|
Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
Earlier this week my brother and I made a trip to Canonsburg on what I originally thought was likely to be another wild goose chase for memorabilia. Fortunately, I was VERY wrong! Through a contact who was friends with a long time Yenko employee and personal friend of Don Yenko, I ended up purchasing an incredible lot of original Yenko paperwork, photographs, files, and various personal effects and artifacts that were at one time housed within the Canonsburg dealership. Included was the actual silver trophy cup awarded to Don Yenko for winning the B-Production SCCA National Class Championship. it weighs alost 10 lbs and stands almost a foot high. The story goes that it was found stashed in the rafters of the dealership, upside down, with just the base showing. Luckily, the name "Don Yenko" was written on the bottom, and was seen poking up through the insulation, or else it may have never been found! Inside the cup was an old manilla envelope stuffed FULL of original sew-on and iron-on patches from off of Don's racing uniforms and jackets. The patches span from 1960 through 1970 and essentially document his racing career through the decade. Many are dated, and some appear to be one-off designs created specifically for his uniform. Some were actually cut right out of the uniforms, leaving the vintage nomex material still attached! While the list of items is actually too extensive to list, and I have yet to even sort through it all, I thought you guys would enjoy seeing some of the key pieces I was able to acquire. Just goes to show you that sometimes wild goose chases can pay off! Hope you enjoy. -JB
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif https://www.yenko.net/attachments/209571-ebay007.jpg |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
WOW... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif You Da man Joe! Congrats on the find and saving some more Yenko history. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/scholar.gif
Steve https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
Sweet. Looks like I'll need more room in the trucks this year for the reunion!..BKH https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...s/headbang.gif
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
...that's enough for now...hope you enjoy... more later! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif
Check this piece out... not sure who was in the big house, but I have a few guesses.... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/wink.gif https://www.yenko.net/attachments/209592-ebay018.jpg |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
Simply unbelievable!!! . You sure this isn't all just a dream Joe? .
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/eek.gif ~ Pete |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
It IS actually amazing how much of this stuff survived... thank goodness Don Yenko was a packrat and so were his employees! I almost didn't believe much more could still be out there undiscovered, but now I'm glad I kept digging... I even have the original title and signed sales agreement for his 1964 Beechcraft F-34 airplane (complete with photographs of the plane!) as well as his official resume, personal letters to the SCCA, photos of Don with Zora Duntov, photos of Yenko's L88 Vettes, Grand Sport, Yenko Camaros, and a ton of other neat stuff. I'm actually still sorting through it as I type. ALMOST as cool as finding a Yenko sitting in the weeds behind a barn.
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/flag.gif |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
Joe,
Once again it has been a pleasure seeing a small section of your collection. Many, including myself, try just to amass a small taste of your entire groupings. Congrats on the find, you certainly deserve it. -Dan |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
So cool Joe! Simply amazing stuff. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif
Thanks for sharing! |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
Joey NEVER stops amazing me. When he told me about yet ANOTHER find my jaw dropped. This guy has a lucky horse shoe up his a$$! The only way I can justify this whole thing is that Don Yenko's spirit lives in Joeys basement and he wants to be reunited with EVERY earthly possession that he ever had! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif Simply friggin amazing. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/eek.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif
Joey. you HAVE to post a picture of the Don Yenko "suicide" photo! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
Absolutely amazing find Joe! I thought that pretty much anything and everything that would ever be unearthed of Don's likely had been. Guess not! Just goes to show you again, never give up! Looks like you will be needing more table space at the reunion............ https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif
Rick |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
Very nice Joe! A friend and I stopped by the dealership building last fall and took a bunch of pictures, seems like it is the only thing from there that you haven't aquired. Why hasn't anyone bought the building and made it into some kind of museum?
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
I was gonna save these for the reunion, but since Frankie brought it up... dig these publicity shots... Its hard to see in the scans, but Don is holding up a Pittsburgh Press newspaper headline about the new gas shortage. He's got a gun to his head, with headline in hand, pretty symbolic of the end of the Yenko/Supercar era...
https://www.yenko.net/attachments/209614-ebay022.jpg |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
[ QUOTE ]
Very nice Joe! A friend and I stopped by the dealership building last fall and took a bunch of pictures, seems like it is the only thing from there that you haven't aquired. Why hasn't anyone bought the building and made it into some kind of museum? [/ QUOTE ] You know, Erik and I walked all around the building, right at dusk, which gave us an almost eerie feeling...sort of like when you stumble on a cool old musclecar in a junkyard and think about all the history of the car, the places it's been, the owners it's had, and the stories you wish it could tell... but at the same time you feel bad about how it got to where it is today. Even though the paint is falling off the cinder blocks, and half the windows are boarded up and the whole place is generally run-down and worn out, if you listen closely, you can almost hear the roar of 427 big blocks and sense how "happening" the place would have been in the late 1960's. We looked in the showroom window and could almost picture Dickie Harrell standing beside the '67 funnycar like the vintage pics we've all seen. The building itself was built in 1949, and it shows. While the place essentially LOOKS exactly like it did in its heyday, all the garage bays, the showroom, the service dept., its all still there, just run down and falling apart. I didn't have my camera with me, and am almost glad i didn't... Its one of those places where you have to actually stand there and take it all in, photos can't really take you there. I agree it would be awesome if someone could save the place, turn it into a museum, a showroom, or SOMETHING... I'm afraid by looking at the place as it stands now, within a few more years it will end up being demolished, and a true piece of americana will be history. Sad indeed. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/frown.gif My dream would be for someone to "rescue" the building, restore it to its 1960's appearance, and fill it with Yenko cars... Talk about a perfect place for a true "Yenko Reunion"... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/flag.gif |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
I did get the goosebump feeling just being there! I took the pictures with my camera phone, and one of the pictures is almost exactly the same as the one of the colored print that you can buy. It is a real shame, but at least the holding lot across the creek was not glowing when we were there.
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
What an absolutely awesome find! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/eek.gif
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
[ QUOTE ]
You know, Erik and I walked all around the building............and a true piece of americana will be history [/ QUOTE ] Nice story Joe. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif Rick |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
<<< JOE >>> I'M REALLY HAPPY FOR YOU, IT'S GREAT THAT SOMEONE LIKE YOU, THAT REALLY CARES ABOUT OUR HOBBY, AND INTEREST, TAKES PRIDE IN PRESERVING THE HISTORY OF SUCH A GREAT EVENT IN THE AMERICAN LOVE OF THE MUSCLE CAR...IF YOU FIND ANYTHING ON THE CORVAIR, THE DANA CONNECTION, OR ''PIMP'' CAR, PLEASE KEEP ME IN MIND, CONGRAT'S, AGAIN ON YOUR WONDERFUL FIND...KASEY .. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
Joe, thanks so much for sharing these treasures. Just simply amazing. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
[ QUOTE ]
I'M REALLY HAPPY FOR YOU, IT'S GREAT THAT SOMEONE LIKE YOU, THAT REALLY CARES ABOUT OUR HOBBY, AND INTEREST, TAKES PRIDE IN PRESERVING THE HISTORY OF SUCH A GREAT EVENT IN THE AMERICAN LOVE OF THE MUSCLE CAR... [/ QUOTE ] And the best part is he is not doing it for the profit but rather as was said, to preserve the history. Take one look at their displays and you can agree. Nice to see someone go to the effort to bring this out for all to see, not try and sell it for a huge profit and best of all, Joe is willing to openly share everything he has with us all at the reunion. Not only that but ask him a question about any of it and he will tell you what he knows and not try to keep it all a secret. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif Rick |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
Thanks for the kind words guys...I really just love looking at this stuff. Rick, I'm saving some of the best for last! While i can't post it all here, everything will be displayed at SCR. Hopefully I'll see all you there... Here are a few more goodies you may like.
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ouguysrock.gif https://www.yenko.net/attachments/209657-ebay048.jpg |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
Here's a cool snapshot of Don and Donna Mae Mimms, in their best 70's polyester duds. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif
https://www.yenko.net/attachments/209660-ebay050.jpg |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
Don accepting an award from the Corvette King himself... Zora Arkus Duntov.
https://www.yenko.net/attachments/209662-ebay051.jpg |
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
1 Attachment(s)
|
Re: Original Yenko Treasures unearthed!
Geez Joe...save some for the reunion! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/wink.gif
|
| All times are GMT. The time now is 12:26 AM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions Inc.