In what has become an annual tradition of sorts, Chevrolet will debut the latest COPO Camaro at the 2016 SEMA show. Production of the limited-edition 2017 COPO Camaro will once again be limited to 69 units in honor of the original 69 ZL-1–code 1969 COPO Camaros that tore up the drag strip back in the day. It will be available with a variety of engine options and will feature drag-strip-specific chassis components.
Although the folklore of GM’s COPO (Central Office Production Order) is pretty much common knowledge these days, we’ll remind those of you living under two rocks that, back in the day, COPO was basically a way of skirting the front office and getting a big, powerful engine in a smallish car. Chevrolet resurrected the acronym in 2012.
The COPO seen here, serial number 1 of 69 for 2017, is clad in Chevy’s Hyper Blue Metallic paint rendered in a new “anodized” finish. It sports a supercharged 5.7-liter V-8 backed up by an ATI TH400 three-speed automatic transmission and a set of Weld racing wheels. More than just a pretty (menacing) face, the COPO on the stand, as was the case with the COPOs displayed at SEMA in 2014 and 2015, will be auctioned for charity. It’s scheduled to go under the hammer at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Phoenix in January 2017, with proceeds to the United Way.
Philanthropy aside, all COPO Camaros are track rats at heart, and the 2017 COPO features a laundry list of specific parts and modifications designed for competing in the NHRA’s Stock Eliminator classes. In addition to the supercharged 5.7-liter engine of the SEMA car, buyers can also specify a naturally aspirated 7.0-liter (427 cubic inch) V-8 or an LT-based, direct-injected 6.2-liter V-8. The three-speed automatic is the sole transmission option.
As you would expect with a car of such low production volume, each COPO Camaro is built by hand starting with production hardware, including the same body in white used for production models. At that point, things take a decidedly high-performance turn with the addition of numerous strength-enhancing and weight-saving components. A beefy solid rear axle employing an aluminum center section, a lightweight steel spool, and 40-spline, gun-drilled axle shafts replaces the factory car’s independent setup, and suspension duties fall to an adjustable coil-over strut setup in front and a four-link rear suspension with double-adjustable coil-over shocks and a stabilizer bar. Lightweight, drag-race manual (that means unassisted by a pinch enhancing vacuum booster or other power means) four-wheel disc brakes handle the deceleration duties. A custom-built manual steering rack helps keep the front wheels pointed straight down the strip, and for the sake of safety a fuel cell replaces the factory car’s fuel tank. Finally, the wire harness has been specifically tailored for the demands of racing.
Buyers interested in getting their hands on a 2017 COPO Camaro must register at Chevrolet.com/COPO by December 15. An independent third party will randomly choose among the entries, Chevrolet said, and those selected will be contacted in the first quarter of 2017, at which point they will want to start budgeting for tires.
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