1969 Chevrolet Corvette  427/435

1969 Corvette L71 427/435 Yellow Yenko Delivery

For 1969 Cheverlot refined the new C3 1968 model with changes that increased horsepower as well as fixing small things that were irritating to customers. One important update was the ladder-type, steel-reinforced frame was “stiffened” in an effort to reduce body shake and vibration.  A second was a production tooling change that opened up the inner door panels a half-inch per side, allowing occupants additional shoulder space.   The base engine became the 300 horsepower 350 cubic inch V-8.   Near the top of the optional engine list was the L71 427.  A $290.40 upgrade that got you 435 horsepower with triple holley carburetors. The only higher up the chain a buyer could go was the L88/L89 engines intended for racing.

Most people associate the name Yenko with the 427 Camaro/SCs, 427 Chevelle/SCs, and 427 Nova/SCs, but the Canonsburg, Pennsylvania’s Yenko Chevrolet was very proud to be the Greater Pittsburgh area’s only “authorized” High Performance Corvette dealer back in the late 60s. Throughout the 1960s, Don and Frank Yenko routinely ran ads in the Pittsburgh Press proudly announcing “Buy Your Corvette at Yenko Corvette Center,” and they sold a lot of performance Corvettes.  This very special car was one of those.

A copy of the tank sticker on file verifies other important details about this car. Built in March 1969, this highly original Daytona Yellow 1969 Corvette is one of 2,722 produced with the L71 427/435 HP Tri-Power engine, in this case mated to a 4-speed manual transmission and optional 4.11:1 gearing to draw full peak horsepower from the big-block V-8. At just more than 40,000 original miles, it retains most of its original Daytona Yellow paint and the original black interior complete with tilt-telescopic steering column, tinted glass and Delco AM/FM radio. Proudly displaying Yenko badges on the hood and tail panel, it retains its transistor ignition, chrome luggage rack, bright fender louver trim and Rally wheels with Whitewall tires.

A very original car with lots of unique details.  For example, the correct Tri-Power Smog Pump which was an exclusive to the Tri-Power cars. Original clear tape on the headlight wiring loom-the vacuum headlights and parking lights all function like new-having the correct black paint “cut line” in the engine compartment at the firewall tip of each fender.  Also the original NOS F70x15-inch Firestone white striped bias ply tires, 15×8-inch Rally wheels, four-clip beauty rings and correct hubcaps all point to this car being totally original.

Historically, this Corvette L71 has “been seen around” the Greater Pittsburgh area for most of its fifty years.  In 1981 it was owned by Harry Statowitz in indianola. By the early 2000s it was in the hands of Larry Tenorovich.  In 2006 it was purchased by a New Florence, Pennsylvania, Corvette collector named Bob Priest.  Priest had performed a basic engine rebuild on the original date code (“LT”) 427 big-block, 4.251-inch bore and 3.76-inch stroke, and cast-iron square-port “L71” big-block cylinder heads, using the original stock GM components.   In late 2007 Brian Henderson bought the car.  A Pennsylvania native, Brian  is co-owner of one of the most successful muscle car restoration shops in the country, Latrobe, Pennsylvania’s Super Car Workshop.  The car was purchased by the current owner in 2016.

The car has recently been sorted and its triple Holley 2 barrels have been rebuilt and tuned.   It represents a very rare opportunity to purchase a documented Yenko delivered L71 427/435 Corvette in outstanding original condition.