A rare 1970 Yenko Nova — one of only 175 built with the solid-lifter LT1 350 — lines up against a car most fans would never expect to see at a drag strip: a supercharged 1964 Studebaker Challenger R3 known on the Pure Stock circuit as “plain brown wrapper.” One car carries a legendary tuner’s name. The other carries a Paxton supercharger and a reputation for embarrassing far more famous machinery. Detailed specs, a genuine underdog story, and a finish line that does not care which badge looks better. Watch to see which one gets there first.
Posts Tagged: Yenko Nova
Chevrolet’s executives refused to build this car, worried that a compact this light with a 427 under the hood would be impossible to insure. Don Yenko simply moved the whole operation into his own shop instead, ordering L78 396 Novas and swapping in 427 power that made roughly 450 horsepower. Total production is usually put at 37 cars, with only around seven confirmed survivors. This Butternut Yellow example has been with owner Scott Cawley for 35 years. Read on for the full story.
