70 COPO

[Seaspray]

I was browsing old posts and it got me thinking about a car I've had on the back burner for a while, still collecting parts to restore it. Everytime I decide to sell it I end up talking myself out of it. It is a 70 Z28 with the COPO spoiler. I have no POP, window sticker, or build sheet. I have never looked for the build sheet, so where shoud I start? I do have the original title and license plate from 1970. I met with the original owner several years back. His health was failing so I never pushed the issue of original documents. He did verify the 40k on the clock were correct. I have no doubts of the cars pedigree because everything is there from the LT1 to the 12 bolt, all matching numbers. So, without the build sheet or some other documentation, is this car any more "special" than any other Z28?

[CamarosRus]

Norwood 70 Camaros (those with N as part of the VIN) did not come with build sheets. Without a build sheet or window sticker, could not ANY post May, 1970 Norwood Z be converted into a "COPO" Z-28.......I ask you???????

[70 copo]

Chuck,

I am glad I sent you the M/I Article, as I cannot get it to post up properly. As for conversions, It can be done and I have little doubt was done to more than a few 70's if people wanted to update the car's look some time later in life.

The conversion cars are pretty easy to detect by part number and fitment of the parts. The later spoilers fit quite a bit better whereas the original Piggins rush production COPO packages did not. Production was limited starting in mid may. So I guess if someone wants to go to the trouble to research and then locate the correct COPO spoiler parts, locate a Z28 with the correct build time frame, then proceed to ruin the original rear quarters by drilling holes in them for the end caps-then I guess you could clone one. Not much different than any other clone or fake at that point, as the real ones with documentation or owner history will be the "real deal" to the people who have them and for prospective buyers.

Here is a photo of my car taken by the original owner in 1971.





Ohio plate SP 395 is special. SP=State Patrol 395 Trooper's Badge number. Car was purchased new at Dailey's in Erie PA.

Phil

[nrjulin]

Apparently this guy from the NastyZ28 site found a bunch of build sheets for 1970 and 1972 Norwood Camaro's. He has them listed by VIN.

http://www.nastyz28.com/buildsh.html

http://home.fuse.net/jbprather/70bsheet.htm

Maybe someone is lucky enough to find thier car on the list. I was not.

[70 copo]

nrjulin,

Is the Daytona Yellow car coming to SCR-9??

Phil

[70 copo]

[ QUOTE ]
I was browsing old posts and it got me thinking about a car I've had on the back burner for a while, still collecting parts to restore it. Everytime I decide to sell it I end up talking myself out of it. It is a 70 Z28 with the COPO spoiler. I have no POP, window sticker, or build sheet. I have never looked for the build sheet, so where shoud I start? I do have the original title and license plate from 1970. I met with the original owner several years back. His health was failing so I never pushed the issue of original documents. He did verify the 40k on the clock were correct. I have no doubts of the cars pedigree because everything is there from the LT1 to the 12 bolt, all matching numbers. So, without the build sheet or some other documentation, is this car any more "special" than any other Z28?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think so. The first thing you have to do is confirm the car is real. The best way to do this is to do the research and confirm the ownership history of the car.

The significance of the 70 COPO 9697 cars were historically diminished by the use of this equipment in 71 as RPO D-80 with the RPO continuing to sell strong right through '81 where the street use of these parts was pretty much just for looks, unless you planned to run from the law and most road tests of the day let you know that.

From a racing prospective however this was an example of racing technology that did work and worked well.

With the demise of Chevrolet's Factory T/A racing effort in '71, the small team T/A racers continued to race with the big spoilers because they worked well. Later with the Camaro's use in the mid 70's in the IROC series (on TV) Chevrolet again got very serious about the use of the spoiler technology for racing. As speeds increased way beyond the old T/A speeds IROC drivers (then drafting at over 180mph) soon found that even the size of the old COPO spoiler from 70 had limitations- and then Chevrolet and IROC approved a modification in 1979 to add an additional larger center section to keep the rear of these racers planted. From a chevrolet perspective with sales of Camaros very strong through the 70's the contribution of the later IROC cars cannot be ignored as just like the old T/A days the Camaro's exposure in racing transulated into sales, as in '79 alone over 54,000 Z28's were sold.


The '70 COPO 9697 cars managed to get limited numbers of this start up racing technology to the street and in doing so started over a decade of racing achievement for Chevrolet, so I would have to say if you have a real '70 COPO car it is very special.

Phil

[DarrenX33]

Phil in your opinion and in todays world what % does the COPO option tack on to the price of a fully restored Z?

[69LM1]

And how many 70 Copo's have been found to date? vs, how many do we think were produced (500 or so?)?

Rich

[Rick H]

I have one that is being restored. My car is an 06B build. It still has the original quarters and deck lid with the factory drilled holes. The quarter panel holes were done very crudely. Matter of fact the deck lid holes look pretty bad as well.
The quarters are being replaced but I am documenting everything.

Rick H.

[markjohnson]

Please help me here. I've always had trouble understanding the signifigance of the COPO 9697 on 1970 Camaros. Isn't it the same spoiler that was used on all 1970 Pontiac Trans Ams and Formula Firebirds? If this is so, then Pontiac should get the credit for developing the superior spoiler and Chevrolet just robbed it from their parts bin. My own 1970 Z/28 by the way is a smaller spoiler (holes filled in)car built in the third week of May in Norwood.