What do you think of this car? Hemmings ....

[americanmusclecars]

When the car was purchased it had items that led the owner and myself to believe it was a COPO 9737. For example, a 13/16 sway bar and more. Now maybe that sway bar was on a real COPO 9737 car and that COPO 9737 car was stolen and then stripped for parts and that 13/16 inch sway bar ended up at the Pomona Swap meet and the guy that previously owned this Camaro installed it. Sounds ridiculous right? Do we have written proof from GM and God himself that this is a true COPO 9737.....no we dont, and we make no claim that it is for sure! And maybe just maybe the owner of the car wanted a silver grill and no rally wheels or side louvers, maybe he was going for a specific look that he wanted. But in your eyes that makes it clone. The car does have the correct carb., P/N 3959164 List 4346; I cant help it if Hemmings got it wrong there and in other areas of the article. I will own up to the upside down seal, it was probaly one in the morning when it was installed. But, rest assured it was corrected years ago.

[69SSZL1]

I think you summed it up best when you said you built the car the way the customer wanted, which is fine. I withdraw my clone statment since a clone is an accurat copy. This car is more of a custom, built how the owner wanted, not how GM would ever built it, which is fine as long as it is not trying to be passed off as correct. Your statements of what this car might have been originally are of course speculation, and nobody will ever know for sure. The facts just don't support your statement of it maybe being a COPO 9737, which was not available alone or on a SS in 69. Did you see any clues that it might have been a COPO 9561? 13/16" sway bars probably were available from the GM dealer back in the day, $249 at Ricks today.

[m22mike]

[ QUOTE ]
In the latest Hemmings Muscle Machines, there's a Fathom Green L78 that the restorer claims didn't have the black rear panel. The claim is dark cars - black and FGreen - didn't get this treatment.

The car your refering to is discussed here also

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/show.../page/1#282567

SYC board member



I have trouble believing this. I've also heard this on 'Cudas that were painted black, and it has been proven to be false. And it doesn't sound logical from an assembly line perspective.

Comments?

[/ QUOTE ]

[ANDY M]

One other minor detail. The COPO 9737 included the 140mph speedo, which this car has.
What's that all about?

[69SSZL1]

About $189 from Classic Industries.

[americanmusclecars]

Why is that so hard for you to believe? Were you there when this particular Camaro was built on the GM line. Maybe the person/dealer ordering this car decided they didnt want a blacked out rear panel. The car did not have a black out panel when and it came to us, but all the signs indicated it was a L78. And here is clue we built the car the way the customer wanted.

[442w30]

Aren't you coming off a bit too defensive?

[ QUOTE ]
Why is that so hard for you to believe? Were you there when this particular Camaro was built on the GM line.

[/ QUOTE ]

I wasn't even BORN yet! But I must ask . . . were you there? Because the way you're asking me, you must have!

Think about it - why would Chevrolet make it a thing to add a black panel to all SS396 cars like the Chevelle, yet exempt a Camaro if it was black (or Fathom Green, for that matter)? Doesn't that sound like a logical question?

[ QUOTE ]

Maybe the person/dealer ordering this car decided they didnt want a blacked out rear panel.

[/ QUOTE ]

Then that should be backed up with documentation; however, according to the article, some experts are in disagreement whether these cars were exempt from the black.

[ QUOTE ]

The car did not have a black out panel when and it came to us, but all the signs indicated it was a L78. And here is clue we built the car the way the customer wanted.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bravo for the owner getting what he wanted! But it still doesn't answer the question.

[KENNY_PASCOE]

I HAVE SEEN THIS PARTICULAR CAR IN OTHER PUBLICATIONS IN THE PAST ALSO ADVERTISED AS A 9737 CONVERSION. THE RESTORER MENTIONED IN ONE OF HIS POSTS THAT THEY HAVE NO CONTROL OVER WHAT HEMMINGS WRITES IN THEIR ARTICLES BUT THE SAME INFO IS IN OTHER PUBLICATIONS AS WELL. SOMEONE MUST BE TELLING THEM WHAT THEY FEEL THE CAR IS. I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS OR ISN'T A 9737 CONVERSION BUT IF THERE IS NO DOCUMENTATION TO SUPPORT THIS FIND THE QUESTION STILL STANDS AND THAT HOW IT SHOULD BE IN PRINT.... JUST MY .02 CENTS... COOL CAR JUST THE SAME... KP

[68l30]

Like I said..Nice car. Build them however you want to. It's up to the owner to enjoy what he has. Nobody else has to like it....BUT.. When things appear in print,I feel it's up for discussion. Thanks to many inaccurate articles ,the nonsense is often taken as gospel.Creative writing by the mag? Maybe... maybe not.I'm done....

Steve

[GeorgeLyons]

Like all of you, I was not in Norwood or LA when these cars were built because my father thought ninth grade was more important. I don't know about black rear panels being a "cast in stone" situation. I don't know how to unquestionably document how all these cars were built with NO help from GM (ala Pontiac). I don't know where Hemmings or any other publication comes up with some of the stuff I read and personal experience has shown THEY DO TAKE SOME JOURNALISTIC FREEDOM after gathering facts. But there is one thing I am damn sure about:
You guys have offended one of the finest gentlemen in our hobby, Dave Lindsley. A long time sYc member and contributor, Dave is one of the guys I think of when I tell people how the best friends I have came to me thru the car hobby. He is on my list with people like Chip Miller and Mark Hassett. I'm saddened and ashamed Dave is feeling lousy about this. He's the real thing, my friend Dave.