They are still out there

[livettes]

I took delivery of the Lemans Blue Yenko Camaro dressed as a purple Pro Street Z/28 yesterday.
Very happy with what I have been able to see so far. I am taking photos of everything as I go.
The VIN on the firewall by the blower motor was shown on the for sale post. I was able to uncover the top half of the one on the upper cowl. They literally cut it in half when the top part of the cowl was removed.
But the numbers are still legible. Very lucky!
The car is definitely an old race car that has been hacked on. I want to share my findings on the car before I touch anything. I will keep you all updated as I go.
Thanks again for everyone's help on this very cool discovery.
Jamie

[markinnaples]

Congrats, and can't wait to see the pictures. Best of luck.

[JBALL]

Congrats Jamie.

Can't wait to hear more about the car!

[Schonyenko2]

Cool!

[ds1]

Be interesting to see if the VIN shows up on another car. I was telling my dad about this car. We both agreed that the body with the hidden vins should legally have the dash vin. But I'm no expert. Good luck with it.

[bashton]

Or better yet...see it up close and in person! <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif

Bashton

[livettes]

Bob has been nice enough to invite me to display this car in his Barnfind Showcase at MCACN! I have shown cars several times at this event but never in the Barnfind Showcase which is always one of my favorites.
I would hope anyone who has interest in the story on this car would come by and take a good look. I would appreciate any opinions or advice.
I am glad to have the opportunity to expose the car before the restoration starts so there will be no questions about what it is. What's there what's not. It is what it is.
As for the question of the vin plate showing up on another car. IMHO I think that is very unlikely. If the vin plate had been sold or moved to another car for any reason than it is only logical that the trim tag would have been moved as well. It is obvious that this car was a race car and the firewall and cowl were cut for the down bars on the roll cage. The dash would have had to be cut or removed as well. The dash that is in the car has not been cut and there is every indication it has been replaced.
So it seems very logical to me that when the car was put back on the street the cut up or missing dash was replaced with a salvage one and the vin plate removed because it did not match the car or title.
This is only my theory but it is the only one that makes sense to me. I am out of town until tomorrow night but I will post the photos of the holes in the firewall and cowl that pointed me in this direction.
Jamie

[bergy]

Janie - sleep well at night - there is nothing nefarious about your car. I'm sure that a little research will turn up the supporting history. Can't wait to see it at MCACN!!!

[bergy]

Also - Charley deserves a shout out IMO - many people in his position would have kept the discovery of this car to themselves &amp; tried to direct it to a friend. He did the right thing for buyer &amp; seller. INTEGRITY

[Tracker1]

Good luck Jamie. This is a legitimate and clear-cut case for a re-pop VIN tag, no question in my mind. Wouldn't bother me in the least, given what you have found - whether I was a buyer or the owner. This car is absolutely 616431. Would love to see it in 23 days!

[livettes]

I agree with Bergy. Charlie was one of the first people I thanked when I posted on the other thread. I would never have had the chance to own this car if it had not been for Charlie starting the thread and this site itself.
It is going to be a lot of fun.
Jamie

[bashton]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: livettes</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Bob has been nice enough to invite me to display this car in his Barnfind Showcase at MCACN! I have shown cars several times at this event but never in the Barnfind Showcase which is always one of my favorites.
I would hope anyone who has interest in the story on this car would come by and take a good look. I would appreciate any opinions or advice.
I am glad to have the opportunity to expose the car before the restoration starts so there will be no questions about what it is. What's there what's not. It is what it is.
As for the question of the vin plate showing up on another car. IMHO I think that is very unlikely. If the vin plate had been sold or moved to another car for any reason than it is only logical that the trim tag would have been moved as well. It is obvious that this car was a race car and the firewall and cowl were cut for the down bars on the roll cage. The dash would have had to be cut or removed as well. The dash that is in the car has not been cut and there is every indication it has been replaced.
So it seems very logical to me that when the car was put back on the street the cut up or missing dash was replaced with a salvage one and the vin plate removed because it did not match the car or title.
This is only my theory but it is the only one that makes sense to me. I am out of town until tomorrow night but I will post the photos of the holes in the firewall and cowl that pointed me in this direction.
Jamie </div></div>

Gee...do you think this one will get any attention at the MCACN show? <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/headbang.gif

Thanks for accepting the invite Jamie, and get ready...your jaw is going to be tired from talking about this awesome discovery!

Yep...yet another reason that the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals show is an <span style="font-style: italic">absolute must do</span> event!

Bashton

[69hurstSC]

I can attest that the Barn Finds section is one of the best places to show your car :-) It's always packed back in that corner.

[supercomp 8.90]

do some detective work previous owners, the shop that may have done the cage, you may find out that the vin tag may still be laying in an old toolbox or packed away in a previous owners paperwork, if it pops up it will be like hitting the lottery!! good luck with the project.

[livettes]

These are some of the photos I took the Monday night after the car arrived. I hope they show what I was able to see.
The first one is of the VIN on the upper cowl. Like I said they cut right through the middle of it but you can still make out 9N616431
Next is the Trim Tag with one of the original rivets still hanging on.
A sideways shot of the firewall piercing.
The cut out area of the upper cowl. This is before I removed the paint to show the VIN. You can see some Lemans Blue.
The next one was taken from inside the car and shows the area that was cut for the down bar on the drivers side.
The last is of the dash that is in it now. You can see part of the hole in the firewall behind it. The angle would have made it necessary to cut at least a good part of the dash out.
I hope these help explain the theories I have arrived at so far.
I am interested if anyone has any thoughts or would like to see any other areas.
Thanks, Jamie

[livettes]

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2015/10/full-1235-33704-img_05581.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2015/10/full-1235-33705-img_05501.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2015/10/full-1235-33706-img_05531.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2015/10/full-1235-33707-img_05571.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2015/10/full-1235-33708-img_05651.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2015/10/full-1235-33709-img_05661.jpg
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics/usergals/2015/10/full-1235-33710-img_05701.jpg

[ds1]

Gives new meaning to &quot;everything must go&quot;. Rally cool to see the progression of the cars evolution unearthed. Im now in the same boat buying a race car with history in Super Stock. trying to figure out how to restore it. Best of luck

[gts340]

Great find! Can't wait to see it at MCACN.

[John]

Thanks for the update on the arrival of the &quot;COLONIAL&quot; emblem for your car.

... Glad you could use it

<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif

[enio45]

Jamie - that 1/2 sawed off VIN is precious - thank god that it is still visible to put a lot of IF situations
to rest. Now - lets find that VIN tag!

[David C.]

What a fantastic discovery! You should definitely make an effort to contact previous owners as they may lead you to the original VIN tag. I assisted a friend with an LS6 Chevelle, and upon looking over the car I pointed out that the VIN tag did not match the cowl or the plant on the trim tag. He contacted one of the previous owners who told him he had been waiting for that call someday and had the tag in his tool box!

[bbbentley]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: David C.</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What a fantastic discovery! You should definitely make an effort to contact previous owners as they may lead you to the original VIN tag. I assisted a friend with an LS6 Chevelle, and upon looking over the car I pointed out that the VIN tag did not match the cowl or the plant on the trim tag. He contacted one of the previous owners who told him he had been waiting for that call someday and had the tag in his tool box! </div></div>

I am sure there was a story as to why the VIN was changed?

[Mr Yenko]

Can't wait to see it at MCACN !

[livettes]

I just got off the phone with Mike Needle in Maryland, the guy who sold the Camaro to Craig in California that I bought it from.
He sounded like he was a dealer or bought and sold quite a few cars. He said he had owned this car twice!
He first bought the car around 13 or 14 years ago out of Ohio. He sold it and said it stayed local until he bought it back recently. He could not remember a name and said he did not keep any records more than 2-3 years. But he did remember that the guy he bought if from in Ohio built a lot of pro street cars and you had to drive past the Summit Racing warehouse to get to his shop. Summit is in Tallmadge so I am assuming that is the area he it referring to. I am reaching out to anyone in that area that might know this guy or his shop. Or any information or help anyone could give in chasing down this lead.
Thanks, Jamie

[COPO CARTEL]

Way to go. Blood hounds needed

[ds1]

JE pro streets was one of the bigger shops I know in Ohio. Massolin, not sure of spelling. The we're big into camaros, mostly 69s. They built a bunch of yenko clones. There was another in that same area that was a hot rod shop
I used to see them a lot on racing junk. Jeprorodz.com.

[SuperNovaSS]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ds1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">JE pro streets was one of the bigger shops I know in Ohio. Massolin, not sure of spelling. The we're big into camaros, mostly 69s. They built a bunch of yenko clones. There was another in that same area that was a hot rod shop
I used to see them a lot on racing junk. Jeprorodz.com. </div></div>


Pretty ironic if they were the ones who built it.

Jason

[ds1]

They buy and sell already built cars. I tried to buy a 67 roller off them. There work is way nicer than the work done to that car. They may have bought and decided not to build it and sold it off.

[markinnaples]

Might want to check on &quot;The Pro Street Era-late 70's on&quot; Facebook page as there are a lot of Ohio guys on there; one of them might be familiar with it.

[DW31S]

I kinda thought the car looked somewhat familiar; now that the &quot;Mike Needle&quot; connection was brought to light, I know why. Mike Needle does buy and sell a lot of Pro Street cars here in an around Baltimore, 1969 Camaros in more abundance than any other type. I bet he is disappointed (if he knows) that he owned a real Yenko not once, but twice!

[livettes]

I felt like I should break it to him gently because you never know how people will react. So when I told him what the situation was he didn't really act like it was any big deal. He seemed to be fine with it and was as helpful as he could be and said to call back any time.
Jamie

[DW31S]

If he owned it twice, he made money on it twice.

[Mr70]

Gonna go out on a limb and guess Mike would trade selling it those 2X prior,to sell it just one time as a Yenko. <<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/laugh.gif

[DarrenX33]

Jamie. Congratulations!!!

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Possibly.....????

[Stefano]

Above might be early X66 Yenko.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Because of the gills on the sides?

[Woj]

Congratulations. What a great find. Keep us posted.

[livettes]

Marlin
Mine is also a vinyl top car so not sure if that could be it or not. Do you have any other information on it?
Thanks, Jamie

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Ah, forgot about the v/t - I have nothing on that car in my pic, just something I lifted from a F/B site.

[livettes]

That is a cool pic! Thanks for sharing. I am still looking for any history on mine.
Jamie

[Stefano]

Because of the gills on the sides?

Yes and no wheel open mldgs.