Revell '69 Yenko 427 Nova is Out!

[Jim Kampmann]

i've never been impressed with the headers in the Revell Camaro kits, small block or big block. the big block ones to me arent very well done, but i know some love them. best ever big block Chevy headers in my opinion are those from AMT's pro street '67 Chevelle kit. OT i know

i do want to pick up at least one of these kits regardless. i was just really hoping for the inclusion of a nice newly tooled set of headers. Revell probably could have made this a 2-n-1 with the option to build either a SS396 or the Yenko427. in a way i guess they did.

Dave

Dave,

You might try the headers from the Revell Baldwin Motion '70 Chevelle kit that came out earlier this year.

Jim Kampmann

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Honestly, an SS396 Nova suits me just fine! Since the factory small block engine bits aren't entirely stock, I like that kit better for its drag options, anyway - so it won't be needing its rally wheels!

[Ron Hamilton]

Ken if you think the Rally's in the Nova kit are nice rewind a bit to AMT's '68 El Camino kit. THOSE are the nicest ever done in 1/25 scale

grab a set for the Nova and you'd be amazed how much better it looks.

Dave

and if you want a set of Rally Wheels without the trim rings or center caps, you can't beat the MPC '73 Corvette.

[horsepoweraddict]

I'm dissapointed I didn't buy one didn't look to exciting from the box art and then hearing what has been said here. The special edition one is a much better buy more options and better possibilities for a custom or stock build.

[Jason Rothgeb]

I said, months ago, I hope they don't reissue the SS grille which is incorrect for a 427 Yenko. No Yenko was ever built with the SS emblems remaining on the car.

There were, in fact, 38 Yenko 427 Novas produced according to Don Yenko, himself. The last 3 went out with the factory-installed 396 and only had the Yenko stripes. The wheels provided in the kit are correct optional wheels for a Nova in '69, but, of the few remaining 427 Novas, I've never seen those wheels on one. Part of the Yenko package was to upgrade the wheels and tires with Torque-Thrust wheels and wide tires. To my knowledge, the 427 Novas could be had in any available factory color in '69. The '69 Camaros were COPO cars and the factory limited those to 6 colors. Headers were an option and were often shipped in the trunk, to be installed by the buyer "if they chose to race the car". They all had the SS hood with the dual fake "grilles". They all had bench seats with headrests and rubber flooring material. (Put your flocking away.)

Hope this helps.

I've been a "student" of Yenko cars for 40 years. I, of course, am fully capable of making mistakes, but I have tons of documentation to verify what I wrote above.

Thanks for all the info Lyle, it helps a great deal. There is one thing I can add: The wheels on Yenko's were not Torque Thrusts. They are Atlas Wheels. A design similar to thrusts obviously, but if you look closely they are slightly different. The spokes on the atlas wheels come to a sharp edge on the middle of the Atlas spoke while the Torque thrust spokes are round. Check the Atlas wheels, 69 Yenko Camaro kit, and the Torque Thrusts, Revell Deuce coupe. This information comes from the Yenko kit instructions and IIRC, Dean Milano, who most likely wrote the copy.

[Tommy Kortman]

I said, months ago, I hope they don't reissue the SS grille which is incorrect for a 427 Yenko. No Yenko was ever built with the SS emblems remaining on the car.

There were, in fact, 38 Yenko 427 Novas produced according to Don Yenko, himself. The last 3 went out with the factory-installed 396 and only had the Yenko stripes. The wheels provided in the kit are correct optional wheels for a Nova in '69, but, of the few remaining 427 Novas, I've never seen those wheels on one. Part of the Yenko package was to upgrade the wheels and tires with Torque-Thrust wheels and wide tires. To my knowledge, the 427 Novas could be had in any available factory color in '69. The '69 Camaros were COPO cars and the factory limited those to 6 colors. Headers were an option and were often shipped in the trunk, to be installed by the buyer "if they chose to race the car". They all had the SS hood with the dual fake "grilles". They all had bench seats with headrests and rubber flooring material. (Put your flocking away.)

Hope this helps.

I've been a "student" of Yenko cars for 40 years. I, of course, am fully capable of making mistakes, but I have tons of documentation to verify what I wrote above.

Lyle,

Pick up the latest Nova Annual from Super Chevy Magazine. It looks like some new info has come to light. On Pg 64 is listed as " Possibly the Rarest Yenko Nova of All".

This car was ordered by Yenko in a special Color (69 Caddy Firemist nutmeg), it has SS emblems, no sYc decals, an L-88 hood, a vinyl top, Bucket seats and a carpeted floor. The article says that this is a one of one car. It retains it's original L78 396. It was assigned stock #9769, is one of a total 38 '69 Yenkos built that year, and is one of 9 existing cars found to date.

Man, I just love digging up all this old info. Those years were truly magical times.

Edited May 5, 2009 by Tommy Kortman

[Rob Hall]

Lyle,

Pick up the latest Nova Annual from Super Chevy Magazine. It looks like some new info has come to light. On Pg 64 is listed as " Possibly the Rarest Yenko Nova of All".

This car was ordered by Yenko in a special Color (69 Caddy Firemist nutmeg), it has SS emblems, no sYc decals, an L-88 hood, a vinyl top, Bucket seats and a carpeted floor. The article says that this is a one of one car. It retains it's original L78 396. It was assigned stock #9769, is one of a total 38 '69 Yenkos built that year, and is one of 9 existing cars found to date.

Man, I just love digging up all this old info. Those years were truly magical times.

That sounds like the same car that was in another magazine a few months ago, Muscle Car Review or Hemmings Muscle Machines, IIRC. Fascinating stuff.

[Tommy Kortman]

Oh yea Rob, I gotta agree. I dig looking for that exception to the "rules". That car that everyone says, "they didn't build one like that". Those years must have been a free for all. Or maybe the automotive equivalent of Disney World. "If you dream it, you can build it." I would love to see what they could build today with that unlimited 60's imagination. Can you imagine the horsepower the factory could be getting from a big block today?(if we didn't have to worry about insurance regs)

[sigmaman]

Got this kit and the small block one last week. Love 'em both! Gonna use the cowl induction hood,suspension risers,some cheater slicks from my parts box and build the Yenko as a nightime street stalker. Will fix the grille/tailight panel myself,maybe do a bench seat and get them all cast in resin.

Also,whats to stop us building the Yenko Duece! We have the LT1 engine which was only available in the Nova in '69 as a COPO anyway. Just need some deuce decals. Maybe Revell have it planned for the future.

Edited May 24, 2009 by sigmaman

[Mike Chernecki]

I can only comment on the picture shown here, since I havn't found the kit yet. The box art pictures show a small block rad support. The small block had a metal plate holding the rad while the big block had metal tabs and a rubber flap holding the rad. The rad support and heater box (small block hoses exit motor side of the heater box while big block exit through the fender side of the box) are the 2 items missed when cloning a big block, dead give away when some says the have a real big block Nova.

Mike