Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

We're back ! ! No thanks due to Kenny who used his administrative skills to delete an entire thread - all 65 posts and 15,000 views worth .My Christmas bonus just grew by a huge bunch - soon as I'm done putting things back together here I'm switching over to Kayak.com to book tickets to somewhere warm for the holidays .


All I can do now is pick it up at my last post .........

Early this past Wednesday morning I was given an extra treat by my friends at GM Powertrain Division - I was to follow an entire engine build - an LS 7 from bare block to finished and tested engine .Although the parts were ready it still had to be final assembled .Along the way everything was checked and double checked - there were computers that checked computers - they take this very seriously - even the "builder" I was assigned to wanted to be proud of every engine he assembled - and he does three a day - and his name goes on each and every one he does .As you'll see from the photos this engine is built in under two hours - thats right -bare block to test for leaks - fuel/oil/air in under two hours - and it passed with flying colors .

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

More pics of the engine build ..........During the build my host was happy to answer any and all questions I asked .And right in the middle of the build the whistle blew - I thought it was a fire drill - turned out to be break time -who knew ? ?

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Final assembly ...........and testing .


Yeah - yeah Kenny ...I know this should be in the tech section but get to like it ........

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Jack, thanks for the pics. The throttle body looks big enough to hold a softball.

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Great pictures, Jack!

Any idea how many folks took advantage of the 3 engine deal? It sure would make things more interesting!:D

Lew

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Awesome Reporting job Jack thank you.

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Late yesterday I spoke with Jim Boburka - owner of COPO # 007 who was out testing recently - at Norwalk last Wednesday where he only got to make one pass that was anything but clean because of traction issues and again this past weekend at Pittsburgh Raceway Park where late in the day got make several tune-up passes and learn a bunch .Did the car work well ? You bet ...........let these pictures tell the story .

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

At the time of your visit had the already had all the engines completed for the COPO and was doing standard production only?
What was the final tally on number of 4.0s, 2.9 and 427 combos?
I'm a supercharged kind of guy at heart but I would have leaned towards the 427 if I was looking to have ordered one.

Did they build extra engines to be sold for people wanting to order the engine combo for their projects?

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

As far as I know they haven't built the engines for all of the COPO cars yet - its my understanding they are built as needed.

I have no knowledge of a final tally on the combos - but i'll try and find out.

I don't think they have "extra" engines yet but will soon enough .

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Since I posted this morning about Jim Boburka testing this past weekend my phone has been ringing off the hook .Some of you thought I intentionally left out info - like his ET amd MPH .Here's the real skinny - as anyone who knows me will tell you - I don't post what I think - I post what I can prove or back up ...............and like they say - a picture is worth a thousand words .And many thanks to Mr.Boburka for proof.

And for those of you naysayers out there this ET and MPH came easy ......maybe it came in a short amount of time but not without much hard work .Way to go Jimmy ..............

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Very nicely done on the performance! It always seems easy when someone else is doing it. When you're the one doing it you know how hard it really was.

Ford Racing took orders for anyone interested in buying CJ engines so that they could gear up for production. I was just curious if GM Performance Parts did the same. The 427 would have a lot of appeal to others outside of the Stock and Super Stock world. Of course I haven thumbed through the GM catalog since "um well ever". It's kinda neat how each of the manufactures approached and excecuted its drag cars.

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Making good power very cool!

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

What engine ran those times?

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that's the 427.

Natural "CC" car at 7.52 lbs/hp. As of now, that combination can run BB, CC, and A/SA. Looks like the first HP hit will remove it from A.

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Thanks for all the updates, Jack! Can't wait to see the COPO's at Indy!

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

COPO Parts are on the way... I've been told, they should be in the next catalog.

Larry

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Jack was the car at CC/AA weight ? I have heard they only weight 2950lbs wet with out driver . Rumor is the cars need weight for CC and A stock ? We all want to know

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Bo - Scales were not open during testing - I've not seen any real numbers on their actual weight .I'll try and hunt some up ..........

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Thanks Jack any info helps . Dont think we will see # 35 for a while

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

So you don't miss the goat? :p

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Bo - You're welcome - thought you might like this little photo diddy - yeah , I know I'm such a tease ........and I'm assuming # 35 is yours ! ! !

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Jack, of all of the things that I've heard you called (and called you) over the years, "tease" isn't one of them.

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Thanks Bill ( I think ) - maybe I'm not the tease .........but the photo sure is .

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Ed - Miss it ? You bet I do - that GTO was probably one of the best if not the best race car I've ever had - I was the biggest problem by not driving it to wins ............

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Bo, not to get too off-topic, but unless something has changed, Pittsburgh doesn't have scales. For the IHRA Pro-Ams, they had the drive-on/drive-off temporary scales that weighed one axle at a time. Weigh the front tires, then weigh the back tires, and add them up to get weight.

I don't know what the air was when Jim B ran at PRP. I was working at Quaker City (two hours or so away) and it was overcast, cool (chilly, compared to most of the summer) with a pretty good breeze.

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Hey, there nothing wrong with that Firebird of yours... ;-)

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

What is the shipping weight of the new COPO's? The DragPak is 3,200; the CobraJet is betwen 2,980 and 3,280, depending on engine; the 2010 Camaro (376 cid motor) is listed at 3,780 or 3,849, depending on transmission type. How much lighter are the race-only COPO's?

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Gm performance website says
327 4.0 3175 lbs
327 2.9 3250 lbs
427 N/A 3195 lbs
Nhra shipping weights

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

I know my buddy Paul says hi car is 3240 wet so what GM is saying is close for him . Thanks for the picture " Tease Man " and if your looking for extra work let me no I might have some side stuff for a tease man with a camera . LMAO

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Tease Man my mistake looking for #34 white

We are pleased to inform you that the COPO Camaro production line is up and running and completed COPO Camaro drag cars will soon be coming out of the factory. The last time we contacted you, we provided you with your specific serial number. This communication will serve to provide you with a general time frame for your COPO Camaro delivery.

Each 2012 COPO Camaro has been assigned a serial number. As a reminder, your 2012 COPO Camaro Serial Number is: 34

And, your production time frame is:

ESTIMATED DELIVERY DATE

August / September


We will contact you again with updates as your COPO’s production date approaches so that you can make arrangements to take delivery of your car in the Detroit area.

Thank you for your support of Chevrolet Performance, and look forward to further updates in the near future.

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Something tells me I might like that side job ..........And I know you pay better than Kenny .

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Jack, you do know his business don't you...better get it cleared at home! LOL

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Jimmie - Yes , I'm fully aware of his business ..........Thats why I thought it might be fun - much better than cars and certainly easier on the eyes .And I never ask for permission ...............Easier to be forgiven later .

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

From the NHRA Stock Car Classification Guide:

327/500 - 3250 lbs.
327/550 - 3175 lbs.
427/425 - 3195 lbs.

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

It's kind of ironic that the original COPO Camaros sat on a lot for months because they couldn't sell the ZL1 cars because of the price of the engine option, now people can't wait to get theirs. I'm one person who would love to get one, but it's not in the cards.
Another part is that the new Camaros are factory built race cars where as the original ones weren't. Just perspective of then to now.
Who ever gets one of these vehicles, good luck with it and always shinny side up.

Casey Miles
248H "F" NHRA Stock

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Months ? My local dealer had a pair of those monsters but at over $ 7,500 they sat for more than two years before they got sold ........if I only knew ..........

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Back in the day, I had a friend buy a COPO Camaro, but it wasn't one of the ZL1's, it was an iron block 427, 425 hp. It was blue with the baby hub caps on 14" rims. It also had the cowl hood with no spoilers. It seems that everone thinks that the COPO is only the ZL1.

Casey Miles
248H "F" NHRA Stock

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

You are right Casey, mine was the same color and combo

Re: Live from Oxford,Michigan - the Camaro COPO story
 

Well we had our day at the Oxford COPO facility. Jack did not lie....he was spot on....

Rock Haas