Bresee Chevrolet
 

Hi, I'm new to this site and I've been following the discussion areas for the past several weeks...great site!! I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Yenko shipped at least one Chevelle, four or five Camaros and a few Deuces to Bresee Chevrolet (still operating) in Syracuse, New York. I'm just wondering if any of these vehicles are still around, either locally or anywhere else? I faintly remember driving through the Moravia/Auburn, New York area several years ago and seeing a Yenko Chevelle sitting in a yard. I'm still kicking myself for not getting a better look. I don't know if this was the one sold through Bresee Chevy. Any info regarding the Bresee Yenkos would be great to hear about.

Thanks, Mike

Re: Bresee Chevrolet
 

hi mike!john k.from shelton,ct.my deuce was sold through bresee chevrolet,forest green 4spdw/ps.it wound up in the ct.area around 1975.i've had the car for 20yrs.i believe there are a couple of more deuces also from bresee chev that are still around!a few yenkos also in the ct area!just thought i'd let you know!nice to hear from you!
john

Re: Bresee Chevrolet
 

Mike, stop into the dealer and ask around. It was a long time ago but you never know if there is a son/daughter/nephew that may know something about the Yenkos. Ask about any old records, pictures, vin. no. etc..
Byrne Brothers Chevrolet was in White Planes, NY and sold Yenkos also.

Re: Bresee Chevrolet
 

I live about 10 mins from White Plains. Byrne Bros is no longer there.

Re: Bresee Chevrolet
 

Mike;
Bresee did indeed sell a bunch of Yenko cars. What color was the Yenko Chevelle that you saw years ago? If it was Daytona Yellow, then there is a good chance that it came from Bresee since they sold a D-Yellow 4speed which has not been found to my knowledge.

I know that some of the '69 Yenko Camaros from Bresee have been found, but to my knowledge the '68 Yenko Camaro has not been found and it was a non-COPO car.

The 4 Yenko Deuces that went to Bresee were a Forest Green 4speed with power steering that JohnK now owns in CT, a Huggar Orange a/t with p/s that is now restored in Erie, PA, a Cranberry Red a/t with p/s that is in a collection in Syracuse, NY and a Fathom Blue 4speed car that was reportedly wrecked on the lot when a snowplow took out several cars in an accident.

Keep searching,
M

Re: Bresee Chevrolet
 

Snowplow [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/confused.gif[/img] ?! What a way for a musclecar to die [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif[/img] .

Re: Bresee Chevrolet
 

Hey Marlin.....it's really nice to see you back! Your absence was certainly noticed!!!
Peter

Re: Bresee Chevrolet
 

Thanks Pete [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
I was trying to get my new computer hooked up with the cable access at home.
Pain the A$$, ehh?!?!?
M

Re: Bresee Chevrolet
 

Good to see you back Marlin!

Re: Bresee Chevrolet
 

Thanks everyone for the replys. It's great to know that alot of these cars have been saved...especially being from the snow belt.
Marlin, the Chevelle I saw was cranberry red (maroon?)with a black vinyl top and white strips? As far as the Daytona Yellow Chevelle, a good friend of mine told me he had a friend in Auburn, NY that once had a yellow Chevelle with the Yenko striping. His friend has been restoring it several years ago. I thought he was pulling my leg but maybe not. I'll have to dig deeper. I didn't know about the '68 Camaro. Anyway to trace Non-COPO cars? As far as the '69 Camaro's do you know what the colors were for those Bresee cars?

Thanks again for the info.

Mike

Re: Bresee Chevrolet
 

A question for you New York people? Does anyone out there know if Bergland Chevy in Jamestown, NY. sold any Yenkos? in some sales brochures I have seen Bergland's named mentioned. My wife is from there and she said they did sell some Camaros, but I have not seen any listed as coming from there. She also said ther was a Lemans Blue Camaro with white stripes in town for quite a few years.

Re: Bresee Chevrolet
 

Mike;
The Yenko Chevelle you saw was probably Garnet Red, and is worth retracing your steps to see what happened to it.

The '68 Yenko Camaro would be difficult to find since it appears to have been a race car from day 1. The fact that it is a non-COPO doesn't make it any harder/easier to find than a COPO car. It was orig. owned by a machine shop in Syracuse.

The '69 Yenko Camaros that Bresee sold included, but not limited to, the following:

Huggar Orange, 4sp
Huggar Orange, a/t, p/s, v/t
Lemans Blue, 4sp
Lemans Blue, 4sp, p/s, v/t
Lemans Blue, 4sp - found
Rallye Green, 4sp - found


T-Bill;
Berglund in Jamestown, NY sold two '67 Yenko Camaros. They were stock numbers 728 and 729, and were both 4sp - so they were the higher horsepower versions. Not sure on the Lemans Blue '69's.
M

Re: Bresee Chevrolet
 

Maybe I can save you all sometime. Back in the late seventies I worked for Bresee Chevy as a poop boy, prepping new cars while going to college. I remember asking allot of question to my buddies in the parts department about the Yenko cars that were sold their. By this time some remembered a few details but many had either forgotten or moved on. But anyways I chatted with Jeff Crouse, the president of Bresee not too long ago and quizzed him on the Yenko cars again that came into Bresee back in 69, 70 time frame attempting to jar his memory. The obvious question of;Is their any documentation or pictures anywhere remaining was asked,The answer was NO. It's a rather lengthy story but back in the late '60s there was a mechanic who I was told that actually got these Yenko cars to Bresee. The owners weren't that enthusiastic about it. The racer whom I have talked with was running a 69 Camaro around Syracuse as well into the PA. area. That's where he came across the guys who owned a SYC and had the info on obtaining them from or through the SPAN program. Upon arrival back to Bresee he the racer talked to the sales manager and owner and with the ok from Bill Dunn, Jeff uncle and owner during that period Bresee was on the band wagon. The first Bresee Yenko car was said to have been sold to an area doctor, the remaining came in quickly and where gone faster yet, mainly to boys with bucks I was told. The Yenkos at Bresee were a novelty, much like todays anniversary cars that come once in a while. Jeff said he recalls driving the cars around the dealership but as far as specifics he had very little. At about the same time as these cars were coming in, Jeff was being called to duty in the Army,Vietnam era. The Yenko thing was not looked at as a big marketing tool but rather filled the needs of a few hard core racers that competed with the Ford boy in Syracuse. Jeff said that he has had people stop by to ask about these cars but like I said he can't offer much. As for Bill Dunn he still stops by the dealership nearly everyday. He is old now and asking a question like this to him is a mute point I was told. But on a bright note I work only 5 minutes from the place and stop into the parts department nearly every week to buy Camaro parts for my projects and to shoot the bull a bit with some old buddies. I have contacted the original mechanic that worked to get these cars into Bresee. I will be seeing him soon. He resided in the south and still owns an original COPO car that he bought new from Bresee in 69. I'm hoping that he will have what I'm looking for.. If and when I get more info I will update this thread. Those wanting numbers as in what came through Bresee can jump to the COPO site and see what was sold at Bresee. But further information suggests that the Yenko numbers are on the low side as far as how many they got from Don. As with most dealerships time has erased the past. As with many throughout the US, The original dealerships that during the time of experimentation with Supercars are either gone or on the brink of being taken over by the car mall attitude. But I will say this; as a kid growing up in the area, I can still hear the squealing of tires as the happy racers and car nuts loaded up their trunks with item that we would kill for today. I will update you when I chat with a few long lost racers from the Bresee area.

Wacky