60's Camaros With 427-cid Corvette Engines - Apex Of Muscle Car Power
Yenko Chevy's...simply fast simply beautiful.
While researching Muscle cars of the 1960's I came across an interesting find. The Chevy Camaro, particularly the late 1960's models. Seems American car makers were knee-deep into speed, handling and performance. What the hell gas was cheap and the guidelines hadn't been fully set in place as they are today. So you could actually get in behind the wheel of a nice Big Block V8 and drive it at some insane speed with little or no resistance. America it seemed was "wide open" to so many new concepts and ideas, the Muscle Car was but one.
Car makers immediately jumped on the band wagon. Chevy, Ford, Chrysler, Oldsmobile, AMC all began to focus on one particular model they produced and stuffed an insane amount of power under the hood, beefed up the suspension, exhaust and more. A lot of the cars of the time actually created acronyms based on some of the "Hot-Rod" lingo of the day. Cars like the Olds 4-4-2 which stood for 4-Speed 4-Barrel (carb) 2-exhaust (dual) and meant it! Or the Pontiac GTO which meant Gas Tires and Oil! Which it burned through a lot of. Overall The Muscle cars of the era where a pleasure to drive. Many models were available in convertible as well. Yet above and beyond all they were fast! Finally the rest of the world exclaimed, the Americans have built a
fast car.
Retired race car driver Don Yenko who at the time was selling Chevy's as an authorized dealer decided to get inventive and developed his own
line of signature Chevelles, Camaros and Novas. The Yenko Super Cars as they quickly became known already had the largest engine being installed in Chevelle SS's. This was the "super" engine developed by Chevy exclusively for speed, the 396 cid V8. So if that wasn't enough Yenko decided to equip his acquired models with the monstrous Chevrolet 427 cid V8.Although he only converted a few they became instantly very popular and highly sought after collectors items almost immediately.
The epitome of the "Yenko" Super Cars in many opinions is clearly the 1967 & '68 Camaro's retrofitted with the now famous 427 cid. The request became so popular that Don Yenko actually talked Chevy into dropping a few of them in a few of their
other models right off the line. Of course other dealers jumped n on the act an modified a few of their models. But the Yenko Chevy was
the Chevy when the smoke cleared on muscle cars. Many say he actually reached a Carroll Shelby status over at Ford, the world will never know the truth.
As I said earlier the two were a perfect fit. Of course an engine of such raw power would have propelled many cars to triple digit speeds in a matter of seconds but the Camaro was just that right proportion. The rear end was perfect on the 68' it also had those hips that looked like they were there just to hold down that back end. Actually both the front and rear ends were cut at a perfect length. This is probably why the Camaro gets so much attention as it doesn't look like most of the
surfboards disguised as mid-sized cars. The car was short and stout and looked as if it could handle the 427, 427 Cubic Inches, unheard of.
Based on the specifications such as length, width and weight the Camaro was a perfect fit for the 427 cid. They went into a few different models of Chevy back then but when the 427 cid was mated up with the Camaro, it was truly something special. All true Muscle Car fans take a moment of silence...out of respect for the 427. One of the best American
powerplants ever produced.
Along with the Chevelle the Camaro pretty much sat atop the Muscle car world since as long as they had these 427's nothing else could touch them. The Chevelle's were able to get up to nice speeds as well but its weight had to be considered. Whereas with the Camaro, as long as the trunk was empty it would move! Before the
Yenko versions came about the Camaro was commonly known as the
poor man's Corvette. After Yenko the due to the fact that the cars were not initially marked in any way. Immediately A massive hunt ensued for Camaro's. Due to the Yenko Camaro thinking had changed in regards to the Corvette, in fact it had changed a whole lot. It was more now like;
If you could find a Yenko Camaro in good condition, damn a Corvette altogether! Afterall it was the same EVERYTHING for whole lot less!
Those were the days I tell you... gas was dirt cheap and we could still work on our own cars. Unfortunately the
Muscle car trend hit its apex in the mid 70's with the fuel shortage, certain days we could get gas with even numbered license plates. That was horrible. The craziest thing about it all was that the carmakers
quietly switched over to 4 Cylinders and just hoped we didn't notice. All of a sudden the cars we knew to come ready to go hard were now equipped with 4 Cylinders. This drug on into the 80's as well. I remember one year Chevy honestly put out a Corvette with 85 MPH on the Speedometer. The car synonymously known for and linked to teenage tragedy with a top speed of 85 Miles Per Hour! At any rate it was fun while it lasted. Many say that the Muscle is slated to make a return here shortly. I personally don't see how seeing how everyone is trying to 89 miles to the gallon then go home and
plug their cars in at night. Not to mention I've seen some cars on the street not too much bigger than the 427 engine! Me personally I'm thinking of getting a bike and grabbing on to the side of one of these tiny 1-Cylinders on the streets today. Performing at 0-60 in just over 10 minutes I really see no threat of injury as we both accelerate, together.
Personally I have a quest as I have never actually met a 427
in person, I would like to. To snatch open the hood on something and read the numbers as they sit...427 would be a nice experience indeed. I used to live in L.A. and I've met a few stars and entertainers, trust me it gets weird after a while, sort of awkward. Me personally I would much rather hear him turn over that massive 427, than listen at some actor lie to both of us. I would much rather listen to this engines turn over
Years later many came to realize in hindsight that the Camaro/427 was indeed a perfect marriage. Don Yenko bonafide Chevy GURU...
