Waiting for the sting

Anticipation is building for several cars about to cross the
many auction blocks across the Monterey
area, and one of those at Russo and Steele is a 1966 Corvair.

Before you burst into a hearty laugh that would make Ralph
Nader smirk, this isn’t just any Corvair, but a Yenko Stinger, one of 100 built
by Don Yenko for racing in SCCA competition. The car that will be offered at
the Russo and Steele auction is a 220-hp Stage III car, one of five believed to
have been built.

The vendor purchased the car 95-percent restored and left
with a few things to wrap up, including rebuilding the special carburetors,
which had to be taken to a special shop to complete.

The source of the anticipation is largely because no one
knows what it’s worth, not even the owner. According this Yenko Corvair’s
owner, only one other Yenko Stinger has appeared in a public sale, and it was
still a serious race car, not one restored to its as-delivered configuration in
which even the glovebox lamp still works, as on this one. As a pricing nerd,
learning the value of such a rare car is fascinating to me. I’ll keep you
posted what this rare bird sells for, but in the meantime, here are some
interesting Yenko Stinger facts, learned from the owner, to peruse before the
car crosses this block this Saturday evening.

Yenko Stinger equipment:

3.89 axle ration

Factory roll bar

Widened wheels (not all Yenko Stingers have these special
wheels)

Three body tags, including a fleet-order tag

Special Yenko oil pan, headers and air cleaners