427 Out of a Known Yenko Camaro?

[markinnaples]

Growing up in the south hills of Pittsburgh, a guy up the road had a beautiful 1969 Chevelle with a 427. Saw a couple weeks ago that he got the 427 out of a Yenko Camaro that his buddy had before he sold it. He said that the Camaro is in the Cliff Ernst collection now? I was thinking that the 427 would be worth a pretty decent buck to match up with the original Camaro. I'd imagine some of you are familiar with the Camaro. Here are some screen shots of the Chevelle, Camaro and our conversation.

[John]

… If that is true …

… I Hope that motor gets reunited with the car :flag:

… that would be awesome !:beers::beers:

[markinnaples]

As far as the story goes, I have no doubt that it's true at I've known Mike Blackburn's family for years and he's pretty well known in the gear head circles in the south hills of Pgh.

[CamaroNOS]

Now that is a great story if the car/engine re-unite.

Paul

[PeteLeathersac]

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Original engine already reunited as this 2006 article or a different car?:hmmm:
http://www.superchevy.com/features/sucp-0607-1969-chevy-camaro-copo-yenko/

:beers:
~ Pete

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[Nasblu]

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Original engine already reunited as this 2006 article or a different car?:hmmm:
http://www.superchevy.com/features/sucp-0607-1969-chevy-camaro-copo-yenko/

:beers:
~ Pete

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I saw that same article and was wondering?? Quote from 2006 Super Chevy article.

[markinnaples]

I'm going to copy that article to Mike and see if he has the L88 in his Chevelle. Wild.

[markinnaples]

OK, I talked to Mike and sent him that article. Yes, his engine has already been reunited with the Camaro in that article. Good news and bad I guess.

[mprice]

Cliff owned another gold Yenko project at one time but has sold it. It is possible that it could have belonged the the other car but he has had the original motor for the gold road test car ever since he purchased the car.

[PeteLeathersac]

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All good Mark and there is no bad if the car and original engine are back together!
Yenko delivered w/ the Atlas Rims is cool alone but being the actual Magazine Drag test car Hendricks did the 11.94 with makes this car more than special!
:beers:
~ Pete

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[markjohnson]

I love the SS & DI road test of the Gold ‘69. Running 11.90’s in a close-to-stock street car back then was really honkin’ on! Not much out there was gonna hang with that!

[EZ Nova]

Mark, i have a friend who was an original owner and raced a 69 l78 Nova back then. Same configuration but he did recurve the distributor and jetted the carb. Car ran consistant 11.70's in that trim. There were a few at the time in the area that ran like that.

[PeteLeathersac]

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Here's a few paragraphs from Super Chevy by Ro McGonegal who penned the original July '69 SS& DI article after his 04/19/69 test day w/ Hedrick and the White Striped/Gold L72 Yenko subject car.
:beers:
~ Pete

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[PeteLeathersac]

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[PeteLeathersac]

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Crazy enough, here's a 04/27/69 Pittsburg Press Newspaper Ad w/ the Gold Test car for sale @ Yenko's dealership just 8 days later touting the SS&DI results.
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[x33rs]

Very doable. Mike, a friend of mine, has owned his COPO since the early 70's. At that time it already had 5.13's installed, headers, and traction bars, but was still primarily used on the street.

Fast forward to about 1985-ish, the car only has 20k miles on it, still original drivetrain, Mike still runs the 2" hooker super comps on it and slapper bars. He bolted on a pair of 28x9 slicks, opened the headers, and off to Edgewater. Other than headers, distributor and carb tweaks, the long block was bone stock.

The car went 12.20 at 114 mph and it was already laying over at the 1,000 foot mark. He stayed in it through the traps. Don't remember the rpm but it was done making power long before the stripe.

Around 1995-ish he decided to install 4.56's. The rest of the car still remains the same, however since then he's had no interest in racing the car anymore. I have no doubt the car would be good for some 12.0's or better.

The car has been briefly mentioned on this site before as one of the prettiest 10-10 COPO's around the Cinci area. Mike still owns the car today.

[JoeC]

that was a great article

Yenko had a press release on the car describing the drag test

That Y Camaro had an interesting 427 emblem installation. They put the Yenko 427 emblems on the front fenders instead of on the hood and on the back Yenko installed the Corvette individual 427 numbers onto the blue Chevy bow tie.

I know of a Yenko Chevelle that also had Corvette individual 427 numbers on back and the Yenko 427 emblems on the fenders.

[racer67x]

pretty cool story and cars..thought I knew of most of the 68/69 Chevelles around the area back in the 80's. beautiful but I don't recall ever seeing the black Chevelle SS...? must not have been out much.

[PeteLeathersac]

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Awesome picture Joe and thanks for sharing it also pointing out the badging details.
Here's a few more Ro McGonegal articles that may as well land here too, the first about an L72 car Ro bought for himself a few months after the Gold Yenko SS&DI article, the next two both later year remembrances about an earlier Track day @ KC Raceway w/ ZL1 cars from Harrell's shop.
Credit to CarCraft/HotRod/ChevyHiPerformance/SuperChevy/The NY Times/SS&DI and Ro McGonegal himself who also took the pics that day, wow if it's Shay Nichol's ZL1 w/ 50 miles on it also cool hood on the #1 Harrell car back then + W31 style Scoops and more!
:beers:
~ Pete

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Inside Harrell's KC shop 04/69.
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[PeteLeathersac]

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Looking closer at the Harrell ZL1 pics, the hood appears to be the style used on '68 Harrell cars then plexi lump added later.
The '68 style hood is on the car in the below pics on the trailer taken Spring '69 by Gibb Nova OO Rollie Paulsgrove @ the Gibb dealership also can be seen in other pics if looking closely.
Not sure if the hood was changed before/after the 1991 fire to the ZL2 hood w/ plexi lump as existing car has today?
Who else besides Harrell used this specific style hood also were they built by A&A Fiberglas, Berry Plastiglas or another group?
:hmmm:
~ Pete

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[PeteLeathersac]

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'68 Harrell Camaro pic w/ Hood for comparison.
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At the start of this thread (before I completely derailed it) the OP posted a Gold Yenko track picture, here again as lower pic below.
Above it is another pic that must be the same car but appears to be from earlier in the car's life also @ the same track.
Being Oly Gold/White stripes, both pics must be the Yenko Prototype Magazine Test car Ed Hedrick pulled the 11.94 with.
Note the Atlas rims still on the car in the earlier shot before later pic w/ rim/tire changes and ass jacked + more decals added, same Christmas Tree in the background too also hills/trees/telephone pole etc.
Is this track York US 30 also if so, could the earlier pic be from the SS&DI Magazine Test day w/ Ed Hedrick @ the wheel?:hmmm:
:beers:
~ Pete

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[DW31S]

Neither of those last two pictures is York.

[markinnaples]

Pretty sure that's PID as that's where the guy I knew used to race who had the Yenko Camaro motor in his Chevelle before being swapped out.

http://www.pittsburghinternationaldragway.com/

[JoeC]

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At the start of this thread (before I completely derailed it) the OP posted a Gold Yenko track picture, here again as lower pic below.

~ Pete

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its ok Pete you're just doing donuts :)


here it is on cover of 1969 Drag Times

looks like Yenko's dealer plate
unique 427 numbers bolted to the Chevy bowtie emblem

[PeteLeathersac]

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Another great pic Joe and thanks for posting it also that other cool shot back on Pg.2.
Thanks for the help w/ track info too fellas and comparing pics, PID appears to be exactly correct.
If PID is where Mark's friend used to run his Chevelle also depending on when car purchased etc, it may be his pal Ronnie w/ the Yenko in the pics?
Here's another original pic of the OG Yenko, anyone have any more?
:beers:
~ Pete

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[JoeC]

Here is the "Yenkamaro" article by Ro

[PeteLeathersac]

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Awesome stuff Joe and thanks for posting, what great pics from that day at the track also cool Hedrick's car is in the one shot.
Below are a few expanded views of the magazine pics also that great wheels up shot Joe posted back on Pg.2 again too.
Man that Ro McGonegal sure experienced some amazing times back then, like a dream for many of us here.
:beers:
~ Pete


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[PeteLeathersac]

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[69SSL89]

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At the start of this thread (before I completely derailed it) the OP posted a Gold Yenko track picture, here again as lower pic below.
Above it is another pic that must be the same car but appears to be from earlier in the car's life also @ the same track.
Being Oly Gold/White stripes, both pics must be the Yenko Prototype Magazine Test car Ed Hendrick pulled the 11.94 with.
Note the Atlas rims still on the car in the earlier shot before later pic w/ rim/tire changes and ass jacked + more decals added, same Christmas Tree in the background too also hills/trees/telephone pole etc.
Is this track York US 30 also if so, could the earlier pic be from the SS&DI Magazine Test day w/ Ed Hendrick @ the wheel?:hmmm:
:beers:
~ Pete

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Those pictures are at Keystone Raceway. A few months back I was going through Bill Thurby pics I found online. He must have been the track photographer from the 60’s till looks May 80s or 90s. I was looking for pictures of my car there and came across the Gold Yenko pictures. I have two that Pete doesn’t have, but I can’t post them.

[PeteLeathersac]

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I think we've already confirmed the later track pics are PID and original shots from York but the car likely ran Keystone too?
Love to see any more pics, whatever track they were taken at...have you tried adding them to your postings using the advanced tab?
If any easier, can you post a link to where you found them or are they included somewhere in this collection of Bill Truby pics...
https://public.fotki.com/mastermodeler/11_reference_pictures/photos_from_the_web/drag-cars-by-contri/bill-truby-photo-co/bill-truby-coll/

:beers:
~ Pete

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[69SSL89]

Keystone Raceway is what the track was called before Pittsburgh international. It was PID for a while in the early 2000 to about 2 years ago, now its back to Keystone. The pictures are in that link you sent. There’s probably 4000 pics I went through looking for either of my cars. I did find pictures of my brother in laws car he bought about 10 years ago. Coal Duster it is a 72 Duster that ran a Keystone in the 70s and early 80s. Where do you get into the advanced, I’ll try to post the Yenko pictures

[racer67x]

Keystone Raceway is what the track was called before Pittsburgh international. It was PID for a while in the early 2000 to about 2 years ago, now its back to Keystone. you realize they were 2 completely different locations probably 20 miles apart?.. PID ran till about '76 or so and was only a few minutes from where the Chevelle was located in Bridgeville...Keystone was open at the same time..think maybe they opened around '67. the pics Bill took of the Yenko Camaro were at PID...he also took pics at Keystone after PID closed. he also raced at both tracks.

[69SSL89]

I apologize, I didn’t know there was another track

[PeteLeathersac]

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No worries and I'd expect most racing in the area would've been running their cars @ both tracks anyway.
Found the Truby pics L89 must be referring to, LMK if these aren't them also anyone please post more if there are any.
Note added hood lump + tow tabs which may be on the car in the later PID pic as top of previous page but obscured?
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~ Pete

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[PeteLeathersac]

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[69SSL89]

I tried to email them to you, but said not delivered. Those are it

[Unreal]

I was at Pitt in the late 60's and then lived in Upper Staint Clair, adjacent to Bridgeville up until '82. I only remember the track on Rt. 22, near New Alexandria. Where was the track near Bridgeville?

[racer67x]

I was at Pitt in the late 60's and then lived in Upper Staint Clair, adjacent to Bridgeville up until '82. I only remember the track on Rt. 22, near New Alexandria. Where was the track near Bridgeville? head out of Bridgeville toward Cecil on the 4 lane Rt. 50..make a right onto the old 2 lane Rt. 50 across from the Farmers market,still headed the same direction. the entrance to the old Dragstrip was just past Rt.978 by Universal Oil..and the track sat up behind it,close to the old Campbells Airport. its all still there,drove a truck down the track some years back. and yes I grew up in that area and still live nearby. :)

[JoeC]

don't know why this gold Yenko got the unique emblem treatment but it makes it easy to ID the car in the old photos

I found this pic that I think was taken of the restored car

[PeteLeathersac]

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There's a PID Facebook group w/ cool pics also book available @ this link...
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=556101924550263&id=100004513814905&set=gm.1509791292659561&source=48

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~ Pete

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[PeteLeathersac]

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One more Bill Truby shot of the subject Yenko @ PID.
Earlier than some of the other pics before hood lump added?:hmmm:
:beers:
~ Pete

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[jerry67]

The original owner of the gold white stripe yenko is Ron Welsh from castle shannon pa and he's a friend of mine, has been talked about here before
https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?p=660838
https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=146883

[PeteLeathersac]

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Thanks for the info and links including great Vin synopsis by Marlin!
Awesome cars but the Harrell/Yenko/Hedrick combination is simply the ultimate cool!

Has everyone seen this stunning Gold/White Stripe Yenko Replica recently advertised by an SYC Member...
https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1450614#post1450614

:beers:
~ Pete

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[markinnaples]

The original owner of the gold white stripe yenko is Ron Welsh from castle shannon pa and he's a friend of mine, has been talked about here before
https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?p=660838
https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=146883

What part of Pittsburgh are you from?