The Tailfins & Bowties info was from Chevy computer print outs called " Passenger option production reports"

they were the production numbers given for the RPO code not for the cars built

The Fran Preve numbers were the engine codes from the Tonawanda plant not the number of cars built

The Tailfins & Bowties RPO numbers and the Fran Preve numbers come close but there are questions on the accuracy of the numbers when used to calculate the number of 427 COPO cars built.

We ran into the same thing when trying to figure out the 427 COPO Chevelle production numbers using the Tailfins & Bowties RPO numbers and the Fran Preve engine numbers

The numbers may be pretty close but I felt they were a bit high when considering all the other data

here is a pic of a page from the Tailfins & Bowties book

"they were the production numbers given for the RPO code not for the cars built'"

Huh? Please explain.


Fran Preve wrote an article "The Numbers Game" published in the April 1987 MCR. Total Camaro L72 engine production is shown as 1,015. He states:

"Remember that these numbers indicate the number of complete engines built for production and after sale use, and do not reflect actual COPO cars produced."

He mentions an error rate of about 2% relative to actual car production. That's about 20 L72 engines. Do the math.

"...when considering all the other data..." I am confident there were 997 L72 Camaros produced.

[QUOTE=Charley Lillard;1453115]I got that WS from the original owner years ago, not very conversant otherwise. He believed it became a full-time race car and was heavily modified last he knew. I didn't get a VIN. Could still exist.

The COPO striping was just like the Z/28, extending to the leading edge of the upper grille panel. This is from an ancient US Camaro Club ad. The owner of the car was looking for others.

I'm sorry Charlie. It just occurred to me you won't be able to sleep until you find one!

Ultra-rare RHD COPO?!

Rare reverse printed license plate too,along with a LH antenna,reverse stamped camaro header emblem, and opposite direction wiper arms . LOL

https://i.postimg.cc/5tWcFSZJ/yy.png

It was the only 1969 Camaro I could find that had a single hood stripe. LOL - didn't realize that the image in the photo was reversed.

That's what it would look like in your rear view mirror.

William !!!!!!!!

...you have a Fish on the line William.

I have been posting about this for over 20 years that I think the Tailfins & Bowties data and the Fran Preve numbers are high estimates for the number of COPO 427 cars built.

I feel the “700” number is more accurate since that is the number that Chevy used in the COPO service letters.

The Tailfins & Bowties data are numbers for RPO L78 and Z27 SS and I don’t see anything that indicates Chevy included the COPOs and 427 engines or that they excluded them.

To use those numbers you have to assume the COPO 427 options are included in the L78 totals and were not included in the Z27 (Camaro SS) total.

This may or may not be correct but it seems inconsistent to say Chevy considered the COPO 427 as a L78 and not an SS.
If they began as an L78, I would think they would be SS L78 before the COPO 427 conversion but we don't know how they were used in the RPO totals.

I don’t understand why people don’t use the “700” number as more accurate since that is the number that Chevy used in the COPO service letters

The Tailfins & Bowties RPO data and the Fran Preve engine numbers are both great sources of information but the “700” number is the number that Chevy used in 1969 as the number of vehicles built.

The Chevy COPO letters, that were reprinted in the COPO Connection book , said about 700 high performance vehicles were “in process” as of 7-9-69.

The 4 COPO letters document the build of the 9560 (ZL1) , 9561 (L72 Camaro) , 9562 (L72 Chevelle) and 9737 (Yenko Sportscar Conversion ). The 4 letters are dated 7-9-69 to 7-24-69 and states the total of these high performance vehicle orders are about 700.

I know some COPO 427 cars were built after 7-9-69 but I don’t think many were ordered after 7-9-69 .

The “700” number includes the 9560 (ZL1) , 9561 (L72 Camaro) , 9562 (L72 Chevelle).

This is about half of what the total is using the Tailfins & Bowties data and the Fran Preve engine numbers.

Attached a pic of the *700” number in one of the 4 Chevy COPO Letters reprinted in the COPO Connection book