COPO Chevelle race history

[Alss]

I have started to disassemble my 69 COPO fpr restoration. I have been inventorying parts for a couple of days now. I have found that the rear tailight extentions still have their " race" paint on them. Anyone here from upstate NY in the early 70's seen these stripes and paint.Stripe is blue and white and carried across the front header. Car was in NY state since being sold at Laks Chevy in Hamburg NY until 1978, which is the last inspection sticker in the front window. I'll post the pics. Thanks.

ALbert

[Alss]

pic 1

[Alss]

pic 2

[Alss]

pic of front stripe

[Schonyenko2]

Albert, that was called panel painting. It was very popular back in the day. Some times they would lace the panel, like the Harrell cars, or shoot in cobwebs, or, it looks in your case like big flake. Sometimes they would just airbrush the body lines to like Ken Barnhart's ZL1. Very cool stuff.

[Mr70]

Cool Ken!
ALbert,Are you considering restoring it to that particular Day 2 Scheme?

[Jack R]

I grew up in WNY. I don't remember your 69 or the paint scheme but I do know that dealer well. Laks Chevrolet was on South Park Avenue in Buffalo until late 69 or so. When I was a kid I hung out at this dealer. I remember a lot of Z 28's and Chevelles running through there. They were the only Chevy dealer in that part of town at that time. I was around 11 years old and was the unofficial mechanics helper during summers or on weekends. For a long time I was able to be in the shop (before insurance stuff killed that). The mechanics would have me sit in the cars on the lift to help bleed brakes, shift gears etc. I was an 11 year old wanna be at the time. I remember seeing engine swaps on chevelles, corvettes and camaros taking place. I didn't appreciate a big block from a small block but I recognized the difference and remember them working on hi-performance stuff at that time.

[Alss]

Jack, thanks for the input. I wish I could remember the late 60's but I was too young as well.

Rick, don't know about day two yet. If I can get some good pictures of the car back then I may consider it but I would like to be accurate and it would be cool if the car was a "know" entity back then, but for now I'm leaning toward a stock resto with factory fathom green paint. I understand that the COPO's got the SS side stripe as well. does anyone know what color stripe went with fathom green?...white or black? I would think white as the green is fairly dark..but that is a long way off. Thanks for everyones input.

ALbert

[Don_Lightfoot]

Al, I just wonder if there would be any benefit in contacting the drag strips in that area to see if they keep any "archive" photos or information. They of course may not be willing to help if it turns into a time consuming situation. The most prominant dragstrip in that region during that era would have been Cayuga Dragway, Cayuga, Ontario. It is now known as Toronto Motorsports Park and is just across the border from Buffalo. Furthermore, Cayuga Dragway is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year and are having all kinds of historical events and nostalgia things going on. It just might be the "year" to contact them about this if you know what I mean. Here's their website.

http://www.torontomotorsportspark.com/dragway/home.htm

The other dragstrips in the area that I am aware of are Lancaster and Niagara.

Good luck buddy.

[Belair62]

Good advice Don...there is usually a track photographer who snaps pics at big and small events...worth a try...

[55chevy]

If the car is cool.. I can almost guarentee that "somebody somewhere" has pictures of it.. but THATs the hard part.. finding those people.. I'm sure I've got pics of peoples cars that they would just kill to have today.. If they only knew.. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[Alss]

Thanks guys, I'll give it a try.

Albert