Everybody has their own idea of what the “ultimate pony car” is. Some say that the latest fuel injected offerings from Dodge, Ford and Chevrolet are the best pony cars ever made, and anything older than 2005 is now nothing more than an underpowered relic. Here at the powerTV offices, we’re a little more optimistic.

Backing our theory is the evidence that lies within the ’69 Yenko Camaro S/C. It wasn’t the first Camaro, nor was it even the first Yenko Camaro, as Don Yenko had previously worked his magic on the 1967 and 1968 models.

But many consider the ’69 to be the paramount of Camaro design and style. We’re not here to argue, as the number of different styling, performance, trim, and convenience options was somewhere well into the hundreds.

But the Yenko S/C was special. It was based on what would have otherwise been an entry level Camaro with standard black interior, but it had all of the hardware one might find in an SS variant; components such as a 4.10-geared posi-traction rear end, 4-core aluminum radiator, and a thicker front stabilizer bar. But this wasn’t even the best part of the car; the best part was what was underneath the hood!

Somehow, Don was able to convince the top brass at GM to fit the L-72 427ci, 425hp big block from the Corvette between the fenders of the Camaro at a time when there was a 400-plus-cubic-inch ban on all intermediate and smaller passenger cars.

Previously, Yenko was forced to order 396-equipped SS Camaros in ’67 and ’68, and then had to perform the 427 transplant in house. But for ’69 he discovered a loophole in the system, and as a result, a total of 201 copies were built (in a variety of colors). Each car was available with a choice of either the Muncie M-21 4-speed (171 produced), or the Turbo 400 3-speed automatic (30 produced).

Once the Camaro’s reached the Canonsburg, Pennsylvania dealership, they were fitted with a cowl-induction hood, front and rear spoilers, and exclusive Yenko graphics and emblems. Don kept some to sell out of his own dealership, but sent most of the other copies to different dealers around the country.

Finding a legit Yenko Camaro today can be somewhat of a difficulty, partly because of their original rarity, but mostly because it is one of the most faked collector cars on the classic car market today. In fact, the very car in these pictures (for sale here on eBay) is a clone or what the seller calls a “recreation.”

But maybe if you’re a persistent millionaire (unlike all of us), you can just mosey on over to any of the big name auctions like Barrett-Jackson or Russo and Steele, and expect to pay well into the six-figures for the real thing, which is a bit of a bargain, considering someone paid $2.2 million for one back in 2008, right before the collapse of the economy.  Most of these have fallen off of the face of the Earth – for example: of the original 30 automatic cars, only two are left known to exist. So unless you’re a millionaire, happy dreaming!