Latest news with #YenkoCamaro
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
1969 Yenko Camaro 'Motivation' Reemerges After Nearly 50 Years with Under 22,000 Original Miles
Read the full story on Modern Car Collector A long-lost muscle car icon has returned to the spotlight for the first time in nearly half a century. The 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Yenko, known in its racing days as 'Motivation,' made a surprise appearance at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals in Illinois last fall—its first public outing since 1976. Owned by noted Camaro collector Doug Perry, the Olympic Gold Yenko Camaro is one of just ten examples finished in the rare hue and one of only 201 built in 1969. Even more remarkably, this street-and-strip legend retains its original L72 427-cubic-inch big-block V8 and has logged fewer than 22,000 miles since new. Originally sold at Nankivell Chevrolet in Indianapolis, the Camaro was purchased by professional drag racer Richard L. Barratt, who campaigned it in NHRA Super Stock D under the name 'Motivation.' The Yenko Camaro proved highly competitive, running at Beech Bend, Raceway Park, Edgewater, Milan, and Muncie dragways. It racked up wins and recognition before being sold in 1972 and ultimately retired from racing by 1976. Despite being passed between multiple performance-minded owners, the car remained largely intact. In 2019, Perry acquired the Camaro from the owner who had converted it for street use in the late '70s. It has since undergone preservation and detailing, but remains largely original—including the drivetrain and four-speed transmission. The return of this rare Yenko drew major attention at the MCACN event, especially among enthusiasts familiar with its competition history. Perry, who also owns the final 1967 Yenko Camaro built, says this '69 example is among the most complete and historically significant in his stable. 'It's incredible to see a car with this much provenance survive,' said Lou Costabile, who profiled the car on his YouTube channel. 'It's a true time capsule.' For now, Perry plans to continue preserving 'Motivation,' giving muscle car fans a rare glimpse at one of the ultimate expressions of Yenko's high-performance legacy. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Rare 1969 Yenko Camaro 427 Discovered In A Trailer
Read the full story on Backfire News Even if you're just a casual fan of classic American muscle cars, a 1969 Yenko Camaro 427 should be enough to get your attention. That's especially true if you specialize in uncovering rare rides and someone says they have a lead for one of these that was essentially ditched for particular Yenko Camaro was apparently sitting in a trailer since the early 1990s. That's virtually abandonment! But there's a story behind it, which makes the rare classic all the more interesting. A video by one of our favorite YouTube channels, Auto Archeology, features an expert who showed up to verify the Yenko, which he did. Apparently, the same family owned it since 1981. At some point in the early 90s it was parked in a trailer and there it sat until recently, when the current owner pushed it out. What's amazing is the car is largely original, the new owner just cleaning it up after rescuing the ride. The 'Highway Star' as it's called has imperfections, as one might expect given its age and how it was stored, but the thing is a piece of history on wheels. Some interesting things have been done to this Yenko, with the very period-popular pinstriping being one of them. For example, murals have been painted on both sides. That said, the interior looks original, even though there are different gauges than one would expect in the car. The Camaro expert inspected the Yenko and feels confident it isn't some clever copy but instead is an original. We know some will pick apart his methodology, which he explains in the video, but keep in mind back in the day record keeping wasn't what it is today, which is one of the challenges when dealing with older classics. Image via Auto Archeology/YouTube
