Re: Copo Camaros
 

Back in the early 70's there was a COPO blue Camaro that used to hang out at Burger King on Hempstead Trnpk in Bethpage L.I. N.Y. I believe that the owers name was Charley and he was from Uniondale. The car was not very exciting looking because it had 14 inch tires and baby hubcaps. It did though have the cowl hood and trying to remember if it had the spoilers. I also kinda think that it was bought from Baldwin Chevy. The guy who owned it never wanted to race anyone, but everyone was scared of it because it was a COPO.

Casey Miles
248H

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Casey,
Lots of Long Island-based big-block Camaro's visited Dover Drag Strip
69' thru 74'. Several from Baldwin Chevrolet,,as well as Smithtown,
Mineola and Hicksville..Even a damn COPO car from Shoreham..
No rear-spoilers for the COPO cars, unless added-on..
That dark-green (Fathom Green) color, seemed to be a popular choice..
PC

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Paul: I do believe that the COPO was a Baldwin car because they seemed to know how to order them correctly. You are correct about the spoilers, it didn't have any and no striping either, the car was Marina blue. My Camaro is a Baldwin car for sure, the original owner ordered it as a potential racer. It's a 69 Z/28 with no options except for the cowl hood and spoilers. Fantom green with white stripes.

Casey Miles
248H

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Casey,
Like I said,,,Fantom green was a popular color:)
Forgot one of those Long Island cars that invaded Dover Drag Strip
(Dutchess County)..A black 69' Camaro (A/S) out of Performance Tire,
Bethpage..I wonder if that was a L-72 in that car, while claiming a 396/375HP...Now who would do that out on L.I.:rolleyes:
Paul

Re: Copo Camaros
 

That would be fathom green.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Alan,
I posted the correct color (Fathom Green) on the earlier thread. I blame the incorrect color on Casey,,it's his fault....:o
Are my eyes deceiving me, or did Chevrolet charge an additional
$190.10 for the Turbo 400 on the COPO 9561...
Paul...

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Paul, I know we paid an extra $140 or so for an automatic in a pick up back then, so it would not surprise me at all to see GM charge $190 for a heavy duty automatic in a COPO car.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Alan,
Prices a little fragmented. Maybe higher on the east-coast..
Oh, the Fathom Green color,,,Code #57..
Currently going through the e-mailed price list (dealer invoice)
Camaro SS396 Base Price...$3086
Of course the most important option..Code B37,,Color-Keyed floor mats
$11.60....
Paul.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

KD,
I'm pretty sure that the 69' COPO 427/425HP L-72 Camaro was eligible for NHRA A/Stock in 1970..When the weight/hp break was 7.50 - 7.99.
The A/S record was 11.55, and A/SA was 11.60..
As for the best COPO connections back then, at your popular Chevy dealers;..Don Yenko,,,Baldwin-Motion,,,Berger,,,Nickey,,,Fred Gibbs
Paul

Re: Copo Camaros
 

yup, what they both said....and, should ask him what he paid for this, I know it was under window sticker.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

I was with this dude when he bought the car--He used 28 crisp 100s and gave the seller and his wife a ride to the airport--He drove the camaro back home while I followed him in his 1950 chopped mercury

Re: Copo Camaros
 

This is a real and rare COPO car that I ran prior to the Team Checkmate days in 1972 & 1973. It was a real 4 speed car with the ultra rare vinyl top option.

I just wish to God I would never have sold it!

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Does anyone know if the COPO 9561 cars came with the chambered
exhaust system as standard, or was that an option. Man did those
pipes sound nice, with no mufflers..
PC

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Casey,
Lots of Long Island-based big-block Camaro's visited Dover Drag Strip
69' thru 74'. Several from Baldwin Chevrolet,,as well as Smithtown,
Mineola and Hicksville..Even a damn COPO car from Shoreham..
No rear-spoilers for the COPO cars, unless added-on..
That dark-green (Fathom Green) color, seemed to be a popular choice..
PC

The Smithtown dealer was Giles Chevrolet. Did they do performance upgrading?

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Mike, I'm pretty sure your old car is still alive in Ohio. I'm curious if you know what dealer sold that car new. I've got a Garnet Red /Black top Copo and was curious if they had perhaps came from the same dealer as he ordered several cars with the same options including style trim which is on your old car in the picture I have. Style trim wasn't ordered on many Copo's but this dealer seemed to put it on every copo he ordered.

Paul, I don't know of any Copo's which originally came with chambered exhaust but it would have to have been an early car as the chambered was discontinued early in the year. Regular dual exhaust makes more power as it's less restrictive than the chambered.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Attention "redman" Bill Floyd ? What was the name of that chevy dealership in downtown cincy ? Central chevrolet?
They had more 69 COPOS than anywhere.About 5 miles from the camaro GM factory.
I personally helped 2 friends buy copos there.They had them lined up about 10 deep. Looked like a fleet of 6 cyl. company cars.lol First friend bought a yellow auto ,extra cost for auto.
2nd friend bought a dark blue 4speed a few days later.
Maintained by the Chevy Shoppe , Middletown Oh.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

KD,
Just got the e-mail of the 69' Camaro window sticker/price sheet.
COPO 9561
Dealer B. F. Curry, Central Avenue, Scarsdale, NY
X44........Base price $3575.30..April 9, 1969
PC

Re: Copo Camaros
 

copo69,
Thanks on the chambered exhaust info, saw the info on the dealer price list,,Code NC8, chambered exhaust $15.80 as an option..
KD,
I do not claim to be any kind of COPO expert..
But I think the list of the most 69' COPO cars sold;
1) Yenko Chevrolet, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania (near Pittsburg)
2) Berger Chevrolet, Grand Rapids, Michigan
3) Nickey Chevrolet, Chicago, Illinois
4) Baldwin Chevrolet, Baldwin, L.I., New York
5) Fred Gibbs Chevrolet, LaHarpe, Illinois
6) Dana Chevrolet, South Gate, California
7) Scuncio Chevrolet, Greenville, Rhode Island
Paul

Re: Copo Camaros
 

KD,,,,,,,,
A hard address to find,,,,,,,,
Fred Gibb Chevrolet
Junction 9, East 94
La Harpe, Illinois 67227
(Western Illinois, 20 minutes away from the Iowa/Missouri border)
Home of the first COPO 9560 ZL-1,,
Somebody probably has the # of COPO 9561 (L-72) cars to come out of there???
Paul

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Curry Chevrolet, I believe still exists...

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Stefan,
B.F. Curry still in business as Honda dealer. Scarsdale, New York, once one of the biggest Chevrolet dealers in the country. Had an awesome showroom, big semi-circle with an all-glass surround. The car lot was loaded back then, at least 40 cars across, and 15 deep. All-Chevy's.
Also, had as nearly as big dealership in Yorktown, New York (northern
Westchester, Route 202.,,A couple of COPO 9561 cars went through
the Scarsdale dealership, not sure on the Yorktown one..
PC

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Copo 69,

I can't remember the dealer but I believe I would know it if I heard it. Run a few by me and let's see.

I do know I was the second owner of the car. It was originally delivered to "Gary Fabian" who lived in the Cleveland area. Was there a dealer named "Fronrath Chevrolet"?

MK

Re: Copo Camaros
 

That brings back a lot of memories.
I was parked next to Jay Payne in the staging lanes at Indy in 75, and Jay told me the story of the car, and driving from Ohio.
It still had traction bars on it back then. Jay said Jungle Jim Liberman built the engine for him, and he still used the stock GM aluminum intake, or maybe I just dreamed all this. That is the only COPO that I would bet money on was a real one, because in 75 nobody really cared.

I have seen what I "think" was an original COPO Chevelle that had 396 badges but the window sticker list as a 427/425. This was back in about 70 , and I was too
young to appreciate what it was

Jeff

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Mike, Does Ed Stinn Chevrolet ring a bell? That's where my car came from. Ed ordered most of his cars with a few of the same options. I've found most to be "double copo's, ordered with two copo packages. the second package was called the "sports car package" which added a bigger front sway bar, 15" Rally wheels, and a 140mph speedometer. Maybe remember speedometer?

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Nope..that particular dealer doen't ring a bell. My car came with a 4 speed, and a console w/gages. Can't remember for sure if it had the 140mph speedo or not, but I think that it did.

Maybe I'll call Fabian and see if he remebers the dealer. I know he was trying to track the car down about a year ago or so. I sold it in late 73 to a guy named Bill Anderson from Atlanta, GA. Bill was an airline pilot for either Delta or American at the time.

MK

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Mike or COPO69,
I think you can check the Chevrolet Dealer Code List (Ohio) and should list all the dealers.
Also, seems ever dealer had their own little variation on optioned items.
Most tried to follow the Don Yenko package, as the inexperienced
dealer/salesman/saleslady,,, (Had to be politically correct)...weren't sure what to add to the base package..
Paul

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Some Zone-Dealer Codes
Fred Gibb,,,,,Zone 47-227
Don Yenko,,,,Zone 13-898
Baldwin,,,,,,,,,Zone 27-19
Paul

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Hey Paul: Where did you get the list of old chevy dealers. I am still
trying to remember the one in downtown cincinnati.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Do you know where production numbers are on copos with these weird options? I know where an unrestored Vinyl top car is.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

konners or conners chevy on main st in whitehall ohio had them linned up out front.he sold a bunch of them around columbus,the yellow rose of soul was one that ran in ss/ea,also maybe randy pyanes car..

Re: Copo Camaros
 

some Cleveland dealers from back in the day:
Central
Edgewater
Fairchild
Hoke
Humphrey
Jim Connell
Luby
Rodenfels
Southeast
West park

Re: Copo Camaros
 

There was a friend of my brothers that bought a new one off of Connors. Silver and black.The last time I talked to him he still had it, and at that time said he would never let it go.We liked it so well back then that we took our 69 Z-28( that I had bought off of my brother John) w/the 302 in it, yanked it out and stuck it in the corner.Then tried to duplicate his. Bought a new crate motor 427/425 and put it in the Z. Man, what a difference.I drove it back and forth to high school. With the 4.88 gear we had in it, and an aluminum flywheel,it ran 12 flat the couple of times I had it to National Trails. I still wish I had that Z, as it was that ugly Gold with black stripes and a vinyl top.And it was a Rally Sport.I doubt alot were sold like it...

Re: Copo Camaros
 

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.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

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

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Paul : Thanks , it was queen city chevrolet , now i remember. That was bugging the heck out of me. Dont know why they had so many ,maybe that was a distribution point to other dealers. Makes sense because it was only a short distance from the camaro plant.

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Queen City Chev almost forgot about that place

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Rocky J,
Cincinnati-Norwood plant,,,makes sense that some of those perimeter city dealerships ended up with a good portion of the 'Mother-Lode'.
I lived 20 minutes from the Tarrytown, New York plant, and Byrne Bros,,
White Plains, and B.F Curry, Scarsdale got some hot musclecars back then...If I just could have hijacked an Anchor Freight car-carrier:)
Paul

Re: Copo Camaros
 

Copo 69...

OK.. just hung up the phone with Fabian (the original owner of my car) and it was delivered through a dealer called "Ed Stinn" Chevrolet located in Rocky River, OH.

I guess at the time he had 6-7 COPO's on the lot and our car was delivered in the Winter of 70. Stinn Cherolet went out of business over 20 years ago and was never sold or acquired by another owner.

MK

Re: Copo Camaros
 

69 non-SS,
If your 69' COPO 9561 was out of Ohio, and came with the supposed
general Yenko options, that doesn't mean it was bought directly from
Yenko out of Canonsburg, PA.
Several Chevrolet Ohio dealers were part of the 'Yenko" dealer network.
ie; cars that were initially ordered by Yenko, then swapped out to the
other dealers..
Ohio Chevrolet dealers associated with 'Yenko'
Joseph Chevrolet, Cincinnati
Luby Chevrolet, Cleveland
Hugh White Chevrolet, Columbus
White-Allen Chevrolet, Dayton
Marve Minneman Chevrolet, Youngstown
PC,,,

Re: Copo Camaros
 

COPO 9561 included the L72 427/425 hp engine, special ducted hood, heavy-duty cooling, and the special 4.10 'BE' axle. Power front discs and an optional transmission were mandatory,
Another COPO, the 9737 "SPORTS CAR CONVERSION" included a 13/16" front stabilizer bar, 15x7 rally wheels with E70x15 tires, and a 140 mph speedometer. The cars could then be ordered with most other Camaro options as desired.

All Yenkos had both COPO options but most from other dealers didn't order the 9737 but a few did. The dealers mentioned in Yenko's network were able to sell the cars with Yenko's stripe package as part of his network by paying Yenko for the cars. In the prior years Yenko transplanted 427's into 396 cars and added some gingerbread, and sold the cars through a small network of dealers. Yenko wished to keep the '69 factory installations from other dealers but once other dealers discovered it they ordered the cars themselves to avoid paying Yenko a royalty for his cars with stripes. Jack Douglass Chevrolet in IL was a Yenko network dealer who started ordering his own cars and hanging Yenko stripes on them. He and Yenko had a big disagreement over this but both finally compromised. Many dealers took advantage of the COPO system and ordered their own cars. The number of Yenko cars is known but no records exist for the rest of the 427 Camaros. The total for both is thought to be around 1,000.