B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

Got this info from Don Breen out here in Phoenix:

<font color="blue"> B/SA

10.16

129.82

09/20/08

Steve Koppien - Sioux Falls, SD

Pierre, SD
</font>

Now, here is the clincher: This is a real COPO "with all the paper work". He actually set the record with an L78 / TH400 with 513 gears, and has the original engine and trans (4 speed) setting in his garage.

Congrats! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...odrs_5-6-2.jpg

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

Sam, That is cooking in B/SA! Is that a factored track he set that record at? Yes a 396 motor if it was a 427 it would be in A/SA. I am sure he is running the aluminum heads too. Maybe Kim or Johnny D. know him. Thanks for the update on the Stocker boys! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif Ahhhh.....you know how to make me smile, huh? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/smile.gif
Jeff x 2 https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

I know Steve very well. I went up to car years ago &amp; looked at the trim tag x-44 noticed the bracket on the frame. At that time it still had the BB heater cover. I started to talk to him about the car asked him how long he owned it. He tolded me it was a COPO and he had the motor &amp; trans and rear end in his basement + the protecto plate. The car is a early COPO. 618xxx vin # https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

Hey Kim - Howz it goin'? Small world, ain't it! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

Hey Sam things are going good!! Finally getting the hang of driving my car ran a 6.46 last week at Eddyville had a 1.322 short time ,wheels in the air two foot. Now that's fun.

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

396 engines can also run in A. Not many run 396s in A with the auto because the 427s are faster with the auto. For some reason the 396 in stick class with less weight is faster than the 427.

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

Holy Moly Howie https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/eek.gif !!! That's a beastly attitude your ride is sportin' there! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

Yep, The 396 being a little lighter IS faster in Stick classes. The 396 twists a little higher which seem to help the ET's. I have not seen any 427's in A/Stick here in DIV-1 in a camaro or nova that I can remember. I believe there is 1 Corvette. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

B/SA N.H.R.A. NATIONAL RECORD SET
 

GOOD FRIEND OF MINE STEVE KOPPIEN JUST SET THE B/SA NATIONAL RECORD IN HIS 69 ( COPO BODY CAMARO) WITH THE L78 396 375HP ENGINE AND TURBO 400. RECORD IS 10:16 129.82 MPH. THAT IS FLYING ON 9 INCH TIRES https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif SEE ATTACHMENT

Re: B/SA N.H.R.A. NATIONAL RECORD SET
 

What kind of cam and engine work does it take to make that kind of horsepower from a "stock" L78. I'm not up on what is allowed in stock class racing.

Re: B/SA N.H.R.A. NATIONAL RECORD SET
 

This was talked about earlier HERE.

Re: B/SA N.H.R.A. NATIONAL RECORD SET
 

[ QUOTE ]
GOOD FRIEND OF MINE STEVE KOPPIEN JUST SET THE B/SA NATIONAL RECORD IN HIS 69 ( COPO BODY CAMARO) WITH THE L78 396 375HP ENGINE AND TURBO 400. RECORD IS 10:16 129.82 MPH. THAT IS FLYING ON 9 INCH TIRES https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif SEE ATTACHMENT

[/ QUOTE ]

That's really cool! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...s/headbang.gif

Re: B/SA N.H.R.A. NATIONAL RECORD SET
 

[ QUOTE ]
What kind of cam and engine work does it take to make that kind of horsepower from a "stock" L78.

[/ QUOTE ]
Gotta be stock lift cam, but duration/lsa/lca can all be moved around...big power from such a little change. Engine work, well it's a science unto itself! Sweating the details would be putting it mildly...

Re: B/SA N.H.R.A. NATIONAL RECORD SET
 

A Jerico 4 speed and a 538 ring and pinion and the addition of a 3/4 to 1" fuel line also help. The over the counter BB aluminum heads that NHRA certified was a big step to. But just remember they all cheat! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/wink.gif Sometime check out where the header bolts to the head. Usually there is a step out for the gasket and flange area..... well look again. Barely enough to hold the gasket flat against the head. I just love seeing those cast iron intake, flat tappet, mush lifter, Q-Jet 350/255 horse novas go 10.80 in G/S. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

Re: B/SA N.H.R.A. NATIONAL RECORD SET
 

Last time I looked at Steve's car it had the stock fuel line!! That blew me away. He told me the holley bowls hold enough fuel that you don't need a big line.

Re: B/SA N.H.R.A. NATIONAL RECORD SET
 

I don't think I have seen any in the last couple years that were not at least 1/2" to 3/4". Maybe the rule book has a limit for Stock Eliminator, I am not sure. All I know is that even the small HP cars run good. There ain't NO shabs out there anymore! No easy rounds for the Stock/SuperStock guys. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/no.gif

Re: B/SA N.H.R.A. NATIONAL RECORD SET
 

Sam,There is on limit on size in stock. Most have bigger lines . That's what blew me away on Steves car.

Re: B/SA N.H.R.A. NATIONAL RECORD SET
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif Works for him! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

Re: B/SA N.H.R.A. NATIONAL RECORD SET
 

I don't know why but it does. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

Ive always heard that the L-88 cam really picked up big block chevys--anyone hear know? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/eek.gif <font color="red"> </font>

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

Yes back in the old, over the counter days but there are better cams out there now from different cam grinders. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

Been a while since I posted here... Thanks Rob.
I have earlier 427 A Cam specs for interested parties. One of these cams in your cars would tend to blow the tires off but some small changes would fix that. I have a grinder that does this in 2 days.


Barry

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

You want to watch the duration on the old cams. It is to tight and causes detonation. Call Bullet cams they are awesome.

Sean

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

In 1969 I raced my L78 Chevelle in B/S class and was close to the national record that I recall was around 12.30et. Could someone explain to me how the same engine can run 10's? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...s/confused.gif Is the stock rules different now then in 1969? My car fell almost at the top of the ci to wt. ratio. We were not allowed to use any componets that were not the same specs as factory. Only headers, re-jet the carb, advance curve kit in the dist, cool can, traction bars and 7" slicks, Hurst shifter were allowed. We did some other tricks that the tech inspectors could not catch such as remove the front sway bar and use 6 cyl. springs to let the front end pop up quicker to transfer the wgt. to the rear tires. I never lost a race with that car on the strip or street, but it appeard my car would be a dog nowadays! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/frown.gif

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

Its way different now! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

Got any photos of your Chevelle? What gears were you running?

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

Any car that ran in the 12s back in those days was fast. When Ben Wenzel won Indy in Sept 1967, he was running B/S with his little 302 and ran 12.30s and 40s. When my Chevelle was new, I bolted on headers, and seven inch tires and ran 12.40s-60s depending on weather.

What makes these cars faster today is tire technology, clutches, step headers, lighter piston ring combinations and the typical blue printing.

We just finished building two of the original ZL1 engines out of car #34 and #17 here at CHP and both made well over 500 hp. I will post the dyno sheets here soon. I used the stock 180 camshaft but a lighter ring combination. That really wakes these motors up. And the engines are totally stock for restoration purposes.

Jerry

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

[ QUOTE ]
In 1969 I raced my L78 Chevelle in B/S class and was close to the national record that I recall was around 12.30et. Could someone explain to me how the same engine can run 10's? Is the stock rules different now then in 1969? My car fell almost at the top of the ci to wt. ratio. We were not allowed to use any componets that were not the same specs as factory. Only headers, re-jet the carb, advance curve kit in the dist, cool can, traction bars and 7" slicks, Hurst shifter were allowed. We did some other tricks that the tech inspectors could not catch such as remove the front sway bar and use 6 cyl. springs to let the front end pop up quicker to transfer the wgt. to the rear tires. I never lost a race with that car on the strip or street, but it appeard my car would be a dog nowadays!

[/ QUOTE ]
What was your MPH back then in B/S? Our Y-Camaro that runs in "Pure Stock" has gone 11.7s @ 118+ through the stock exhaust manifolds &amp; on the F70-15 Polyglass tires. My Moroso slide calculator says for a 3700 pound car that is over 470hp @ the wheels...only trick part in the engine is a set of blueprint pistons, everything else is boring old GM stuff. But the 500 or so passes in the car to sort it out probably helps a little bit as well... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

[ QUOTE ]
In 1969 I raced my L78 Chevelle in B/S class and was close to the national record that I recall was around 12.30et. Could someone explain to me how the same engine can run 10's? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...s/confused.gif Is the stock rules different now then in 1969? My car fell almost at the top of the ci to wt. ratio. We were not allowed to use any componets that were not the same specs as factory. Only headers, re-jet the carb, advance curve kit in the dist, cool can, traction bars and 7" slicks, Hurst shifter were allowed. We did some other tricks that the tech inspectors could not catch such as remove the front sway bar and use 6 cyl. springs to let the front end pop up quicker to transfer the wgt. to the rear tires. I never lost a race with that car on the strip or street, but it appeard my car would be a dog nowadays! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/frown.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

they cheat better now ... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/frown.gif

Re: B/SA '69 COPO Camaro sets National Record
 

The Jerico 4-speeds have also helped ETs. Many ratios to choose from up to a 3.29 first gear and they last for multiple seasons without breakage. Jerico has put stick shift cars back in NHRA Stock and Super Stock classes.

NHRA approved them many years ago because of breakage with Muncie and B/W gear boxes. Have only hurt one of my two Jericos twice in 15 years (seasons).

Jerry