In the heat of the 1960s muscle car wars, Chevrolet’s brand-new Camaro entered the ring as a direct challenger to the wildly popular Ford Mustang.

While the standard Camaro offered a streamlined appearance and a more refined ride, a legendary Chevrolet dealer from Pennsylvania named Don Yenko knew a select group of buyers wanted more.

He found a way to create an undisputed king of the streets, and one of these exceptionally rare machines, a 1967 Yenko Super Camaro 450, is now heading to the RM Sotheby’s auction in Monterey.

The story of the Yenko Super Camaro begins with a thorough study of corporate policy. At the time, General Motors had a strict internal rule that prohibited engines larger than 400 cubic inches in its mid-size cars. To build his ultimate Camaro, Yenko used the Central Office Production Order (COPO) system.

This special-order pipeline, normally reserved for fleet vehicles like police cruisers and taxis, was the only way to get a Camaro factory-equipped with the formidable L72 427-cubic-inch Big Block V8.

This wasn’t just any engine; it was a race-bred powerhouse with 11.0:1 compression, a forged steel crank, a radical solid-lifter cam, and a massive Holley 800 cfm carburetor, all working together to produce a tire-shredding 450 horsepower.

With the potent COPO Camaro as his canvas, Yenko partnered with famed drag racer and tuner Dick Harrell to transform the cars into balanced performance machines. The duo systematically upgraded every aspect of the vehicle to handle the massive power.

Yenko’s dealership added metallic brakes, a heavy-duty clutch and pressure plate, an upgraded cooling system, and a tweaked suspension. Harrell then dialed in the drivetrain, installing a Muncie M21 close-ratio four-speed transmission, a tough 12-bolt rear axle with a 3.73 Positraction gearset, traction bars for improved launches, and lightweight 15-inch wheels.

A distinctive fiberglass Corvette-style hood with a “stinger” scoop replaced the factory steel, and a Stewart Warner tachometer was strapped to the steering column, providing crucial information to the driver.

This Yenko Super Camaro represents a golden era when visionary dealers could build and sell the kind of cars the factories themselves wouldn’t dare to produce. It is a street-legal race car born from a partnership between two performance legends.

For the collector who wins the bid in Monterey this August, they won’t just be acquiring a rare vehicle; they’ll be taking home one of the most significant and sought-after dealership-built supercars ever created.