2009. For the first time, four Yenko Camaros and a Yenko Nova from the Gary Holub Collection (Lot #'s 1276-1278) will be offered to the public. Hailed as "The World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions™," the Scottsdale auction and lifestyle event will feature a diverse mix of the world's most desirable collector vehicles. SPEED will broadcast nearly 40 hours of live, high-definition coverage of all six auction days.



"Many muscle car enthusiasts and car collectors worldwide believe that the Yenko Camaro defined America's appetite for performance in the late 1960s," said Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. "Road racer and Chevrolet dealer Don Yenko learned how to manipulate the secret factory 'Central Office Production Order' (COPO) to turn the new Camaro into a formidable competitor to the Ford Mustang and Plymouth 'Cuda. The result was a special run of high-performance Yenko Camaros and later, special versions of the Nova, Corvair, Chevelle and Vegas, that ruled the roads. We're pleased that five of these rare muscle cars from a very special Yenko collection will cross the block at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale."



With only a few hundred Yenko cars ever built, they are highly coveted in today's market. Many consider the cars owned by Gary Holub to be among the most original and desirable gathered in one location.



The Daytona Yellow Camaro (Lot #1278), also known as the "Preston and Lawrence Yenko", is one of only three surviving 1969 Camaros personally sold by Don Yenko for use in NHRA drag racing. It has the COPO L72 427/425hp engine, 3-speed automatic transmission, power steering, Hurst shifter, black vinyl roof and COPO 9737 Sports Car Conversion. The car features a special ducted hood, dual exhaust, increased cooling capacity and special suspension. It is heavily documented including Don Yenko's name on the paperwork, original dealer package file, purchase order, Bill of Sale, shipper sheet, and paperwork from COPO Connection and Yenko Chevrolet.



"I've been enamored with Yenkos since I was in high school," explained Gary Holub. "My goal then was to own one in my lifetime, but I've been fortunate enough to own 44 Yenkos throughout the years. The five special cars that will be sold at Barrett-Jackson include unprecedented documentation. The Daytona Yellow Camaro, for instance, includes the original Window Sticker and dealer packet from 1969."



One of 50 Yenkos built under COPO 9560 to qualify for NHRA, the 1969 Camaro ZL-1 COPO coupe (Lot #1277.1) features an aluminum 427 ZL-1 engine, special ducted hood, heavy duty radiator, springs and a 4.10 posi rear. The powerful Yenko is one of only 10 ZL-1's in Fathom Green and is documented with paperwork from GM, Fred Gibb Chevy and COPO Connection.



The other 1969 Yenko Camaro (Lot #1277) is one of 30 built with the 427/425hp engine with an automatic in Fathom Green. The car is equipped with a special hood, dual exhaust, special suspension, 140mph speedometer and larger stabilizer bar. This car is a 10-time show winner and is documented by COPO Connection. It includes the Yenko dealer invoice, judging sheets and owner's registrations.



The final Yenko series built was a Camaro that debuted in 1981 as a Turbo Z. This particular car (Lot #1276) is number 10 of 19 and is the first Camaro to win the prestigious Don Yenko Memorial Award. Yenko Turbo Z #10 is believed to be the only one fitted with a cigarette lighter. This is a 100 percent original car with original tires, spark plugs, turbocharger, paint and interior. It is documented in the Yenko Turbo Z Registry and includes the Window Sticker and Yenko dealer invoice.



The Silver Yenko Nova (Lot #1276.1) is one of 175 built and one of only 25 with a silver exterior. The Nova "Yenko Deuce Coupe" features a LT1 Corvette 350 engine, a Muncie 4-speed manual, F41 sport suspension and a 12-bolt differential with a 4.10:1 posi-traction. Its documentation includes a Don Yenko Inventory List, COPO Connection Certificates, owner's registrations and a portion of the Build Sheet.



"Experts have said that Don Yenko wanted to be Chevrolet's answer to Carroll Shelby," added Davis. "He leveraged his success racing Corvettes and his father's GM relationship to create a series of Chevy super cars that harness some of the most impressive muscle engineering of the time."



The Yenkos will join the world's most desirable collector vehicles and automobilia to be sold at the historic Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction. Lifestyle attractions will also return to Barrett-Jackson in January in the form of luxury vendors, galas and fashion shows. Barrett-Jackson's trendy night-spot, "The Garage," will be the site of exclusive gatherings throughout the event.



About The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company



Established in 1971 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Barrett-Jackson specializes in providing products and services to classic and collector car owners, astute collectors and automotive enthusiasts around the world. The company produces the "World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions™" in Scottsdale, Palm Beach, Fla. and Las Vegas. For more information about Barrett-Jackson, visit www.barrett-jackson.com or call (480) 421-6694.