1969 Chevrolet Yenko Nova Packs L72 Muscle, One of Very Few Known To Exist

Yenko started out with the Stinger Corvair in 1966. One year later, the iconic Yenko Camaro was born. Brand-new for 1967, Chevy's pony car was available with big-block power from day one, but the 375-horsepower, 396-cubic-inch (6.5-liter) L78 wasn't potent enough for Don and his customers.

While GM forbade Chevrolet from fitting engines larger than 400 cubic inches (6.6-liter) in midsize and smaller cars, Don took matters into his own hands and transferred the company's 427-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) L72 engine into the Camaro. The swap turned the pony car into a 425-horsepower beast.

After two years of limited production, which saw only 118 units roll out of his shop, Yenko persuaded Chevrolet to utilize the Central Office Production Order (COPO) system to have the engine installed in the cars. This initiative spawned the iconic 1969 COPO Camaro 427, of which around 1,000 units were made.

But Don didn't stop there. He also commissioned 99 Chevelles with the same powerplant, and, perhaps even more ridiculous, a short run of Novas equipped with the 425-horsepower mill. The latter saw daylight in only 38 units, making it the rarest of the Yenko 427 L72 bunch. The Fathom Green example you see here is one of those cars.

As if 38 units isn't already a small production run, many of these vehicles have not survived to this day. It's unclear how many are still around, but the consensus is that this Yenko Nova is one of "very few known to exist." What's more, this Chevy survived a few years of intense drag racing; the coupe was campaigned as "My Piggy Bank" at drag strips across Pennsylvania in its early days.

Now it's a fully restored classic, looking exactly like it did when it was sold new at Yenko Chevrolet in Cannonsburg. It packs the highly desirable L72 V8 and M21 four-speed manual combo (which sends 450 horsepower to the rear wheels), and relies on correct heavy-duty components, including the F41-coded suspension.

The color combo is downright gorgeous, too, with the Fathom Green paint job enhanced by a black vinyl top and white "Yenko/SC" stripes and graphics on the sides and the hood. In case you didn't know, "SC" stands for "Super Car." It's a worthy description for a Chevy that packs Yenko Camaro and Chevelle power while weighing significantly less.

The fact that this Nova is looking for a new home at public auction is equally spectacular. These vehicles are rarely seen on the market. I don't remember seeing more than one change hands at high-profile auctions in recent years. In 2015, a blue example in pristine condition sold for $418,000.

This green coupe is scheduled to cross the block at Mecum's Kissimmee 2026 auction on January 17, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the gavel drop at over a half-million bucks.