1st Yenko Deuce
 

Judging by the 1969 dealer plate, this may have been the prototype for the Deuce. I was told by a former employee that the prototype was a 6 cylinder car.

And notice the emblem, red/white/blue.

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

If it was dual exhaust I would imaging the passenger rear quarter at the bottom would show it. I have heard the 6cyl rumor as well. Now what color is it Fathom Blue?

I will share an interesting story. I know someone indirectly thru a marriage that I was was told had a Yenko Deuce the same color as my car (Rally Green). I finally got in touch with him recently and he told me he didn't have one but had a 1969 Nova with Deuce striping back then. That explains the color match. He worked at KUX manufacturing and they used is 6cyl 69 Nova as a test car for the stripes.

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

The "first deuce" if you want to call it that, was indeed a 250 6 cylinder car. I have several original photos of this car in my collection, including the ones that were used for the ad flyer that you see frequently. Most of the original pics of the car were black and white, but i do have one color photo of it, and it is definitely fathom blue with white stripes. Don took it right from dealer stock and added the stripes, etc. MONTHS before the actual COPO LT-1 cars were even built. i know this because the pics are dated as being developed in early 1970 before the first production run of deuces even happened. The car had 6" steel wheels and dog dish caps before the "external/visual conversion" to Deuce specs. The car also had white or beige interior, rather than black, and this can also be seen in the ad flyer pics. Don Yenko removed the 250 emblems from the fenders, and in the original 8x10 photos you can see the 2 holes... these were airbrushed out before the ad was made. (Note that the car has no 350 emblems) The car also has a hoodscoop that incorporated a tach, which I beleive was what Don had originally intended for the cars, then decided to go with the cheaper Dixco HT/X tach instead. In several rear pics I have, you can see TWO Yenko emblems, one on each side of the decklid. I think Don was either "experimenting" with emblem placement, or another theory is, he removed the "Nova" script and added the Yenko emblem in its place, but the other side already had a Yenko emblem in the black and chrome variety because the 6 cylinder car already had the emblem installed opposite of the Nova emblem when they pulled it off the lot. In later pics, obviously taken on the same day, (such as the one Tom just posted) the black and chrome emblem was removed from the passenger side of the decklid. Another instesting sidebar to this, (while I'm rambling!) is that I have several cast potmetal "LT-1" rectangular badges that i have got from TWO separate sources, and both people claimed they were from a Yenko Deuce. Well, as you know, Yenko Deuces didn't have LT-1 emblems, right? Well the first pair i got came froma gentleman who swore to me that he and a buddy "found" them in the glovebox of a yenko deuce that was sitting unlocked on the lot one sunday afternoon when the dealership was closed. He even wrote me a signed letter swearing his story was factual. I had never seen these emblems anywhere before. About 2 years later, i found another one, and the seller was a former yenko employee. When i informed him Deuces never had these emblems, he said, he didn't recall if they did or didn't, but DEFINITELY knew he got it at Yenko Chevrolet, and that they were laying all over the place at the dealership. My guess is that maybe Don had intended to replace the 350 fender emblems with these, and changed his mind for one reason or another. I will post some pics of these, as they have always intrigued me. They are made very similarly to the yenko emblems, and even have the same type adhesive backing tape. I'll post some pics if i get motivated enough to dig one out. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

Here's a pic of the rear, showing the "dual" emblems on the prototype 6 cylinder car... note the background is identical to the pic Tom posted, as the pics were likely taken on the same day.

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

Here's one of the weird LT-1 emblems i mentioned. Has anyone ever seen these in ANY old speed catalogs, etc? I don't know if Don Yenko had them made, or if he bought them from a catalog. I have never seen any others. (besides the other 3 I have that I can't seem to find now!) https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

Very neat info Joe. Thanks for sharing that and the pictures. Those LT-1 emblems are something else! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/worship.gif
Rick

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

No offense but those LT1 emblems are hideous. I'm glad they never put them on any cars.

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

But I'll bet if they did, they would be looked upon as cool...BKH https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

Those emblems look cheaply made. Possably fake?

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

I think that emblem looks Very authentic of the times.They were most likely diecast metal,then plated,and painted with a black background.They were Cheaply made that way originaly,and not overdetailed like someone would,if they remanufactured them today.
They resemble other emblems made back then,like Dealership nametags on trunks,and Interior door emblems,etc.
Very Nice. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

Rick is correct, the re-po's of today are usually too 'nice' compared to the originals. The original YENKO crest emblems on the deuces are very rough, and have a very 'as-cast' appearance to them. Hard to duplicate today!

So, that type of emblem is reminiscent of the period, and is most likely not a repo.

I wonder where else Yenko would have placed an emblem like that on the Deuce?

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

My own personal theory is that Don had intended these to go where the factory 350 fender emblems are. Perhaps he assumed that since the cars were ordered as COPO's, they would not come in with any engine designation, the same way the COPO 427 Camaros and Chevelles did not in the previous model year. Just as he had ordered "427" emblems to be made for these cars, he had "LT-1" emblems made for the Deuces... when the cars came in with factory attached "350" emblems, he scrapped the idea and never ordered any more besides the initial batch that was sent to him... in turn he gave away/threw away, or otherwise disgarded the few rectangular LT-1 badges that were already produced...take note that this is just my personal theory... The emblems are definitely not reproductions/fakes/etc, and are without any doubt 30+years old. I have no reason to doubt either individual i got them from, and their stories match, making me feel 100% confident these were from Yenko Chevrolet, circa 1970.

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

Very interesting Camarojoe, please keep rambling on!

Do you think this was an isolated incident or perhaps other base model lot cars were used in the prototyping process for the other years and models of Yenko cars?

Tim
"Hotrodchev"

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

We believe the mock up car to be fathom blue with med. blue interior, and I think the NOVA emblems on the fenders were also removed and replaced with the YENKO crests. After Yenko realized the amount of work involved with that process, they just double sided taped the crests onto the real cars!

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

[ QUOTE ]
Very interesting Camarojoe, please keep rambling on!

Do you think this was an isolated incident or perhaps other base model lot cars were used in the prototyping process for the other years and models of Yenko cars?

Tim
"Hotrodchev"

[/ QUOTE ]

Tim, I believe this was the only nova used for "mock up" purposes, as its the only one i have ever seen pics of, and really don't see much of a need to do more than one...especially since this was basically just used to "layout" the stripe package and emblems, however... there was an ad posted awhile back with a Deuce that had "backward" stripes on it, I'm curious as to if this car was a "real" Deuce, or possibly another "mock up" car... If someone could find that thread, post the pic... its a neat old Yenko ad! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

I have the file, but it's too big!! Even cropping it won't reduce it enough?

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

Is this it?
Credit Thread to Kim Howie

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

Yes, that'w the thread I was referring to. i pasted Kim's attachment below. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

https://www.yenko.net/attachments/53186-Mvc-004f.jpg

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

Several years ago, I bought some stuff from a gentleman by the name of Dick Calendar. He was a good friend of Don Yenkos, as well as working for him as a salesman. During one of our visits, he mentioned the first Deuce. Dick told me that Yenko took a regular '70 Nova and applied the Deuce graphics, emblems, etc. They did not do anything to the engine, a six cylinder, as the car was for ad use only. One day he and another employee went to the local station to get something, drove the Nova, and as luck would have it, there were several car enthusiasts hanging around. That is when it became interesting, as the locals wanted to know all about this new "Yenko". And of course, look under the hood. Dick and his friend had to do some fast talking, finally coming up with a story along the lines of "the engine in the car is top secret", and thus, they could not pop the hood. The locals bought the story, but Dick and his friend still had to hang around the station for a good bit, till everyone left, or it would be obvious what was up.

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

Tom, I heard this exact story before... I cannot remember where though... did you maybe post this once before, or perhaps tell me the story in person? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

Nice stroy, but any gear head should have been able to duck down and quickly ID the low performance engine from the bottom and fint the lack of a 12 bolt.

The again, I guess one could have given it the benefit of the doubt and assumed somthing like ol' Don could have snuck a turbo on the Nova. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

Joe, most likely from me, you know how us old folks repeat stories https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif but may have been elsewhere. Dick was very out going and loved to tell stories, especially about Don.

Between he and Ed Lowther, who have both joined Don above, I miss the stories. And speaking of stories, by any chance do you, or any of the LaHarpe gang, or anyone else for that matter, have a video of Ed's talk at the 1st SCR. One of the most hilarious talks I have ever heard. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

I agree Ed Lowther's talk was one of the best ever... Unfortunately, that was part of the "pre-camcorder" days of the Barr boys. I THINK thats the only SCR we DON'T have some sort of video record of... just alot of snapshots and a ton of memories... i still remember rolling into SCR1 at about 3 am and seeing your yellow camaro backed into a "regular old parking spot" at the hotel, and thinking how it was well worth the long drive from PA already! One guest speaker we DO have on tape is Ray Morrison, telling the tale of how he ordered and picked up his 68 DH Nova, with the initial "Test Run" provided while riding shotgun with Dick Harrell himself... another one of the "greatest moments" in SCR history... How long til labor day weekend 2004??? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

Speaking of Ed, does anyone know if he is still around? I did some work on a Corvette convert race car he had years ago. I haven't seen him since the late 70's. Nice guy.

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

Ed passed away a few months after his appearance at the 1st reunion. Even though I only met him the one time, I felt a great loss when I heard the news of his passing. He was that kind of guy.

Re: 1st Yenko Deuce
 

Wow, I wasn't expecting bad news. That's to bad. He was a great guy https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/frown.gif