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In 1969, 50 COPO Camaros were ordered by Fred Gibb Chevrolet with the ZL1 engine- an all-aluminum 427cui engine. These were special order cars that were only produced because the Chevrolet dealership ordered a certain number. While the cars were originally thought to appeal to serious Camaro enthusiast, the high price of these cars deterred many people, who otherwise would have been interested, from buying one. Because the Camaros were so difficult to sell, all but 13 of the ZL1s produced for Fred Gibb Chevrolet were returned to the manufacturer. At the end of 1969, only 69 ZL1s had been produced, the remaining 19 not meant for Fred Gibb Chevrolet being produced for other high-end performance shops.
Because of the very limited amount of these Camaros made, they retain a very high value and are very hard to come by. For those who want to own a ‘69 ZL1 but won’t have the opportunity to own an original, creating a replica of the historic car is an option. Recently, one of these replicas surfaced as part of the upcoming Mecum auction in Dallas, Texas.
The Camaro is actually listed on Mecum’s website as a Z11 replica. This is a typo, however, because the Camaro pictured is defiantly not a replica of the 1969 Camaro pace car. The base car for this replica underwent a complete rotisserie restoration. The replica comes with an all-aluminum 427cui, 450hp ZL1 engine matted to an M22 four-speed transmission with Hurst shifter. The Camaro is equipped with a 12-bolt Positraction rear end, power steering, power disc brakes and cowl induction reactor. To complete the ZL1 look, the replica has a rosewood steering wheel, front and rear spoilers, and its original protect-o-plate. The car is finished in Fathom Green with a dark green interior. It sits atop new Goodyear tires on correct COPO wheels.
While this car is not a true COPO ZL1 Camaro, the replica maintains the spirit of the historic Camaro. If you’re interested in bidding on this pristine replica, it will cross the auction block on Friday October 7th at 6:05p.m. Make sure you get to the auction early if you plan on bidding because this Camaro is sure attract plenty of attention and potential bidders.
