For the 1967 model year, the Chevy Camaro had a wide range of six- and eight-cylinder engine options, but none so brawny as RPO L78, the 396 cubic-inch Big Block that yielded 375 thundering horsepower. If that wasn’t enough to satisfy your street-dominating desires, you needed to get yourself a Yenko Super Camaro from Don Yenko Chevrolet in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.
Let’s review a bit of history. Don Yenko had been a successful Sports Car Club of America racer, winning the national driving championship four times. He had also driven in the 24 Hours of LeMans. His family owned a Chevrolet dealership, and Mr. Yenko modified cars there. Between 1965 and 1967, Yenko built around 185 Yenko Corvair Stingers, the first car that would carry the Yenko name.
The Chevy Camaro debuted in 1967 as GM’s answer the wildly popular Ford Mustang, while the Firebird didn’t bow until six months after the Camaro. The Chevy had strikingly attractive styling and a variety of performance and appearance packages. What it did not have, by General Motors edict, was an engine displacing more than four hundred cubic inches.
Don Yenko ordered Chevy Camaro L78s in SS trim, as they were already set up for Big Block engines and had factory performance parts. The 396 powerplants were removed, and the beastly Corvette L72 427 cube solid-lifter Big Block producing 450 horsepower took its place. (A quick sidebar here: Before I get a million comments about the L72 only putting out 425 horsepower, early in the 1966 Corvette production, the L72 was rated at 450 ponies. During the production run, the L72 rating was reduced to 425 horsepower, but that was related to no equipment or parts change.) The Camaros were equipped with heavy-duty suspensions and Muncie M21 close ratio four-speed transmissions. Total production for the 1967 Yenko Super Camaro varies, but several sources peg it at fifty-four units.
Our feature Chevy Yenko Super Camaro, serial number YS-725, was ordered in Deepwater Blue Poly with a black vinyl interior. The options list included a tinted windshield, G80 Posi-Traction rear diff with 3.73 gears, J52 power brakes with front discs, N34 teakwood steering wheel, an AM radio, heavy-duty clutch, high-capacity cooling system and suspension upgrades. There were a few other additions, including special spark plug wires, Stewart Warner tach, instrument package, Traction Master traction bars, tuned headers, a scatter shield, and a fiberglass hood with stinger that resembled those on the 1967 Big Block Corvettes. The Super Camaro was completed on July 18th, 1967. It was one of five that shipped to Jay Kline Chevrolet in Minneapolis on July 27th of that year.
This Yenko Super Camaro is listed in the Yenko Supercar Registry. It is accompanied by ownership history, extensive documentation, an appraisal from Camaro expert Jerry McNeish from August of 2021, COPO Connection and Camaro Hi-Performance LLC Certificates of Authenticity, copies of the Yenko conversion and dealer invoices, the original shipping record, an NCRS Shipping Data Report, and letter from the original owner. It has been inspected and verified as authentic by Warren Dernoshek, an original Yenko mechanic.
This stunning, brawny Yenko Super Camaro will cross the auction block at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale sale taking place January 22nd through 30th.
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Comments
This is when the Camaro had real styling. although, I prefer the 2nd gen even more. Especially, the 1974-1977. Yes, I do like large metal bumpers. It’s kind of a power thing in traffic, ya know.
best 2nd Gen were #1 1970, & then ’72 & ‘ 73. We (wife) had a ’75 LT (350/195) not a great car, My ’70 Z28 (bought uses in ’79 for $1850) took me 6 yrs to completely restore “it” is a road monster (with some under the hood tweaks) I originally own a ’67 SS (350/295 with a M13 on the floor) on B-J description it says about the’67 Yanko ” and suspension upgrades.” I REALLY Hope so .. with just a stock 350 my ’67 was great going STRAIGHT, handling on the open road sucked … taking track curves (Balston Spa, NY) above 75 was impossible. Shortly after I sold it, I watched my friend Ed Walsh roll it on a “mild” curve .. (he was unhurt) The 2nd Gns handle 10 X better than the Gen 1 … but nobody still buys these to DRIVE = Shame..
My first car was a ’68 Camaro SS. Paid 4k for it in ’93. Sold it with new gauges, engine, seats, hood, suspension, interior, trans and a ton of tools for…4k. Man I F-ed up
My gosh…
Its hard to even remember that GM once made cars…
So very much Trash ever since.
The first car I ever owned !
Bought it after returning from my first tour in Viet Nam. Man, I’d love to find her. Sold her in Johnstown Ohio in 1974 ….to move south for work!
What a wonderful car……
Great looking car true American Mussel car.
If you’re going to write an article, at least get the facts right. Don was a best friend. He ordered and built 100 Yenko Stinger Corvairs, much to his dad, Frank’s dismay. 54 is the correct production for the ’67 Camaro. Stay tuned. It’s the 35th anniversary of Don’s death and as a tribute, a movie is likely in the works.
My first out of 17 Camaro’s was a 1968 SS396/375hp 4 speed in dark green with black interior. I still have the window sticker @ $4500.00.
If this weekend’s Mecum is any indicator, this car will go low to mid six figures! The market is absolutely crazy right now!! Too bad I sold my 69 350SS a year ago, after owning it 27 years.
I once owned a 1971 Motion Camaro. Red with black stripes. I had it for 20 years and wish I still owned it. Oh well, life goes on, Ha Ha.
When I got my “used” ’70 Z28, and rebuilt & restored I got Joel involved .. S&L Moters did the engine with specs from H Jole (still the 350 = Z30) owned that car 1978 –worked on it through 1982 and sold it 2019 ,, I have pictures but I’m e-mail only .. also have pictures of me & my “67 SS with the M13 floor stick .. I use that on FB “profile” once in a while
Fuzzy feelings I’m in 💕 is it possible .with a car ?
Yes it is Phil. I saw it in a movie.
Second car a 69 plain with a 307 engine. Pulled over on interstate and officer told me it was over 10 minutes before he even caught sight of me again. Small block but would really fly. Bought at 120k, sold at 200k & was still running strong & not using any oil. Pleasure to get under the hood & work on without anything inaccessible. All around fun car, not the Big Block but still fun. Only car that I have owned I liked better was a 68 GTO convertible with a 400 cu in.
My Dad owned a 1967 RS/SS Z28 w/ every option available. It was black with a white stripe around the front end, had houndstooth interior fold down back seat. In 1982 he did a full restoration from frame up, by the way my Dad owns his own machine shop in Independence Missouri for the past 50+ yrs. At the time he was just really starting to get busy investing into time with drag racing, circle track, monster truck, boat racing, you name it he could build it. He sold the car and I learned that about 2 months later the person who had it was drunk and literally wrapped it around a telephone pole so the car was completely totaled out.
No SS z/28. RS Z/28 yes. RS/SS yes
Where are all the Ford Supercars?
Found on road dead
Had a 72 split bumber wish I could have kept it.
Lovers of the 1st & 2nd gen Camaro, Firebird, Malibu, Chevrolet are going to flip when Biden orders production of all fossil fuels to halt. He sends Beto and Harris to nab our guns and when all of both are in the pit ,all are melted down & scrapped before our very eyes.
How many gonna die trying to take our classics away to be smashed and released upon all the scorpions here illegally?
This is not a political discussion! Keep your idiotic lies to yourself