Vehicle Description
Back in the late '60s and early '70s, former race car driver and
performance expert Don Yenko forged a specialized niche for himself
by ordering stock Chevelles, Novas, and Camaros from GM (along with
a couple Corvairs and Vegas too, for that matter), then equipping
them with upper tier, big block Corvette engines to result in some
seriously tough performance machines. Only a small group of 1969
Chevelles received this treatment and of those (reportedly 99) ...
very few remain (reportedly 22). So, this 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle
SS Yenko Tribute presents a rare opportunity, as it ably captures
both the abilities and spirit of those impressive vintage
supercars, but at a mere fraction of the price.
A very appealing Candy Apple Red Metallic color covers the
exterior, replacing the original Code 59 Frost Green the car was
born with and offering aesthetics more in keeping with the original
Yenko sensibilities. You get a subtly aggressive, dual cowl scoop
hood up front, a wicked raked stance at the profile, and a black
vinyl roof up top that gives the car a very grown-up air about it.
With a color this rich and dark, you better get the bodywork right,
and the fellas that built this A-Body did exactly that - setting
laser straight lines down the flanks, flush doors, and precise gaps
throughout the body. Then they laid down layer after layer of that
slick candy paint, and after a few years on the build and more than
a handful of accrued 'show-off' miles on the clock, the finish
still looks great today. Top driver quality would be an apt
description shared by most observers of this '69, with only minor
imperfections to speak of in mostly inconspicuous places. The white
Yenko sYc graphics on the hood and Yenko/SC stripes running the
flanks are decals that were not cleared over, so if the look is a
little too loud for your taste, they can be easily removed.
However, they do bring great contrast to the red finish, and quite
frankly the attention that Yenko regalia brings is worth it alone.
All the chrome is in great shape too, adding a little bling to the
already bright package, with the mesh grille and bumpers leading
the way in the sparkle department.
The bucket-seat/console interior remains mostly standard-issue
Chevelle, albeit really fresh, clean and nicely trimmed and
augmented with a few modern pieces that really put it over the top.
And of course, there's proper Yenko script in the front headrests,
just like the real-deal Yenko cars of yore. Basic black is the
color of choice in a car like this, and the recent seat covers,
door panels with chrome accent strips, and plush black carpets
really dress things up inside. The Bowtie aftermarket 3-spoke
steering wheel with a fat, easy-to-grip rim adds a sporty look to
the otherwise simple surroundings. Factory SS-style round gauges
cover the basics of speed, fuel level, and RPMs via the centralized
tachometer, while a trio of white-faced Equus auxiliary dials under
the dash help monitor the engine's vitals. There's an upgraded
Pioneer AM/FM/CD/AUX head unit in the factory slot, an aftermarket
center console that splits the buckets, and a full Old Air A/C unit
that's blowing nice and cold inside the cabin. The back seat looks
largely untouched, and in the rear the trunk was neatly finished in
clean spatter paint and shows off just how solid this Chevelle
really is.
Yenko was using 427 big blocks to dominate the streets back then,
but the 454 cubic inch V8 crate motor in this Chevelle gives it
startling performance without the complications of an original
motor. It's obvious that good money was spent here when the engine
was installed in 2017, from the bright chrome valve covers to the
March Performance billet pulleys and serpentine system to the
rumbling Flowmater exhaust note below. An Edelbrock 750CFM 4-barrel
carburetor and Bowtie performance intake manifold are a combination
that was perfected years ago, so the sucker runs superbly and with
fat, ceramic-coated long-tube headers, the torque curve is robust.
A 700R4 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission snaps off easy
shifts while handling all that big block power with ease and the
heavy-duty 10-bolt rear end is protected with an aftermarket cover
and has 3.73 gears inside, so even highway cruising is on the menu.
Long-tube headers feed a custom H-pipe dual exhaust with Flowmaster
mufflers and they act as a warning to the unwary that this car is
serious about its job. Handling is vastly improved with tubular
A-arms, upgraded shock/springs, and a beefy swaybar up front, while
out back there's a set of coilovers, ladder bars, and another thick
swaybar. Power steering and power front disc brakes make the
driving experience extremely enjoyable, while a giant aluminum
radiator with dual electric fans keeps the whole show nice and cool
in any environment. The killer stance is perfected with a set of US
Mag wheels wrapped in 225/45/17 front and 295/40/18 rear Nitto
performance radials.
A superclean presentation with loads of performance, this dialed-in
'69 Chevelle Yenko Tribute offers all the right ingredients. Call
now!
