JUST AN FYI....
Which im sure all of you already new but
Q:What is a COPO Camaro?
COPO stands for Central Office Production Order. This is the process used by Chevrolet (and other divisions of GM) for internal orders for limited production of non-standard cars. The COPO process was used most often for mundane special fleet orders such as taxis and special wheelbase trucks and doesn't necessarily indicate a high-performance vehicle. But in 68 and 69, the process was used to order high-performance Camaros that were otherwise not available from the factory.
The most famous first-generation COPO Camaros were 1969 COPOs 9560 and 9561. COPO 9560 was a special run of 1969 Camaros based off of the SS package (minus the SS badges) and with a 427ci aluminum block engine (ZL-1) making at least 430 HP (a conservative factory number). Only 69 of these were built. COPO 9561 was another special run of 1969 Camaros equipped with the cast iron version of the 427ci engine (L72). Both of these COPOs started, on paper, with a RPO L78 SS396 Camaro baseline but were modified as guided by a document called the Exception Control List for that COPO; components were added and substituted until the required result was achieved. There were few options that could not theoretically have been added to either COPO, but one of them was air conditioning (RPO C60); GM would not install factory air in a vehicle with a solid lifter engine like either of the ZL1 and L72 options (the production L78 and Z28 engines were also solid lifter engines). JL8 disc brakes (not available in the COPO axle) and C05 convertible are also believed to have been unacceptable options. COPO Camaros in original condition are extremely valuable.
Easily accessible printed resources for basic COPO information include the 1969 Camaro books by
Hooper and MacNeish. Another source of information is the COPO Connection Handbook, which was published by Ed Cunneen of the COPO Connection. The COPO Connection is no longer active.
COPO 9560 Camaros came from the factory with the ZL-1 aluminum 427ci engine, a HD 4.10 ratio 12-bolt rear-end, HD radiator, cowl induction, special springs, and transistorized ignition. It could be had as either an automatic or a manual. Additional options could be combined with the COPO option, but every COPO order had to be specially approved by Chevrolet management. Originally, the plan was to have 50 cars built and shipped to Fred Gibb (dealer/racer). Other dealers got wind of the order and the total build ended up being 69 cars. The original order of 50 was built identically except for exterior paint and transmission. In the supplemental 19 units there were 2 RallySport cars and 2
double COPO 9737 cars.
The COPO 9560 option added $4160 to the price of the car and made them nearly unsellable, with a list price in excess of $7300. Some of the original engines were pulled and a stock 396 installed, with the pulled ZL-1s being sold as crate engines for use in racecars. There were ~90 ZL-1 engines produced in '68/'69. 69 of the 90 went into Camaros, 2 went into Corvettes, 2 went into COPO 9567 prototypes, and the rest (~17) were sold as crate engines.
COPO 9561 was basically the same as the 9560 except it got an all-iron 427 without transistorized ignition. Records were not kept on these as they were for the ZL-1s, but it is believed that anywhere from 700-1015 iron 427 cars were built at the factory. 1015 is the upper limit as that marks the production of this engine for the year. The lower limit of 700 is speculative.
As soon as the dealers realized the price assigned to COPO 9560 they began complaining. A rebate was reportedly created to assist the dealers, but GM realized it would have a problem selling more 9560s, which were plain-jane race cars with a healthy price tag. The COPO 9567 proposal was dreamed up as a response. Vince Piggins and his GM design staff hand-built 2 of these prototypes. COPO 9567 was
not an attempt to build a cheaper ZL-1 car, as the proposed price of this model was well beyond the price of a 9560, at $8581.60 for an M21 4-speed car and $8676.60 for a HD M40 equipped car. The 9567 was intended to be a more streetable car, running 11:1 CR as opposed to 12:1. Both 9567 prototypes were Tuxedo Black Rally Sports with special gold striping, and were very similar, but with distinct differences. While most of the 9560s were plain-jane cars, the 9567s were all jazzed up, pretty as a picture. The location of the prototypes is not known. Unfortunately for posterity, this COPO never made it to production.
The COPO 9560/9561 cars started with a SS396 big-block chassis that included:
- Rear Brake Proportioning Valve
- Big Block Heater Core
- Big Block Fuel Line
The price of the COPO 9560/9561 High Performance Units included the following:
- Either ZL1 (9560) or L72 (9561) engine
- Dual exhaust (both standard N10 and NC8 chambered have been noted)
- ZL2 cowl induction hood
- Transistorized ignition (9560 only)
- HD (curved-neck) 4-row core 23" radiator (most)
- F62 HD front springs
- G32 HD rear five-leaf springs
- HD version of the 4.10 or 4.56 ratio 8.875-inch 12-bolt rear axle
- G80 positraction
To this was added the following mandatory equipment:
- J52 Power Front Disc Brakes
- Either Muncie M21 or M22 4-speeds, or THM400 automatic
- PL5 F70x14 white letter tires on 14x7 wheels (or equivalent substitute option)
The proposed 9567 COPO would have included:
- Rally Sport
- tachometer
- front and rear spoiler
- 61 amp generator
- racing mirrors
- exhaust resonators
- tail pipe extensions
- special steering wheel
- gold-lettered tires
- special hub caps & lug nuts
- wheel trim rings
- fender splash guards
- special emblems
Despite lower factory quoted numbers, the ZL-1 factory dyno shows it produces ~575hp at ~6400rpm and ~515 ft-lbs torque at ~5000rpm, in stock form with manifolds. Click
here for a complete list of the options ordered with each of the sixty-nine COPO 9560 vehicles.
Q:What is a double COPO Camaro?
A:A "double-COPO" is
COPO 9560 or 9561 (aluminum or cast iron 427ci engine) combined (in 1969) with COPO 9737.COPO 9737 was the "sports car conversion" that added a 140 MPH speedometer, a 13/16-inch diameter stabilizer shaft (increased from the 11/16-inch diameter standard bar), and E70x15 Goodyear Wide Tread GT tires on 15-inch rally wheels. COPO 9737 cars built after May, 1969 also got a center gas gauge and a factory tachometer. This COPO was pioneered by Don Yenko for his use in 1968, but for 1969 model year was also ordered (in fewer numbers) by other dealers. In 1968 COPO 9737 is believed to be exclusive to Yenko. The 1968 version of 9737 included a L78 396 (with a unique MV engine code and different carburetor) and the 140 MHP speedo. This COPO was not ordered in combination with any other COPO in 1968.
