Higher value 69 Chevelle COPO 427 or L-78/L89?

[Belair62]

SS 396 emblems may look fancier.....but it looks backward in the rearview mirror ! which is where an L89 would be if it pulled up to a light with a COPO !!! Meet you on Rte.83 Mr.70....bring your pink !!!

[mhassett]

I've been waiting to hear this comment. The L-78 has the same cam as the '66 427-425HP Corvette. The 375HP is Under-Rated, plus the L-89 is lighter. I think it would be a close race. Mark

[JoeC]

The reason I say Chevy lost money on the COPO cars is because of the engineering costs. Engineering costs are very high but when divided over 500,000 cars it is not that much per unit. With only about 1000 hi po COPO cars built in 1969 there was no economy of scale.

[Belair62]

There's still no substitute for cubic inches..plus I only weigh 160 lbs. so I still have the edge ! Plus Mr 70 is from the south side...they never figured out how to drive down there.

[Edited by Belair62 (01-06-2002 at 05:32 PM).]

[70 copo]

I have personally felt the power of the iron 427 and the ZL-1 in a Camaro. I guess the car that really impressed me the most in the last couple of years was the 68 NOVA that won the MCR stock appearing shootouts. This car should leave no doubt concerning the performance potential of a properly tuned 396 car.

[COPO PETE]

.....if it is a 396 car!
Peter

[JoeC]

The 1969 L78 and the L72 were very similar engines and shared many parts. From memory I believe the crank, cam, 840 heads, Holley, dist, intake and exhaust manifolds were the same part numbers. The L72 just had 31 more cu in. Chevy originally rated it at 450hp then reduced it to 425hp with no modifications.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mhassett</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've been waiting to hear this comment. The L-78 has the same cam as the '66 427-425HP Corvette. The 375HP is Under-Rated, plus the L-89 is lighter. I think it would be a close race. Mark </div></div>I hate to say it but you are so wrong. Having had one of each back in the day, although the L78 is a strong engine it does not measure up to the427-425. The 427 was a beast compared to the 396.