TimG,
Can you post price and address for the hat?
JoeC,
Yes, to your question regarding, "did Jack Douglass keep records". He kept a traditional Deal Jacket with copies of all info pertinant to the deal, just as any dealer probably would have.
These Jackets/files were stored in filing cabinets and over time were moved to a near by storage facility. The files accumulated and Survived the Dealership, but did not survive a subsequent fire.
I would agree that the listed Yenkos as well as other listed Super Cars were very easy to chase based on just their vin numbers.(This has also made them very easy to rebody).
Many were found this way. See Ed Cuneen's COPO Connection Web site regarding vins for the found Douglass Yenkos.
I was told a story recently, of a title searched, by vin, ZL1, which was driven to the purchasers home by the seller because he was so eager to get his $3,000.00 selling price.
(read: the Buyer was to lazy to go pick it up.)
The Body of knowledge has been maintained mostly by hard core enthusiasts ,over the years. COPO Connection has the most comprehensive accumulation of Douglass info.
Ed, has been formally recording and gathering this info since the early 1980's. Local COPO archeologists (such as initials, M.B.) have been also following these and other special COPOs, for just as long.
Even the enthusiasts at CRG (Camaro Research Group) have been recording and maintaining info on the Douglass Yenkos.
We still get the local stories at criuse nights about yeah me and my buddy went and Bought one of those Yenko 427 Camaros right off the Dealers lot back in late 1969. The Camaros and Chevelles were lined up in front of the dealership, ready for sale.
A few other key components such as the the COPOs themselves are important. These alone tell most of the story. NICB reports, title histories, old pictures .ect .ect.
The best aspect is that Jack Douglass, his then General Manager ,Tom Dumass as well as many other Dealer employees are still with us today. Even Jack's son John is a wealth of information.
Jack even laid out his old Yenko Demo ride route for me. It is a bit more conjested today however, than back in 1969.
He recalls his sales people envoking rolling 1/4 mile blasts as a tool to help close the sale.
It was the efforts of Jack Douglass and his dealership team ,as an established "Mean ones" Yenko Sports Car distributor, which allowed most all the local Chicago Land Yenko Legends to be perpetuated.
It has been no doubt a difficult task to find and Document his COPOs, but it has been very worth while. I can't even find one of his documented L78 cars ,which I desire to own.
The difficulty though, is one aspect which makes these COPOs cherished if not nationally, then certainly locally.
With only 22-25 ever produced and sold, I feel fortunate to have one.
