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A '69 ZL1 was built in small numbers. It was an all-aluminum 427-engined beast, with an available Sports Car Conversion pkg (COPO 9737). In its day, the COPO 9560 could be built with essentially Z/28 equipment. Weighed the same as a Z/28. And because it was built in small numbers, ALL its development costs (contrary to Vince Piggins' assurance to Fred Gibb) were charged against each car sold. Just the way it will be with the coming Z/28. And LOW volumes makes the developmental costs burden GREATER per unit than it might otherwise be.
Result? An inordinately higher unit MSRP. And THAT is why we sought an earlier release for that vehicle, in this Section. Because we KNEW the lower the total volume built, the higher the unit cost would be...
Make sense, now?
EDIT:
The ZL1 package, COPO 9560, sold for approx. $4150, with mandatory options additional. ZL1 crate engines, back then, could be bought for as little as $2995. The difference in price? Development costs...and THAT was before the days of EPA/CAFE/crash tests... Curiously, '69 COPOs DID have a 5-year powertrain warranty, just like today!
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