Fathers Lost Yenko Chevelle #358034 Butternut

[GMC_Typhoon]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cworkman2</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I'm still debating on what to do, when I first started on this journey of looking for the car it was more of just knowing it existed. I had been under the impression that the car had more than likely been sold by some family member years ago and that I would find someones signature or someone would come forward and admit to it. C'mon it's been almost 40 years..it's not like I could hold a grudge. But the reality of it all is that there has been no definitive answer about how it ended up where it is now. So it leads me to believe that somewhere down the line there is a shadow over it,and what makes things even more askewed is that my attempts to contact the person who may possess the car wont even speak with me. I'm not demanding anything, asking for anything other than a few min to get some details straight. I know to all of you guys this is a Yenko, to me, it's my dads car. To my fathers friends, it was Carls' car. I know most of you on here are restorers and hard core enthusiast, I understand that, and I have no problem with you questioning my motives. I will tell you this, I'm not out trying to make a buck...I'm not out to get a car that I'm going to flip on some auction site, this is not about that. If you read any of these posts, you know I never knew my father, he passed when I was 6 months old...and many of you may say &quot;boo hoo&quot;, and I'm not gonna get into semantic over it, but for me..this is a piece of my father. These pictures I post, they aren't select ones pulled from volumes...they are the ones all of the family has, no birthday parties, no football photos, no fun at camp.......each one has that car in it. My mom told me that the bulk of their relationship revolved around her sitting in the passenger seat and talking to him thru the floorboards cause he was constantly adjusting the clutch. So you tell me, am I greedy or something for wanting a piece of that. I would be content to find a hump of junk in a field in Colorado if i knew it was his car, but its not...its a Yenko. The sad part is I would of never had a chance to find it if it wasn't, I started looking for this car when I was 9. I called the Oxford, Mi police department and wanted to report it stolen. I didn't even know the Vin then...I just knew it was a yellow chevelle. So I imagine someone is asking what I would do if it came back to my family...you want to know what i would do... drive it. Yep...go up to Manton, Mi and pick up my fathers cousin Andy and my fathers friend Charlie. I would take them out for a ride... I would do the same for my mother and my aunt Rene... I would take it to his grave in Oxford and let him see it again. That is what I would do. But right now I'm making no accusations or claims, I'm not pointing fingers and naming names. I just want to get the right, correct and truthful story I can. I am willing to talk or mail anyone about what I'm saying either call me or PM me...I'm very open and offer only respect and gratitude to all of the people who have helped me on here.
Thank you again
Chris </div></div>
Sorry about your Dad's passing.I did a little research and found that he died as a passenger in a car wreck.
It seems to me that maybe your Dad's car just slipped between the cracks.Hopefully you can get to the bottom of what is the truth.

[Cworkman2]

Actually he passed while driving a motorcycle..I have read that obit before. Thank you for the kind words..

[69hurstSC]

Very, very well stated. This exact sentiment is why my siblings and I searched long and hard to find my dad's brother's 69 SS Impala. Though it wasn't my dad's car, he was the catalyst that got his brother into Impala's. And since his brother has passed, this car was EXACTLY what reminded him of the times they had together.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cworkman2</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I'm still debating on what to do, when I first started on this journey of looking for the car it was more of just knowing it existed. I had been under the impression that the car had more than likely been sold by some family member years ago and that I would find someones signature or someone would come forward and admit to it. C'mon it's been almost 40 years..it's not like I could hold a grudge. But the reality of it all is that there has been no definitive answer about how it ended up where it is now. So it leads me to believe that somewhere down the line there is a shadow over it,and what makes things even more askewed is that my attempts to contact the person who may possess the car wont even speak with me. I'm not demanding anything, asking for anything other than a few min to get some details straight. I know to all of you guys this is a Yenko, to me, it's my dads car. To my fathers friends, it was Carls' car. I know most of you on here are restorers and hard core enthusiast, I understand that, and I have no problem with you questioning my motives. I will tell you this, I'm not out trying to make a buck...I'm not out to get a car that I'm going to flip on some auction site, this is not about that. If you read any of these posts, you know I never knew my father, he passed when I was 6 months old...and many of you may say &quot;boo hoo&quot;, and I'm not gonna get into semantic over it, but for me..this is a piece of my father. These pictures I post, they aren't select ones pulled from volumes...they are the ones all of the family has, no birthday parties, no football photos, no fun at camp.......each one has that car in it. My mom told me that the bulk of their relationship revolved around her sitting in the passenger seat and talking to him thru the floorboards cause he was constantly adjusting the clutch. So you tell me, am I greedy or something for wanting a piece of that. I would be content to find a hump of junk in a field in Colorado if i knew it was his car, but its not...its a Yenko. The sad part is I would of never had a chance to find it if it wasn't, I started looking for this car when I was 9. I called the Oxford, Mi police department and wanted to report it stolen. I didn't even know the Vin then...I just knew it was a yellow chevelle. So I imagine someone is asking what I would do if it came back to my family...you want to know what i would do... drive it. Yep...go up to Manton, Mi and pick up my fathers cousin Andy and my fathers friend Charlie. I would take them out for a ride... I would do the same for my mother and my aunt Rene... I would take it to his grave in Oxford and let him see it again. That is what I would do. But right now I'm making no accusations or claims, I'm not pointing fingers and naming names. I just want to get the right, correct and truthful story I can. I am willing to talk or mail anyone about what I'm saying either call me or PM me...I'm very open and offer only respect and gratitude to all of the people who have helped me on here.
Thank you again
Chris </div></div>

[tom999q]

Well no matter what your motives are, if it was taken illegally, then that needs to be sorted out by legal means...

[SS4Real]

If the car legally belongs to your family, I hope that gets sorted out fairly to all parties based on applicable law. I was at the AF Academy in Colorado Springs from 1976 to 1980 when I graduated. I remember cruising Nevada Ave where all the guys from Fort Carson with hot cars would cruise. Your dad's friends will remember that street for sure and you might ask them about it. The enlisted guys at Fort Carson did not like the cadets at the AF Academy and it made for some good fun back then as a lot of guys at the Academy who would later become fighter pilots loved and owned some fast Corvette's.

[Charley Lillard]

My understanding is the orig. owner has vast knowledge of the car and is going to post here. Car is currently owned by someone that has not been contacted and does not want to be contacted. There has supposedly been legal ownership of this car for as long as anyone can remember.

[tom999q]

Hmm, When I contacted the original owner they sure were not forthcoming with information, didn't care to know new information about the car, were not friendly, and also never returned my follow-up correspondence...

[Cworkman2]

Ok. I want to clear up a few things and diffuse some potential arguments.
As of today I have had a personal conversation with the original owner, he contacted me first and was very open about the car and it's history from what he knows personally. I inquired about the current owner but he did not feel comfortable in providing that information to me and I respect his right to keep that knowledge. He had told me that he knew it had changed hands and that the person I assumed had sold the car to another collector.
As for the legal ownership of the car, as I have stated in the past and as I continue to learn about what happened to the car during the period after August of 1975, after his death my mother never signed any document relinquishing ownership nor was ever provided with any legal paperwork regarding abandoned property. Until I am able to solidify any foundation to the history of the car during those times I will not accuse anyone of wrong doing. As far as I'm concerned from the time the car left Colorado it was assumed to be clear of title and sale. Until information is uncovered otherwise I will not entertain any drama or slighted speculation. This is an extremely personal and emotional roller coaster for me and I thank each and every person on here for their help and insight. I am certain there different schools of though on this subject and I respect all of them and do not wish to get into a shouting match or &quot;he said, they said&quot; argument. I respect the right of the current owner wishing not to be contacted and they will not be unless there is a definitive reason for such an event to happen. As I've stated in the past, I am willing to converse with anyone regarding this car and feel free to PM me if you so wish. I check the site daily and hopefully those who I've talked to in the past will vouch for my professionalism and respect.
Thank you.
Chris Workman

[Cworkman2]

Additionally, these are photos that until yesterday,I had never seen. There were provided to me by my fathers cousin who was stationed with him at Fort Carson and I had never met. I thought I would share this with all of you who love these cars and to honor my dad who loved his. Btw, I have more photos of the car and my father with his arm around it than I do of him and mother... thought you'd all get a kick out of that.





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[Steve Shauger]

I'm posting this for a friend, who happens to be the original owner of this Yenko Chevelle.


Hi I'm Clarence, the guy who purchased this car from GATES CHEVROLET in Indiana. They opened the doors and I drove it out ...so much of this is just like it was back then. I broke the mirror off in the drive in and replaced with racing mirrors, I sprayed the emblems and tried to get the stripes off. Every time I was in it I got a ticket, some times my fault sometimes just because of the stripes. I tried to trade the 427 for a small block. I knew I would be drafted soon so I just let it go. Back then no one wanted a wore out race car. I let my young brother have the car when I got drafted he was soon arrested and put in jail for street competition. We sold the car I think somewhere around $1800. The last time I saw it ,it was at a small store near Oxford Michigan and It was looking pretty sad with black wall tires and no hubcaps. When I got out of the army I almost bought another Yenko, it was butternut yellow with black top automatic and for sale for $800. It was near Indianapolis, and I didn't buy it because the trans slipped. Fast forward a few years, my son wanted to find the car after all the stories he had heard, and I still have pictures. I will post some if I can ..I guess that is what all these cars are about are the memories.


Chris I don’t think I would be upset with any of your fathers family, back then these cars were just trouble , needed gas and tires all the time
I don't think any of us knew they would be worth anything or we would have taken more care of them....

Clarence Thompson