Rare Double COPO 1969 Camaro Has Original 427 Engine Rebuilt and It Sounds Rowdy

When buying a modern Chevrolet COPO Camaro (built after the 2011 revival of the label), one gets a drag racer that can’t be driven on the road. However, things weren’t always so, with the previous iteration of the muscle car, the original introduced back in 1969, being a racing tool with license plates. And the uber-rare Double COPO 69 Camaro we have here, which comes in sweet original form, has quite a story to tell.

This is the kind of car that was born to impress the drag strip and with its original owner being one of the drivers who took full advantage of the madness, the odds of its 427 ci (7.0L) motor surviving countless quarter-mile passes over the years are not exactly generous.

In fact, this Chevy did see its motor blowing back in the day, but the unit has been rebuilt and we can now listen to its unapologetic roar like it’s 1969 all over again!

What is the Double COPO 1969 Chevrolet Camaro?

Back in 1963, GM, which was looking to avoid a potential splitting under antitrust legislation, decided it was best to fly below the government’s radar and instated a factory-backed racing ban. This was particularly important since motorsport’s dangerous side was under the spotlight in those days, following a series of tragic accidents.

The ban also had serious implications for road cars, as it prevented the use of certain engines on multiple street cars across the company’s many brands, Camaro included.

For instance, you couldn’t get a 427 ci (7.0L) V8 on a Camaro anymore, at least not using an RPO (regular production order). However, multiple dealers turned to the COPO (central office production order) path, which was usually employed for fleet and special requests such as commercial applications.

As for this example being a Double COPO, this refers to the fact that it packs COPO code 9561, introducing the L72 engine package that brought 425 hp and 460 lb-ft (624 Nm) solid-lifter motor to the table, as well as COPO code 9737, the sports car conversion package that employed handling upgrades.

There was also COPO 9560, a code bringing an all-aluminum 427 ci V8 built specifically for drag racing (not present here), which could be ordered via Fred Gibb Chevrolet, but this is another story for another time.

This Camaro returned to Berger Chevrolet and even met its original buyer

Out of the around 1,000 COPO Camaros built for 1969, 40 or 50 units were sent to Michigan dealer Berger Chevrolet and we’re looking at one of them. The unit was captured on camera by Ryan Brutt (aka Auto Archeology on YouTube), who likes to follow the important changes such machines go through rather than simply recording them on one instance and calling it a day.

So, in the first part of the clip below, you’ll see the otherwise original (paint included) Double COPO Camaro without the said Big Block. At the time, the car only had 241 miles (388 km) on the clock, which hints towards the vehicle having lived a drag strip life.

Later on in the video, though, the vlogger talks about the vehicle having traded hands twice after he initially filmed it.

And Matt Key, the current owner of the Chevy, stayed true to his Camaro collector status, investing in restoring the original 427 that was offered together with the vehicle. The enthusiast even got together with the original buyer of the car.

Thus, in the final part of the clip, we can witness the machine moving around in the parking lot of Berger Chevrolet, the very dealership that ordered the vehicle more than five decades back.

Now, as we discussed when covering another Double COPO 1969 Camaro appraised by insurance specialist Hagerty, a mint-condition example can sell for up to $300,000 these days, so keep that in mind while enjoying the voice of that Big Block.

Oh, and did we mention the ‘Maro comes with custom bits such as a set of gauges mounted on the hood?

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