Yenko (Please Explain)

[the_yellow_dart]

I know I could look this up on the net, but I'm sure Sixty8 could summarize this better... I know they make first-gen Camaros, but why? Who are they?

[cmattson]

Don Yenko was the son of the founder of Yenko Chevrolet (in PA). He was a noted performance/racing guy. In 1967, his dealership was outfitting stock Camaro's with 427 aluminum Corvette engines (along with a long list of hi-performance parts). Because of the success of this, he approached Chevrolet about getting the 427's factor equipped in the Camaro's. GM was hesitant -- they still had rules about no engines larger than 400cid were to be installed in any intermediate or compact models. Here's where it gets dicey. Some people claim that GM *did* factory install those 427's in 1968; others claim GM built only one concept. Either way, Yenko kept his mouth shut about it (which leads me to believe that GM did it with the idea that they would if Yenko kept it quiet). The Yenko Super Coupe or Yenko Super Camaro's are rare. The 427's were conservatively rated at 435hp. They were created using stock L78 Camaros. Stock L78 Camaro's had a 396cid engine (3755hp)) engines ran 13's (with ease) at the strip. The Yenko's (also called "sYc" 's because of the design stitched into the front seats) were to have run 12's. People claims that if you took a stock Yenko and outfitted it with slicks, the car would run high 11's in the 1/4 mile and would to 0-60 in 3.8 seconds. That's absurdly fast (especially for an almost 40-year old car). For comparison, your current z06 runs 0-60 in 4.2 seconds. Hey '68, did I miss anything?

[the_yellow_dart]

Cool... but what is the connection between Yenko and Japan?

[quantum110]

Cool... but what is the connection between Yenko and Japan?

[post="21362"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Where did you hear anything like that?

[the_yellow_dart]

I remember Sixty8 saying something about a Japanese Yenko....

[Nick]

edit: nevermind Edited September 28, 2005 by Nick

[Sixty8panther]

If I ever said anything about a Japanese Yenko I must have been joking around. By 1969 the Yeko package on Camaros was pretty popular and whoile people thought he was still ripping out 396es and installing 427s he was ading his own custom touches like stickers, emblems and TT rims onto factory made 427 COPOs. I'll tel you some new tidbits and rumors I head recently from a few experts... right now I have to go get some busines done in Boston. :)

[91z4me]

...In 1967, his dealership was outfitting stock Camaro's with 427 aluminum Corvette engines (along with a long list of hi-performance parts).  ...
Hey '68, did I miss anything?

[post="21360"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Yeah the 427 was an Iron block. The only all aluminum BBC was the 427 ZL1 and only a handful of those were built, all in 1969.

[Sixty8panther]

Only 69 ZL1 Camaros were made in 1969 and TWO Corvettes. All were ordered through the COPO process and a good chunk survive. The ZL1 option meant the price of the car DOUBLED. Only really serious racers and fanatics were savy enough to order one. A 1969 COPO ZL1 Camaro makes a 1970 Hemi Cuda look like a over rated, over-weight and antiquidated hulk of metal. But that's only my opinion based on fact. :P Will post more later.