YENKO Vega

[DandyDon]

I'm just passing this along to those more knowledgeable than me on these cars.

If you go to www.racingjunk.com --in the search box, type ad number: 182528532

I have no connection to this. Ad is for a Yenko Vega--claims 1 of 10????

Dandy Don

[Dave Rifkin]

Yenko Stinger?

[67 Nova Boy]

http://www.racingjunk.com/Chevrolet/...let-Vega.html#

[JoeC]

there was a lot more then 10 Yenko Stinger Vegas built

the ad says one of 10 remaining , not sure of the exact number of cars found but its not many although a few have popped up over the years

[iluv69s]

ill bet there are VERY few left... I was looking for one for a while... those vegas rusted out from under themselves....

this is a cheap way to get into a real Yenko.. and looks like a survivor also !!

[CTChevelle]

I am not sure if it is, but it looks like the Vega I owned until about a year or 2 ago. Same color and stripes. Also same tires. I could confirm with the VIN.

[Lynn]

I will be in Tulsa next Mon. Anyone want me to go take a closer look?

[CTChevelle]

The Vega that I owned up to a few years ago has a VIN that ends in 6544. If this is the car, which I would lean toward it is, I owned it for about 8 years.

[Lynn]

One of the members here asked me to look at this car. He decided to pass, but I did take lots of pics. He decided to pass on the car. Just in case someone else here is interested, here is part of the report I gave.

Definitely not a quick flip. This is going to have to be someone's labor of love.

Last 4 digits are indeed 6544. Trim tag has never been off.

Trunk lid, hood and doors are all decent, with minor rust. The upper dash panel has what APPEARS to be very light rust, but as you know, once the windshield comes out THEN you see the extent of the damage. A pillars and roof are good, with just a few minor rust bubbles coming up on the roof panel.

I couldn't tell if the hood had been replaced. It looks like it had hood pins at one time (big holes where the hood bumpers would be on the inner fender support) but no holes in the hood, and no sign of repair. Even had the right emission decal right where one of the hood pins would go IF it did have hood pins.

Poor respray. I don't believe it has ever been hit. The only filler I could find was the rr quart. My guess is to "repair" rust. Trunk drop down on that side crumbled in my hand and I could feel the bondo build up on the outer quarter.

Floors (thanks to an apparent consistent oil leak) are remarkably rust free, but that is the end of the good news.

Tail panel, back end of trunk (maybe entire trunk floor, trunk drop offs spare tire well will all need replaced. Quarters may be able to be patched, but LOTS of rust in both quarters.

Still has the turbo, but he didn't want to start it as he says it has a rod knock and the engine definitely needs a full rebuild and possibly a crank. I believe the engine has been apart before, as there is no assembly code on the deck stamp where I expected to find it. I also saw what appeared to be very fine swirl lines on the deck.

Interior looks good, but speaker holes have been cut in all four panels.


In addition, I do not know if Don Y kept records for the Stinger Vegas like he did on the Camaros. Anyone know if a list? CTChevelle apparently owned the car for 8 years, and probably knows if it is a legit Stinger. Just based on my inspection, I would say yes. It still has the turbo. I did not see "Rajay" on it, but it looks like one of the vintage Rajay turbos I saw from years ago. Of course, I would like to say it is for certain an authentic Yenko Stinger Vega, and my inclination is that it is, but... I am not really qualified to make that statement. Hoping that CTChevelle will have more to say on the subject.

I spoke to the owner at length this evening. He is definitely a car guy, and seems to be very up front. He acquired the car in a package deal thinking his dad would want to restore this one. Unfortunately, his dad, who actually showed me the car, has back issues which preclude him taking on this project. Dad is also a real car guy. Of course, the owner would like to find some documentation that the car is one of Don's Stinger II's. I encouraged the owner to join this site, and expect he will shortly.

[CTChevelle]

Lynn, thank you for confirming the VIN and that this is definitely the car I used to own. Great write up on the description. I did not want to post much about the car until I knew if it was the one I owned. I would have hated to give details only to find out I'm not talking about the same car.

So what I know about the car. First and foremost I will answer the biggest question with, I have no idea if it is real or not. I sold it that way a little over 2 years ago (or around there). I sold it on Ebay. I bought the car in October of 2004. I still have the bill of sale that the seller gave me. I also still have the NY title for the car, which I will give to the current owner. I bought the car on Ebay out of Upstate New York. I have a copy of the Ebay ad from when I bought it. The only thing that looks different about the car from when I bought it is that it had a front spoiler, which I took off and still have somewhere. It had a 12 bolt posi, 4 speed manual, gauges added in the dash, traction bars, and the turbo. All were on there for a very long time before I bought it. The stripes were not old like the parts were. There was an aftermarket Mallory distributor with the car that the owner told me was in it but he took it out. It was an older piece that I would say was from the 70s. I have no idea if I still have it or if it was sold with the car. The turbo on the car when I sold it is not a Rayjay. It is a CARS Inc. turbo. I have close up photos of it.The car ran and drove but the carb and other motor components needed adjusting, including the valves, but there was no major issues. The person I bought it from put about 8,0000 miles on the car (if I remember correctly). I put on about 1 mile. The car sat and sat and was never a happy conversation with my ex. I figured one day I would research it. Then came a new house and 2 kids. I sold the car because of family reasons and never had time to research it.

The car was originally sold in Michigan at a dealer located about 25 miles north of Detroit. I believe it was sold and stayed locally. I'm not sure if it is still present but there was a name in the glove compartment. It was on the inside of the compartment door. It looked like an old sticker that was removed. I still have the name written down. I feel the name is a previous or original owner, but have no idea. I have never attempted to contact him. On a very strange coincidence I bought come old CARS magazines and found a reader's letter by somebody of the same name and location that described racing Vegas in Detroit. When I sold the car I had to sell it quickly and had no desire to track any history on it at that point. It just needed to go. The person I bought it from did not know any history other than he bought it from somebody who bought it out of a barn in Michigan. I sold it in the spring of 2013 (I believe or somewhere around then). I sold it on Ebay to a collector in Arizona. Tuscon I believe. I do know his name and will pass it along to the current owner just in case it is not the person he bought it from. I believe he was also into SCCA racing.

I have no connection to the car at this point or the seller. I would like to get in contact with him and will send him the Ebay ad from when I bought it and the title. I will also give the current owner the name that was in the glove compartment if he doesn't already have it. Also the name of the original selling dealer. I have tons of photos of the car from when I had it. If I can be of any help to anybody please pm or email me. We can exchange phone numbers if you would rather talk on the phone.


Steve