Re: COPO question .
 

Jim M.
Any chance of you speaking at this years Supercar show in Collinsville Il. or the ACES Chevelle show in Goodletsville Tn. this June?
I would enjoy a book written by you on this very subject alone!
Rick

Re: COPO question .
 

Jim,when was Cental Office created ? Was this department used only for Chevrolet brand ? Did other GM units have this type of department ? I e-mailed you a year or so ago about the aluminum front end on a SD Pontiac in which I asked how some cars got aluminum and some got steel. You indicated it was customer preference and there was no cost difference for aluminum. These cars had to have a higher approval so thats why I wonder if there was a COPO type office within Pontiac.

[Edited by Belair62 (02-28-2002 at 04:07 PM).]

Re: COPO question .
 

I didn't think COPO was Chevrolet specific,but all the GM line,Chevrolet-Buick-Pontiac-Olds?

Re: COPO question .
 

Every division of General Motors had there own way of handling special vehicles, but the term COPO (Central Office Production Order) was unique to Chevrolet Division.

As for the Supercar show in Collinsville, Il in June, Tom Clary has been after me for several years to attend. I'll look at my schedule and see if I can make it. It sounds like a good time!

Jim Mattison

Re: COPO question .
 

I differentiate between a COPO package and a Central Office approval.
A COPO package required a special combination of features and included delete and add instructions for the plant and was assigned a COPO #.
A COPO approval was 'build it without stripes or in this color or with this RPO' type of thing. No COPO # was assigned.
I believe I've seen Central Office approval mentioned in GM documentation. COPO packages are not.
The COPO's have a COPO # on the build sheet because they were a package. Never seen a special paint car with a COPO # on the build sheet, just the special paint instructions.

Comments Jim?

Re: COPO question .
 

Kurt,
What then is a car with a "COPO" option listed on the Build Sheet, like an L78 Camaro with XT coded wheels?

Re: COPO question .
 

"What then is a car with a "COPO" option listed on the Build Sheet, like an L78 Camaro with XT coded wheels?"

The standard wheels on all SS's were XT's. So I'm afraid I'm missing your question.

Re: COPO question .
 

I would guess there were COPO numbers for special paint. GM Production Control was a big operation and seemed to have forms and numbers for everything. There was a magazine article showing a copy of a COPO form which I copied and enlarged trying to read it. I sent a copy of it to Jim M and an ex Chevy engineer a few years ago asking if they remember it. Jim replied it is a "GSD-578" form. The title is "Request for Central Office Special Production Authorization." I was told by a restoration guy who worked on the Otis Chandler cars that Otis did a lot to get documentation from Chevy. As the LA Times publisher, Otis Chandler had some good connections with high level GM managers and had requested their help in researching the COPO cars. The guy said Chevy gave a pile of paper copies to Otis.
here is the COPO form GSD-578

http://members.aol.com/yenkochevelle.../copoformx.jpg

Re: COPO question .
 

As far as I can tell on the special paint deal on the COPO Chevelles is this. On both the Hugger Orange (Monaco Orange), and Daytona Yellow cars, on the GM microfilms it lists the option as ZP3. On the build sheets, both coloured cars have the 1001HA, which would be the COPO # I believe for special paint. The orange cars appear to have a 81082 # beside it and the yellow have 81072 beside it.
Peter

Re: COPO question .
 

I wanted to share these codes.
A 1970 Chevelle LS-6 buildsheet painted Special Order Monaco Orange,Arlington plant,Typed across center of buildsheet in one line:"F&SO R0066 1001HA Hood,Fenders, And Entire Body-926499616 Orange Acrylic Lacquer"

Here is a 1970 Chevelle LS-5,Atlanta Plant with Special Order Paint.Typed across its buildsheet:"Hood,Entire Body,Frt.Fenders 927-98457 Gold Metallic Acrylic Lacquer Wheels.767-98457 Gold Metallic baking Enamel.1734AA Tags SC Tricentennial Bypass code 2 Bypass code 2."
This car had its SS wheels painted Gold from the factory.

[Edited by mr70 (03-01-2002 at 05:15 PM).]