NNN show and SCR10 in 2007

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Due to the change in dates for SCR10, us Nova guys were in a bit of a predicament. The Nova Nationals was scheduled for the previous weekend at the Belterra Casino Resort & Spa on the Ohio river in southern Indiana. I had wanted to bring my Yenko to the Madison, IN area for many years, so I needed to attend the NNN show. The original owner of my Yenko still lives in the same area he did in ’70 just outside Madison, IN, and the second owner still lives at the same location he did when he bought & sold my Yenko in Turners Station, KY. The third owner (Cliff Ernst) lives in Nashville, and I’m the fourth owner. I always wanted to show the first and second owners their old car, and I figured here was my chance. Also, Morgan Nankivell who owned the Nankivell dealerships where my car was sold new, still lived in Shelbyville, IN, but unfortunately passed away just 8 months ago. I still keep in touch with his widow Evelyn Nankivell. So, with a very understanding wife, I made plans to attend both shows and use the few days in between to meet up with a few people. The logic was that it’s cheaper to grab a hotel room vs. driving back and forth with $3/gal gas.

I was able to meet Owner #1, (special thanks to Alan Cardo), and Owner #2, took pictures of my Yenko in front of the old dealership, and to top it off – had my picture taken with Lynn Yenko. It was a good trip, all 10 days & 2,400 miles of it!

Some pics:

Owner #1; Carl Smith in Madison, IN, 1970-1980. Carl was never too excited about the car since I first spoke to him in '96. He bought it within a few weeks of Nankivell receiving it, paid full sticker, and put 99,000+ miles on it as a daily driver. He never drag raced it, but would street race on occasion. He was interesting to talk to, but unfortunately he does not have any old photos. He took very good car of the car, taking it back to Nankivell once a year to get the lifters & shifter adjusted. He also wisely kept the original bill of sale and the POP. He recalls replacing the dual snorkel air cleaner with a chrome open element version on the way home from purchasing it on 7-31-70.