MUSCLE
Albaugh curator
Andy Snetselaar knocks
the nubbins off the tires
during action at the
2018 Super Car Reunion
at Beech Bend Raceway
Park in Bowling Green,
Kentucky.Editor’s note:Bob McClurg wrote Yenko, The Man, the
Machines, the Legend! for CarTech Books. Here he reprises
some of the book’s text to set the stage for what Don Yenko
himself called “the wildest thing we ever did,” his 427-converted
1969 Yenko/SC Nova.
A
lthough Don Yenko had hit a home run with his 1969 COPO 9561
Camaro and 1969 COPO 9562 Chevelle build programs, he had trouble
selling GM on his 1969 Yenko/SC 427 Nova program, for perceived
liability and safety reasons. In fact, Yenko himself openly admitted that
perhaps he was pushing the envelope with this combination, admitting that these
cars were “barely legal at best!” In fact, some insurance companies absolutely refused
to insure them.
In light of this, the burden fell squarely on Yenko Sportscars Inc. to build the Yenko/SC
427 Novas at the family’s Pike Street new-car dealership. Yenko accomplished this feat by
pulling the 396/375hp L78 big-block out of the Nova Super Sport and substituting either
an 11.0:1 compression 427 crate engine or 427 warranty block, depending upon avail-
By Bob McClurg
40 SEPTEMBER 2019