Yenko ZL-1 ?

[COPO_Anders]

Hi guy´s! There is an article in a Swedish magazine about a -69 Camaro (N654526)owned by Rachel Pieschke,Estero, Florida. They say it was sold new by Yenko with a ZL-1 built from a Yenko block. Where these blocks available from Yenko in -69 ?

[sYc]

No. The only aluminum blocks in '69 were the ones being produced by GM. Yenko did not enter the picture until later.

[GMH454]

Any chance of scanning the article. As Chevrolet was still casting them through 1969 and selling them through the early seventies, I think you know the answer. (which is why you asked the question )
Don't know when Yenko started casting the original 52 blocks but the "Yenko " castings would be long after the muscle car era died.
If anyone knows the actual dates that he started casting each please chime in.

And how will you feel next time someone tells you that you could get a "Yenko" in a Yenko car, "hey it must be true, I read it in a magazine." ?????
You have my sympathy.

[camarojoe]

Any literature I have on them is undated, but I don't believe the Yenko ZL-1 blocks were ever cast prior to at least the very late 70s, but more likely the early 80s. Tom or bkh, do you have any info on these?

[sYc]

Joey, like you, I have a couple of ads, but they are not dated.

[COPO_Anders]

I don`t have a scanner but I`ll see if my sister can help me tomorrow. I didn`t think Yenko made those blocks in -69, but i imagined he started in the early seventies. Guess I was wrong there!
We have been discussing it, my friend Hans and I, ever since he bought his block with the Yenko crest. The block in the article didn`t have a crest, just letters. Is this the earlier type of block ?

[camarojoe]

Judging from the literature, it looks like early 80s... The brochure has a "Chevy Power" logo in it that i think was used in about 1982 or so... I'm really not positive on specifics though. as for the 2 styles of Yenko wording on the blocks, I'm not sure if that was a "early/late" thing, or if one style may be a tall deck block, and one a standard... they made both types. The version with the Yenko logo is definitely the cooler looking design of the 2!

[Jeff Murphy]

Isn't the block in Barnhart's car a Y-E-N-K-O version?



Maybe someone can ask him when he got it?

[Chevy454]

That's the same version we have, Jeff. Looks pretty wicked with aluminum heads/intake added to it!

[GMH454]

I know I have read that Pickett used a " Yenko " in his Trans BBC Vette when he won the 78 Trans Am. Now if it was a 52 block cast by Yenko I'm guessing it would have been called a ZL-1. Think I have been told by Vintage racers that it was one of the larger castings, similar to a Can Am in size. It's not proof of a late 70's casting date, but the article was dated 1978.
I have seen three different "Yenko" blocks.
1. With crest
2. The one here with Yenko script small and neat,
3. one with Yenko script, larger than above and on an angle(its under my work bench ..with liners bored 90th over)

We use more about this stuff all the time, but this makes me realise how far we have to go.
Don left way too soon.