Copo Camaros

[Michael Kilduff]

Chris,

The paint delete camaros may have been 'special paint' where they would get a non camaro color. I 'think' a camaro could get any color at GM other than what was listed for Cadillacs. I read over some testimony about this not long ago by someone that is a first gen camaro expert imo. I think the auction you are talking about was the focus of the conversation. I can't recall exactly. I'm a bit delerious at the moment-all day at the track huffing race gas and tire smoke in 30 degree temps,lol.



The paint delete or special paint could have been a fleet thing, like for rental car companies or something.

Dana can probably give you a lot more COPO 427 Camaro info than I can. Cool cars for sure!

All the best,

Michael

[magnumv8]

Yenko started the 427 Camaro issue buy ordering 396 Camaros and a crate 427 and doing the conversion themselves...to streamline the issue they convinced the powers that be at Chevy to provide him with a way to order the cars with the 427 already installed, this started the COPO 9561 and 9560 Camaros....Yenko wanted the codes and the cars for themselves but the codes managed to be picked up by other performance dealerships ending their exclusive use of the codes....any dealer anywhere if they had the right code could order a COPO Camaro....this also is what makes total production tough because a 427 Yenko Camaro could be just that and not be a COPO Camaro....and Yenko wasn't the only place that did this prior to the COPO availability...

[Paul Ceasrine]

Motion Performance out on Long Island did the same thing with the
396 to 427 conversions, to go along with the proper #9561 factory COPO cars.
Does anybody know when they were eligible for A/S and A/SA..
I'm guessing 1970 or 1971???
Some beautiful cars at Barrett-Jackson. Much deserved KUDO's to the people that put out those wonderful cars together...But GEEZ, do those guys at B-J massage the truth or what????
Some misinformation out there on the first ZL-1 car..but I do believe that
Herb Fox drove the first one at the 69' AHRA Winternationals for
Fred Gibbs in the Dickie Harrell prepared car..1/20/69..
Paul C

[63corvette]

One thing to remember about the 69 model Camaro's is they ran for a year and one half and into the 1970 year models. GM was on strike for 67 days during the model year also. All of that affected how many of the COPO's were built and when they were built. I was 20 years old in 1969 and all the buzz in the Car Mag's was about the COPO cars along with the Yenco's and Baldwin cars. I wanted one really bad but could not afford the add on costs so I ended up buying a 375 HP 396 with a turbo 400 Chevelle. The reason I remember the strike of 67 days so well is the Chevelle was held up by the strike for well over the 67 days due to the backups caused by the strike. Another thing I remember well was not every dealership would even order a solid lifter engine option. I had to dealer shop for the dealer to order the 375 HP option. When I asked about the COPO option the dealer had to check about doing that. He came back days later with it could be done but the cost put it out of my reach. I can not remember exactly what I was quoted for the COPO option but it was well over my budget.
I just wish I had kept that car and a few others I had over the years.
Living through the muscle car era did have its advantages.
Just not to sure it was the "Good Ole Days"
My 2 Cents

[Play400]

I have a real old hot rod or carcraft in the garage and there is an article on the 69 copos. GM decided they had to sell it for a profit and orders dropped like a rock. If memory serves me right the camaros all went to yenko. Picking up a new scanner in a week or so and can scan and post the article if wanted.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Rocky J,,
Go to www.chevelles.com/zones/
Or Team Chevelle,,dealer codes.
if your not sure of the name, just type in city and state,,and a full list of dealers will pop up, with some general info.
Some Cincinnati dealers;
Joseph,,,,Superior,,,,Beechmont,,,,The Glenway Motor Car Co.
Info on; Queen City Chevrolet, 414 East Court St., Cincinnati, Ohio
Zone/Dealer Code; 09 495
Also, someone asked earlier or wasn't sure;;Rodenfels Chevrolet
Pearl Street, Cleveland Zone: 28
Paul

[Alan Nyhus]

[QUOTE=Michael Kilduff;164735] The 427/425 HP in a Camaro was -I think- option RPO L72 and was definately an iron block. The 427/425HP was also available in '69 chevelles.
[QUOTE]

The L72 option (427-425) was also available in the big cars....Biscaynes & Impalas.

[Dana Fitzpatrick]

I agree with what everyone has said here on the COPO Camaros. I will add though, they did produce a very few RS 427 COPO Camaros, I own and race a Berger |Chevrolet |RS COPO. Berger sold about 40 COPO Camaros, with around 6 of them being Rally Sports. If you go to the Camaro Research Group website,click on the CRG report box and go to the report on 427 COPOs, you will find alot of good info on the COPO cars, including the BergerCOPOs

[Michael Kilduff]

Thanks for the clarification about the RS optioned COPO Camaros in '69 Dana. I have frequented the CRG site as it is an invaluable resource for the first generation camaro enthusiast.

The Barret Jackson auction for one of these cars-fully documented , brought what I thought was a pretty low winning bid. I was shocked, and so were some other members of www.camaros.net in the COPO Dealers forum.

Originally Posted by Dana Fitzpatrick

I agree with what everyone has said here on the COPO Camaros. I will add though, they did produce a very few RS 427 COPO Camaros, I own and race a Berger |Chevrolet |RS COPO. Berger sold about 40 COPO Camaros, with around 6 of them being Rally Sports. If you go to the Camaro Research Group website,click on the CRG report box and go to the report on 427 COPOs, you will find alot of good info on the COPO cars, including the BergerCOPOs