Rare GM cars

[phantomFE3]

[RomeoZ34]

What about a 1968 Fred Gibb/Dick Harrel 427 Nova or a 1969 Yenko 427 Nova. Rumor has it that Yenko made a few '68 COPO Camaro's, but he died in a plane crash w/out ever speaking of it. I'd settle for a '69 COPO Chevelle too. Oh, and for the record

Central Office Production Order=COPO

[90TGP]

We all just want one Copo Camaro [Yenko, ZL1, Baldwin, Nicky, Berger are all considered COPO's]. But how about owning 23 COPO cars, and 15 being Yenko's. Also has a Yenko Corvair, Yenko Chevelle, Yenko Nova, Yenko Vega, and a 1981 Yenko Turbo Z28.

 

The World’s First And Only Complete Yenko Collection

When Gary Was A Kid, He Read About Those 427-Powered ’69 Camaros In The Car Magazines And Dreamed That One Day One Of These Monster Machines Would Sit In His Driveway

 

By Jeff Smith

Photography: Jeff Smith

 

“All I ever wanted was one. Just one.â€Â

 

For Gary Holub, it’s the classic American success story. When Gary was a kid, he read about those 427-powered ’69 Camaros in the car magazines and dreamed that one day one of these monster machines would sit in his driveway. He started a very successful concrete land developing and rental property businesses in his hometown of Marion, Iowa, and years later realized that he could have what he had always wanted. But Gary transformed his daydream into something much more than he had ever imagined.

 

Gary started modestly in 1985 with a green ’69 sYc car. Since then, his collection has burgeoned into what could now pass for a shrine to Don Yenko’s creations. Gary’s collection encompasses much more than just cars. There are parts, memorabilia, history lessons, and even Don Yenko’s earliest toolbox. But the cars are still the stars. A total of 23 immaculately restored or original musclecars sit in a temperature-controlled environment, and 15 of them are Yenkos.

 

The Yenko cars are the heros in the Holub collection, but there are more than just 427 Camaros in this mix. The main attraction is what Gary calls the “Six Pack,†which consists of one car in each of the colors Yenko offered in 1969. Le Mans Blue, Olympic Gold, Rally Green, Fathom Green, Daytona Yellow, and Hugger Orange hues make up Gary’s rainbow warriors. That Technicolor explosion sits at the far end of his immaculately maintained building, but to get to those cars, you must walk a 17-car gauntlet of Gary’s other significant musclecars.

 

Three cars in the Yenko collection represent the rarestâ€â€yet perhaps the least well knownâ€â€of the breed. The final Yenko was a Camaro, but it debuted in 1981 as a Turbo Z. It used a turbocharger to aerobicize an otherwise anemic 350 small-block that was forced to breathe through an iron lung–like Q-jet carburetor and catalytic converter. According to Gary, his Turbo Z is No. 10 of 19.

 

Its next-of-incongruous-kin, the Yenko Stinger Vega, also shared a turbocharger affixed to a ’72 four-cylinder motor which was later transplanted with a 370-hp L-79. The Vega actually belongs to Gary’s youngest son, Logan, who collected over $14,000 in 5-cent rebate Iowa soda cans to buy a ’69 Nova. He traded several cars along the way to eventually obtain the Vega, which completed his dad’s collection. The Yenko Vega is Logan’s fifth car at age 13.

 

Next to the Vega is the original ancestor to the Yenko clan, a ’66 Corvair Stinger. The flat-six–powered commuter car came about as a direct result of Don Yenko’s involvement in sports car racing. While nimble, the Corvair never caught on with a clientele courted by mastodon motors and drag racing.

 

The ’81 Camaro, the Vega, and the Corvair complete Gary’s one-of-a-kind collection, but they don’t command the same respect as a 427-powered car. Allow a rabid, solid-lifter musclecar fanatic in the room, and he will be inexorably drawn to the big-block. These are heady machines, and there are thousands of fans willing to immerse themselves in the deep-running waters of 427s, four-speeds, and that big sYc logo.

 

While Don Yenko was clearly most famous for his 427-powered central office production order (COPO) Camaros, he built Chevelles and Novas too. The first Yenko Chevelle arrived in 1969, and of course Gary has a beautiful green example equipped with a 427, a TH400, and a rare column shifter. Yenko also built a couple of the Nova variants on display in Gary’s arena. His red ’69 rests on American five-spokes and is one of only six 427 Novas that exist today. But Rat motors were not the only engines transplanted into the Nova. In 1970, Yenko also built a series of 370hp 350ci LT1 Novas. Gary’s example is Cortez Silver with 4.10 gears and a 12-bolt which belongs to 17 year-old son Brock.

 

While it’s difficult to top a Yenko, there is one car in this hall of fame that commands ultimate respect. It is also the most modest in appearance, with stock steel wheels and dog-dish hubcaps. In 1969, Chevy built 69 Camaros outfitted with the now-famous COPO No. 9560 that specified a ZL1 Camaro. Outfitted with a 430hp 427ci all-aluminum Rat motor, the ZL1 is perhaps the most highly prized Camaro ever built. Gary’s Fathom Green version is No. 27 of 69, and it was raced for several years before it was restored. This car is even more prized by Gary because its previous owner was baseball legend and musclecar fan Reggie Jackson. In the Camaro’s trunk are several souvenir baseball bats and balls signed by the Hall of Famer.

 

The stories could go on for volumes. Each car and each piece of memorabilia has its own tale. Gary likes to think of himself as more of a museum curator than a collectorâ€â€a keeper of the faith, if you will. Toy companies have used his cars as blueprints for die-cast replicas. He also preserves odd items such as a 78-speed vinyl record from 1948 featuring an interview with Don Yenko’s father at the opening of the original dealership in 1948. The concrete business may be Gary’s occupation, but that’s just what pays the bills. When it comes to passion and what he loves to do, it all revolves around rare musclecars and that big letter Y.

 

Link with pictures. http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/97138/

[RomeoZ34]

I read about that guy, I am so jealous!

[bumpin_z]

Didn't chevy team up to make a turbo Sprint?

[Guest TurboSedan]

Didn't chevy team up to make a turbo Sprint?

 

yeah! just seen one here in Lararmie yesterday! oooooooh i bet that thing runs at least low 13's

joshua

[cutlassdude96]

90-92 Toronado's you just dont see any many on the road any more

[GnatGoSplat]

How rare are late 80's Pontiac 6000 coupes?

I saw a really beat up one today, I'd never seen one before.

Of course, Pontiac 6000's are a pretty rare sight at all these days.

[Guest TurboSedan]

How rare are late 80's Pontiac 6000 coupes?

I saw a really beat up one today, I'd never seen one before.

Of course, Pontiac 6000's are a pretty rare sight at all these days.

 

i've seen a few, not many tho. probably because they all turned into junk and are crushed by now. my best friend had a Celebrity coupe.

joshua

[MaroonRegal]

What about the Buick Reatta? Is that rare? I see the same one here in Lincoln about once a month. Pretty cool, really. What's under the hood?

[soccrplayrgtp]

umm how about a:

A bright blue 1994 Grand Prix GTP 3.4L with a 284 manual

 

sorry had to

[Hippie]

What about the Buick Reatta? Is that rare? I see the same one here in Lincoln about once a month. Pretty cool, really. What's under the hood?

 

Reatta's were low production, they used a shortened Toronado plarform and the 3.8. A lot heavier than they look.

[Hippie]

Actually the right spelling is Cyclone, but since Ford owned the licensing for the name GM had to misspell it on purpose.

 

While we're on the subject........... not a GM but the 1969 Mercury Cyclone "Spoiler" was a very rare car. It was Mercury's version of the Torino Talladega.

[MaroonRegal]

While we're on the subject........... not a GM but the 1969 Mercury Cyclone "Spoiler" was a very rare car. It was Mercury's version of the Torino Talladega.

 

Those were rare, definitely. And waaaaaay cooler than any Torino could ever hope to be.

[Hippie]

OK, here's one for you actually owned by a friend of mine back in the day.

 

1970 Pontiac GTO Judge Convertible

400 Ram Air IV

Muncie 4 speed

4.33 posi

Factory AC

6 way power driver's seat/reclining passenger bucket

AM/FM stereo radio

Factory 8-track built into console

Formula steering wheel on tilt/telescoping column

Hood mounted tach

 

One of approximately 11 Ram Air IV, 4 speed convertible Judges. Unfortunately he didn't know that at the time and the dumbass traded it for a Datsun 240Z !!! :gone2far: Shoulda seen his face when he found out how rare it was.

[Robby1870]

OK, here's one for you actually owned by a friend of mine back in the day.

 

1970 Pontiac GTO Judge Convertible

400 Ram Air IV

Muncie 4 speed

4.33 posi

Factory AC

6 way power driver's seat/reclining passenger bucket

AM/FM stereo radio

Factory 8-track built into console

Formula steering wheel on tilt/telescoping column

Hood mounted tach

 

One of approximately 11 Ram Air IV, 4 speed convertible Judges. Unfortunately he didn't know that at the time and the dumbass traded it for a Datsun 240Z !!! :gone2far: Shoulda seen his face when he found out how rare it was.

 

:shock: :shock: :shock: Yeah, that is REALLY rare, like your numbers say. Wow, is all I got to say

 

Robby

[RareGMFan]

malibuolds: You see AWD Pontiac 6000 STEs all the time?? I searched three years to find my first one. There were 124 produced in '88 (it was only an option, ran too late a production to make all 2,000 in '88 ) and the remaining 1,376 in '89. The '88s still had the flat back window, two tone, chrome, etc. Looked like the old STEs except had side skirts and the same STE AWD badges as the '89 (not in gold trim, though). There is only one kid on the yahoo groups 6000 club that has one. Really nice condition. I have yet to see one in person.

 

I've got 2 of the '89 STEs. They dropped the STE package for '90 on the 6000s (went over to the Grand Prix, which I have one of also with the McLaren package), but they made an unknown number of S/Es with this same AWD package. Though it was missing most of the interior features, it had all the drive train and suspensions components. Pontiac didn't differentiate the numbers of the AWD vs. FWD. Just a grand total of just over 5K S/Es made for '90. Bastards.

 

But while we're on rare cars:

 

'87-'89 Buick LeSabre T-Type (not super rare)

'85 Buick LeSabre Grand National (super low number I can't remember)

'86 Buick Century GS (1,029 made)

'92-'? Pontiac Grand Prix Richard Petty edition (nothing more than sticker package)

 

And I'm sure there's a boat load more I can't remember at the moment.

[PJB]

'72 Buick GS Sun Coupe.

Only 5 produced. It has a cloth mid section of the roof that rolls back and opens the car up like a convertible but its a hardtop body style.

I saw one a few weeks ago at a car show with 3500 original miles.

[supreme_style21]

I didn't realize those AWD STE's were that rare. Back home, last year, there was a CLEAN '89 AWD STE 6000 for sale.. only had around 88,000. Tag in the window was around $1,500. And damn, did I mention it was clean? Looked like she just rolled of the line.

[cutsup1996]

Hyeboy, don't you mean Buick Grand National? turbo'd 3.8, black, not a lesabre dude

[Guest RedCutlassSL]

no, hes right on

[90TGP]

They also made LeSabre turbo's. Also made Riviera turbos.

[PJB]

They also made LeSabre turbo's. Also made Riviera turbos.

Dont you mean supercharged? Ive never heard of a Turbo Lesabre or Riviera.

[RareGMFan]

Nope. He means turbo. The LeSabre ones are just rumors as far as I know. I have yet to hear of someone seeing one, let alone me seeing one myself, but they supposedly were made. Production numbers were something rediculous like 100 or something.

[Dotcutnup]

well I just got my Grand Prix(90) turbo, now I am still looking for a Berretta Indy , 88 Fiero GT, and a Typhoon!