Another 1969 Chevelle COPO Inquiry

[Meresq]

Hi everyone.

My name is Mike and I live in the Akron,OH area.

I am just getting back into the muscle car arena. I began looking for a 1969 Chevelle about 6 months ago--boy did I have sticker shock initially! I finally found a 69 Chevelle here in Ohio--very nice. Just under 32,000 miles on it!

I have talked with buddies and relatives of the original owner (the original owner's mom bought the car for him in 1969 when he was 18 and he passed away at age 35). I have also talked with the all subsequent owners.

This red Chevelle sat on the showroom at Earl Evan's Chevrolet dealership in Painesville OH (no longer in business) and everyone I have spoken with has told me, with no uncertainty, that the car had a factory 427. (The orignal owner it seems had a "problem" with 3rd gear and sucked a valve). The second owner purchased the car with the blown 427. He sold the 427 and put in a small block.

The car originally had the bench seat, 4 speed with no console, rear antenna, marker lights with no ci indication, and all Mailbu emblems in the interior (except maybe the steering wheel) bowtie in the grill, 3/8 gas line, front disc brakes but no power steering--it is a high ratio manual and very easy to handle. The car came from the Baltimore plant. The sequence number seems to be in the range when COPO's were being produced: VIN 136379B394237.

The Trim Tag in the cowl area had the following (it has been painted so there may be some inaccuracy)
ST69 13637 BAL 233684
755 52 52
6DBI360 B (M or H)192793

The rearend has the vin number stamped on the passenger side tube as well as 08(or 6)21K. As I understand it, the designation should have another letter after the "K" such as KK or KQ. It may be that paint has filled in the stamping of the second letter--I have to work on this.

Of course, no build sheet has been found yet. The bench seat is long gone. No build sheet was found in the rear seat. I have not checked under the headliner or behind the kick plates.

My question to all the muscle car enthusiasts is this: how many people have found, or know people who have found, build sheets in the roof under the headliner or behind the kick plates? Does anyone have a COPO with similar numbers?Short of the dealer installing the big block, it seems from all accounts that this is a COPO.

I certainly would appreciate any and all feedback (and any hints for determining the COPO status).

Thanks.
Mike

[Chevy454]

Where you "Earl Evans" guys at...Mark Hassett, or Bill S's buddy, or maybe they were in your neck of the woods, Steve F?

Have you had a chance to re-check the rear stamping? Sometimes you have to get aggressive with the nastiness to get it clean...

[Meresq]

Thanks Rob.

[budnate]

wire brush or scotch brite pad and carb cleaner works pretty good, NO sandpaper!

[Denis]

The old copo.com site showed a Dusk Blue COPO Chevelle at the same dealership, with the VIN only 11 off from yours:

VIN: 394248
Dealer: Earl Evans Chevy
Location: Painesville OH
Color: Dusk Blue
Trans: M22

Maybe you can find the original owner of the blue car and he'll remember a red one too?

[Meresq]

Thanks Denis.
According to the second owner, who was working at a dealership just down the street from Earl Evans in 1969, there was another COPO on the show room floor at the same time as mine--and it was blue!!

[L78M22Rag]

Very nice find!!!

Any photos you could share??

Your trim tag info looks right according to another thread on this site which compares several copo Chevelle trim tags... can't find it right now.

Congrats.

[Alss]

Definatley look inside the kick panels..one of my buildsheets was there..no build sheet in the headliner..only the water test sheet.. trim tag is very similar to mine..loking good!!

ALbert

ALbert

[68l30]

Sounds pretty cool...Grady B. has the blue one from Evans.... Where did you find it?


Steve

[micky69396]

Cool find, another NE OH COPO. Check under the front seat also on a Bench car. MY L-89 had 2 build sheets under it there.