This Low-Mileage 1969 Chevrolet COPO Camaro Is a Unique Gem With Drag-Racing Heritage

Short for Central Office Production Orders, COPO is a term applied to a pair of limited-edition muscle cars, both introduced in 1969. And they were born following the corporate edict that forbade Chevrolet from installing engines larger than 400 cubic inches (6.6 liters) in midsize and smaller automobiles.

Unable to fulfill dealer requests for Camaros equipped with the 427-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) V8 available in full-size rigs and the Corvette, Chevrolet used the Central Office Production Orders system, usually applied to fleet and special orders, as a loophole against the corporate ban.

The COPO 9561 left the assembly line with the solid-lifter L72 big-block engine. The 425-horsepower mill found its way into the Camaro thanks to Don Yenko, who ordered 201 cars for his dealership. Dealers like Baldwin-Motion, Nickey, and Dana also commissioned similar builds. Chevrolet ended up making about 1,000 L72 Camaros, which are more commonly known as COPO 427 cars.

The second COPO was ordered using the number 9560, and it's much rarer than the 427 version. I'm talking about the ZL-1, which was designed specifically for Super Stock drag racing and fitted with an all-aluminum 427 big-block V8.

Envisioned by drag racer Dick Harrell and ordered through Fred Gibb Chevrolet of Illinois, the COPO 9560 saw daylight in just 69 units. And even though it was spectacularly powerful at more than 430 horsepower, the ZL-1 wasn't exactly popular at the time. Fred Gibb had trouble selling all the cars, and some of them were returned to Chevrolet and eventually sent to other dealers.

Come 2023, the ZL-1 is the rarest and most sought-after first-gen Camaro, with pristine examples valued at more than $1 million. The COPO 427 is much more affordable than the ZL-1 but far from cheap. A well-documented example in Excellent condition can fetch more than $200,000.

Which brings me to the very special COPO you see here. Documented by YouTube's "Hot Rod Hoarder," this COPO is not a super-rare ZL-1. But it's not a run-of-the-mill 427 either. Because even though it left the factory as a 427, it spent its early years at the drag strip, and it's one of the most raced COPOs out there.

It's also one of those classics that comes with a fascinating story. Raced well into the 1970s by its second owner, the COPO was restored to street specifications in 1978. With a new drivetrain and a gold-striped black repaint, the Camaro spent a whopping 40 years looking like an SS.

Its COPO roots were forgotten until 2018, when Jim Lammers bought the Chevy from a previous coworker and began investigating its history. He soon discovered that the Camaro started life as a COPO and got in touch with the family that raced it in the early days.

He eventually opted to restore the vehicle to its factory specifications and repaint it in the original LeMans Blue color. But after he displayed the COPO in its original condition at a car show, he decided to give it another makeover to its early 1970s drag-racing specs.

He draped the body in white and red vinyl to recreate the "Rats Nest" livery, slammed stickers on the windows, and replaced the stock wheels with drag-spec rollers. It's not a true drag racer, though. Jim wanted to be able to return the COPO to its factory condition as easily as possible, so there are no modifications beyond the livery, the wheels, and the trunk lid. This COPO is the best of both 427 and ZL-1 worlds if you ask me.

Like most cars that were raced extensively in the early days, this COPO no longer has the original 427 V8 under the hood. However, the vehicle was restored with period-correct components and the best OEM parts available. So, while it may not be all original, it's the next best thing, and it's a unique piece of COPO history. Moreover, it shows only 15,000 original miles (24,140 km) on the odo. Check it out in the video below.