Ohio COPO Dealers

[T Billigen]

Whitetop, there is a town named Beaver in Pa. I lived right across the Ohio river from it. No drag strip within 20 miles though.

[whitetop]

Steve
I did not want to slight the Cleveland area. I was going to include it in my post but neglected to do so. I consider it part, and it is a part of the whole Ohio Valley region that I mentioned that is such a huge car mecca. I was probably more relating to the areas that I grew up in even though Cleveland needs to be included. Cleveland is another ex-Rust belt city that had it's share of steel mills. There is even a full color magazine on my local newstands called "Northern Ohio Rodder" that includes all forms of car stuff. Mag is geared to the Cleveland/Youngstown area.
Dave







[Edited by whitetop (05-09-2002 at 07:53 PM).]

[68l30]

Dave,just noticed the Power Tour now stops/ends at the Super Nats in Canfield!I have family in Southern Cal. that are heavily into 55-57 Chevrolets.I will make the trip to Pomona this June(?) and will have another chance to see for myself.BTW we still have rust,lots of it!

Steve

[Edited by 68l30 (05-09-2002 at 07:54 PM).]

[whitetop]

Steve
Check out my added comments about Cleveland in my last post. Know what you mean about S.CA. Tom Prufer is a noted street rodder from California with tons of magazine cars to his credit and he said in Street Rodder mag several years ago that until he went to Ohio to check things out he thought Southern California was God's creation to hot rodding.
Ohio changed his mind real quick.
Dave



[Edited by whitetop (05-09-2002 at 07:54 PM).]

[Z28DZ]

I lived outside of Dayton until I moved to CA in 1979. I'm glad I was able to grow up in a small Ohio town. The cars and cruising were a great part of my youth. Our town of 6000 had its share of Detroit muscle. In fact, just recently I bought a car that had resided in my hometown area since '75 (thanks, Dave) and remember it cruising the local Parkview Drive-In & Dairy Queen. I would not trade those times for anything and though the car now lives with me in CA, it's Ohio heritage will remain.

[Stefano]

No comments

[Peter D]

Are we talking going fast, pure copo,drag racing or what? California = Stone woods & cook, BIG JOHN MAZMANIAN, John Force, any of the Pendergon's. Let's not forget a guy named Bill Thomas,or Dana Chevrolet! Hey, I am not putting down Ohio, but Cal. had it's share of go fast too! Do any of you kid's remember a guy named Hayden Proffit? Now their was a true drag racing, car (Chevrolet)freak! Peace Brothers! ALSO NO SNOW HERE!

[Stefano]

There is no doubt in my mind that Ohio reigns supreme ,as the muscle car state.

Especially with the info. provided within this thread. It is simply amazing!

Nickey Chevrolet carried the torch until the 1969 model year when Jack Douglass became part of the Yenko Dealer network for the Chicago Market and Fencil Tufo was added in 1970 as a Yenko Dealer.

A couple of other Chicago dealers have claimed to have sold a few COPO Super Cars, but I have yet to see one.(Does anyone know of any others?)

That was it for the Chicago-metro market as far as Chevys are concerned.

While a few dealers did some "COPO" advertising, such as the ones mentioned and others like Jack Head in Alehambra, CA. I do not recall having seen any Ohio dealers advertising "COPOs".

Only a few of the Ohio dealers sold any substantial volume of COPOs. Most only sold two or three total and some just one.

Does anyone have any vintage Ohio News papers with Dealer COPO advertisements?

I didn't refer to Fred Gibb as he was not marketing to the Chicago-Metro, in my opinion, at least not directly.

[whitetop]

Hey Z28DZ
I grew up reading about the Dayton area "Rat Pack" car group in Hot Rod and Car Craft back in the '70's. Loved those cars. All the cars were no nonsense street warriors that ran slicks, tunnel rams and of course big blocks. Saw Pat Crafton at a show last year selling videos and all I yelled out was "Rat Pack". Should of seen him look around. Told me he had not heard that term in years. The Dayton area also brought us car painter extrodinaire Scott Sullivan. Who cannot remember his blue /blown L-88 '67 Pro Street Nova that blew everyone away at the '78 and '79 Street Machine Nationals? Car set the standard for the Pro Street Trend.
I really miss those days.
Dave

[68l30]

Stefano,I'll look into my books to find the news articals.If I remember correctly most of the ones I have are just a two to three line add for the "new 427 Camaros and Chevelles $4995".These ran in the daily papers in Cleveland in July 1969.Some of the smaller city papers ran some larger adds,sorry I can't remember which.

Peter D,I didn't want to take anything away from So.Cal.There were/are a lot of great names and history to come from that area.I feel the huge amount of diversity in the Ohio area as well as the manufacturing/blue coller money ,in the day, set the stage for what we had/have today.Does anyone remember a backyard racer named Mr.Gasket?

Steve