Vehicle Description
When a car is right, you can tell just by looking at it. Given the
predatory stance on this Garnet Red 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS COPO
Tribute, there's no question the guys who built it did their
homework. Sure, you might be a bit puzzled as to why a COPO tribute
is wearing SS Rallye wheels, but don't fret, that was just a recent
aesthetic choice and the other COPO-style wheels and tires to match
the spare in the trunk do come with the sale. Furthermore, a
period-correct 427 V8 monster lives under the hood, and it's been
mated to a Muncie 4-speed manual transmission and F-41 suspension,
among other COPO-related accoutrement that make up this gorgeous
street brawler. If it's a real COPO 427 Chevelle that you're after,
then you'll need about a quarter million dollars and a whole lot of
luck tracking down one of the original 323 units. But if you want
all that's great about a COPO wrapped in a classic car that you can
actually drive and enjoy, then take a closer look at this dialed-in
'69 Chevelle.
Originally Code 59 Frost Green, the builders at Fat Lip
Restorations in Detroit Lakes, MN elected to switch things up a bit
in their quest to build an incredibly special car, electing to
paint it Garnet Red instead. Those pros did the job right back in
2011, taking the car completely apart, adding new sheetmetal where
it was needed, and then coating it with layer after gorgeous layer
of that luscious, dark red finish. At the time, the car was
considered to be practically 'over-restored' by the professional
appraiser that gave it a #1 Excellent rating, and in the
approximate 2K miles and 10+ years since the work was competed it's
held up very well. Obviously, it's mostly just been shown and
enjoyed on bright, sunny days, as there are no major imperfections
or signs of use to speak of on the body today, other than a couple
very minor nitpicks. Sure, a detailed buff-and-wax would make it
look practically new again, but if you're looking for a top-end
driver that's going to win pretty much every trophy at your local
car show, this is it. The body is laser straight and the gaps are
exact, with doors that shut flush and a hood and deck lid that line
up better than they did when this Chevelle was new. Like the
original COPOs, there are no stripes on the exterior, which is
perfect for us because the Garnet Red paint gets to do all the
talking, and the dual-scoop hood is just aggressive enough to
preview the organized violence underneath without giving away all
the car's secrets. The gentle arc of the '69 Chevelle sheetmetal
and swooping roofline have always been fan favorites, add in that
slightly aggressive rake and this Chevelle certainly looks the part
of an apex predator. All the brightwork and chrome was either
replaced or restored at the time of the restoration, including
those bright bumpers fore and aft, adding just enough bling to
really make that red paint pop in person. Man, this is a great
looking car!
The black bucket seat interior was restored from headliner to
carpet using correct materials, and the clean seat covers, door
panels, and dash are all in fantastic shape today. The black
carpets are plush and provide plenty of insulation inside the
cabin, as does the taut headliner above, and that's a good thing
when you have cackling 427 under the hood. An SS-style dash filled
with crisp and clear round gauges ahead of the driver that look
great and keep a close eye on that upgraded big block, and we love
that no extra auxiliary units were added to muddy up things in the
cockpit. The center console proudly houses the star of the show - a
tall, bright chrome Hurst shifter that drives the Muncie M21
4-speed manual underneath, and the steering wheel is a handsome
three-spoke unit that adds a touch of sportiness inside, mounted
atop a tilt column that gives the driver a tad bit more room
inside. In the center of the dash, the original radio has been
replaced with a later retro-style AM/FM/Cassette unit, and the
heater/defrost unit is working just like it should. Out back, the
spacious trunk was neatly finished with black spatter paint and
houses the aforementioned COPO-spec spare wrapped in a correct
Firestone Wide Oval bias-ply that matches the four others available
with the sale.
Ample horsepower (435 horsepower, to be exact) comes compliments of
a period-correct, 3512 2-bolt main 427 V8 that was comprehensively
rebuilt around 2,000 miles ago to correct COPO specifications.
Properly dressed in bright Chevy Orange paint and situated between
satin black fender wells, it looks like a million bucks, especially
with dress-up items like the chrome valve covers, matching air
cleaner with correct 427 decals, and performance intake manifold.
Even a correct Holley 4-barrel carburetor was sourced and sent to
Holley for a full rebuild, and all the correct mounting hardware
and accessories were used in the build. A close-ratio Muncie M21
4-speed manages the gears, twisting a virtually bulletproof 12-bolt
posi-trac out back with very agreeable 3.55 gears inside. It runs
extremely well today, with loads of big block torque available at
any speed and in any gear, delivering the punch that you expect
from a big Chevelle like this. Power front disc brakes provide
sure, confident stops, correct quick-ratio power steering ensure an
easy drive, and the Magnaflow dual exhaust system dumps out through
correct oval chrome tips right under the rear bumper. The F-41
suspension includes thick sway bars fore and aft and sits just
right atop 15-inch Rallyes wrapped in BFGoodrich T/A white-letter
radials.
Nicely restored and ready to take some pink slips, this turn-key
COPO clone is the head-turner your Momma told you to be worried
about. Call now!
