Gold Yenko at Mecum sets record

[turbojet427]

Several years ago just outside of Pittsburgh, I looked at buying a blue 69 Hemi Roadrunner from the original owner. He raced the car heavily since brand new. He told me stories of drag racing a gold Yenko Camaro on I79 (Pitt to Erie) while it was being built; the highway was closed. He said he lost to that Yenko at least 50 times in 1969-70 until he built the 426 out and got it running 10s. It was awesome stories how the Yenko in its new form stomped that Hemi.

[Stefano]

All I can say is had I known it would sell this cheap, I would have taken it past the $2,000,000.00 mark.

[PeteLeathersac]

‘

F’Book clip w/ Original Owner story/interview about the car…
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1796507421047935

~ Pete

.

[lycan]

Originally Posted by bergy

Please help me keep the notes correct in the registry. What makes this car a prototype?

Originally Posted by JoeC

I have not found evidence of a “prototype” or what car was first to get the stripes and emblems.
It is an interesting discussion but not the big story.

I have an explanation i'd like to offer, and i think it's been staring us in the face all along.
VIN 124379N579281

This car is NOT the first "prototype" Yenko "conversion" prepared by Yenko for 1969 (bear with me). Other cars were prepped by Yenko for 1969, including emblems and decals, before this one.
EVIDENCE:
- The VIN is too deep, 16~17 cars from the first known Yenkos for 1969
- The term "prototype" doesn't even make sense, for emblem and decal placement only. Emblem placement is pretty trivial, in the scheme of things, and doesn't need to be "prototyped" after already doing it for 2 years.
- The term "conversion" doesn't even make sense, for emblem and decal placement only. The '67 and '68 cars needed full engine swaps for 427s (prior to COPO L72s) ... now that's a dealer "conversion"!
- Mecum descriptions in general, and this one in particular, are known to be false (there were four gold Yenkos with white stripes in 1969, not two). Pure works of fiction, with zero legal liability.
- Emblem placement, alone, is not compelling or convincing to determine "order", given other known variations in emblem placement.
REFERENCES:
Post #4: https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=184313
Post #43, #58: https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=184409


This car IS the Yenko DRAG CAR prototype for 1969.
EVIDENCE:

- Yenko decided to jump into drag racing, with both feet, in 1969.
From McClurg's book (page 137):
"Someone once asked Don Yenko why he preferred road racing over drag racing? His matter-of-fact reply was, 'I can't get off in 10 seconds. I need at least 45 minutes behind the wheel!'
However, Yenko's preference for 'corner carving' over straight-line racing certainly didn't impede his keen sense of marketing. When it came to Yenko Sportscars 1969 product lineup, he instinctively knew that drag racing was where the real money was at! Early in the year, Yenko entered into an agreement with NHRA Division One racer Ed Hedrick to campaign a Yenko/SC 427 Camaro in NHRA's Super Stock E class. It would prove to be one of the best marketing decisions Don Yenko ever made."

- For the Super Stock & Drag Illustrated test/article, this car obviously DID have an uncommon "conversion" of sorts: headers, leaf spring clips, scattershield over the bell housing, and ignition timing adjusted for best 1/4 mile times. We also know these items to be "prototypical", because Yenko never sent his 1969 cars to dealers with headers (for example), according to McNeish book (page 130).


** All of which allows this car to be considered a "prototype", even though other cars may have been prepped with emblems and decals, and sent to other dealers FIRST.


IN SHORT: It wasn't the emblem placement that makes this car a "prototype" ... it was the DRAG PREP!! In this context ... the emblem placement is incidental, or maybe even "uniquely chosen" to identify this car as Yenko's DRAG CAR PROTOTYPE.

Obviously, even if the car is not the FIRST Yenko to be prepped for the '69 model year, it still has HUGE historical significance as the first/pilot "prototype drag car" for 1969 (and the SS & DI article).


that's my story and i'm stickn to it

[turbo69bird]

Found this today
I love it when people show me pics of my car so try and help others find theirs as well

So this car would have been the yellow car that was totaled? The gold car was in more street trim? Forgive me I don’t know the yenko lore every well.

[turbo69bird]

Originally Posted by lycan

I have an explanation i'd like to offer, and i think it's been staring us in the face all along.
VIN 124379N579281

This car is NOT the first "prototype" Yenko "conversion" prepared by Yenko for 1969 (bear with me). Other cars were prepped by Yenko for 1969, including emblems and decals, before this one.
EVIDENCE:
- The VIN is too deep, 16~17 cars from the first known Yenkos for 1969
- The term "prototype" doesn't even make sense, for emblem and decal placement only. Emblem placement is pretty trivial, in the scheme of things, and doesn't need to be "prototyped" after already doing it for 2 years.
- The term "conversion" doesn't even make sense, for emblem and decal placement only. The '67 and '68 cars needed full engine swaps for 427s (prior to COPO L72s) ... now that's a dealer "conversion"!
- Mecum descriptions in general, and this one in particular, are known to be false (there were four gold Yenkos with white stripes in 1969, not two). Pure works of fiction, with zero legal liability.
- Emblem placement, alone, is not compelling or convincing to determine "order", given other known variations in emblem placement.
REFERENCES:
Post #4: https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=184313
Post #43, #58: https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=184409


This car IS the Yenko DRAG CAR prototype for 1969.
EVIDENCE:

- Yenko decided to jump into drag racing, with both feet, in 1969.
From McClurg's book (page 137):
"Someone once asked Don Yenko why he preferred road racing over drag racing? His matter-of-fact reply was, 'I can't get off in 10 seconds. I need at least 45 minutes behind the wheel!'
However, Yenko's preference for 'corner carving' over straight-line racing certainly didn't impede his keen sense of marketing. When it came to Yenko Sportscars 1969 product lineup, he instinctively knew that drag racing was where the real money was at! Early in the year, Yenko entered into an agreement with NHRA Division One racer Ed Hedrick to campaign a Yenko/SC 427 Camaro in NHRA's Super Stock E class. It would prove to be one of the best marketing decisions Don Yenko ever made."

- For the Super Stock & Drag Illustrated test/article, this car obviously DID have an uncommon "conversion" of sorts: headers, leaf spring clips, scattershield over the bell housing, and ignition timing adjusted for best 1/4 mile times. We also know these items to be "prototypical", because Yenko never sent his 1969 cars to dealers with headers (for example), according to McNeish book (page 130).


** All of which allows this car to be considered a "prototype", even though other cars may have been prepped with emblems and decals, and sent to other dealers FIRST.


IN SHORT: It wasn't the emblem placement that makes this car a "prototype" ... it was the DRAG PREP!! In this context ... the emblem placement is incidental, or maybe even "uniquely chosen" to identify this car as Yenko's DRAG CAR PROTOTYPE.

Obviously, even if the car is not the FIRST Yenko to be prepped for the '69 model year, it still has HUGE historical significance as the first/pilot "prototype drag car" for 1969 (and the SS & DI article).


that's my story and i'm stickn to it

I would bet those items were added after the fact by grump and the rest working on the car.
My car had all those items added by the dealer & my car was ordered sound deadened seam seal delete through the Pontiac performance division liaison Tom Nell as were all Stephen’s cars. Some other dealer owned race Pontiacs were ordered “ lightweight “ this way. Idk that I’d consider them prototypes maybe just special ordered .

However the trans am prototype that engineering built to be the test Mule for the trans am I would call a prototype.
Just my 2 cents.

But either way this gold car was built “special” to race, hopefully win, and garner press. I’d suggest the additional badging would be for promotional purposes so it’s in all the pictures easily recognized as an yenko 427 and it’s bold and easy to see.

Either way it’s super special and a really cool car.

My point of this is that a prototype is usually something built to be the basis for a line of cars and is built up front of that
run to be the test case.

Ok so I’m kind of seeing now that even though it was 17th vin it could have been converted by yenko first ? Damn this yenko stuff is confusing ��

[lycan]

Originally Posted by turbo69bird

I would bet those items were added after the fact by grump and the rest working on the car.
My car had all those items added by the dealer & my car was ordered sound deadened seam seal delete through the Pontiac performance division liaison Tom Nell as were all Stephen’s cars. Some other dealer owned race Pontiacs were ordered “ lightweight “ this way. Idk that I’d consider them prototypes maybe just special ordered .

However the trans am prototype that engineering built to be the test Mule for the trans am I would call a prototype.
Just my 2 cents.

But either way this gold car was built “special” to race, hopefully win, and garner press. I’d suggest the additional badging would be for promotional purposes so it’s in all the pictures easily recognized as an yenko 427 and it’s bold and easy to see.

Either way it’s super special and a really cool car.

My point of this is that a prototype is usually something built to be the basis for a line of cars and is built up front of that
run to be the test case.

Ok so I’m kind of seeing now that even though it was 17th vin it could have been converted by yenko first ? Damn this yenko stuff is confusing ��

Yes, confusing ... but we're up for the challenge

Well, the car was definitely "prepped" with the items mentioned (headers, spring clips, scattershield) in Canonsburg.
From the SS&DI article:

"Before we get to the test, we'll fill you in on some of the particulars that made the whole deal possible. One of the Yenko organization's associates, Dick Williams, was responsible for the project. He saw to it that the car was prepared (just the things that we've so far mentioned) and then drove it from its Canonsburg, PA home to York US30 Dragway, SS&DI's newest acquisition."

The more I learn, the more it makes sense to consider this car to be the Yenko Drag Car prototype for 1969, rather than the Yenko emblem car prototype for 1969. As such, it doesn't have to be the first '69 car that Yenko added emblems and decals to ... it just needs to be the first '69 car that Yenko prepped especially for drag racing.

[Pro Stock John]

Tarheel posted a couple days ago he bought the green one and was reuniting it with its original engine, very cool. Was the engine known about for a while?

[Charley Lillard]

Yes. As I understand it it was offered to the family before the cars were consigned to the auction but they declined.

[TarheelRyan]

I bought the engine from Jeff Boone a couple of years ago. Both Jeff and I contacted the family about the engine, but they were not interested. Another interesting note about the car, Jerry MacNeish noted the car's original BE rear axle is now the earliest BE rear axle in his database. I was going to post a complete copy of Jerry's report and hundreds of other historical photos that Cliff had accumulated over the years to the Yenko Facebook page, but decided I didn't want to deal with more garbage comments and deleted the post prior to Admin approval.