Chevrolet COPO Camaro

Chevrolet has announced the COPO Camaro drag-strip racer it unleashed at last year’s SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show is going into production, but only 69 cars will be offered to a select bunch of punters – following the example of the 1969 Camaro ZL, of which the same number were built..

The straight-line stormer will be offered with a choice of three powerplants – a 427-cubic-inch (7.0-litre) V8 for AA Stock racing, a 327-cubic-inch (5.35-litre) V8 with a 4.0-litre supercharger for A Stock racing and another 327-cubic-inch engine but with a 2.9-litre supercharger for B Stock.

Buyers will be able to order their car with all three engines, with GM installing one and providing the other two (with matching numbers) in a crate. Staying true to the traditional drag-car recipe, power is relayed to the massive rear gumballs by a Powerglide automatic.

In case you’re wondering, COPO is an acronym for Central Office Production Order – Chevrolet’s special-order system used by dealers to build high-performance models in the 1960s.

Billed as the quickest Camaro ever offered by Chevrolet, the COPO Camaros will be built using factory ‘body-in-white’ body structures produced at the Oshawa, Ontario plant that manufactures regular Camaros. They are the same body-in-white body shells available to all racers under Chevrolet Performance part number 19243374.

The cars will come with a sequenced build number matched to the engine, but sold without a Vehicle Identification Number, which means they cannot be registered for highway use – so traffic-light-grand-prix specialists should apply elsewhere.

The engines will be assembled at GM's Performance Build Center, where buyers will be able to participate in the build process, in a similar fashion to Chevrolet’s Corvette Engine Build Experience and the Chevrolet Performance Build Your Own Crate Engine programs.

Customers will order and complete the transaction for their COPO Camaro at their preferred Chevrolet dealer with delivery (starting in May/June) at the General Motors Performance Build Center in Michigan. Pricing starts at $US89,000.

As for how the buyer selection process works, Chevrolet is a little vague, offering the following explanation: “To ensure fair access to the limited number of COPO Camaros, an independent third party was used to identify the first individuals who would be offered the opportunity to buy one of the new COPO Camaros. Those selected will receive a confirmation letter with instructions on how to fulfil the purchase contract, choose the engine option for their intended racing class, and take delivery.”

The COPO Camaro is designed to NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) racing specifications, including a solid rear axle and a full chrome moly roll cage.

Inside, most of the standard sound deadening and power accessories have been deleted in order to optimise weight for NHRA racing. Also included is a pair of racing bucket seats (no rear seat), a safety harness for the driver, a competition floor shifter and Chevrolet Performance gauges.

The COPO Camaro will be offered in a choice of five colours – Flat Black, Summit White, Victory Red, Silver Ice Metallic and Ashen Grey Metallic. A COPO graphics package similar to the one introduced on the concept vehicle will also be available in Metallic White, Semi-Gloss Black, Inferno Orange Metallic and Chevy Racing Blue.

Racing enthusiasts interested in more information can go to GMperformanceParts.com to sign up for COPO Camaro updates through the Fuel online newsletter. Production updates will also be posted on Chevrolet Performance’s Facebook page.

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