The Supercar Registry Bulletin Board: June '05 Feature Car

June 2005 Feature Car:

John Nielsen's 1969 "Harrell" COPO Camaro

Specs:

Engine (factory):	L72 427/425hp
Transmission (factory):	THM400 automatic
Rear (factory):	4.10 posi
Selling Dealer:	Bill Allen Chevrolet, Kansas City, MO
Options:	COPO 9561
Exterior color:	Glacier Blue
Interior color:	Black standard

"This is what I currently know about the car.

My car was ordered as a COPO by Dick Harrell through Bill Allen Chevrolet. There were three cars ordered at the same time. Kevin Suydam has one and Bill Ogle has the other with my production number sandwiched in between. I am told the build date was May 18th, 1969. As I understand it, my car was used as a demo by Dick Harrell for prospective clients to try. The engine was balanced and blueprinted. Howard Martin purchased the car from Bill Allen Chevrolet in March or April of 1970. Howard Martin was kind enough to share the only picture I have seen of the car in the early seventies. I am not sure if Dick Harrell allowed Bill Allen Chev. to sell the car on consignment or if the dealership just purchased the car from Dick Harrell. Howard Martin owned the car for approximately one year and sold it back to Bill Allen Chev. in1971. I do not know who Bill Allen then sold the car to. I was able to find and talk to Larry Shelly in Arkansas. He owned the car from approximately 1975 to 1980. He told me he drag raced the car and blew the engine. He then put a 454 ci engine and raced the car until he sold it. Larry told me he sold the car to a guy in Cambridge, Minnesota (Cambridge is a small town about 70 miles north of Minneapolis). He does not remember the name of the person he sold the car to. Scott Drake purchased the car from the gentleman in Cambridge, Minnesota in August of 1985. Scott also does not remember the name of the gentleman in Cambridge, Minn. When Scott Drake purchased the car it had a 427 ci engine, a TH400 transmission, and a 12 bolt Chevelle rear end. Scott owns several service stations and a car diagonistic center. The only thing Scott did to the car was install power steering and put an electric fan on. Scott was downsizing from a house with a 10 car garage (4 attached to the house and a seperate 6 car garage) and had to dispose of a few of his toys. A friend of mine told me about the car and I went to look at it. I saw the Dick Harrell emblems on the car and with the VIN I proceeded with some internet research. After I the research I thought the car had some value but I did not fully realize what I had at the time. One week later in April of 2001 I purchased the car. With the help of a local man (Ken Boje) with a lot of Camaro knowledge we were able to verify the car was a Harrell COPO. Kevin Suydam also helped by giving me copies of the documentation on his car. I have been talking with Valerie Harrell and hopefully she can also find photos or additional documentation. There is a restoration in the future but for now I am just having fun with the car. Fun is what this hobby is all about."

John

Current pictures below courtesy of John Nielsen:

Original picture below courtesy of John Nielsen, taken by Howard Martin, circa 1970: