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Corvair Race Car: 1966 Yenko Stinger Stage 3

1966 Yenko Stinger

The Corvair is not the first car that comes to mind when talking about racing, but there were actually some serious race Corvairs built back in the day. This is one of those machines. It is a 1966 Yenko Stinger and it came from the factory as a race car. Few probably even knew that Yenko got ahold of a few Corvairs to build these track machines. This car has documented history and has been professionally restored so it is not going to go cheap. Find it here on eBay with bidding at $50k and the BIN at $82k! The car is located in Ozark, Missouri and the auction has about five days left.

1966 Yenko Stinger Side

This is the most expensive Corvair we have ever seen, but it is also the best we have ever seen. Yenko built 100 of these in 1966 for homologation in SCCA racing. They came from Yenko with stiff suspension, quick steering box, and dual master cylinder brakes. Power was put to the road with wider wheels and the body was lightened up with a few fiberglass panels. This car has been completely restored using many NOS parts.

1966 Yenko Stinger Engine

Here is the original air cooled engine. It features four Rochester carbs on top of Yenko headers. Yenko literature rates the stage 3 Stinger engine at 220 horsepower! According to the seller, there were only four or five cars produced in this Stage 3 SCCA D Production race form.

1966 Yenko Stinger Interior

Nothing too special here, but the interior does look like it just came from the showroom. We wonder how well those seats keep the driver from sliding around while out on the track. This car was raced extensively as proven by the photos and details posted on thiscrazygarage.com. The car was even used in the movie, Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo during a few of the race scenes.

1966 Yenko Stinger Back Seat

Here is a shot of the back seat and the factory installed roll bar. This car was obviously built to be used during the week and then driven to the track and raced on the weekend. We wish manufacturers were still putting out cars like this. Can you imagine putting an order in for a factory race car? The asking price seems very high here, but with all the documented history and the thorough restoration it may be worth it. If nothing else, it was fun to learn about this interesting vintage race car.

Comments

  1. Avatar fred

    Corvairs are so underrated.

    Like 1
  2. Avatar Gary

    WOW!!! I want one!

    Like 0
  3. Avatar john

    Sold my 1965 v-8 Corvair 2 years ago , I was glad to get rid of it , too much horsepower for the trans-axle . I kept popping in-put shafts do to engine was right over the back tires or should I say slicks! When I had a 305 small block nothing came apart but the warmed over 350 I put in trashed a lot of parts!

    Like 0
  4. Avatar john

    Sold my 1965 v-8 Corvair 2 years ago , I was glad to get rid of it , too much horsepower for the trans-axle . I kept popping in-put shafts do to engine was right over the back tires or should I say slicks! When I had a 305 small block nothing came apart but the warmed over 350 I put in trashed a lot of parts!

    Like 0
  5. Avatar J. Pickett

    You may remember that the Pontiac Tempest up through 63 used a modified Corvair transaxle. Heard about a guy once who bought one with the newly optional 326 Pontiac v8. Pontiac wisely only sold it in automatic or 3 speed, cause the gears were stronger. Anyway he decided one day to replace the stock 2bl. with a tripower off of a family members Bonneville, (the blocks were the same) and first hole shot bam exploded the transaxle. Then supposedly switched back the manifolds dirtied it up and got the dealer to cover it on warranty.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Foxy

    I thought the new dodge challenger was sold in a race only version when it first came out. I remember reading about it in Hotrod Mag.

    Like 0
  7. Avatar john

    Challenger , My new dream car ! I drove the old type with the Magnum 383 and it was very close to a beast but there were other cars at the time that would beat it = like the 440 Charger= Dart GTS and of coarse the vets and early GTO’s with the 389 tri-power. The small 64 GTO (tempest body was and still is the fastest I’ve been on 4 wheels = Down and around the bottom of the Speedometer to about 15 MPH on the other side , I’m thinkin about 160 with me riding shotgun and my hands on the dash and screaming ! I was 16 at the time!

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Bob Ginn

    V-8 Corvair builders were using Heavy duty transmissions built by desert racers for v-8, v-6 competition dune buggys. The stock trans was Saganaw four speed. There were several gear ratios available. Cooling had to be designed carefully: with front mounted radiators

    Like 0
  9. Avatar john

    Yeah Bob it had the double front radiators when I got it from a doctor who raced it in rally’s (it had Poor cooling I know because the instrumentation on that car was inclusive” gauges everywhere) so I changed to a slanted rear truck radiator with twin fans and a large rear window air scoop! This helped tremendously! Funny thing throw previous to the 305 the doctor had in it a guy ran a 327 with two fours and according to friends it hauled ass but only used small tires and he did not drag race it like I did.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Francis Wright

    Didn’t know Chevrolet had a rear mounted V-8 in a Corvair. Since the Corvair was air cooled. Just say’in.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar J. Pickett

    All v8 Corvairs were owner built. Chevy never offered one. But in car mags. of the time kits were offered! I think it was the same company that offered kits to put Corvair engines in VW’s If you look in 60’s car mags you will find the adds for both.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Bob Ginn

    If you are interested in Corvairs, check out “Clarks Corvairs” at http://www.corvairs.com. he has a lot of stuff, including v-8 kits.Most of the V-8 conversion were in the ’66 -69 monza versions. I once saw a Buick Turbo V-6, “grand national” conversion in a a ’67 convertable.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar sheldon brunn

    there was a guy here in denver co. that had a 426 hemi in a corvair. he had 2 four barrel carbs sticking out the back window. awsome machine,haven’t seen that one in awhile.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Cadmanls Member

    Had more than a few of these so called unsafe automobiles. Everything from a 60 model with the gasoline heater to my last being a 66 Monza. Found a trashed 65 turbo car and moved parts over to the 66. That car was amazing and would scare if not get most cars under 300 cubic inches, not completely stock. Nothing could catch these cars on rough secondary road due to low center of gravity and independent suspension. Oh by the way guys 66 and up Chevy used the bigger Muncie gears in the 4 speed, those are the gearboxes to use with the Crown conversion.

    Like 0

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