Copo Production & Survivors

[Keith Tedford]

I read one time, an article by someone, that Fran Preve had a number of 358 427 engines destined for the Chevelle application. He had a figure of 10% for CE applications leaving 323 to go in cars. The best information I have is that 30 COPO Chevelles came into Canada. With the US having 10 times the population, you could figure on about 300 sold south of the border. That's 330 which is pretty close to the 323 figure. Just statistics but interesting. From what I have ever seen, engines came into the Oshawa assembly plant with the Tonawanda, McKinnon etc info already stamped on them and we added the vehicle VIN. As an example, and MP 427 would come with the flex plate installed. The MQ engine would have its flywheel and clutch assembly installed. While not answering the original question it is part of the puzzle.
As for survivors, I can come up with five survivor COPO Chevelles and one Yenko Chevelle here in Ontario alone.


[Edited by Keith Tedford (11-01-2001 at 03:23 AM).]

[Stefano]

Keith:

In my opinion, the Canadian production numbers are disproportionate to the population , as compared to the USA.

There were more built ,in Canada for Canadian consumption, percentage wise.

This is mainly because the Tonawanda plant is so close to the border. News about the COPOs traveled very fast. Sometimes those in the know had to educate the ordering dealerships. GM ties are very strong in that region. What do you think?

[JoeC]

I agree that a larger number of COPO cars went to Canada as a percentage of total. Many US dealers had no knowledge of the L72 Camaro and Chevelle. I believe the only 2 LT1 1970 Novas not used in the Yenko Deuce program went to Canada?

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

JoeC;
That is the correct story on the COPO Novas in Canada. Central ordered 10 cars, but only received the Cortez Silver car and a Forest Green car. The Green car is gone.
M

[Chevy454]

As in "gone", does that mean we lost track of it, or does that mean it went to the great recycling plant in the sky?

Doesn't some bearded Canuck own that silver car ? I heard he might have another car or 2...

[Edited by Chevy454 (11-02-2001 at 08:05 AM).]

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

'Gone' as in.... COPO Pete has to fill in the details!! He is the lucky owner of the Silver COPO, and has done the research ont he Green COPO. Pete's silver car has a body number which is in between the two blocks of bodies that went to Yenko, and I believe that the green car had a body number that preceded Yenko's first order!!
M

[Keith Tedford]

All the Ontario COPO Chevelles that I have info on were built in Baltimore. None in Oshawa. We found out about the COPO deal in January or February of '69 through a friend who worked in the GM Oshawa main office. Three of us bought one of these cars but I know of no others that were bought in the Oshawa area. Belmont Chev-Olds in Toronto, Central in London and a few other dealers seemed to know about these cars as well. The dealer we bought through had to take the COPO 9566 number and check to find out that it was available. There seemed to be no problem ordering these cars IF you knew about them. No one at GM was waving a big flag or anything like that to advertise.