Very Rare ‘Double COPO’ 1969 Yenko Camaro Heading To Mecum Auction In Kissimmee
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There is a stunningly rare Yenko Camaro headed to the Mecum Auctions Kissimmee event in January 2021. Yenko Chevy of any model are exceedingly scarce, but to find one that is both a Yenko Camaro and a Double COPO car is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
So, what makes this car so special? Let’s begin with Yenko. Owned by Don Yenko, Yenko Chevrolet of Canonsburg, PA had been in the family for three generations. Mr. Yenko got his start modifying cars with the Corvair Corsa when he prepped 100 copies into Yenko Stingers for SCCA qualification. Things grew with the introduction of the Camaro in 1967.
Yenko pulled the L78 396s out of 1967 and 1968 Camaros, replacing them with iron block L72 427s producing 425 horsepower. To this he added other go-fast goodies, while also removing all the Chevy emblems from the cars, adding Yenko emblems and a Yenko stripe kit, thereby transforming them into the Yenko Camaro.
In 1969, Yenko took advantage of the Central Office Production Order, or COPO to have those L72s installed at the factory and serve as the basis for the Yenko Camaro. COPO orders were usually used for cabs or cop cars, but could just as well be configured to build maximum performance vehicles.
The car featured here is a Double COPO car. Just a handful of these were ever produced. COPO 9561 was the order that removed the L78 396 and had the L72 427 installed at the factory. COPO 9737 was the Sports Car Conversion package that loaded the Camaro with 15-inch Rally wheels, E70-15 wide-tread tires, a thicker sway bar and a 140 MPH speedometer. Yenko stripped away all the Chevrolet badging and added the Yenko badging, stripes, and other performance equipment like an 800-CFM Holley carb, high-rise intake, 4.10-geared 12-bolt rear end with Positraction, heavy-duty suspension components, and power disc brakes.
This particular Yenko Camaro has been certified by the COPO Connection and Camaro Hi-Performance. It is painted in Rally Green with a black vinyl roof, a black vinyl interior and the sYc (Yenko Super Camaro) emblazoned on the headrests. A Stewart-Warner tachometer and other Stewart-Warner auxiliary gauges have been added.
It is beautifully restored top to bottom. Once owned by one of the more astute Yenko collectors, Mr. Gary Holub, this most exclusive of Camaros will be on sale at the Mecum Kissimmee Collector Car Auction in Kissimmee, FL, January 7-16.
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A outstanding job by GM and Yenko. This was what a automobile was , not a Tech Toy like GM is producing now.
I’d love to be able to do a few hard launches with this machine. As long as someone else is buying the tires!!!!
This is an absolutely beautiful car! I’m sure it will get “high” six-figures at Mecum! I’m so happy for whomever has the bucks to buy it!
love to hear it burn out, gun it coming down a freeway on ramp flooring it going tru the gears hope the buyer takes it out exercise it then go into a collection vault
yahh, I was just wondering if I came around in my truck if I could pick up those L78’s Yenko removed. Are they still sitting out back?
Reminds me of the outfit in Santa Barbara that was stuffing Chevy V8 motors in Jaguar XJ’s / XKE’s for a while. Including some V12 engined cars. (ouch!)
I went after those too but someone beat me to the punch and was shipping every motor back to the U.K.
Would be cool if you follow up with the sale price! That thing is as perfect as it gets!!
I’m not thinking high 6 figures. There is a 63 vette with the 36 gallon gas tank option that was owned by Mickey Thompson going up for auction and the guess is $500,000. I think the Camaro will be between $300,000 and $400,000. Time will tell
It will be interesting to see just how much it gets. The vette buyer/collector and the muscle car buyer/collector are two different breeds. With it being Mickey Thompson’s I’m sure it will be a high number. However, with the Camaro being a “double” COPO “and” a YENKO the sky is the limit. I’m sure they’ll be a reserve set. This is a very rare car, and I would think it will be a very high number. But, as you say…time will tell. I do hope they post the winning bid here.
I checked Mecum’s website. It goes on the block (with a reserve) on Friday Jan 15th. My 69 350SS is neither a COPO or YENKO…but it has been mine for almost 27 years.
SOLD For $485K
Absolutely Gorgeous Car
Sadly the wealthy car collectors have so much money, billions, that one million means nothing and it sets the new value of said car. Very rare to take a loss either. A rich mans game now. Just my opinion.
Personally I’d rather have the look with an LS3 pro touring package for a mere fraction of the cost….and you can drive it!
I am a veteran of 20 years of service in the U.S. ARMY. I am always seeing and admiring all of the beautiful classic cars and trucks that are advertised by the auction companies. I could never afford to own any of these beautiful cars or trucks because many of us Veterans are barely making it monthly from paycheck to paycheck, much less can we own a vehicle worth tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. I can only dream of them. At present I have no car of my own due to some financial struggles.
I NEED THIS IN MY LIFE!!!
…Anyone got a million bucks I can borrow?
“also removing all the Chevy emblems from the cars”. Funny this car has a blue OEM bow tie on the front Another inaccurate article from GMA.
It said removing Camaro emblems not Chevy emblems, the Camaro emblems were replaced with yenko emblems
It said, removed Chevrolet emblems
Nope, says Chevy emblems, but on further review is a very good article about a legend. I stand corrected. Saw a Fathom Green Yenko like this on the Tupelo, Ms AMC dealer’s used car lot in about 1974. Some guys in a Cranberry Red, black stripes Chevelle SS396 stopped to examine and told me what it was and that they were going to buy it to drag race. I was 19 and my Dad and his doctor friend has gone into the used car business on the side. We were delivering a 69 AMX we had sold to he AMC dealer. Of course, I was in the trailing car to ride home as my insurance agent Dad would not let me drive the AMX. Great muscle cars in those days!
Yenko didn’t remove any emblems from his Camaros. The 427 COPO package came with “Camaro” from fender emblems, trunk lid emblem, and a “bow tie” grill emblem. There were no other emblems on a 427 COPO, not even “427” ones. Yenko added “Yenko” badges under the stock Camaro fender emblems, added Yenko and 427 emblems to the tail lamp panel and left the Camaro trunk emblem and grill bow tie in place. Without 427 emblems, all COPOs looked like 6 cylinder Camaros, until dealers like Yenko, Berger, Baldwin added 427 emblems to them.
I think the “double COPO” claim is a little dubious. Whether ordering one or both, only one Central Production Order went in. Most if not all Yenko 427 COPO’s got the Sports Car Conversion package, as did most going to dealers like Berger, for dealer conversion. Yenko created the Sports Car Conversion COPO in 68, as the basis for his 68 427 conversions. A friend of mine has a Hugger Orange 69 396/375 with the COPO Sports Car Conversion package, that was delivered new through Penske Chevrolet in Philadelphia.
I’m crying after reading this article.
I had something rarer than that once.
Now the second one that was built after mine is in a museum in Washington DC.
This comaro is a prime example of sweetness, and purity. Enjoy fixing it when something goes wrong. That’s speaking from experience.
I hope my old baby didn’t get crushed like “Christen”
Beautiful!!! What a great period in American automobile production. Would be interesting to investigate the original sale price. Im also interested in the sale of the first two 1967 Firebirds ever produced. They will be at the same auction next month.
Like ALL of them are producing now.
There’s no such thing as a double COPO. This myth was debunked by Jennings, from a source inside GM.
My future sister in law had a 67 350 SS rattle trap that I was always working on for her in the early 70s while she was attending college. She said the SS stood for Super Sheet albeit it was a great looking car in it’s day.
Very true,just copo 9560 and 9561
In 1975, I had a 69 Camaro that looked just like this one, EXCEPT, no BB or Yenko. Mine was Rallye Green, Black Vinyl top, Black Interior, L48 350, 4 speed, 3.73 posi. One of my favorite cars of all time. My best friend had a 69 SS/RS Camaro in Hugger Orange, and another friend had a 69 Z/28 in Le Mans Blue. Those were the days…
I have a 1969 Yenko Camaro Fathom green with black stripes one of two made that year [the other one was destroyed at a junk yard] it has been restored