Classic DREAMCARS Mount Dora, Fla. (352) 385-1945 www.classicdreamcars.com

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1969 CHEVROLET CAMARO 427 "DOUBLE C.O.P.O." SPORT COUPE

THIS IS A COMPLETE, TOTAL RESTORATION OF A 'REAL' DOUBLE C.O.P.O. 427 l-72 BIG BLOCK CAMARO. IT IS FINISHED IN LEMANS BLUE WITH PARCHMENT WHITE STANDARD BUCKETS, AND WHITE 'HOCKEY STICK' STRIPES. BY COPO STANDARD'S, IT IS LOADED... AS THESE WERE GENERALLY BARE-BONES RACE CARS. IT NOT ONLY HAS THE 427/ 425 H.P. V8 WITH FOUR SPEED GEARBOX AND 4:10 POSITRACTION BUT, HAS RALLY WHEELS, R.W.L. TIRES, D-80 SPOILERS FRONT/REAR, CENTER FUEL GAUGE, AM PUSHBUTTON RADIO W/ CORRECT BEVELED ANTENNA, ENDURA BUMPER AND COWL INDUCTION HOOD. SHE'S FURTHER COMPLIMENTED WITH THE RARE COPO 9737 'SPORTSCAR' PACKAGE WHICH INCLUDES LARGER SWAY BARS, HEAVY-DUTY RACING SUSPENSION, 140 M.P.H. SPEEDO, 8,000 R.P.M. TACH AND MORE. THIS IS A COVETED "BERGER" CHEVROLET VERSION WHICH TENDED TO BE MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN THE BRIGHTLY COLORED & DECALED YENKO'S AND BALDWIN MOTION CARS. IN FACT, IT STILL CARRIES IT'S ORIGINAL by Berger TAIL PANEL BADGE AND AIR CLEANER STICKER. IT WON SECOND, THEN FIRST PLACE AT NUMEROUS MICHIGAN CAMARO NATIONALS AND, NOT ONLY HAS IT'S ORIGINAL WARRANTY BOOK SHOWING DELIVERY TO STEVEN RICHARDS OF ALLENTOWN, MICH., WITH ORIGINAL MANUAL BUT, THE CERTIFICATION FROM CAMARO CONNECTION. IT IS ALSO SIGNED BY DALE BERGER DOCUMENTING IT TO BE THE 'REAL DEAL'. 'STIMULUS' PRICED @ $249,000

THE STORY:

If you can remember the "Pueblo" U.S. Navy Spy Ship seized in Korean waters, the Nude, Rock Musical "Hair", Neil Armstrong landing on the Moon, The Who singing the Rock Opera "Tommy", the investigation of the Manson Murders, and ("Raindrops Falling On My Head") "Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid" movie.... you probably remember being an integral part of "the scene" in 1969. The Sixties were a decade of Hope and Change. John F. Kenbnedy was the First President ever born in the 20th Century, and he called American's to action, like never before, in 1961. Black American's continued their struggle for Equal Rights and Young American's were encouraged to "Join the Peace Corp" as "Goodwill Ambassador's". American's began to question the War for the first time, and openly express Anti-War sentiment. You were given the "right to remain silent" by the Miranda Act in 1966, and in May, 1970 four student demonstrators, at Kent State, ended up shot by their own Ohio National Guard. There were flowers in gun barrels and America was "Feelin' Groovy". A lot of young people were speaking out, breaking new ground and breaking Old Rules. This new lifestyle called for Bold Graphic's (like Peter Max) and Unique techniques used in daily advertising. The Hippie Look was " In " : Gypsy Skirts, Love Beads, Granny Glasses and Fringed Leather Vests were popular. Even Presidential hopeful, Ralph Nadar, got into the action, pointing out Safety Problems on 'new' cars by driving a Bumper Car into a wall, to show how collisions affect passengers. Can you imagine?... he claimed the entire Auto Industry put Profit Ahead of Passenger Safety !

Meanwhile Chevrolet, which was managed by Coke Totin' John DeLorean, finished the year selling 1,109,013 cars. 243,085 of these were Camaro's ! If you 'knew somebody' At the Top, you could bi-pass the Regular Production Order Dept. and access the Central Office Production Order people. That is exactly how these unique, one-off cars were constructed... right under the noses of the muckity - mucks and offered from the Factory parts bins. Only a handful of actual C.O.P.O.'s (pronounced "Coe-Poe's") escaped from the cage.

A total of 69 were equipped with the 9560 Option and carried the 427 ZL-1 Aluminum Motor. Fifty were sold to Fred Gibb, a dealer from LaHarpe, ILL. The other 19 went to 'other dealers'. The COPO 9561 Option saw produced 800 4-speeds but, 201 Automatics and 4-speeds went to Don Yenko, a dealer from Cannonsburg, PA. Approx. 50 were delivered to Berger Chevrolet in Grand Rapids Michigan and it is now said, (by Berger) that only 12 remain. These cars came equipped with the 427 cid V8 Cast Iron Block, with Heads/Aluminum Intake from the 396 and were rated at 425+ h.p.. They carried a Steel Crankshaft, Harrison H.D. (4-Core) Radiator with Curved Neck, Heavy Duty Positraction 4:10 Rear Gears, Power Front Disc Brakes, (some had) Chambered Exhaust, Cowl Induction Hood and a M-21/22 or Turbo-Hydramatic Automatic. A handful of these carried BOTH 9767 and 9561 Options, which additonally, featured 15x7 Rally Wheels mounted with Goodyear Wide Tread GT Tires, D-80 Spoilers Front / Rear, 1" Sway Bars, 140 m.p.h. Speedo, and a Center Fuel Gauge. These cars are considered "The Holy Grail" by Chevrolet Collector's Worldwide...and , in the face of the current market, a Great Future Collectible.

*SEE "MUSCLE CARS", PAGE 36-39 SEPT. ISSUE 1994