COPO Convertible

[AutoInsane]

This was a question asked on Kevin's web site (http://corvettes-musclecars.com):

Does anyone know anything about a "one-of-a-kind" 1968 COPO Camaro Convertible??

[REDZ]

There was a '68 Z-28 convertible built for Pete Estes. I think it was actually a completed car which was sent to the engineering dept. and converted to a Z-28. I don't know if it carried a COPO designation or not. Milt Robson bought the car from the Mecom Auction in Chicago about eight years ago, and then resold it about three years later. A couple of years ago it was purchased by Al Maynard in Detroit.

[Edited by REDZ (01-07-2002 at 11:03 PM).]

[SuperCars]

REDZ has the story down pretty good. I saw it at Milton's quite some time ago. It was the real deal. Not sure if you would call it a COPO though; what COPO number would it be? More of a situation where one of the Bosses, Pete Estes walks in the plant and tells the boys: "I want this type of car built".

Milton got it at the auction as said above. Later Milton sold it to Rich Steele in Chicago. Rich had it for a year or so; tried to get me to trade a 70 Hemi-Cuda Convertible I had. He eventually traded it to Al Maynard for a 69 Z28, a Hemi motor, and a 63 Z06 Big Tank Vette with set of GM Gear Drive Hub Knock-offs. I did end up buying the 63 Z06 Big Tank Vette from Rich Steele after that. The Z28 Convertible was always priced higher than I thought it should've been. I knew it was one-of-kind, but it just didn't do much for me, especially with the price tag that was on it.

[Jeff H]

Was that the crossram, JL8 Z28 conv that was in the magazines? I know hi-po big blocks are awesome, but how can you not like that 68 with the combination that you couldn't order?

[JoeC]

It is difficult to put a price on it but it has to be one of the most valuable and historical Chevrolets ever built. It is a well documented prototype that escaped from the factory and was Estes personal car. Not only a convertible Z but, if the Internet buzz is true, it has four-wheel disc brakes Œ69 prototype fiberglass hood, factory headers, and a bunch of other options. They also list "cross-ram air"? Does this mean it has a 2x4bbl cross-ram and AC? There is a web page on it at

http://stdev.scc.spokane.cc.wa.us/rv...h/68cv_z28.htm

[SuperCars]

I don't know which magazines you're referencing; I'd have to assume it was though, since there is only one. When I first saw it I was at Milton's and he had just received it. The Cross Ram was in the trunk. He was quite excited about it, and my mind was thinking: "Z28 Convertible???-Milton, they never made one???". Lo and behold, this car is a perfect example for the phrase "never say never".

I wouldn't say that I would be against owning it, as it is a rare piece of history; just not at the top of my personal priority list. The first time I could've bought it, I was focused on other rare Big Block cars, and couldn't do both. The second time it was offered to me by Rich Steele; he was suggesting a trade with my 70 Hemi-Cuda Convertible which was, and still is bringing a lot more money; I was not willing to take a loss in trading.

The answer to the specific question of why someone wouldn't own this one-of-a-kind isn't just because of financial reasons; but one's personal preferences. I realize that to an avid Z28 guy, this car must be the ultimate car; whereas I still predominantly prefer Big Block cars. My personal opinion for collecting cars is as the phrase says: "there is no substitute for cubic inches".

[SuperCars]

I just clicked on the link that JoeC posted. The picture is at Rich Steele's in Highland Park IL, and exactly the same spot I saw it the second time around. Definitely a spectacular car. As I look back, I ask maybe I should've tried to make it work? But a guy can only do so much. I've had to pass on a lot of very rare cars over the years, but I'm not complaining either though.

There may be inconsistancy in the write-up. It didn't tell of the prior owner Milton. I was told by Milton it was a car built for Estes at Estes request. I wouldn't think they would have to build a Z28 Convertible to entice Estes to build the Z28's as they had already been producing them in 67 through 68?

[JoeC]

That story has been around for many years and seems to be accepted as true. The way I understand it is in 1967 the car was just RPO Z 28 but did not have the Z/28 emblems on it. In order to race in Trans Am the SCCA homologating requirement was 1000 cars. Chevy built 602 1967 302 Camaros but the SCCA let them slide by counting the 350cu in Camaro to make the 1000 unit total. In 1968 they wanted management (Estes) to approve the promotional ad campaign advertising the car as the Camaro Z/28. Turned out to be another one of Vinnce Piggins's good ideas.

[Rat_Pack]

Kevin, you are right about Milton being "excited" when he first got that car. Jake (JT) who was his right hand man for many, many years told me that I needed to come up and see this oddball Z-28 that Milton had just purchased. I thought it might be "Agent Orange" as he did not tell me the year of the car.

When I got there, JT and I finished watching a race that was on TV and went down to the bottom of the hill to his shop. We walked up to this British Green 68 convertible that had Z-28 stripes and emblems on it and a cowl hood. I said "is this the car?" He said yes and I said "okay someone put Z-28 emblems on a convertible Camaro." JT said nope, look at this and he handed me a stack of paperwork. I read through it and was just blown away that I was looking at the one and only Z-28 convertible. While I had been looking at the paperwork he went over and opened up the trunk and hood. I peered inside the trunk and there layed the crossram setup. He told me that Milton was more excited about this find than the Motion car. Then JT explained the hood to me as being the prototype for the over-the-counter fiberglass hood for the 69's for the Trans Am series. This car was loaded with options that I had not seen in a while on any Camaro, much less a Z-28. He told me that it was built per Estes request, because he liked convertibles, and was used as a promotional tool for the Z-28 plus as a test bed for parts for the 69 model year. He also said that Estes had another convertible 68 RS/SS 396 that was loaded.

I was up there one Sunday doing some research on some of the cars Milt had. JT and I were watching a Nascar race this time, and I told him that I wanted to get some more pictures of the Camaro's but I didn't have time that day and I told him I would be back towards the middle of the week. He said that was fine, just to give him a call and he would pull out any car that I needed to look at. Well I didn't get a chance to get back up there as JT passed away a couple of days later.

Shortly after that is when Milton sold off his collection, which you have a lot of his Camaros. I have not seen any of his cars since that day except for a few Mopars that were at Floyd's on display..............RatPack...............

[Denis]

Joe, the writeup claims the car was built mid-July 1968. The Z28 had already been in production for two model years by that time.