Re: Copo Camaros
 

Here is a couple of photos of my Berger 9561 COPO Camaro. The first one was taken when the original owner was racing it at Martin 131 Dragway, the other one was taken last year, also at Martin. The car was also ordered with COPO 9737 Sports Car package. I can't seem to get both pics on one post, may have to do two posts.http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...ana/tn_036.jpg

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Here is the photo from last year.http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...na/tn_dana.jpg

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Dana,
Nice ground clearance:)
Was that front color-keyed bumper part of the 9737 option?
and 69 non-SS,
The Rhode Island dealer was Norwood Chevrolet, Post Road, Warwick, Rhode Island,,,dealer zone-code 32-555,,They sponsored some Funny Cars,,,and I think Ralph Ridgeways 69' C /MP & D/MP Camaro...as well as a host of Chevelles, Camaro's and Nova's.
Big hitters at Connecticut Dragstrip and New England Dragway.
PC

Re: Copo Camaros
 

here's Mike Keener's car before it became a racecar.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

I special ordered a Nova in '69 from Anthony Abraham Chev. in Miami. Really wanted a Camaro but too cheap to spring the extra bucks (dumb ***). My car came in mid May. I went back to the dealer about a week later as they called 'my license was in'. Saw a white (what looked like a 6 cyl.) Camaro parked where the new cars came in. What caught my attention was that it had the cowl induction hood but looked like a car that shouldn't have that hood. Went over and looked at the window sticker and saw: L72, 427/425. Also remember that it had an M22. Don't remember anything else on sticker but the bottom line $3,600 something. Had all the SS stuff (power discs multi-leaf, 12 bolt), but no SS badging. Looked around and there was also a dark green one there.
Also a 4-speed. Same options, same price. I knew they were something special but I didn't know what. Never had heard of a COPO then.

So I know that Abraham Chev., Miami, FL had a least 2 of them. Just unaffordable to me at that time. I used to go to Miami-Hollywood Speedway every Sat. night, but never saw either car there or ever again.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Paul, endura front bumpers were not included in the COPO 9737 package. They were a seperate option, but must have been common on the Berger COPO's. I think that every one I know of came with one.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Dana: nice to see you here! I love watching your car run! For those that haven't seen it in person, Dana's car is so silky smoooooth, yet so quick! Wish we could get together more often @ the track...

You could order the spoilers (D80) on any of the COPO Camaros...matter of fact, all of the COPO Camaros sold through Yenko Chevrolet in '69 had spoilers. Ours (pictured below) is one of 5 Daytona Yellow automatics sold through Yenko in '69...here it is on it's way to a 12.0 @ 117 pass on the F70-15 Polyglass:

http://www.yenko.net/features/2004/TCTRACK1.jpg

Someone mentioned Byrne Bros. as selling some COPO Camaros...they sold *lots* of hi-po stuff. Here is a picture from last year's "Supercar Reunion" of an original Byrne COPO Camaro racing our original "Red Alert" Chevelle, which was also sold out of Byrne:
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...ion2009020.jpg

Mike Keener: we've had 3 or 4 different guys the past few years visit us at Yenko.net looking for your old car...! :)

Re: Copo Camaros
 

More eye canding from the "Supercar Reunion"...

A gentleman I've been lucky to get to know over the past several years, Mr. Ken Barnhart, racing out of Elgin, IL...he bought a '69 ZL-1 Camaro brand new, from Fred Gibb Chevrolet, ran it in SS/B for years, and stil owns the car, and it still sees action at the track! Ken and this very Camaro won SS/B @ Indy in '70, and was runner up in '71, I believe...

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...m/scr11031.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...2/DSCF0112.jpg

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Hi Rob! It's been too long since I've seen that Yenko run! Maybe this year at Martin, I'll put a pair of E70's on my car and we can line 'em up. I'm sure I will get a good long look at the backside of that Yenko, LOL!
Guys, this is the man to ask when it comes to COPO's, especially Yenkos.
Before I go, is that you getting ready to make a pass in Ken's ZL-1?

Re: Copo Camaros
 

DANA,
I see on the 'endura' bumper. Just had to check my old 69' Camaro
brochure..Code Option #VE3,,,$42.15 list price...'special body color front bumper',,,,highly recommended for 'Daytona Yellow' and 'Hugger Orange'..Can see why,,looks great on your car!!...Not available with
the front bumper guard option:(...
....Chevy454,,,are you the famous 'Bob Hamilton' of "Red Alert" fame.
I lived 20 minutes north of 'Byrne Brothers', Virginia Road, White Plains,,,
right off the Bronx River Parkway.....Saw lots of nice machines on that lot..they also sponsored the 'Lagana Brothers' white 68' B/MP Camaro..
They also had quite a few 69 non-SS 350/255HP basic cars for the
J/S and K/S,,,junior stock racers,,which was the hot combination back then..
Paul

Re: Copo Camaros
 

No sir...Bob has passed on...we are just lucky enough to own the car, which is still in amazing condition. It's my dad's favorite toy at the moment...

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Chevy454,
Raced at Dover Drag Strip at that time..Saw the 'Red Alert' Chevelle
in SS/DA...at some big S/S $$ Events. Nice car...
Unfortunately, did not get to see Bob in the 'Long Gone' A/FX injected Mustang in 66'/67' era...Bob liked Lane 2,,spectator side..
Paul

Re: Copo Camaros
 

I remember that car! Gary, gave me a ride in that car back when he first got it.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Al,

Are you serious? Gary Fabian took you for a ride in it? Gary's a great guy and an old friend but from what Rick told me about it Gary was scared to death of that thing!

By the way did he tell you about spinning it around across some guys lawn or did that happen after your ride!?

Those were the good ol days..huh?

MK

Re: Copo Camaros
 

He didn't mention the lawn ride, I was in high school but I had a job after school at a department store named Zayre's in Brookpark. He used to stop buy the auto repair section to visit a friend that worked there. I talked him into giving me a ride, industrial area nearby. I think he had slicks on it by then. Yes, those were the days back then. FYI my name is Jeff, my user name is what powers my 69 Camaro!

Re: Copo Camaros
 

The COPO 9560 cars were first built around Jan. of 69. tThe first 50 cars went tfred Gibb in the Chicago area without invoices. The invoices didn't arrived until Febuary. When Gibb saw the price of these cars he convinced Chevy to take back 20 cars which Chevy redistributed to other dealers. They were all base models except for a Canadian "show" car that was heavyly optioned(RS included). The Lemans blue car that was delivered to an Arkansas dealer was converted to an RS with 427 emblems by the dealer by the request of the new owner. Spoilers were optional. Transistorized ignition was standard as was 4.10 gears (4.56 optional).

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Actually, a couple were built earlier than that, as 2 dusk blue cars (#1 and #2, obviously) were delivered to Fred Gibb Chevrolet on Dec. 31, 1968, and #1 saw it's first track action at Phoenix at an AHRA event 3 weeks later (where it failed tech for the wrong carb, and and the correct carb was flown out). And 37 of the first 50 were actually returned/redistributed. Also, 2 of the ZL1s did indeed receive the Z22 Rally Sport option from the factory... #55 (which is the well known Whit Chevrolet car out of Fayetteville, AR, which received special emblems/stripes while at the dealership), and #68 which was sold out of an Indiana dealer.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

I have a great book with VIN # , options on each car , dealers that ordered these cars but it's stuffed away in storage somewhere:(.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Al "L"
Don't go in the attic, and start rummaging around. You can get all that info on the CRG report. Amazing list of everything, including COPO 9560
deliveries to dealers. With first destination Fred Gibb Chevrolet, then the purchasing dealer.
I think the correct carb is/was a Holley 850cfm.
One of our northeast dealers, Scuncio Chevrolet, Greenville, Rhode Island got a #9560, ZL-1, Fathom Green, with an M-22 trans and D80 spoiler option..
Paul

Re: Copo Camaros
 

I wish it was in the attic, it's in a storage facility buried in some box. So if I punch in "CRG report" it should come up? Ido remember the carb "recall" on the 9560 cars. The correct Holley is a 4296 list # which is still made by Holley. Double pumper mech. secondarys. My Camaro has one on it.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Al "L",get on Google,, and type in,,,CRG Research Report,,Many options to go on,,Get on the Copo thread. Lists everything..Also check out theZL-1 Compilation List..Other site; www.camaros.orgRight on with the Holley 850 double-pumper w/mechanical secondaries.First race for the Fred Gibb car, prepped by Dickie Harrell and driven byHerb Fox,,,at the 1969 AHRA Winternationals at Bee Line, Scottsdale, Arizona..Ran,,,SS/E,,(Thats Super Stock/Experimental),,the first heads-upSuper/Stock type event.Paul

Re: Copo Camaros
 

I did get on the CRG website, pretty good but has some holes in it. I remember the #1 ZL1 running SS/X with the tunnel ram on it. Those were cool times in drag racing. Jeff

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Jeff,
Every site has a couple of 'banana peels' in it..The X/SS classes were
pretty exciting back then 1969..Those races answered the question, just who had the quickest S/S production-type car,,,,Hemi Cuda/Dart,,
427 Camaro,,Boss 429 Mustang/Cougar??...Of course,,NHRA got their hands involved in 'stirring-the-pot',, and re-factored the weight breaks,,and ruined everything,,,'as usual'.
On the COPO quest,,,suprised no one mentioned Steve Kanuika,,ran his SK Speed Shops out of Concordsville, PA.. Put together and/or sponsored several COPO cars,,one with Jungle Jim..
Paul

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Paul, check out the new Car Craft mag. The last page (called Rear View) is an old picture of Da Grump peeking over a ZL1 of his with his Camaro in the background!

Re: Copo Camaros
 

scan the picture in so we can view it.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Jeff,,I just figured out Al Loyrat "Alloy Rat"..Thanks, I'll go to my local
Waldenbook Store, and go to the back page,, and read for free..
Prices of the magazines getting absurd..Magazine editors better start putting more meat into the pages..Couple of great shots of Grumpy and the 69' cars at York US 30. Type in on Google,,1969 Super Stock Magazine Nationals..Great shots of the 68' Hemi cars,,and the Camaro's; Dave Strickler, Jenkins, and others..Cars classes in X/SS, and regular S/S cars in their proper classes. Race day August 69'.
Paul,,,

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Paul, could you post link? couldn't find it.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

copo69,,
You can go into the site through the back door...
on Google,, type in Jere Stahl photos, go to the site,,, photos1
It will access www.seriousviewers.com,,,(3) pages of great photos
from 67', 68' and 69'..Has Jenkins at the 69' Super Stock Magazine
Nationals with the 69' ZL-1,,and 68' Tunnel Ram car running in X/SS.
After viewing that, post your happiness, and I'll send you another
secret site.
Paul ,,LM1,,350/255HP,,,Those 69' non-SS convertible cars and Chevelles were pretty dominant. Too many cubes for the 273 Mopars ,and 289 Mustangs.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Paul, that site was great. 6pgs of neat photos but didn't see any of Jenkins' cars except what looked like Strickler's '69 Z/28 setting in staging lanes at York ssnats in '69.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

copo69,
You have to go to the bottom of the page, and click on 'more on page 2',
same thing on page 2,,go to the botton and click on'more on page 3'.
The majority of the photo's are from the 69' Super Stock Magazine Nationals. Jenkins 69' ZL-1 is classed in SS/C (several pictures),
Ed Hedrick also Yenko/Jenkins prepped ZL-1 in SS/C. The 68' car,
with front rally-stripe and tunnel-ram is classed in X/SS.
Look closely at all the window class designations, anything with an 'X'
on the window, puts the cars in the X/SS heads-up/no-handicap class.
But several of the cars are also in regular S/S,,like Ed Millers 65' SS/C
Plymouth,, Bob 'Candy Cuda' Gaudreau,,Charlie Castaldo (who won the
S/S Eliminator with his SS/BA Dart)..
Paul (Re-check the site,,let me know what you saw)

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Paul, I see 6 pgs of photos by Alan Lewis. Here are links to each page.

http://www.seriousviewers.com/drags/photos1.htm

http://www.seriousviewers.com/drags/photos2.htm

http://www.seriousviewers.com/drags/photos3.htm

http://www.seriousviewers.com/drags/photos4.htm

http://www.seriousviewers.com/drags/photos5.htm

http://www.seriousviewers.com/drags/photos6.htm

Still don't see any of the Jenkins' pictures....Pg 1 is from mainly Aquasco and Capitol in BW. Pgs 2 & 3 have SS Nats pics. Pg 2 is all Mopars and pg 3 has pics from 2005 restored Grady Bryant and Mr Bardahl cars and has various funnys, and a neat shot of Nats staging lanes with SS cars. Also, "Little Red Wagon"and ends with some gassers. Pg 4 is '65 SS Nats pics. Pg 5 is all dragsters and pg 6 is early 70's funnys.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

copo69,,
AHH!! Sorry, I was viewing (2) sites at the same time..Hope I didn't give you a Mopar Headache,,,accidentally-on-purpose.............
the proper site is www.thevintageracer.com/drag/heavymetalvol1
Go to that site,,many Jenkins photos...including Strickler in the Jenkins prepped 69' Z-28 with cowl hood running in SS/J,,Jenkins in the 69'
SS/C with 708 lettered on the "C" pillar,,Jenkins in the 69' ZL-1 at the
S/S Magazine Nats with X279 on the window..
Paul,,,

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Thanks, all the old stk and ss were neat. .

Re: Copo Camaros
 

I heard the guy who owned the blue copo camaro is now building horse carriages for the amish people--anyone know for sure?