PLAINCLOTHES POWERHOUSE

DON YENKO was a successful businessman, car builder, racer, and, by all accounts, a decent piano player. The man was also something of a fashionista.

In photos taken throughout his life, Yenko was always dressed for the occasion: sharp suits with the correct-width tie and pocket square; turtlenecks under patterned blazers; and in the pits at races, crisp driving suits with sunglasses.

It’s no wonder that the cars Yenko built from the 1960s to the ’80s were also styled for maximum appeal. His shop’s most prolific year came in 1969, and he made sure those modified Chevrolets stood out by limiting the color palette to a few distinctive hues, complemented by signature Yenko graphics and emblems.

Something else made those ’69 cars stand out: They were factory-built with 427 engines, through a backdoor into the Chevrolet Fleet