1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

I have heard a lot about this article but have never read it. Can somebody post it big enough so those of us that have not read it could have the oportunity?

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

If I can find some time this weekend to get the scanner hooked up and working I'll post that one. Unless someone beats me to it. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Ed

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Anyone?

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Sorry Frank. But it's still on my list of things to do. Just been pretty busy here at home with our newborn daughter. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Ed

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

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Follow Up
Muscle Car Review, April 1987

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

On page 3 of the post above, you'll see a sign on top of the camaro: "350 1969 Unit built". This started speculation at the time of that article, that there could be more than the 201 69 Camaros built.

But if you consider the word "Unit" literally, it covers Camaros, Chevelles and Novas. Still have a hard time getting up to 350 units when you count 201 Camaros, 99 Chevelles, and 30-37?(not all were 427)Novas in 69. Unless he was counting Jack Douglas *Yenko Cars in that number.

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Thanks bbdon. Also thank You T. Billigen who e-mailed me the whole thing yesterday! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img]

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

SuperCars,
If one of your largest volume network dealers sold both the cars he purchased direct and inderect with your name on them, would you count them in your total or would you dismiss them in the count [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif[/img]

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Steve;
It appears that Jack only ordered the first batch of cars from Yenko SportsCars, therefore he was not one of Yenko's largest volume dealers.

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Ed would have more complete #'s, but my initial pass through the inventory only shows about 5-6 '69 Yenko Camaros going to Douglass, but 14+/- going to Hult, 9+/- to Francis, 7+/- to Joseph, 8+/- to Marshall, and whole lot going to Colonial!

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Marlin,
There appears to have been 25 or so Network Dealers in 1969. I don't have the exact count in front of me so help me if I am wrong. When you take out the cars sold by Yenko Chevrolet, You will see that Douglass Chevrolet Sold More than Most of the other Network Dealers, if your counting just the Direct order Yenkos.

They would rank in the top few, volume wise if you included all the cars sold to the public as Yenkos. (Camaros, Chevelles and Novas)

In 1969 Douglass was the Numero Uno seller of Yenko Cars in Chicago , no matter the yard stick "you" choose to use.

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

I can see where you are going with this Steve, I'm just offering an alternative point of view. There were a lot of dealers in the network, Douglass was an important one, there is no dispute of that. But to suggest that the number of units listed on that sign was including those cars sold as Douglass/COPO/Yenko's is a stretch beyond circumstantial 'evidence', that's all.

The sign behind Don was in a photo taken at Colonial Chev. in Norfolk, and I would propose that it has no bearing on the situation in Chicago.

Please don't give me this 'you' stuff, consider me as balance in these discussions, the other wing, ballast, whatever, don't make it personal [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/no.gif[/img]

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img]

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

JD also sold the most COPO cars in Chicago....

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Yenko also built one Stinger in 69 and some race cars so the 350 total may have been pretty close. It is also a nice round number to use for a publicity opportunity.
The Yenko fans are lucky to have that article as that was done not long before Don's plane crash.

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Marlin,
I believe its a stretch in your mind. I believe it is more than likely that it does include those cars. If the numbers would have added up to around 330 to 335 you better believe certain people would have used that against the JD theory, because the numbers would have been higher if they were Yenkos. In Dons documents he stated there were 22 JD cars, it would be interesting to know when that car was sold, and how many were sold after that one. If anybody knows which car that was the build date to even see if it was after the JD cars.
201 99 35 =335 if there were around 15 additional yenkos sold after that one the numbers would work out. At this point it seems more likely he counted them than not. Just my opinion.
As for how many PA Yenkos JD sold its hard to tell I know of two he sold which have paperwork saying JD sold them, but on Ed's list they come up as Yenko selling them.

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

John,
You bring up a good point in that the Ultimate Yenko Selling dealership is not always reflected on the lists Marlin mentioned. A certain Car may show Yenko Chevrolet, when it was indeed sold by another dealership.

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Or could have been just Camaros sold through PA. I have documents for over 100 '67s, 50-60+ '68s, plus 200 '69s, that could explain the 350th unit built. That is my theory and I am sticking to it. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

But remember, theorys are like opinions and a___, everyone has one. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif[/img]

As per this article, Don was not very accurate in many of his statements. GM and his own paperwork has disproved much of what he was quoted as saying. As with much of the other Yenko paperwork, intereasting reading, but not very factual. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif[/img]

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

If there was a post about bottled water somehow the JD cars would be brought up.

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Actually that is not true. There is more concrete evidence supporting the cars modified at Yenko Chevrolet, but not sold at Canonsburg, whether it be Frances, Van, who ever. There is less known about the Canonsburg sold cars, even though that is changing with the newly discovered files. That is one reason the number of Yenko built cars is changing (growing), as new information is found.

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Not sure if this is relevant to this discussion but I remember when I was a kid (9-10 years old), my father took me car shopping with him and there was a Yenko Nova on the showroom floor of our local Chevy dealer. This was in Norwalk, Connecticut around 1970 give or take. I think the dealer was named Redmann Chevrolet

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

All I can say is that you have as little facts supporting that the 350th units included the JD cars as I have supporting that it doesn't include them. So, we'll leave it at that.

I personally don't believe very many of Don's production figures, I have seen Don's memo's stating 500 Yenko Deuces - we all know how accurate that statement is! Don was trying to sell cars, and get them qualified for NHRA.

One theory we have found to be true on a few occasions is that when a car arrived at a dealership in the network (Yunkers for eg.) with a 'hurt' engine, they would ship it back to Yenko. Yenko would replace the car with another shipment, or just keep the car. He would replace the engine under warranty, and then sell it locally. However, he would not change the inventory sheets, I don't think there was any need to in his mind, but he would write 'WRECKED' next to that car on the inventory sheet. Interesting! I think I have seen 'REPLACE' on the sheets as well, which might indicate the scenario that you guys are referring to.

Tom, the other part about opinions is that 'they are like a___, everyone has one and they all stink' [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

My theory is that Don flunked math...

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Don was a certified Genius, IQ was in the 140+ range! (?). I think Don used creative math, you know, 1 and 1 is not 2, but rather 11 [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Marlin; Very true. At least when it came to dealing with the sanctioning bodies, such as the NHRA, SCCA,etc. and/or the press. Some of the memos, including the one you mentioned, are quite interesting, but not backed by known facts. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/scholar.gif[/img]

And, the 1987 article is only one example of this. In the Yenko papers I have are several instances where Don kind of stretched the truth when writing about himself and Yenko Chevrolet. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

Hum, makes we wonder. Since the only documentation that suggests that JD and DY had an agreement came from this collection of paperwork, I wonder about the validity of that document. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif[/img]

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Tom C, that just sounds weird when you say that Don Y's OWN info is not factual about the cars he built.

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Tom,
Just what about my statement is not accurate or true? There are Yenkos on the "Inventory Sheets" and various web Sights which Show Yenko Chevrolet as the selling dealer when indeed, based on NICB reports,original owner history and first party documentation, that was not the case.

I would say that the records in discussion are mostly accurate ,just not 100%

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Hey, Don was a saleman. And, a good saleman will do what he has to do to close the deal(s). Don was just doing it on a bigger scale, Chevrolet, the press, NHRA, SCCA, to name a few. And Yenko Chevrolet was not the only one. I am sure Joel did not pay Marty to understate his Motion cars in the ads he created for Joel. In defense of Don, he did keep pretty good records. We would not have what we have today if he had not.

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

[ QUOTE ]

Hum, makes we wonder. Since the only documentation that suggests that JD and DY had an agreement came from this collection of paperwork, I wonder about the validity of that document. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, Ok I agree Don made it all up, it never happened,it has no basis in truth, he just wanted to appease Jack Douglass [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bs.gif[/img]

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IM EVEN SICK OF THIS SUBJECT!!!!!!!!!! THEIR WILL NEVER BE A RESOLUTION STEFANO!!! THEY WILL NEVER AGREE AND YOU WILL NEVER AGREE WITH THEM!!! LETS TURN THE PAGE!!!!!!!!!!

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Hum, except for the web site you mention, which uses info from various sources (besides Yenko sheets), are you saying that you have undisputable proof that there is a car(s) listed on an actual Yenko inventory sheet that does not come back from the NICB as being sold at Yenko. No hearsay, third party, etc, but proof. If true, this would really shake up how the Yenko records(sheets) are viewed. AND WOULD MAKE THIS WHOLE THREAD WORTHWHILE, AS IT WOULD PROVE THAT THE YENKO INVENTORY SHEETS ARE INACCURATE, WHICH FOR YEARS HAVE THOUGHT TO BE GOSPEL.

If so, that is quite interesting, as I have 3 Yenkos, each being sold at a different Yenko dealer, Francis, Van and Grossman, but all came back from the NICB with Yenko listed as the dealer.


As per the accruacy of the Yenkos records, I am curious as to how much of the actual Yenko paperwork you have seen. If you have seen enough to honestly say that just under 100% is accurate, you have my undivided attention. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif[/img]

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Frank; I do not see the problem with this thread. At least it is related to the supercars, which is the sole reason this board was created. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

I guess if Don lied about the JD cars in the estate documents its possible but the evidence supports it happened. unless Jack lied about it happening and original owners lied and some one put holes in the tail panels of theese cars in the same place and the Yenko emblem just so happens to fit. Tom if you have the statements, tell us how many PA Yenkos did JD sell early on? How many PA Yenkos were sold by JD later in the year?

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Tom,
What I am saying is that the NICB reports and the inventory Sheets show Yenko Chevrolet , just as your three Yenkos prove (per the info you provided)and verify my point as well as the other instances which exist. The inventory sheets I have copies of show a selling dealer ,and in some cases it is not the dealer who in turn sold the car to the retail customer. So when someone counts the number of cars sold by a sYc dealer or by Yenko Chevrolet as they are listed on the sources we just referenced, you could be lead to infer that Yenko Chevrolet retailed more cars direct to the ultimate consumer than they actually did and that other network dealers sold less.


This is where they are not 100% accurate.


Yes,I have seen the sheets I referenced, as well as many other documents, if that is what you are asking? There are others who have original Yenko Documents and have shared them with me over the years. I certainly have not seen or read them all and doubt that I ever will.

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

My brother owns this original "350th Unit built" photo, along with the entire "proof sheet" of about 10 other photos from this same shoot that Don DIDN'T provide for the interview. What you don't know is that also parked in that same Colonial showroom was a 69 Yenko Chevelle, and they used the same sign on IT and took some photos beside that car as well... There are other "alternate" photos where they placed a "Yenko Sports Cars" sign above the other sign... Only ONE of all those photos ever made it in the 87 MCR article, so everyone assumes that this particular Camaro in question was the 350th unit built, and questions what it is meant, and draws way more into it than probably should be... I agree with Rob, Don Yenko BS'ed the whole 350th unit thing as a publicity stunt to show that he was selling lots of cars...Colonial was one of the biggest dealer in the network, and he and Colonial wanted to display the idea that they were selling tons of Yenko cars in their partnership... it benefited Yenko AND Colonial to look as "high volume" as possible. If you read any of the original Yenko documents (many have been discussed here in the past in other threads) Don was not usually very "accurate" in his numbers total, and his estimates ALWAYS seemed to be more than a few cars higher than what was "actually" produced... Such as the "500 Yenko Camaros built" statement in that interview... You can argue that one to the death too, interpret it 12 different ways, and put whatever spin on it you want, but the fact is, there were never 500 69 Yenko camaros built. There were never 500 Yenko Camaros built if you count all the 67s, 68s, 69s, The *Douglass cars, and even the 81 Turbo Z's. No 69's have ever surfaced beyond the original total of 201, which has since been dropped even lower to 198 after a recount... Don's statements and estimates were generally very high, and I'm confident that the "350th unit built" sign is probably just a number that Don pulled out of his head too. As a side note, if you look at this original photo closely, you can clearly see a rectangular "Colonial" dealer emblem plastered right in the middle of the rear spoiler. It doesn't show up in the magazine because the photo is too small, and the quality of the reprint isn't great, but you can definitely see it in the original 8x10" B&W photograph. Come to the US30 Show in July if you'd like to see the originals, and a ton of other cool supercar stuff! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif[/img]

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Great info Supercar Kid, when was your brother's car built?

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Stefano, I am not sure if you were referring to the copo.com website showing Yenko Chev. as retailing more cars than they actually did. My car was shown on the website as being retailed by Yenko, but the original paperwork showed it being sold new at Colonial. I questioned Ed C. about this and he told me when he did not have the information of the retail dealer he used Yenko Chev. as the default until he received additional docuemntation.

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

Stefano, I belive his brother has the photo, not the car. Of course I am sure Brandon wishes he had the car. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif[/img]

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

As Marlin stated earlier, Douglas was not one of Yenko's bigger dealers. I show only 8-10 total Yenko (PA) cars sold by Douglas in '69. Several other dealers in Don's network sold more then this number. And, by judging by the VINs, most were early cars, but without Douglass info, who knows when JD sold them. I guess only Jack can answer that.

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

"MARKETING 101" ! double copo, yenko, whatever, to each his own --------------------theory! thats why baskin robbins has 31 flavors of ice cream, will anybody agree? never. i know where there were proven statments that jack was caught with one of don's many secretary's having cocktails (350 cocktails and an extremely large tab !) [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif[/img]

Re: 1987 Muscle Car review article with Don Yenko
 

[ QUOTE ]
JD also sold the most COPO cars in Chicago....

[/ QUOTE ]

Am very curious to know what records you used to determine this. Chevrolet, Jack Douglas, other ??