This 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Is a COPO Clone With an Authentic ZL1 Under the Hood

The COPO Camaro was born in 1969 as a way around the corporate edict that restricted Chevrolet from installing engines larger than 400 cubic inches (6.6 liters) in midsize vehicles and pony cars.

A request from Don Yenko, who was offering dealer-installed swaps, prompted Chevrolet to give in and install 427-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) V8s in the Camaro via the Central Office Production Order program. The mill in question was the solid-lifter L72 big-block available in the Corvette and Impala and rated 425 horsepower.

Yenko ordered 201 vehicles, but other dealers became aware of the option, and Chevrolet made around 1,000 units. These went to dealers like Baldwin-Motion, Nickey, and Dana.

The second COPO Camaro was conceived by drag racer Dick Harrell and ordered through Ford Gibb Chevrolet. Unlike COPO 9561, COPO 9560 was fitted with the all-aluminum 427 ZL1. Officially rated at 430 horsepower, the engine was initially intended for Can-Am road racing. Harrell and Gibb wanted it in a drag-ready Camaro because the aluminum construction made the ZL1 some 100 pounds (45 kg) lighter than the standard iron big-block.

Gibb Chevrolet ordered 50 examples, the minimum number for NHRA homologation. But the ZL1 turned out to be too expensive for most enthusiasts, so Gibb sent 37 unsold units back to Chevrolet. The company redistributed the cars to other dealers and built an additional 19 units. With a total production run of 69 vehicles, the ZL1 is the rarest of the COPO twins. It's also the most expensive, with many examples valued at $500,000 to $1 million.

Not surprisingly, there are more clones than true-blue COPO ZL1s out there as of 2024. The Hugger Orange unit you see here is one of those cars. But unlike most replicas you'll see at classic car shows, this one rocks an authentic 427 ZL1.

The Camaro recently surfaced in Goldsboro, North Carolina, looking for a new home after spending nearly 20 years in a private museum. The seller claims the Chevy packs a "correct date coded" ZL1 engine, and the "snowflake" logo on the block confirms it's indeed a Winters Foundry mill.

If you're not familiar with this company, it's the one that handled the casting of every ZL1 engine for Chevrolet back in the day. Winters Foundry reportedly made about 300 blocks from mid-1968 through 1974. Many were sold over the counter at various Chevrolet dealers and installed in dragsters and Can-Am race cars.

But this Camaro is more than just a 1969 coupe with a ZL1. The pony looks flawless inside and out, and the paint is "show quality" aside from bubbling on one of the rear outer wheel housings. The engine has a few upgraded internals and cranks out more than 600 horsepower. It's definitely a sleeper.

While these rigs usually go under the hammer, the seller wants to move it via a "buy it now" ad. He's asking $185,000 or best offer. That's a lot of dough for a tribute car, but not exactly steep, given what's under the hood. Is this pony car worth the sticker?