Last time we checked in with our friends in Tusla, the team at Brand New Muscle Car were prepping their new 1969 Yenko Camaro for paint. This is not new paint on a 50-year-old car, every part of this build is new. BNMC has partnered with OER for the best in GM-licensed parts. Now that the car is finished, allow us to highlight the finer points of this first-class build.
Sometimes a classic is too far gone. Instead of sending a rusty Camaro to the crusher, it can live on. The BNMC build process starts at the bottom, with a new subframe. While it has the dimensions of the first-generation cars, this solid foundation is not stamped. It is fabricated by Chis Alston’s ChassisWorks from steel plates and gusseted around the steering and control arm mounts.
The body then goes on a rotisserie to seal all the seams that GM left open in the old days. It is also when the optional subframe connectors and wider rear wheel tubs are installed. The car can be sealed because every panel is coated with EPD primer on both sides. Combined with modern metallurgy it makes corrosion a problem of the past.
Chassisworks also supplies reproduction Yenko wheels with several size and width options. Willwood supplies massive disc brakes that hide the double-adjustable coil-over suspension. If you desire the ultimate stance, air suspension is also optional. Once the car is rolling, the team spends hours perfecting the panel gaps. This tedious process involves welding, shimming the fenders, door latches, trunk hinges, and skim coat to make it straight as an arrow.
The bumpers and all trim are test-fitted and then its time for several coats of Axalta base & clear coat. Their full-downdraft spray booth allows for a mile-deep finish, then its time for some power. Don Yenko and his team built the ultimate Camaro by installing the Corvette’s 427 big block. It is easier to go bigger using a modern block, and fuel injection is easily hidden under the cowl-induction air cleaner. Choose from a traditional Muncie 4-speed, a new Tremec 6-speed, or the indestructible TH400 automatic transmission.
A new Yenko might look like 1969, but you will be riding on 2019 technology and performance. With the prices of original Yenkos surpassing everyone’s estimates, Brand New Muscle Car is the only authorized builder of Yenko Continuation cars. Each example is automatically entered into the Yenko Registry, with the same level of documentation as the originals. Although they specialize in first-gen Camaros, BNMC can use their same skills to bring any classic into the modern era. Click the link below to learn more and stay tuned for their next build!
