1969 Chevrolet Chevelle COPO: As SS of a Different Stripe
When I was a kid, my parents on a few occasions would take us to a family reunion near Martinsville Virginia. I really did not know too many people, but I knew I could count on to two things: all the Cheerwine I could drink and seeing my Uncle’s Chevelle. It was a ’68 or ’69 (I could really never tell). The car had belonged to my Uncle since the early ’80s at which point he started the long process of restoration. So, on and off through the years and up to his death in the late ‘90s, if there was a family reunion, he would take out the Chevelle and rev up it’s huge V8 engine. I remember the spectacle of it, the loud noises, vibrations and smoke. Even when it idled, it sounded like it could hardly contain itself. I was never a really big fan of American muscle, but even I had to admit the Chevelle was impressive and had a presence no 280ZX or Starion could match. And it was a bit scary next to my dad’s tame Oldsmobile Delta 88.
The Chevelle’s presence certainly is one of the reasons that the Chevelle SS might just be the most popular Chevrolet muscle car of all time. Such popularity no doubt came with the vast number of options and engine configurations that were available. For instance, the second-generation A-body Super Sport (SS) is one of the most sought after and counterfeited classic muscle cars on the market today. The SS was no longer a stand-alone model by 1969, so it was possible to have the SS package applied to any of the Chevelle’s three trims (Malibu, 300 Deluxe Malibu or El Camino). That meant that an SS car could be based on stripped down 300 Deluxe or loaded Malibu. A standard SS car like my Uncle’s featured 380ci (6.6-litre) V8 that was good for 375 hp (if his was a 1969 or even a real SS). There were over 86,000 Chevelle SS’ produced in 1969 and even more regular Chevelle so they are still numerous for a classic muscle car today.
It’s worth noting that GM built a handsome version of the Chevelle in Canada called the Beaumont. During the 1968/69 model years, the Beaumont equivalent to the SS was called the Super Deluxe (SD). The SD, almost as rare as the American SS only came with a V8 of up to 396 cubic inches. The Beaumont looked so much like it’s American counterpart, that it makes you wonder why GM went through all the trouble marketing a smaller volume variant (answer: trade and production agreements with Canada). The Beaumont SD enjoys the same cult following as the SS, maybe more so since it’s production numbers were smaller, making authentic ones extremely rare today. Of course the SD compares to the SS, as there was no COPO Beaumont that I’m aware of. That makes the 1969 COPO Chevelle the top A-Body factory sanctioned car you could by in 1969.
1969 was also the year Chevrolet offered one of the largest engine displacements ever to be fitted to one of its production cars with the L72 427-cu.in V8. This 425 hp engine was a rare option fitted to just 323 COPO (Central Office Production Orders) cars that were ordered by a few dealers in the know. Don Yenko was one of those dealers who is thought to be the father of the COPO option as a performance workaround. Previously, Yenko used Camaros and Corvair COPO cars as the basis of his factory sanctioned super tuners. It did not take long before other dealers caught on making Yenko just one of many routes to a COPO car. Other dealers were selling unmolested stock COPO performance cars directly to buyers.
Dodge was making no secret of its big block ambitions with paint and decal schemes that were anything but subtle (with the power to back it up). Chevrolet’s conservative tact by comparison was to deck out it’s higher performing cars with modest blackout accents and the occasional SS badge (stripes were actually an option). Speaking of stripes, if your COPO Chevelle had none, it could have been easily mistaken for grandma’s Malibu (if you did not hear it coming). It was what was under the hood that mattered most anyways. These cars were capable sub 6 second runs to 60 mph and a top speed of 110 mph (limited presumably to due to gearing). Such performance does not sound impressive by today’s standards, especially considering its 8 mpg rating. These cars were designed more for quarter mile runs which a SS of the era could easily do in the mid 13 second range.
Because the 427 was so powerful, the heavy duty Muncie 4 speed close ratio manual was used (with a 3 speed Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 for automatics). These were basically regular issue transmissions which were unusually strong and well suited for the demands of high-powered engines (it was also why it and similar transmissions from Chrysler were popular in some low volume European sports cars). Interestingly, the COPO Chevelle’s suspension did not differ much from the regular SS but it could be optioned with disc brakes all around. Other options specific to COPO Chevelle was a step up from 14-inch to 70×15-inch Goodyear Widetreads on 7-inch rally wheels.
In a way the Chevelle SS has become a victim of its own success. Parts are readily available to make any run of the mill Malibu look like a true SS. Part of the opportunity for confusion comes from the fact that not all COPO cars were SS cars, meaning that a car that looked like grandma’s 69 Malibu could actually be a sleeper with a 427 under the hood. Potential buyers who know what they are looking for will check the car’s build sheet and vin number for any one of 13 codes that identify the car as a true COPO. The interior of many COPO cars had the blue Chevy bowtie on the steering wheel (few has SS or even a tachometer/gauge package). The seats were nondescript with standard bench seats and optional buckets (just like in regular Chevelle).
I have grown to appreciate the Chevelle (SS or not), even though I always felt it’s window cutout on the “C” pillar was big and awkward looking. The third generation ’74-’77 Type S-3 remain my favorite, although I will be the first to admit that these cars lack any real performance by 1969 standards. The design that followed 1969 was certainly better looking by most accounts, but the writing was on the wall as EPA regulations took their toll by 1974.
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