1969 Chevrolet Yenko Nova Packs L72 Power, One of the Rarest Muscle Cars Ever Built

Frank Yenko’s venture into the car business laid the foundation for something truly special. After Durant went bankrupt, his Chevrolet dealership in Pennsylvania became the birthplace of Don Yenko’s high-performance machines. Don’s first project was the Stinger Corvair in 1966, but things really took off a year later with the debut of the Yenko Camaro.

When Chevrolet’s 396-cubic-inch (6.5-liter) L78 big-block with 375 horsepower proved too tame for Yenko’s customers, Don decided to take things a step further. General Motors at the time restricted Chevy from installing engines larger than 400 cubic inches (6.6 liters) in smaller or midsize cars, but that didn’t stop Don. He took the 427-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) L72 engine from Chevrolet’s parts bin and shoehorned it into the Camaro, transforming it into a 425-horsepower street monster.

After two years of small-scale production — just 118 cars were built — Yenko convinced Chevrolet to install the big-block engine directly at the factory using the Central Office Production Order (COPO) system. That led to the creation of the iconic 1969 COPO Camaro 427, with roughly 1,000 examples produced.

But Don Yenko wasn’t finished yet. He commissioned 99 Chevelles with the same engine, and most impressively, a limited run of Novas packing the same 425-horsepower L72. Only 38 Yenko Novas were ever built, making them the rarest of the Yenko 427 family. The Fathom Green example pictured here is one of those ultra-rare survivors.

Few of the original 38 cars are believed to exist today. This particular Nova spent its early years on drag strips across Pennsylvania, racing under the nickname “My Piggy Bank.” Despite its racing past, the car has been fully restored to the way it looked when sold new at Yenko Chevrolet in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. Under the hood sits the L72 V8 paired with an M21 four-speed manual transmission, good for around 450 horsepower at the rear wheels. The car retains all the correct heavy-duty components, including the F41 suspension package.

Visually, it’s a knockout — finished in deep Fathom Green with a black vinyl roof and the distinctive white “Yenko/SC” stripes running along the sides and hood. (“SC” stands for Super Car, and the name fits perfectly.) Lighter than its Camaro and Chevelle siblings, the Nova delivered brutal acceleration and handling to match.

Now, this piece of muscle car history is heading to the auction block. Genuine Yenko Novas rarely surface for sale — it’s been years since one has crossed a major auction stage. In 2015, a pristine blue example fetched $418,000.

This green 1969 Yenko Nova is slated to go under the hammer at Mecum’s Kissimmee 2026 auction on January 17, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if bidding pushes well past the half-million-dollar mark.