Team Camaro Tech banner
Status
Not open for further replies.
1 - 20 of 42 Posts

1968Motion427SSNova

· Registered
Joined
·
1,629 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 ·
Is there any Team Camaro guy that can take a stab at this question. Not sure but I remember reading they made approximately 900 plus 1969 COPO 427's?? Someone must be keeping a approximate tabs on how many of the total have been found to this date.You can break it down too between Camaros and Chevelles,ZL1's and Cast iron units. What Dealership has the most that have been found.Just some of the questions.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
Gary good info! Correct me if I'm wrong but I remember reading Yenko sold a total of 300 1969 COPO 427 cars.That is Camaros and Chevelles combined.Whats your research tell you on how many 1969 COPO 427 Cars Berger sold?
 
There used to be a debate about the number of Yenko Camaros, 198 or 201, a result of some errors in the hand written sheets from Yenko, but I think the debate is settled at 198. As for Yenko Chevelle, I think the number is 99.

I did not do any research, just passing on info from guys who did do it. (and continue to) I just know that Berger found out early, about Yenko's clandestine COPO deal with Chevy, and started buying them. (Prior to 69, all the conversions were actually transplants, and Yenko, Berger, Nickey, Dana and Baldwin-Motion are among the most well known.)


Another dealer, Jack Douglass, in Chicago, who was part of the Yenko dealer network, also found out about it, and started ordering COPOs and then tried to buy a bunch of stripes and badges from Yenko's Performance catalog. When Don Yenko found out about it, he jumped in his plane, and flew to Chicago to have a toe-to-toe with Jack Douglass. They ended up agreeing that Douglass would pay Yenko a royalty on all COPOs he converted (rather than buy already-converted ones from Yenko. There is an ongoing debate amongst the Yenko guys as to whether the Douglass-Yenkos are legitimate Yenkos. They are usually designated with an asterisk, or differentiated by referencing Cannsonsburg Yenkos, or Douglass Yenkos. BTW the 198 figure is Cannonsburg Yenkos.

If you go over to Yenko.net, the info about each car is available; original dealer, color, certain options, etc. but it does not tally the number of found cars.

The pool is almost dried up, but once or twice a year, another COPO is found.
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Thanks again good info!! Since I'm from NJ heres what I know on the known Chevrolet Dealerships that sold them in NJ. The 2 biggest were Malchom Konners in Paramus NJ and Wallace Chevrolet in Linden.Both known for Corvette Sales.I actually have a old 1969 Newspaper ad for Wallace Chevrolet advertising the 1969 Copo Camaros. Theres a Hugger Orange 4 speed 1969 COPO 427 Camaro thats never been found and a Daytona Yellow and Burnished Brown that was wrecked.Theres a original owner Frost Green with Enduro Bumper Wallace COPO 69 427 Camaro. There was a Lemans Blue Wallace COPO 427 Camaro never found.I heard there was a Silver one too.The Black Wallace COPO 1969 427 Camaro was the Dragcar.Wallace Chevrolet sold my 07A 1968 Chevy 2 Nova SS427 L88 Motion car to Fredy Calas of Elizabeth NJ. Hawthorne Chevrolet sold a Burnish Brown COPO 69 427 Camaro.Karen Chevrolet sold 6 COPO 69 427 Camaros.I think it was Surf Chevrolet that sold 1 COPO 69 427 Camaro.The Convincer II COPO 1969 Chevelle was sold out of a Chevrolet Dealership in Jersey City.I sure each sold way more then I mentioned but these are the ones I remember now because of info I have.I'm sure theres other COPO NJ Chevrolet Selling Dealerships,maybe someone can ad to this.
 
Byrne Brothers Chevy in White Plains NY also sold a bunch of 427 COPO cars and Yenkos

The number of 427 COPO cars is not known but Fran P found engine production records from Tondowanda of about 1388 427 COPO engines .

There was a Chevy 427 COPO July 69, service letter that stated approximately 700 total vehicles " are in process for model year 1969"

So the 427 COPO numbers of cars built is between 700 and 1388 and this includes Camaro and Chevelle.

In my opinion, the car production is a lot lower then 1388 because of a few reasons such as COPO code engines found with no vin number and other known cars where engine production was way off the car production number

On the Yenko number 198 and 201 .........
Vince E (who has the original Yenko records) first used 201 but changed it to 198
For some reason, some people still use 201 even though it was corrected over 25 years ago

On the Jack D story, a Yenko employee stated that Don was upset when he found out that Jack was making his own Yenkos. The employee said a heated phone conversation between Don and Jack, ended with Don saying he will fly in and punch Jack in the mouth but they later made a business deal (without any punching)
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
Joe thanks good info! Anyway back in 1969 COPO 427 cars were a total of 700 to 1300.Interesting you say that.In 1967 the Rare 4K L78 Camaro SS production number was 1128.In 1968 The Rare L78 Nova SS 4 speed production number was 617. 1969 was a Special year for GM stepping it up to a rare 427 L72 application in a Steel Body Camaro and Chevelle.GM picked the perfect gear for those cars which were 410 gears.
 
I Dug Out An Old Copy Of Muscle Car Review From My Files. In It Is A Very Interesting Interview With Don Yenko.Pics With The Article Shows A Truckload Of '69 Yenko Camaro's And '69 Yenko Chevelle's Being Off Loaded At Colonial Chevrolet In Norfolk. Va. Also A Pic Of The Ultimate Wet Dream...The Parking Lot Behind Yenko Chevrolet...Full Of '69 Camaro's Waiting Their Turn To Become Yenko's. The Article Contains A Lot Of Info On All The Yenko's Coming From The Man Himself. I'm Glad I Kept The Magazine. As A Interesting Side Issue, This Same Magazine Has An Article About The Bullit Mustang Complete With Interviews With From The Guys Who Were There For The Great Chase. Hope Everyone Enjoys This Little Bit Of Info....
 
that is a great article and was done shorly before Don died

The L72s and L78s were rare beasts even when new with some of the production numbers less then the 427 COPO Camaro

don't know how good these numbers are but found them in a search

1965 L78 Pass 1838
1965 L78 Corvette 2157
1965 L78 Z16 Chevelle 201

1966 L78 Chevelle 3099
1967 L78 Chevelle 612
1967 L78 Camaro 1138

1968 L78 Nova 667
1968 L78 Chevelle 4751
1968 L78 Camaro 4575

1969 L78 Camaro 4889
1969 L78 Chevelle 9486
1969 L78 Nova 5262

1970 L78 Nova 3765
1970 L78 Chevelle 214
1970 L78 Camaro 600

1966 L72 Pass 1856
1967 L72 Pass 0 or maybe a few
1968 L72 Pass 568
1969 L72 Pass 546

1970 LS6 Chevelle 4475

1967 L88 Corvete 20
1968 L88 Corvette 80
1969 L88 Corvette 116
 
Discussion starter · #16 ·
Joe thanks for posting those production numbers-Anyway I see they made 612 1967 L78 4 speeds-no Mechanical Cam Automatics yet---The 667 1968 Nova SS L78 included the 50 Automatics,so minus 50 and you get 617 1968 Nova SS396/375 L78 4 speeds.---The L78 67 Chevelles 4 speeds (612) and the L78 68 Nova 4 speeds were neck and neck in production numbers.----By the way I have 2 of the 1968 Nova SS396/375 L78 4 speeds that are even rarer then the 617 number because they were Special ordered with the 4:10 Posi Strip and street gear! Both have their original June 1968 BV 12 Bolts unmolested totally original. The 4 speed cars were more desireable back in 1968 and 1969 thats why the production numbers on the 4 speeds are much higher.Most don't realize that the 07A and 07B July 1st and 2nd week 50 Automatic made behind the L78 396/375 were slow sellers.Remember September 1968 was when started making the 1969 Nova SS396/375 L78 with factory optioned automatic.Most choose to buy the Newer 1969 Nova SS396/375 autos.I heard it took some time to sell the 50 Automatic 1968 Nova SS396/375 L78 cars. Maybe thats why Dick Harrell got involved in doing 427 L72 transplants on some of those cars.I know DickHarrell tried dressing these up with Stinger Hoods,Cragars,Headers,Super tuned to sell these Automatic cars back in the 4 speed days.
 
Discussion starter · #17 ·
Joe,I believe Charlie Masons 1967 Chevelle was one of the 612 L78 Chevelles for 1967. Then Joel Rosen converted to a L72 427. Rickie Smith Restorations is working on this car for current owner Kevin Hand.I know this Motion 67 Chevelle got a tunnel ram later by Motion.
 
Dan, The tunnel ram came after Joel wrecked it and they put roll bars in it as well..The red 68 Motion camaro was a L-78 when Baldwin got it then Mr Mote had Motion replace with L72 and 68 L-88 intake and three barrel.Mr Mote told me the M21 and 12 bolt didn't hold up very long and he replaced them with a Hemi trans and Dana...........
 
Discussion starter · #20 ·
Rick,I just curious now that Joe posted the numbers on the L78 cars.Mason's 67 Motion Chevelle was it one of the rare 612 Production made L78 Chevelles?? It would be neat if it was.I see the drop in L78's from 66 to 67 probably because of the production of the lighter sportier 1967 Camaro's.I think they put the 396 in the Camaro in Jan 1967?? Anyone know what month?
 
1 - 20 of 42 Posts
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.