X44D80 tag is a real good indicator combined with the accelerator cowl bracket and BE rear make this one pretty easy to detect.

Thanks guys, there'a already a phone call into MacNeish (waiting on a return call) and the NCRS is sent. Just trying to track down some history and photos now.

Marilyn is great at the NCRS... generally I pay the $90 and get it back the same day worst case scenario she calls me the very next day but it is always less than 24 hours . If you pay the lesser amount she always has it to you within a week

Good luck Matt - great find there! I just went through this process 10 months ago. Good advice on this site helped me through it - it really was a lot of fun tracking down each owner. The people side of it has been, and will likely continue to be the best part - the rest is just parts......very cool parts, but just parts nonetheless!

Looks like NCRS didn't have the dealer name listed.

Very cool, congrats!!!

Way cool!!

Zone #41 Dealer# 82 is Branine Chevrolet in Kansas.

Branine was in Mulvane, KS and was a Yenko/performance dealer.

Cliff Gottlob's 67 L88 Convertible

Kevin Suydam's Dick Harrell '68 427 Conversion

YS-8023 and YS- 8019

Kevin Suydam's Deuce

So yeah, to put it mildly, a performance-oriented dealership - your car kept good company.

They were at :

1014 North 2nd Avenue
Mulvane, Kansas
67110

That's awesome!! Wonder how it got from Kansas to Philly??

Branine Chevrolet 1960 ad
 

See attached ad from 1960:

One dragstrip at a time Marlin...Lol. That is a long journey but it is a race car. That’s great news . Congrats on the selling dealer.

....or a military guy.

'

Being confirmed as shipped to Branine, obviously this wasn't a Yenko car (unless they were doing the Jack Douglass thing) but is it know if Branine did deliver any '69 Yenko Camaros and/or Chevelles?:hmmm:
This HAMB link has a few names of guys from Branine that may be worth seeking out in case they remember the car...
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/.../buzrod.89836/
Also, here's an 03/18 Mecum link w/ a Branine delivered LS6...
https://www.mecum.com/lots/KM0318-32...-chevelle-ls6/

:beers:
~ Pete


.

Cool find, it does reinforce they're still out there!

Mulvane is my old home town. I know many of the old drag racers in the area. I will ask around. Yes, Branine sold many hi performance cars including Yenko cars back in the day if I remember correctly. I've got a drag racing buddy that has lived there his whole life that will definitely know, I will ask him. Don't forget, last I checked Kansas DMV still offers complete title history back to original selling dealer including a copy of the MSO. Good luck!!

I'm glad it was found and being saved. But one must look at what there going to do with it and what's it really worth?

The "Tin Soldier" '69 COPO with a lot of born with and known and documented history was for say for $92,000 back a couple tears ago. So this car without documentation and the born with would be what, say $90,000 in today's market. Maybe restore it over say 5/7 years and enjoy it while doing a bit here and there. Or restore it to it's racing history sort like the Soldier.

Restoring it will destroy what remains of the originality. Clean up the hack workmanship [like the fuel line...] and enjoy as is.

Great find! Nobody likes old race cars than me so I say get it up on it’s feet and go burn some rubber! I just was sent a real clear vintage picture of my Camaro at E-Town in 1969 that I had not yet seen.....so I know all about the excitement of a hidden gem!

People worry too much about "what's it worth"... It's a real car and a brand new find...Someone found a COPO, sitting in plain site.. that's awesome. It's not always about how much you can re-sell it for.

i just hooked up with Don Branine Jr. on facebook - his Dad ordered in a LeMans Blue 69 COPO TO RACE in AHRA .... called it Killer Camaro...he's going to look through his Dads pictures and he is pretty sure they exist. His Dad is in assissted living now. Cool if same car.

I’m with Joe and Matt on this one. I don’t like the undertones of this thread at all.

Cliff notes - forget about value, restoration, cost of either. Not your problem and not the purpose of the thread. Second - who cares about someone on the internet offering money for a car that’s not for sale? Move on... Matt shared his friend’s find. We are privileged to see hard evidence in photos in as-found condition! If this thing wound up in the hands of a protouring guy we’d all cry bloody murder.

Matt, congrats again. Please continue to share pics. This is turning out to be one heck of a find with a story at the cusp of evolving.

Dan

Branine's advertising slogan used to be "cars like eggs are cheaper in the country"
I talked to my buddy today and he said yes, Branine definitely sold Yenko/COPO cars back in the day. I was almost positive they did.

I am appreciative that Matt posted this COPO on the site. There were too many tell tale signs to deny that this was a COPO, and I'm alway skeptical!!!. Love the color and would like to learn more about its racing history. To me it's like hitting the lottery and a amazing find. A big congratulations to the new owner!!!!:beers:

Me too, textbook signs for anyone who has chased these cars for years.

great find , congrats!!!!!!!
 

ive had 4 copo and three of the four still had 427 in the fender extentions written upside down, you might check that out. congrats, you found a treasure!!!

I've always thought they are way more fun, when you don't think about what or how much they could be worth

Guys I wasn't knocking the car and not saying it shouldn't have been saved. It was directed buy the "for sale for $50,000 post for this.


That's all.

First photo received today.

Awesome Matt!

So before it was like this, it was called Vitale's Toy. If anyone comes across a photo of a car that says that, please let me know.

Matt, there are a couple vintage Camaro race car groups on FB you might try. An excellent, never-before-seen vintage photo of my Camaro just showed up over the weekend. I’ll take a look when I get a chance. There are lots of vintage race car photos out there.....I look in the backgrounds of the photos as you never know what might be there.

I belong to the Vintage Camaro drag photo group and looked for about an hour last night and only made it to the beginning of November. Great group. I saw the photo that you posted there.

This is a very exciting thread. Big Thanks to Matt for taking us along for the ride. I feel like I’m watching this amazing car tell it’s story/history in real time. Happy New Year to all !!
Rob

Trailer? ;)