Was there ever a 69 Yenko 327?

Didn't 327 production end in 1968 model year?

Was there ever a 69 Yenko 327?


As far as I know all the 69 Yenkos were big blocks. I believe the 1970 Nova was the first small block Yenko.
James

Didn't 327 production end in 1968 model year?
Nope, 69 was the last year for the 327.
Ron

Didn't 327 production end in 1968 model year?
you must be thinking of the L79, that ended in 68

I saw in Chevy HI Performance a couple months back about three '69 yenco cameros with 350s. The story went on to say they were the last three received by yenco and never converted to 427. All three were sold in penn. I'll look in back issues to find the article. But no 327.

I'm thought all the 69 Yenko cars were ordered as COPO's with 427s installed at the factory. The 67s and 68s were converted at his shop. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
James

fyi

Don started using GM in 1965 to get special Corvairs, then moved on to transplanting 427s into Camaros in '67 and '68. In '69, Yenko used the COPO pipeline to get factory 427s in Camaros and Chevelles, then transplanted a few 427s into some Novas. In '70, he again used his COPO ties to get an LT-1 equipped Nova. From there, he began hot rodding Vegas and then produced a few hi-performance Camaros in '81.

Weren't some of the first 350s made from 327 blocks in 69?
Therefore possibley mistaken for a 327 because of the casting numbers?

Remember Yenko Chevrolet was also a regular Chevrolet dealership. With that said I'm sure Yenko Chevrolet sold some 1969 automobiles with the 327cu engine. Now these were not "Super Cars" but they were still delievered to and sold from Yenko Chevrolet, Rt. 19 Canonsburg, PA.

I agree with Bryan - lots of run-of-the-mill 69 Camaros sold by Yenko Chevrolet that some people might misleadingly refer to as a "Yenko Camaro."

Was the 327 even a standard option on the Camaro in 1969? While you could get it with a straight six, I thought the standard V-8 was the 302 then the 350 with a couple of HP options then you stepped up to 396 with a couple of options then of course the 427 COPO. The 327 was kinda a wimpy engine with a max of 235 HP. I think it was left to the Novas, full size, and trucks since it had decent torque ratings around 320-325 ft lbs.

Colvin's By the Numbers book shows the 327 as being installed in the '69 Camaro, with HP being evein wimpier than you thought - 210hp! There probably weren't that many installed.

The standard V8 in a Camaro was never a 302, that was reserved for the z/28 option and was one hell of a motor built from 1967-1969 to allow GM to take advantage of the SCCA rules, but when they were modified for the 1970 model year Chevrolet answered with the former king of all small blocks, the LT1 (this was the king until the new LS7 was introduced for the Z06 vette in 2006). The 327 was phased out in 1969 in favor of the 307cu engine (what genious made that decision at GM ... wait, he is probably part of the same committee which said kill the F-body).

Anyways, I digress, the 327cu engine lost alot of luster after it was changed from the small journal steel crank engine which it was from 1962-1967 and into the larger journal cast crank engine it was in 1968-69. The racers loved (and some still do) the older small journal 327cu engines. Anyway you slice it the 327cu engine was an awesome little motor (not as hot as a 302), but GM made a few with Fuel injection that went 365hp and a whopping 375hp in the early/mid sixties vettes. The old L79 327cu in Chevelles was a mighty mean car as well. Further the L30 327cu 275hp engine in Camaros was a very stout car when matted with the M20 4spd transmission, it recieved heavy duty parts and a 12 bolt and multi-leaf springs (things reserved for the "high peformance" Camaros).

The original question “Did Yenko ever do a 327” is a good trivia question. The answer is yes but it is not related to the Yenko Chevelles or Camaros. Don Yenko loved Corvettes and was a very successful Corvette racer. The Yenko Corvette Racing team with Gulf Oil sponsorship was the top Corvette team in the early 1960s and won many races including Daytona and Sebring with the fuel injected 283 and 327 engines. Don Yenko was the SCCA B/Production national Champion in 1962 and 1963 in a Corvette. Gulf Oil had a research lap in PA. With over 20 engine dyno rooms and a staff of engineers. While doing the Gulf Oil research on fuels and lubrication they also built and tested the Yenko/Gulf Corvette Racing team FI 283 and 327 engines. Yenko and Gulf could race and they worked directly with Chevrolet engineers who were not allowed to race. Yenko/Gulf Corvettes were tough to beat in the early 1960s.

Here is an old photo I stole from somewhere. The caption is scary, I wonder if any of them glowed in the dark :D

http://users.triconet.org/philipv/Yenco's%20backyard.jpg

that explains it all, Yenko had aliens helping him!

Them Yanko's were nuclear powered!! :D

On a more serious note, think about how much "today" money is sitting in that lot!!! Now where is my time machine!.

Albert

Nope, 69 was the last year for the 327.
Ron

1970 Impala was available with the 327.

According to Colvin's By the Numbers book and all the other references I consulted, 69 was the last year for the 327. The smallest engine available in the 1970 Impala was the 350.

I saw in Chevy HI Performance a couple months back about three '69 yenco cameros with 350s. The story went on to say they were the last three received by yenco and never converted to 427. All three were sold in penn. I'll look in back issues to find the article. But no 327.I remember that article, it was about the last 3 68 Camaros that wernt converted from the 396 to the 427.
Ron

According to Colvin's By the Numbers book and all the other references I consulted, 69 was the last year for the 327. The smallest engine available in the 1970 Impala was the 350.

You're absolutely right. I was having a brain fart, picturing a 69 Impala front fender bezel in my mind and thinking it also came on the 70.

I did a little research myself and it appears that the 250 six was available in the 1970 Impala !

N~

Weren't some of the first 350s made from 327 blocks in 69?
Therefore possibley mistaken for a 327 because of the casting numbers?
Interesting weren't 302s, 327s & 350s all on a 4" bore. So would the casting # be the only change?

Interesting weren't 302s, 327s & 350s all on a 4" bore. So would the casting # be the only change?

Other than small and large main bearing journals, 2 and 4 bolt, yeah, sounds right.

Nate

Here is an old photo I stole from somewhere. The caption is scary, I wonder if any of them glowed in the dark :D

http://users.triconet.org/philipv/Yenco's%20backyard.jpg
No wonder they had so much power :)