MT. PLEASANT, Mich -- Chevy celebrates 50 years of the COPO Camaro legacy, a special order, performance model tradition, by unveiling the 2019 COPO Camaro at SEMA. The 2019 is a bonafide vintage throwback, featuring a special blue metallic exterior that pays homage to the original Laguna Blue offered in 1969, an orange engine block, chrome valve covers, and a black high-rise intake manifold.
The COPO Camaro program got it's start in 1969 and was headed up by an Illinois Chevrolet dealer, Fred Gibb, who utilized the company's special order program to build the first recognized performance Camaro. The goal? To produce a car with more competitive edge in Stock Eliminator drag racing. Gibb installed the ZL1 427 engine which weighed 100 pounds less than the standard iron-based 396 Big Block engine, and created the perfect drag strip monster.
Getting this project approved by Chevrolet was a large ordeal for Gibb. In order to make the engine eligible for NHRA competition, at least 50 models of the car were required to be offered for sale to the public. This might not sound like a large obstacle, but at the time, the suped-up muscle car was pricey, twice the cost of a standard Camaro kind of pricey. Surprisingly, he sold 13 models, and the other 37 were redistributed to other dealers. Word about the COPO Camaro spread quickly, and dealers began ordering models of their own.
In keeping with tradition, only sixty-nine 2019 COPO Camaro race cars will be built. You can register for a chance to purchase one of your own here: https://bit.ly/2yXVIl1
What do you think of the 2019 COPO Camaro? Would you want one of your own? Comment and let us know!
At Hank Graff Mt. Pleasant we strive to provide our customers with a car buying experience that is accommodating, stress-free and fun! Visit us at our Chevrolet dealership located at 4580 E Pickard Rd in Mount Pleasant, Michigan 48858 or our Buick GMC Cadillac dealership located at 116 N. Mission St in Mount Pleasant, MI 48858.
