Driving my car...looking for opinions

[Yenkofan]

I am the proud owner of a 69 Yenko camaro.
I bought the car in order to relive my youth a little and have some fun. I live in Los Angeles and therein lies most of the problem.
When I drive the car to any show more than five miles away I'm scared xxxxless.
The reason is that I can only go 60 mph with the 4:10 gears and I hate driving on the repro 1969 tires. Cars and trucks come up on me fast and it's scary. Too much traffic is also scary
Looking for opinions especially from those who do drive their cars:
Do I stop driving the car?
Make it a trailer queen?
Change the tires and rear end gears making it less original but more drivable?
Thanks in advance...
Gary

[NWYENKO]

Gary, i have wrestled with the same questions the last three summers. When I purchased my car it was fairly low miles which has also been a concern. We take the car to about 15 shows a summer. If it is within 15 or 20 miles we drive usually leaving early in the morning. We bought a 20' Pace enclosed trailer for the further shows. My wife has become quite the pro in assisting in loading up the car, usually we are gone within 20 minutes of the end of the show. Cost of fuel is another concern since the car really runs so much better on Trick, at a cost of $5 a gallon. We went through 55 gallons this summer. Don't know if this helps but you are not alone in your dilemma. The main thing is to continue to get the car out for everyone to enjoy!!!
Jim

[sYc]

Gary; We all face the same problems. My Yenko Camaro, and other muscle cars, are not trailor queens, but I do haul them in an enclosed trailor to events. This summer we have gone through over 100 gallons of racing fuel, as we drive/race our car quite a bit. We enjoy the 4:10 gears and awesome horsepower. Do not change a thing. To me a trailor queen is a car that is NEVER driven, just a show car. Tom

[GMH454]

Are we supposed to enjoy the cars or be custodians of history for the future. Currently putting a 12 bolt 4.56 back in my car, now has a 10 bolt 3.36. Hope the Hone that I picked up actually works.
Yes its not a clone, its an Australian General Motors Holden Special. Hence GMH454
I think if it is low miles with a lot of original parts try to keep it that way. (ie don't drive it much - I'm not)
Otherwise as long as you put back what you take off you should enjoy it. It really is a nice dilema you have.

[bkhpah]

Have driven the crap out of my different Yenko's for over 20 years. Never really felt uncomfortable. I don't live in LA though! I know what you mean sometimes about the other people on the road that don't care...
BKH

[Charley Lillard]

Three Cheers for driving the Crap out of them...........Within reason. :-)

[Yenkofan]

Thanks to everyone for their replies, however I must ask again to those who are "driving the crap out of them" are you doing it on 1969 tires? It sure doesn't feel safe to me with those tires.

I would certainly save any parts removed so they could later be replaced.
And yes the car is very original and beautiful including motor and trans but is not concours.
Gary

[GMH454]

Gary, buy some period mags and put on the best rubber you can find, and enjoy smoking them.

[bkhpah]

I have never owned a Yenko car with a radial. I don't understand why you cannot keep it under control. Have you checked your suspension for flaws? I have logged thousands of miles in 427 Camaros with nothing more than a E-70-15 WTGT. After all that is wht the cars had on from new. If they were that hard to drive they would all be trashed. I have REALLY driven the crap out of the cars,
without regard... I have calmed down some over the years lately...
BKH

[Chevy454]

We had radials on our Yenko Camaro whenever we first got it, and they SUCKED! The car handled well, but you just spun, and spun, and spun... So, after we freshened the car up, we put on the F70s, and have never looked back. I put a set on my LS-6, a set will go on our Yenko Nova, and whatever else we end up with will wear them as well. I just think they look like they belong on the cars. They don't handle quite as well as the newer radials, but they aren't as bad as everyone thinks. And believe me, we DRIVE THE SNOT out of our cars! Well, some of us here drieve them a little harder than others...(dad )!