Yenko Camaro SC Step 3: Displacement of 7 liters and 1,520 hp

Special Vehicle Engineering (SVE) from Toms River (US state of New Jersey), located approximately 86 km southwest of New York City, is closely associated with GM and even more closely with GM’s Chevrolet brand. Chevrolet will end production of the Camaro in 2024 – nothing is known about the true successor. But Chevrolet will not let its Camaro go down without a fault: SVE is now launching a version with 1,520 hp (1,500 HP) and a manual transmission.

A high performance variant of the Camaro is coming to market under the name Yenko. Yenko has a reputation among muscle car fans: American racing driver Don Yenko, who died in 1987 when the Cessna 210M he was piloting died in 1987, rose to fame with the Yenko Stinger Stage 1-3 Chevrolet Corvair series second with Yenko. The Camaro he developed. When Chevrolet released the Camaro in 1966, factory regulations required its V8 to be no more than 400 cubic inches (6,555 cubic centimeters).

The performance tops of the group were reserved for the Chevrolet Corvette and Pontiac GTO. The manufacturers of the Camaro’s direct competitors Ford (Mustang), Plymouth (Barracuda) and Dodge (Dart) did not impose any such personal restrictions, which resulted in performance losses for Chevrolet. Don Yenko was upset by this – he ordered a Camaro SS with an L78 engine and installed an L72 engine from a Corvette with 6,997 cc. The Corvette engine had the equivalent of a displacement of 427 cubic inches – 427 is considered the magic number by muscle car fans. And the 427 now returns to the new Yenko Camaro.

Stage 1 and 2 with the original engine

SVE has already given the Camaro two Yenko performance upgrades: Stage 1 delivers 1,166 HP (1,150 HP) while Stage 2 has 1,216 HP (1,200 HP). The base is always the Camaro SS 1LE with all the high performance features found in the old works. Chevy’s 6.2-liter LT1 V8 is always used as the engine for the first two performance levels. low electricity; fitted separately with Recaro performance seats. While SVE increases the displacement of the LT1 engine for stages 1 and 2 from 6.2 to 6.8 liters (from 378 to 416 cubic inches) and puts a compressor in the unit, the stage 3 gets a completely different engine.

Stage 3 with 7-liter V8

The Yenko Camaro’s Stage 3 V8 is considered GM’s iron pig: the 6.6-liter unit usually works in the company’s pickup trucks. The SVE increases displacement to seven liters, which corresponds to the aforementioned 427 cubic inches. The compressor also ensures more oxygen in the combustion chambers and an increase in stage 3 performance. There are also internal engine improvements such as a forged steel crankshaft, forged aluminum pistons and I-connecting rods, which, unlike lighter connecting rods with H profile, they can withstand very high pressure. There is also an improved valve train and intake system designed for higher airflow as well as boost pressure control. The end result is 1,520 hp and a maximum torque of 1,350 Newton meters – if there is the right fuel in the tank. The 7-liter V8 only reaches its peak performance when fueled with 100 octane — SVE, for example, recommends Sunoco 260 GT racing gasoline.

6-speed manual transmission

In stage 3 of the performance, the driver does manual shifting: the SVE prefers a six-speed manual gearbox because Chevy’s ten-speed automatic transmission can have problems with torque.

The Stage 3 Yenko Camaro SC can be visually recognized by its hood and air scoop. The hood itself is always made of carbon, but painted the color of the car. The YSC logo on the front hood represents the Yenko Super Car. There are also Yenko crest badges for the radiator grille, fenders and rear. Side stripes are optional, a large rear spoiler is standard with a 3-stage adjustment. In the interior there are Yenko door sills and Yenko embroidery for the headrests and floor mats.

100 copies

While SVE produces 50 examples of performance levels 1 and 2, 100 Yenko Camaros with performance level 3 are produced. Sales are through GM dealers in the US and Canada only. Since the Stage 3 model does not meet California emissions regulations, it can only be used in racing events there – the car is street legal in other US states. Prices for the Yenko Camaros are not yet known.