This immaculate 1969 COPO Camaro has just completed a rotisserie restoration and dazzles with the LeMans Blue finish.
Once Pete Estes had stopped rubbing it into everyone’s face that the Camaro was going to eat Mustangs for breakfast, lunch and dinner, GM had to then set about ensuring that this would actually happen.
Chevrolet began this fight with its hands tied to its back, so getting the car made and receiving praise from the public and the press was no mean feat, but it hadn’t quite beaten the Mustang yet. What it needed was even more power, but sadly Ford overheard their plans to put even more power in the Camaro, which evidently upset Chevrolet. Like, really upset them as evidenced by this COPO Camaro, offered by Arizona Muscle Cars.
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In 1968 Chevrolet secretly decided to steal their truck derived 427 cubic-inch motor and shoehorn it into the engine bay of a Camaro. Better still this weapon laid out 425 horsepower - don’t forget, this was the sixties.
With the red mists clearly taking control, Chevrolet then spread the word of their wickardry around their dealer network, and made sure that this engine configuration wasn’t widely acknowledged, or even readily available for the average customer. Think of it like a game of Chinese Whispers but rigged.
They called this the Chevrolet Camaro COPO. COPO stands for Central Office Production Order. Chevrolet didn’t want to put this engine in as it would have stolen sales from the Corvette, but for those in the know, a few carefully placed letters and numbers on an order form would create what we have here.
The example offered by Arizona Muscle Cars has enjoyed a full rotisserie restoration to a condition likely better than the factory. Finished in LeMans Blue paint code 711 it’s one beast of a Camaro. Fitted with the four speed Muncie transmission and a positive traction rear end this is the real McCoy.
To find out more, visit the Motorious classifieds.
