Yenko Camaro drag car

JoeC · #1 12-30-2000, 04:52 AM

Found this ad from 1969 with Ed Hedrick in a 1969 Yenko Camaro drag car. I believe this was a Daytona Yellow car but I have not found any good color pictures of it. One thing interesting is the Jenkins Competition decal on it. In a 1968 magazine there is an article on Bill Jenkins 1968 Nova "Grumpy's Toy V". The driver was Ed Hedrick and even had his name painted on the door. Jenkins was driving a 1968 Camaro "Grumpy's Toy IV".

**bkhpah** · #2 12-30-2000, 12:31 PM

As far as we can tell there were three Yellow Yenko Camaro's used for racing right away. The Hedrick 4speed car, the Preston and Larence auto, and the Gemler auto out of Erie PA. They stick car must have changed classes as race cars do to run the auto. The Hedrick car would race and then return to Jenkins shop during the week. Hedrick told Stan that was the best car he had ever ran. He later went on to race motorcycles and was very good at that as well. The stripe on the Hedrick car looks hand cut if you close in on it. It is very different that the standard stripe. What magazine did you get this from Joe?..
BKH

JoeC · #3 12-30-2000, 06:16 PM

The Vitar ad was in Super Street Cars July 1970. The stripe does look different on the Hedrick car. I wonder if it was painted on instead of using the decal stripe.

**copo69** · #4 12-31-2000, 03:42 AM

Hedrick's car was part of the "Grump's Group" in that they were trying to stack the classes to win the overall eliminator. In '69, Jenkins' '69 car ran SS/C while Hedrick ran SS/D. Auto cars later got better weight break in '70 but by this time Jenkins was concentrating on Pro Stock with his '68 car and Dave Strickler driving his '69 in Pro Stock. I have a copy of a color snapshot of Hedrick's car from the '69 CARS meet and it is indeed yellow but I've only seen ads with car pictured in b/w. Hedrick's car was also on hand for the Super Stock & Drag Ill. '69 Yenko Camaro test and Hedrick drove the street car in the test. I've tried to find info on the race car but have had little luck. Is the car still around? If not, anyone know what happened to it? I see it must have been an early X66 due to the quarter louvers and the black rear panel. also be interested if anyone knows the fate of Jenkins' '69 Camaro.

**sYc** · #5 12-31-2000, 11:40 PM

Grumpys's '68 Camaro has been restored to the way it was raced by Grumpy. It is setting in an enclosed trailor in KC. I tried to get the owner to bring it to a Supercar Reunion, but he will only show the car if paid $$$. After Grunpry had sold the car, while being raced by the new owners, one year it won more money racing then any other race car, including top fuel and funny cars. Tom

**copo69** · #6 01-01-2001, 02:40 AM

Tom, Which version was it restored to, Pro Stock or Super Stock? I remember reading where Jenkins made more money with that car than any he ever owned, according to him, that car made over $250,000. The '69 car was not nearly as successful starting with a ZL1 in SS/C and fast becoming a XS match racer but '68 car worked better and won first Pro Stock title at Pomona in 1970.

bbdon · #7 01-01-2001, 05:28 AM

I must have looked at this picture a dozen times, but I never noticed the 427 emblem until today. This must be the same car as the picture above. This is from a Hot Rod magazine Camaro special edition, printed in 1982.

JoeC · #8 01-01-2001, 02:59 PM

The Gold 1969 Yenko Camaro prototype car drag tested by Super Stock magazine had the 427 numbers mounted on the bowtie like in that picture.

**bkhpah** · #9 01-02-2001, 12:59 AM

My Yenko Camaro was in the same group of ten Yellow cars as the Hedrick Camaro. My car had the bowtie removed from the rear, but retained the grill bowtie. At this early stage in building the first Yenko Camaro's there was still not a standardized way of doing things... BKH

JoeC · #10 01-04-2001, 11:32 PM

Keith T. sent me this scan of the Hedrick Yenko Camaro and the Yenko "prototype" car from the Super Stock article. The rear panel on the Hedrick Yenko has the Yenko emblem and 427 emblem positioned the way Yenko did most of his Camaros. It is different then the picture that is posted by bbdon. Looks like Hedrick may have changed it for the 1970 season. It seems like a conflict of interest for Hedrick to be involved with "Grump's Group" since Jenkins was involved with the Ammon R. Smith Chevy Dealer from PA. and Hedrick had the Yenko Chevy sponsoship also from PA. but I guess it was not a problem for them.
The Gold "prototype" Yenko has the bowtie in the center with the 427 numbers bolted to it and the Yenko emblem to the pass side. I have read that the Gold Yenko was a demo car and I wonder if it is a early vin. number Yenko.