In the glory days of the muscle car, Chevrolet dealers would sometimes manipulate GM’s centralized ordering system to whip up some crazy concoctions with performance parts not normally available on regular production cars from the Bowtie brand. Nowadays, the COPO cars (as they’re known, in honor of GM’s Central Office Production Order system) can bring in huge bucks, as collectors strive to snap up the remaining cars built by Yenko and other notable dealerships.

Fast forward a few decades, and two dealerships, DeNooyer Chevrolet in Albany N.Y, and NeSmith Chevrolet, which has two location Georgia, are reviving this trend by using parts from GM’s Performance Parts catalog. NeSmith’s car puts down 700 horsepower from an LS9 V8 (the same type used in the Corvette ZR1) but will run you $125,000. The DeNooyer car uses a GM crate engine, known as the LSX454, that puts down 620 horsepower.

More information can be found at www.nesmithnow.com, www.denooyerperformancedivision.com as well as www.gmperformanceparts.com

[Source: GM Inside News]

With some of the wacky Camaros over at GM’s booth, the Yenko Camaro concept at the OER booth looks rather unassuming – but isn’t that what a Yenko is all about after all? With the Yenko name owned by General Marketing Capital Incorporated (GMCI), the company has decided to resurrect the brand and hopes to begin production of Yenko models once again.

The first step in that process is this car, the Yenko/SC concept. Along with a subtle aero kit and graphics package, the 2010 Yenko Camaro gets a new set of 22-inch SYC wheels, StopTech brakes, a MagnaFlow exhaust, a Hurst shifter and (as the name suggests) a supercharger under the hood.

Yenko marketing director Ray Yager told us that while a lot of folks might be looking for an engine swa (in true Yenko style), the idea for Yenko Camaros was to make an affordable performance car. Needless to say, a GM crate engine is far more expensive than the MagnaCharger blower currently under the hood. And the result is still a very impressive 600-hp.

Yenko hasn’t confirmed if it will start building Camaros again but the company is hopeful and is looking for partners. And what better place to do that than at the SEMA Show.

GALLERY: 2010 Yenko Camaro/SC