1969 Yenko Nova

[JTH74]

This is a very interesting topic to say the least and could become very bad for some people involved,and I feel bad for the owners that bought this car in the last 2-4 years thinking it was a 427 Nova. Transferring these cars over to YSC would have helped Yenko Chevrolet sales #'s, and it being a late car with the 454 cars coming it could have just been sold through YSC and not tranferred back to Yenko Chevrolet, or they could have done some slights mods to it, headers,tach,stripes, wheels and sold it as a Yenko Nova and it be on the list of 37 YSC Novas, either way its a Yenko Nova, just not a 427 Yenko Nova, as the original owner states and that should be the definitive word barring original docs to document a car, I don't see why the original owner would need/want to lie because he has no financial gain or loss in this car. There are people on here screaming that since this car was on the list of 37 that it "had" to be a 427 car and rightly so if they are one of the people that knew 4 years ago that this car was a 396 instead of 427, trying to cover their a** because of the probable lawsuit coming from a few owners of this car for some serious misrepresentation. This is still a neat/unique car being a L78 Nova from Yenko Chevrolet and it being on the list of 37 as a YSC Nova. Didn't Brian H have a Yellow 69 YSC Nova with stripes,a L78 with a tri-power set up and it was on the list, correct me if I am wrong. The current owner and past owners of the car since it was discovered it to be a 396 will have a legal avenue back to the people that intentionally misrepresented this car. I can see why Ed C. does not certify these cars anymore. This is a sad situation to see but I can see how it can happen with the money that these cars command, greed has taken the place of preserving these rare monsters for others to see and just the pure love of the hobby, this is another situation where a few leave a bad taste in everyones mouth. I have been lucky enough to have been around some of these rare cars in a more personal setting where I could go right up to them, touch them, sit in them when Randy Miller owned a ZL1, 2 69 YSC 427 Novas,4 69 YSC Camaros, 1 69 YSC Chevelle, because it was a definite priviledge to have been able to go 2 miles from my home and see all this in one place, and I thank Randy for allowing me to have access to his cars and was the perfect gentlemen and glad to show them to me probably when he didn't have the time to do it, but took the time because he knew that I would not be able to see those type cars again anywhere else all in one place, and to Randy thank you! When I went to his garage to see all these great cars and I knew what all the cars were, how many were made,etc, but the 2 69 YSC 427 Novas carried a certain mystique above the rest and on the same level as the ZL1 Camaro, as both being brutally/deadly powerful and fast. Thanks to those in the hobby that keep it pure for the love and preservation of these awesome cars for the future for others to see and experience, didn't mean to rant, but this is how I see it, just an opinion.

[vfitom]

Well said JTH. Sh _ _ does not flow downhill, it goes backwards. The "list" thus cannot be trusted anymore. The muscle car market was exploited. Sorry to see it happen.......

[MikeA]

[ QUOTE ]
The "list" thus cannot be trusted anymore.

[/ QUOTE ]

That is not a fair statement. The list is a great starting point and additional documentation should be pursued to ensure the pedigree of the car (and no Ed C's certification is not good enough! ) I am reasonably certain your opinion of the list would change if you located a car on the list!

[KENNY_PASCOE]

MIKE A,
I COULDN'T AGREE MORE. THE WAY I SEE IT IS THE 37 YENKO NOVAS ARE 396 OR 427 CARS SO THERE IS A 50/50 CHANCE. THE ONLY TRUE WAY TO DOCUMENT IS PAPERTRAIL, OWNER HISTORY OR IN THIS CARS CASE THE ORIGINAL FAMILY SPOKE UP AND CONFIRMED THIS. JUST MY .02 CENTS... KP

[olredalert]

------I have a question that pertains to the SYC 427 Novas. Why does everyone say that they are brutally fast??? Fast yes, but no faster than a similar Camaro, right???. A Yenko Camaro or a COPO Camaro had the same drivetrain, similar weight, and suspension, and yet these Novas are always touted as being "brutally" fast. The funny part is that even Don seemed to think the same thing if I recall. Im not knocking the cars at all as I think they are the coolest of all Dons masterpieces. I guess Im just confused as usual........Bill S

[JTH74]

Bill I was referring to how Don Yenko described the 427 Novas when he built them, but when you compare L72 Nova specs to L72 Camaro specs, HP and weight, they should be a even match on paper. The ZL1 Camaro is the most brutal/lethal stock production muscle car ever made besides a Shelby 427 Cobra, here is an interesting fact about the 427 Cobra, it is labeled as the deadliest street car ever as 86% of street accidents were fatal!

[Keith Tedford]

With a few extra options, a big block Nova or Camaro could actually weigh more than a similar Chevelle with base equipment. The L78s were and still are touted as killer as well. I've had two and even with headers and tuning would be hard pressed to get into the 12s. They can perform but do need help. From my experience the L72 probably did feel brutal compared to the L78. Years ago magazine writers took manufacturers' hype and ran with it. Still fun cars to drive though. The older they get the faster they were.

[69hurstSC]

[ QUOTE ]
The ZL1 Camaro is the most brutal/lethal stock production muscle car ever made besides a Shelby 427 Cobra, here is an interesting fact about the 427 Cobra, it is labeled as the deadliest street car ever as 86% of street accidents were fatal!

[/ QUOTE ]

wow, probally the most debatable statement revolving around musclecars! i'll put that label on a 68 S/S Dart. but thats all for another thread!

[Belair62]

Good rant !