1969 Chevrolet Camaro RS COPO 427 Berger Muscle Car Of The Week Episode 280 V8TV

 

This 1969 Camaro features all the right numbers… and letters!    How about COPO, 9561, 9737, 427… and RS on top!    It’s a COPO Camaro with a 427, the Sports Car conversion package, and it features the Rally Sport styling package as well.   It’s one of about 58 built this way, and it has a lineage to the famous Berger Chevrolet dealer as well.   A very cool Camaro from The Brothers Collection.  

 

With over 240,000 1969 Camaros built, it’s easy to become a bit desensitized to the standouts.  The good thing is that there is plenty of documentation and research material to reference when something special pops up.      And this is a special Camaro indeed.

 

The story begins with the dealer name affixed to the back of our Fathom Green Camaro.  Berger Chevrolet in Grand Rapids, MI, dates all the way back to the 1920s and is still thriving today.   In the late 1960s, the Berger team did quite well selling high performance parts and cars like this 1969 Camaro.     

 

The biggest engine available in your typical over-the-counter ‘69 Camaro was the 396, but the Berger crew knew some tricks when it came to getting their hands on hotter versions of Chevrolet’s hottest cars.   You may have heard of the Central Office Production Order system, or it’s COPO acronym before… this process allowed for cars to be ordered in special colors for fleets or municipal usage, for example.    But it also allowed for the powerful 427 Corvette engine to be installed under the hood of Camaros where it wasn’t officially offered.    Yenko Chevrolet was famous for this, but a few other dealers, like Berger, Nickey, Jack Douglas, and Baldwin Chevrolet also knew how to do massive, sideways burnouts through the COPO loophole.  

 

COPO code 9561 bought you the L-72 427 for the kind-of affordable upcharge of just $489.75. It wore a Holley 780 cfm carb, aluminum intake manifold, rectangular port cylinder heads and swung a forged steel crank and pistons.  The 11:1 compression 427 was good for a solid 425 hp and 460 lb. ft. of tq.    This one is clamped to a Turbo 400 automatic, like most of the Berger COPOS were, with the others turning Muncie 4-speed manuals.   The rumble is somewhat hushed thanks to the performance chambered exhaust system.  

 

In addition to the powerful mill, this one was also built to cut the rug with the C.O.P.O. Option #9737 known as the "Sportscar Conversion Package”.   9737 added 15 x 7” rally wheels with white lettered Goodyear tires, G32 Heavy Duty Springs, power front disc brakes, a 12-bolt Positraction rear differential cogged with 4.10 gears, and oversized 1" Heavy Duty Stabilizer Bars.    These “double COPO” cars are about the best of all worlds when it comes to powertrain and suspension options for a factory built 1969 Camaro.   The only goodies left on the dealership table would be the L89 aluminum heads or the Zl1 all aluminum 427, but ZL1s are a whole different deal.   

 

COPO Camaros are hard to find, but even more so when they are fitted with the Rally Sport appearance package.   Rally Sports hide the headlights behind movable doors and have a special grille up front.    This one has a body-colored flexible front bumper and the ZL-2 Cowl Induction hood for a really slick appearance.    RS cars also move the reverse lights below the bumper and have specific tail lights.    The rear spoiler adds to the sporty look, and the wheel opening trim glistens in the sea of green.   Bright “gills” dress up the quarter panels, and thin pinstripes highlight the body lines.    The green vinyl top with polished “halo” trim classes up the roof.   

 

The driver enjoys a deep green cockpit with bucket seats, center console, and a basket handle shifter.  Many times, Rally Sport Camaros are loaded with options, but being a COPO, this one remains pretty minimal, without A/C or other power accessories.  It’s wearing a very nice restoration, and is one of only 58 or so COPOS built with the RS package.   

 

1969 Chevrolet RS Double COPO Camaro 427 Berger Muscle Car Of The Week Episode 280 V8TV 

 

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1970 Buick GSX and 1970 Hemi Cuda Rivalry Muscle Car Of The Week Episode 279 V8TV

 

At first glance, these two cars are at opposite ends of the spectrum… the Buick is a high-powered luxury performance ride, while the ‘Cuda is a more basic car with less frills and luxury add-ons.     The Buick was designed to compete against higher end, feature rich cars, while the ‘Cuda targeted the pony car market like Camaro and Mustang.     So how did the rivalry begin?

 

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We Have A Winner!  Street, Strip, Track Contest Muscle Car Of The Week Episode 278

 

On this episode of Muscle Car Of The Week, we crown 2 winners from our recent Street, Strip, and Track episode contest in episode 270.   Mike Pantel and Jared Kostka both submitted ideas for their perfect combination of Street, Strip, and Track cars we’ve featured from The Brothers Collection.    Mike chose the 1965 Pontiac Catalina 4-door 421 4-speed car from episode 251 for his street driver, the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 from episode #1 as his drag car choice, and the Panther Pink 1970 Dodge T/A Challenger from episode #24.   

 

Jared picked the 1966 Chevrolet Impala SS 427 from episode #67 for his driver, the 1963 Ford Galaxie lightweight Phil Bonner racer from episode #261 for his drag strip entry, and the 2012 Camaro ZL1 from episode #105 as the road racer.   

 

All cool choices!    Thanks to all who commented their submissions to this contest.  Mike and Jared, Your hats are in the mail!

 

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1969 Chevrolet Camaro Indy 500 Pace Car 396 Convertible Muscle Car Of The Week Episode 277 V8TV 

 

To this day, the Indy 500 is the biggest single day event in motorsports.  In fact, on Friday, May 30, 1969, over 275,000 people came out to the oval race track known as the Brickyard to witness America's big race.  Camaro was the Indy Pace Car in ’67, and it must have been a hit at Chevy, because when the opportunity arose to do it again in ’69.  This Dover White 1969 Camaro Indianapolis 500 Pace Car is powered by the 325 HP 396 and lives in The Brothers Collection.  

 

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1958 Chevrolet Corvette Muscle Car Of The Week Episode 276 V8TV 

 

This 1958 Chevrolet Corvette is long on style in Signet Red with Snowcrest White cove inserts.   It was a new design for ‘58, with a first-ever Corvette styling element… can you spot it?   From The Brothers Collection.  

 

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1967 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28: Muscle Car Of The Week Episode 274

 

1967 saw the introduction of the Chevrolet Camaro, and by mid-year, a hot one called the Z/28 was offered.   Z/28 was option code for the Special Performance Package, which packed a high-revving 302 V8, 4-speed manual, 12-bolt rear, 15” wheels, and other upgrades into a basic Camaro turning it into a Trans Am inspired road racer.    This one is nearly new, with just over 7,000 miles on the clock.    From The Brothers Collection.   

 

 

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