Copo Camaros

[RJ]

Originally Posted by Michael Kilduff

Also, I do recall reading in the engine specs at NHRA's site that the ZL-1 as used in SS can be either iron or aluminum block.

The iron block in the ZL-1 combo is being used in stock also.

[Alan Nyhus]

Steve Koppien's blue Camaro that he won Stock Eliminator at Brainerd with last season is a honest-to-Gawd COPO 9561.

[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.

[Paul Ceasrine]

All posted info correct...
But #'s say,,822 of the COPO 9561 L-72 units were built, all 4-speeds.
Then, an additional 193 automatic units were built, for a total of 1015.
Since I was at New York National Speedway on Long Island numerous times, home base for Motion Performance, I did get to see a couple of them. AHRA-based track..Most of them ran 11.80's or so. Would be
NHRA-classed SS/C then SS/D.
First race for a ZL-1,,,AHRA Winternationals, January 69' in Arizona.
PC

[Alan Roehrich]

Numbers as high as 1250 or so have been reported for the COPO 9561 L-72 Camaro. How many now or were race cars is rather difficult to determine.

Numbers for the 9560 ZL-1 cars are a lot easier to cover. Of 69 built, some 36 are known and accounted for as of the last couple of years, a few of them written off as a total loss.


I'm thinking considerably more COPO 9562 L-72 69 Chevelles were built than the 31 previously posted. If they only built 31 of them, that would mean there were fewer of them than there were 67 L-88 Corvettes (supposedly 36 sold) and the 67 L-88 Corvette was removed from the guide. I'm seeing numbers closer to 350-375, as COPO 9562, records say Yenko ordered and sold 99 of them.

From Super Chevy Magazine:

Chevrolet, via Vince Piggins' Product Promotion department, decided to assign at least 12 different COPO numbers and letters to Chevelles with different transmissions, suspension components, tires, brakes, and bucket seats.

COPO Chevelle Special Features:
- Super Sport blackout grille with bow tie emblem
- Super Sport hood
- Black rear cove panel
- 12-bolt differential with 4.10:1 gearing (code KQ)
- Standard Malibu interior
- Either SS emblem or Bow Tie emblem on steering wheel
- L72 425hp 427 (code MQ with four-speed transmission or code MP with TH400 automatic transmission).
- Optional: Side body stripes, RPO NC8 chambered exhaust.

1969 Yenko Chevelle Breakdown
Of the 99 built, 55 had a four-speed manual transmission, bench seat and standard steering. Six of these had a vinyl roof. Thirty-seven more were TH400 automatics with power steering, rear radio antenna and a vinyl top. One automatic transmission car had no vinyl top. Body colors included: Le Mans blue -20, Fathom green -18, Butternut yellow -16, Hugger orange -14, Garnet red -12, Daytona yellow -12, Dover white -5 and Olympic gold -5.

COPODescription
9562AA Chevelle sport coupe, four-speed manual, Positraction. Must be used with COPO 9694 disc brake option.

9562BA Chevelle sport coupe, TH400 automatic and Positraction. Must be used with COPO 9694 disc brake option.

9562CD Chevelle sport coupe, four-speed manual, Positraction, bucket seats, 15-inch tires, special coil springs.

9562CE Chevelle sport coupe, four-speed manual, Positraction, 15-inch tires, special coil springs.

9562DD Chevelle sport coupe, TH400 automatic, Positraction, bucket seats, 15-inch tires, special coil springs.

9562DE Chevelle sport coupe, TH400 automatic, Positraction, 15-inch tires, special coil springs.

9562EA Chevelle sport coupe, four-speed manual, Positraction, J52 power disc brakes, F70x14 tires.

9562FA Chevelle sport coupe, TH400 automatic, Positraction, J52 power disc brakes, F70x14 tires.

9694CA Four-speed manual, Positraction, special front disc brakes, J50 power brakes, COPO 9737 equipment.

9694CB As above, but with TH400 automatic.

9566AA Four-speed manual, Positraction, J52 power brakes, Super Sport wheels.

9566BA As above with TH400 automatic, 15-inch F70 raised white letter (RWL) tires on Rally wheels, Speedometer Reducer Gear.

[Paul Ceasrine]

ALAN,
I stand corrected on the 69' COPO 427 Chevelle's. I'm not sure what I was thinking at that moment. Must have got hit in the head by a big-block connecting rod.
323 built as per Musclecar...for the 69' Chevelle COPO 427..(Not 31 as I incorrectly stated).
This is a 69' Camaro COPO thread. The Fred Gibb/Dickie Harrell car ran at the 69' AHRA Winternationals, at Bee-Line, Arizona in January 69.
Knocked off Sox & Martin, and made it to the finals, before getting beat by Arlon Vanke...Set ET record for SS/E (Super Stock Experimental) at that event.
PC

[mcink]

what Al Nyhus said...

[Alan Roehrich]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

ALAN,
I stand corrected on the 69' COPO 427 Chevelle's. I'm not sure what I was thinking at that moment. Must have got hit in the head by a big-block connecting rod.
323 built as per Musclecar...for the 69' Chevelle COPO 427..(Not 31 as I incorrectly stated).
This is a 69' Camaro COPO thread. The Fred Gibb/Dickie Harrell car ran at the 69' AHRA Winternationals, at Bee-Line, Arizona in January 69.
Knocked off Sox & Martin, and made it to the finals, before getting beat by Arlon Vanke...Set ET record for SS/E (Super Stock Experimental) at that event.
PC

It's pretty obvious that this is a COPO Camaro thread.

Again, reliable sources state between 350-375 Chevelles were built, factory order records show at least 350, and up to 375, with 99 going to Don Yenko, 55 being bench seat 4 speed cars and 37 being TH400 equipped, the other 7 being of other various combinations.

We race a COPO replica in Stock, we have both combinations, the L-72 and the ZL-1, so I'm pretty well aware of the Camaro orientation of this thread.

The ZL-1 was built to run in SS/B, the L-72 Camaro was built to run in SS/C, and they needed a car to run SS/D, so Piggins decided to put the L-72 in the Chevelle to run SS/D.

[Paul Ceasrine]

Alan,

Did go over some of my old Dover Drag Strip paperwork.
Found Bill Cadiz running in SS/D with a 69' Camaro, April 1969.
Won S/S Eliminator with a 11.51 @122...Was the L-72 Camaro eligible for A/Stock in 69' also??

[Alan Roehrich]

I'm about ten years too young to directly remember much about what happened in 1969 from a hands on personal perspective. It just happens that I've been fooling with the L-72 cars off and on for a few years now, I am by no means an expert on them.