LOT 140
1968 Chevrolet Camaro TransAm Sports Racing Coupe – "The Mysterious No. 13" Identification no. TA/13 SCCA Roll Bar no. 005-7602
Sold for US$268,800 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 140
The Edelbrock Collection
Ex-Smokey Yunick Team, Ex-Al Unser/Lloyd Ruby, Ex-Don Yenko
1968 Chevrolet Camaro TransAm Sports Racing Coupe – "The Mysterious No. 13"
Ex-Smokey Yunick Team, Ex-Al Unser/Lloyd Ruby, Ex-Don Yenko
1968 Chevrolet Camaro TransAm Sports Racing Coupe – "The Mysterious No. 13"
1968 Chevrolet Camaro TransAm Sports Racing Coupe – "The Mysterious No. 13"
Identification no. TA/13
SCCA Roll Bar no. 005-7602
Identification no. TA/13
SCCA Roll Bar no. 005-7602
396ci OHV V8 Engine
Edelbrock 4-Barrel Carburetor
325bhp at 4,800rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
Independent Front Suspension, Live Rear Axle
4-Wheel Disc Brakes
*Infamously disqualified from the 1968 Daytona 24-Hour where Bruce McLaren was due to pilot the car
*Multiple Bonneville record holder
*Subsequently owned and driven to numerous victories by Camaro legend, Don Yenko
*Accompanied by its original acid dipped body panels
*A key pat of the Vic Edelbrock Collection since 1993
THE CAR OFFERED
This most handsomely presented 1968 TransAm Championship contender was built to compete in the Sports Car Club of America's (SCCA) road racing sedan series by NASCAR's stock-car great Henry 'Smokey' Yunick. Operating from his Daytona Beach 'Best Damn Garage in Town' premises, 'Smokey' was renowned throughout the racing world for his famously unique, lateral-thinking, interpretation of whatever might have been written in the relevant regulations.
Having been rescued from a deteriorated state by Vic Edelbrock Jr for his Edelbrock Collection, and as raced by him in 1990s Vintage events, this most admired and covetable projectile in its startling black-and-gold Yunick livery is offered here with a fine and race-winning competition history. It is accompanied by a comprehensive documentation file, notably including a Membership Certificate issued by the Historic TransAm Registry, Number: TA-013. In part this reads: "1968 Camaro built by Smokey Yunick. First known race was the 1968 Sebring TransAm. Car driven by Lloyd Ruby & Al Unser, tied for pole with Mark Donohue. Yunick raced the car in several NASCAR races in 1968 including the Daytona Paul Revere 250 with Bobby Unser driving. Sold to Don Yenko & Mike Summers in late 1968. Yenko won the 1969 Daytona Citrus 250. John Cleveland purchased car from Yenko. Last raced in 1978 SCCA run-offs at Road Atlanta. David Tom purchased car from John Cleveland. Sold to Vic Edelbrock in 1993."
There are additionally within the Edelbrock Collection's associated documentation file numerous original HMSA logbooks along with confirmation from that organisation of this car's assigned association number, 9506H021. The SCCA roll bar number of 005-7602-SCCA that is stamped into the structure is also clearly visible and has been confirmed to be correct by the HMSA.
The car was originally entered for the TransAm section of the 1968 Sebring 12-Hours by Samadco Ltd (Smoke Yunick) and it is notable indeed for having been driven then by USAC speedway-racing greats Lloyd Ruby and Al Unser (four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500-Miles classic, no less, in 1970-71-78-87). At Sebring the car was forced to retire after 43 laps.
In classic Yunick style it had been extensively lightened so that although superficially it seemed a stock Camaro its body panels had actually been acid-dipped, thinning them down and saving considerable weight. Such lightening work also extended to thinner window glass, while the car's front end had had been fared down and the windshield sloped subtly back, all to gain aerodynamic advantage. All four fenders had been widened, the front subframe modified to lower the car's front end while elevating the suspension pick-ups. Drip rails were hugged tightly into the body shell in search of even minute aerodynamic advantage. We understand that a connector to the engine oil system was extended into the car's interior to allow the driver to add oil from a pressurized hose during pit stops. The shoulder harness was modified to include a cable-ratchet mechanism from a military helicopter to give the driver sufficient freedom of movement. All of these modifications played a key role in the reason that the car was bounced from tech on numerous occasions. Having been thrown out at Riverside, Smokey took the car to Bonneville where he utilized both 302ci and 396ci Chevy engines and set dozens of speed and endurance records. It is also said that both Jim Hall and Mark Donohue tested the car on request of General Motors at Daytona.
When it reappeared during the 1969 season in Mike Summers' ownership, being prepared and driven by Don Yenko of Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, he immediately won the February 21 NASCAR Citrus 250 race at Daytona International Speedway. The event used the 3.81-mile road course there and actually covered 67 laps, 255 miles. Yenko started from pole position and led home a Chevrolet Camaro 1-2-3 parade, chased by the sister cars of Rusty Jowett and Larry Wallace. Don Yenko ran the car re-liveried in white, and later finished second in the SCCA National meet at Cumberland, seventh in the Canadian TransAm round at St Jovite-Mt Tremblant and 8th at the following Watkins Glen round.
It is understood that after completing its race programme with Don Yenko he passed the car on to three of his regular crew members who ran it until the late 1970s within SCCA Sedan competition.
The car finally came into the hands of its most recent and final keeper, Vic Edelbrock Jr after he acquired the car from former President of the Trans Am Registry, David Tom, founder of the Historic Trans-Am Registry and author of the highly-rated book The Cars of Trans-Am Racing.
Vic Edelbrock Jr spoke about the car in an interview with John R Wright, in which he described how he acquired it, recalling: "You know interesting cars show up in the oddest places. This fellow located the 1968 Smokey Yunick Camaro in Pennsylvania under a snow-bank. Just the front of the car was showing." Upon further research and after discussions with members of the Edelbrock team and family, Vic actually located the car in Syracuse, New York.
This much admired Edelbrock Collection 'Ex-Smokey Yunick' Chevrolet Camaro in the Daytona Beach-based team's renowned original colour scheme has long been preserved on display since it was campaigned in Historic Trans Am Racing by Vic and his daughters. We understand that some recommissioning work is desired prior to any potential return to the racetrack. It is accompanied by numerous original acid-dipped body panels plus numerous spare parts. The front grill is the same used in its debut at the Sebring 12-Hours. Overall this very well-known 1968 Camaro is assuredly one of the most interesting of all really prominent TransAm contenders.
This Edelbrock Collection TransAm Camaro has a traceable history from a wonderfully nostalgic era of much-admired specialist teams waving their respective manufacturers' banners upon a major road racing stage before really significant car-buying audiences. Its history is well presented within a very extensive documentation file accompanying the car, including numerous photographs showing its Yunick team activities in original form.
Bonhams|Cars recommends the closest possible consideration of this well regarded, well restored and very significant competition Chevrolet.
Footnotes
Sold on Bill of Sale
Saleroom notices
Please note the correct engine displacement is 305ci, not 396ci as stated in the printed catalogue.
Additional information
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