Re: Pics of my 427 cars
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Keith,
Nice picture. Great cars. Maybe you have told your Yenko's story before, but I'd sure like to hear it. Any more pix?
Thanks,
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Here you go..
I want to first tell the story of my interest in cars was inspired by a ride in a Yenko Camaro in about 1975. I was about 13 or 14 and went to a Philadelphia Phillies game with my older brother (9 years older). We sat with a couple of motor heads (like all of us) and my brother had some beers (to many beers) with these guys. I was to young to drink but we all had a great time with these guys, they were nuts. During the game they keep talking about the one guy's Yenko in the parking lot at Veterans Stadium. Neither my brother or I knew what that was. After the game we went down to see this car and there was a Hugger Orange 69 Yenko 4 speed. We hung out for awhile and I then even had a beer with them (if only my parents knew). The guy who owned the car took me and my brother for a ride in this beast and did about 10 hole shots in the parking lot of the old Vet Stadium. I never forgot that ride. I was blown away by that car and always wanted one. Then when I learned this girl I was dating (who is now my wife) had an uncle who had the same kind of car I had to go for a ride in it. Her uncle owned a few speed shops around the Philadelphia area and was well connected in car circles. I was about 18 by now and took a ride in my second Yenko Camaro. This was a RG automatic car. I was cooked, I had to one day own one of these.
I bought and sold my way through a few Corvettes and had enough money to get my car when the opportunity presented itself.
Now for a little history on my current Yenko car. She was owned and driven daily for the first 2 years of it's life. Then the original owner got into dirt tracking and pulled the Yenko off the street and put the 427 into his "roundy rounder" dirt car. He used that 427 for a few seasons when his wife gave him grief over the racing thing.
Then in 1983 (?) my wife's uncle (by marriage) finds the car and purchases the car with the original engine on the stand just pulled from the dirt car. He already had the first Rally Green automatic Yenko and wanted a 4 speed. He freshened the engine and installed it. I was there for the first fireup and drove the car being the first guy to drive it since 1971. A few months later and a lot of negotiations, I owned the car. He eventually sold the Rally Green automatic to Cliff E.
The car is mostly original, with some touch-up paint work. The engine and rear are original but the transmission has been replaced with an M-22 (a real one) from 1969. Otherwise, all else is untouched and unrestored..
I have been very quite about this car for many years and for whatever reason after owning it for almost 25 years decided to share my story tonight!
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