Hawthorne Chevrolet New Jersey
 

‘

A few old threads w/ Hawthorne Chevrolet cars but nothing of Copos from there.
Note 12/69 Ad below w/ 4x 427 Camaros also 2x 396 Pace Cars available.
Anyone know this dealer or cars they delivered, looks like they’re still in operation today.
:beers:
~ Pete

.

‘

Digging deeper, I found an old CRG thread where Dan P (RIP) mentioned a Burnished Brown Copo Hawthorne Chev had sold but that’s all I could come up Copo wise.:hmmm:
Also, here’s a link to a 2018 for sale thread here w/ a Hawthorne delivered L78 Pacer…
https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=147861
:beers:
~ Pete

.

4 COPOS and 2 pacecars uNsold In December.. wonder what kind of discounts they had by then ??

‘

Check out this Hawthorne delivered ‘68 L78 street/strip warrior…
https://inthegaragemedia.com/1968-ca...cer-barn-find/
Love to hear more of this Dealer and cars from there, especially any Copos they delivered.
:beers:
~ Pete

.

Love this car!!:headbang:

‘

Love it too also would be cool lined up for a run w/ Jose’s ‘67.
Anyone w/ more on Hawthorne Chev and/or Copos from there, please share.
:beers:
~ Pete

.

I'm not aware of any Hawthorne COPO's surfacing....

‘

Thanks for that, again I couldn’t find anything of known existing cars, just Dan P’s comment that Hawthorne sold a Brown one as quote below from this CRG thread…
https://www.camaros.net/threads/how-...t-made.204965/
:beers:
~ Pete

.

1968Motion427SSNova
Discussion starter
1629 posts · Joined 2007

#8 · Feb 12, 2012
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.


.

I believe my friend's Dusk blue with white standard interior COPO came out of Hawthorne. Has M22 4-speed and console/gauges. It has a spoiler but I think it originally did not come that way new.

‘

Cool update Jon, please let us know anything more about it you can.
:beers:
~ Pete

.

‘

Couple more Hawthorne Ads from spring of ‘68.
A few cool ones including Red L78 4-Spd. Camaro + a couple L72 4-Spd. ‘66 ‘Vettes also Maroon L72 4-Spd. Impala.
Love to hear of more existing Hawthorne Delivered cars, especially any COPOS.
:beers:
~ Pete

.

These ads are great, love all the detail on colors and options .

‘

Ad details indeed great, especially if able to match up w/ any existing cars.
Looking again at both Ads above, EVERY car is a Stick, no Autos.
:3gears:
~ Pete

.

‘

Couple more old Hawthorne Newspaper Ads, one w/ interesting 10/66 GM News Release.
I’ve been bopping this thread back to the top a few times hoping to catch anyone w/ info on this Dealer who advertised 4x 427 Camaros as 12/69 Ad in Post 1.
Last try for now, anyone please speak up w/ Dealer info to share and/or anything of COPO also other performance cars sold by Hawthorne Chevrolet.
:beers:
~ Pete

.

‘

Still seeking anything of Hawthorne NJ Delivered Copos as 12/69 Ad first post of this thread.
Dan’s mention of a BB one also Jon checking on his friend’s DB car the only possibles so far.
Love to hear of any known cars from this performance-minded dealer who delivered tons of muscle also had 10x ‘69 Z-28’s in stock as 04/69 Ad above!
:beers:
~ Pete

.

My father's matador red 68 l78 4-speed Camaro was purchased from that dealer as well. Factory 4:56 rear too. My Lemans Blue 69 Chevelle l78 was sold on the used car lot there in the early 80's

‘

Awesome update!
What’s the build and sale dates of the ‘68 Camaro if known also how do they and the other options match up w/ the Red L78 4-Spd. in the 02/06 + 04/12 ‘68 Hawthorne Ads as above/below?
:beers:
~ Pete

.

Options are exact to his car. His build date is 11/67 so we are almost positive its his car. He bought it in 1970 in Paterson which is the neighboring town. He still owns this car and I will post pics in the next day or two. I even have a pic with large wheels and tires from 1976. Its number match and concourse restored. He added ralley wheels and disc brakes. It is a non RS and had dog dish wheels with power drum brakes and only a tinted windshield. This is an awesome thread to find, he was so excited to see this and also feels the same that it must be his as there were zero L78s in the area at that time as he was active in the street racing at that time only losing to a Ls7 (modified 1970 Chevelle).

‘

Way cool if it’s your Dad’s car in the Ads, looking forward to seeing/hearing more about it!
Is the Black ‘68 L78 on the preceding page known to him also is he aware of any ‘69 Copo cars Hawthorne delivered whether or not known existing today?
I took a quick look for early 80’s Hawthorne Ads and your ‘69 L78 ‘Velle but no luck.
:beers:
~ Pete

.

day 2 pic
 

Here is a pic from 1974, you can see the windshield only tint, black top, etc. I will get the updated pics restored to stock as it sits now. I will also see what info he has on the questions you have. I know he said nobody including himself knew about the L78 as it ws not advertised and all the big block camaro and chevelles in the area were 325hp or 350hp cars. This is really cool and I appreciate you looking into my 69 Chevelle, I posted a few pics of it as well for you as it sits now.

‘

Great pics, the ‘68 looks even tougher knowing it’s a 4:56 4-Spd. L78 car!
You’re right, the options are exact to the Hawthorne Ads incl. Black VT so must be the car.
So great you saw the postings and made the connection also amazing how we’ve gone from the Red L78 Ad at the top of the page to knowing it exists and pics posted now.
Your ‘69 looks awesome too, was it a different dealer than Hawthorne delivered new?
Looking forward to anything your Dad remembers also more of both your cars.
:beers:
~ Pete

.

I know, so happy I found this post. Ties everything together and nice to see a history of a rare car that so many are faking nowadays for a buck. Yeah, my 69 is done right with almost all original or nos parts. I have 1 full perfect build sheet and a partial. It was orignally from Benjamin Chevrolet in Brooklyn NY. My other friend remebers a Lemans blue L78 with no stripe in the street racing days from there as he lived there unit he moved to NJ in the early 90's He is about my dad's age, must have been such an exciting time to be around all this history of muscle before they became what they are now

I spoke to my dad today and got some more info. He said he didn't know of any COPO's in the area but even other dealers had no clue what the L78 was. He bought his red 68 used from his future brother in law's neighbor in Sept. 1970. Because of the loud lifters he went to the local dealer (not Hawthorne) asked the mechanic if this car was a solid lifter motor and the Chevy mechanic had no clue, LOL He did mention his next door neighbor was dropping L88s' in 1966 Chevelles, so this area was prone to high perfomance chevys. All was in Paterson NJ, late 60s, early 70's before the city became what it is today.

Present day pics
 

Here are a few he just sent me today. I will get more interior, engine, etc. At least this shows present day for you to see how it looks now.

‘

W:eek2:W pics, car looks awesome and kudos to your Dad for never letting it get away!
Thanks for quizzing him about the Hawthorne Delivered ‘69 Copo cars, I take it he never knew of the Black ‘68 L78 on Pg.#1 either? (Plate pic below from it)
Sounds like some performance action was happening in your area back in the day, still may be worth beating the bushes for anything of the missing Copo cars as you never know sometimes unless you try?
I gave a go searching Benjamin Chevrolet which was owned by two Benjamin brothers also a third brother owned Bay Chevrolet in Queens as Ad below, sorry but no luck w/ any Ads for your ‘69.
:beers:
~ Pete

.

He didn't know of that car, he is going to check the build dates and see which car was built first. I love this history, thank you for that ad, its so cool to see the dealer history to each car.

‘

Here’s another closer up view of the 04/12/68 Hawthorne Ad w/ your Dad’s L78.
Looking forward to updates w/ both your cars also any more Hawthorne cars!
:beers:
~ Pete

.

They also sold a bunch of L30/M20 cars!