1969 Chevrolet Yenko Camaro
Under the hood of this yellow Chevy Yenko Camaro lies a L72 427 V-8 engine that puts out 450 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, mated to a three-speed automatic transmission. It has a compression ratio of 11:1. This particular car has upgraded 4.33 rear gears. The Yenko tips the scales at 3,696 pounds.
1970 Ford Torino Super Cobra Jet
Moving on, we’ve got this feisty red Ford Torino Super Cobra Jet from 1970. Under the hood, you’ll find a 429 V-8 mill that’s rated at 375 horsepower and 450 pound-feet. It has a compression ratio of 11.3:1. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. Not so highway-friendly 4.57 rear gears on this bad boy that weighs in at 4108 pounds with driver.
The Race
The showdown took place on a chilly but clear day
With that, let’s hit the track to see what’s what. The conditions were decent for a good day of racing. A bit chilly, but it was a clear day. This was a single heads-up time trail race.
The lights on the tree turned green and drivers in both cars had the perfect reaction time. The Torino did get the better start of the two cars, however, the Yenko came back to bite it hard. Beyond the midway point, the Chevy began to pull a lead on the Ford and by the line, it was all over for the Torino. The Chevy Camaro clocked in a ¼ mile time of 12 seconds flat at 115.53 mph while the Ford managed the same distance in 12.72 seconds at 108.83 mph.
To Sum It Up
So, I guess it was the Torino’s extra weight over the Yenko that cost it this race. But I’m surprised how well the Tornio was able to hang on. A 429 Mustang against this Big block Chevy, now that would have been more like it, isn’t it? Watch this space.