Original Owner Yenko Vega
 

This write up is from my FB page that covers car history of the Wheeling-Ohio Valley area.

Pete K. from Bethlehem (outside of Wheeling) bought a yellow 1971 Yenko Vega hatchback new in '72. It was a unsold leftover. Pete said he sold the car in the later 70's to a guy in Weirton W.Va .-still in the Yenko stripes.
The car went through 2 sets of recalled front fenders due to rust out. Before installing the last set, he coated the inside of the fenders with roofing tar and when he bolted up the fenders the tar squished out of the sides. The Vega was set up to be turbocharged but it never was-Pete still has the Yenko Turbo valve cover. His neighbor ,Chuck Hornoer (I'm butchering this spelling and pronouncement) worked for Yenko and always volunteered to take the car up for servicing but Pete always wanted to go to check things out and see what was new.
The picture with the quarter wheel damage was due to a motorcycle hitting him.
Pete said every time he went to the dealership he visited Chuck who gave him handfuls of Yenko stuff- Yenko badges etc. Pete said everything was in a back room in boxes and he would grab a handful of Yenko matchbook covers, badges etc.
Pete took the Yenko badges off the side of the car and replaced it with GT badges and GT paint treatment on the hood because he liked the look
Any of you Weirton guys know of this car?
I want to thank Pete for sharing these pics and story.

Great story and history.
 

Great story and history. Thanks for sharing. I’ve always liked these little Vegas.

Cheers,
Marty

Interesting Yenko Vega story.

The Yenko Vegas were ordered with COPO 9734 and came with forged pistons for the Turbo kit.

The Yenko valve cover was supposed to come with the car but some were on back order so Yenko had to send the covers after the buyer took delivery of the car.

Here is Petes neighbor-he owned a '67 SS396 he bought new at King Chevrolet in Wheeling Wva and the stinger hood on the car he purchased from Yenko when he worked there after leaving Kings.
Notice the Yenko Turbo Vega in the foreground This was at a car show in Wheeling Wva and Don Yenko had Chuck drive the Vega down tho Wheeling to enter the show.

here is a restored green white stripe Yenko Vega wagon

The photos I have of Yenko Stinger Turbo Vegas are all black stripe cars.

I received this pm from Chuck. He was a tech at Yenko.

"It was a hatchback. I did drive it down because at one point in time I did all the turbo modifications at my house. Vega was sold to a buyer in Turkey"

Charles still owns this car-original paint and all. Correction: car was bought at Ed Connell Chevrolet later renamed Kings
The Yenko hood is hanging up in his garage.

that is a great story that he has an original 68 Yenko hood.

Maybe someday it can end up on a 68 Yenko Camaro.

I don't recall seeing any 67 Camaros with the 68 Yenko hood so that is a first.

here is the Turbo Vega that Don tried to complete a long term EPA test with to make the Yenko Turbo Vega legal to sell as a new car.


Does Charles remember anything about doing this EPA durability test ?

Does he recall how many Yenko Turbo Vegas were built?

Thanks for posting

Rescued from a dairy farm in Wisconsin several years ago. Sold new by Thorstad Chevrolet in Madison, WI. We have protect-o-plate and other paperwork. Purchased from second owner who was in the Air Force when he owned it. Like most Vega owners, had issues with the engine.

Broken axle?

JoeC

Chuck just pm me this:

I can’t say for positive but about 25 turbos.
Also from memory Don Yenko ordered 200 1973
Vegas for the Yenko conversion
I was a tech
It was definitely cool working for the Yenko sports car division

No 69’s (Camaros) left while I was there and I only remember 1 coming in for warranty work

1971 Yenko Stinger Vega
 

There are only 7 known Stingers in the COPO.com registry.
Yenko built 200 COPO's in 1971 and 200 in 1972. No documented 1973's.
Ed

I was looking at the 1967 Camaro here with the 1968 Yenko hood.

The hood appears to be different then the normal 1968 Yenko hood.

It appears to have a rise to it toward the rear like a cowl hood

The normal 68 Yenko hood slopes down toward the rear

I wonder if it is a prototype 1968 Yenko hood or something.

I believe this red Camaro above is a ‘68. The “cowl” effect looks to me like a reflection.

I'm comparing the hood on the 1967 Camaro in this thread to the normal 1968 Yenko hood
They appear to be different

Oh. Ok.:beers:

Isn't the hood shown to the left the hood that was usually found on the Dana Camaro and not what is found on a '68 Yenko?

The hood on the 67 Camaro is similar to the Dana hood but not the same.

The hood on the 67 Camaro looks to be a cross between the 68 Yenko hood and the Dana hood.

Don had the 68 Yenko hoods made for him so I am thinking it may be a prototype 68 Yenko hood or something.

I spoke to Charles today via email. He DID cut the scoop and raise it in the rear. So that solved that question. He also sold the hood in the 80's. I thought he still owned it.

ok thanks, that makes sense

Awesome story. Reposted onto Lost Muscle Cars.

Here's my 73 Vega panel truck that I ordered new through Schmidt Chevrolet in Perrysburg Ohio. I also bought a turbo kit from Yenko through the parts department. It had a 4 speed and 3.42 posi and I installed traction bars , Ansen wheels and White letter tires. With the turbo the car ran a best of 14.80 @ 92mph