[68Baldwin]

Recently I was lucky enough to find my 1969 Lemans blue with Deluxe blue interior COPO Camaro I originally owned in the 70's.With the help from some local people I found it back in December of 2005.Well I was pretty sure I knew it was a Malcohm Konners by the body number being real close to 2 other Malcohm Konners Copo's and because I purchased this car from a guy in Lake Parsippany NJ back in the 70's which is not to far from Paramus.Well just recently I was lucky enough to have someone run a NICB report and it came back to Malcohm Konners 35-184.Car was delivered on 6/27/69.The Malcohm Konners 69 Copo Camaros and 69 Copo Chevelles are very unique cars.What makes them that is because of their options.If you go to past feature cars on the SYC site theirs a 69 RS Camaro and 69 Fathom green Chevelle that came from there.Well getting back to my car ,mine was a X-11 4spd car,with tinted glass,deluxe blue interior,factory tach/console with gauges,am/fm radio,vinyl top with rear spoiler.I didn't realized what I really had back then,but now I do!!Oh yeah Malcohm Konners also sold the 70 Yenko Duece and also sent some of their Corvettes over to Joel at Motion Performance for mods!! Dan

[COPO9737]

Congrats on getting the COPO back Dan. Plan on a resto or leave as is? Any of the original drive train left?..................

[edd Gordon]

I bought my 63 Impala 409 convertable from Malcom Konner new in 63 Wow that brings back memories I remember testing it out at Island Dragway The first nice weekend in late spring of 63

[Car nut]

They are still around andI think they are the biggest Vette dealer in the country.

[68Baldwin]

Malcohm Konners is long gone,but Hawthorne Chevrolet took its place.Malcohm Konners was known for its HIPO Corvettes back then.The current owner of Hawthorne Chevrolet is 2 brothers, one being Gene M.Oh yeah from what I've been told,only 12 1969 Copo Camaros with Deluxe interior have been found,this is the first and only Blue Deluxe interior one found!! I won't mention the persons name who told me this(unless he gives me permission to),but he is from the CRG site and keeps records on all these cars.Maybe he will chime in.This car also raced at Raceway Park NJ under the name the Blue Mule....Dan

[WildBillyT]

Dan,

Do you know if any of those COPOs was black?

[68Baldwin]

Bill,Can't answer that one,don't know.Do you know of a Black 69 in our area that your not sure of? dan

[WildBillyT]

Originally Posted by 68Baldwin

Bill,Can't answer that one,don't know.Do you know of a Black 69 in our area that your not sure of? dan

No, unfortuently not. But I remember hearing stories from my dad and uncles about a Newark street racer they used to call "The Polack" who ran a 427 Camaro on Rt. 21. Supposedly he worked for Potamkin and spent every dollar he had getting a COPO 427 car. I'm just kinda wondering if there is any info about it or him.

[edd Gordon]

The "Polack" I think was a guy named Billy Izocowsky forgive me Billy if I spelled your name wrong. There had been some writing about him in Hot Rod and Chevy Hiperformance by RM. If it is the same Guy I knew him and his brother when they lived in Hillside New Jersey his younger brother Bobby worked for me one summer in 1965 when he bought a brand new Red 65 Impala with a 396 in it, I think Billy raced a 66 Biscayne 427 alot of races in Newark where on McCarter hyway and forgive me McCarter if I spelled that name wrong I moved out of N J in 1970

[edd Gordon]

One other thought I think it was Route 22 not Route 21 in Union NJ where people street raced, but I again that was 40 years ago that I raced there

[68Baldwin]

Hi Ed,I believe I know who your talking about,Bill Isyckowski works up at Gearhart Chevrolet now.I believe he had ties to Wallace Chevrolet in Linden NJ too.Yes its RT22,not RT21.Do you remember the names,Carman Rotunda,Levi Holmes,Fredy Calas or Brooklyn Heavy? Dan

[thedugan]

I knew carmen sr. He owned van iderstein (sp?) in union.

[68Baldwin]

Doug,Carman use too ,but Van Iderstines is now closed in Union in the Center Median on Rt 22.Carman had his first Speed Shop in Bloomfield ,called Rotundas Speed Shop,he also was one of Booklyn Heavys drivers on his Pro Stock cars and Street racers.I meet Carman twice in person recently. Dan

[WildBillyT]

Originally Posted by 68Baldwin

Hi Ed,I believe I know who your talking about,Bill Isyckowski works up at Gearhart Chevrolet now.I believe he had ties to Wallace Chevrolet in Linden NJ too.Yes its RT22,not RT21.Do you remember the names,Carman Rotunda,Levi Holmes,Fredy Calas or Brooklyn Heavy? Dan

I remember hearing about those guys, most notably Levi Holmes. From what I can tell, there was street racing on 21 (meet up at Rutts Hut), Avenue P, 22, 287, 95, and a bunch of other places.

It's cool to finally hear some more about "The Polack". I always wondered if anyone else knew of him. Didn't he have a sidekick or something named "Joey Panda Bear?"

[edd Gordon]

I knew Van Iderstein bothers the older one owned the Speed Shops back in the sixties but I forgot about that as I had left NJ in 1970 I heard of some of the other guys but not met them. There was another Hot Rod mechanic in that area named Bob Ogonowski I just remembered that just now