(Rendering by Stu Wotypka/ID Motorsport Design) – Every year on April Fool’s Day we run a cool rendering from our buddy Stu up in Canada who is the brains and talent behind ID Motorsport Design. Normally we do something to freak you ouT, make you laugh, or get you pissed. Today we’re sharing one of his brainstorms and asking if you think GM should build the car below, which is Stu and our take on what a modern version of a 1969 COPO Camaro would look like. We think it looks frigging awesome with the short cowl (screw your opinion Chad!), badge delete, fog light delete, dog dish hubcaps, and taller sidewall tires on it. Since this is just a rendering, we’re leaving the rest of what this car should be offered with to you. What motors? Interior options? Transmissions? Axle Ratios? Hell, maybe even a different suspension setup from out of the parts bin. Does it even come with a rear seat? You tell us! We know that we’d be first in line at the GM factory looking for the keys to a press car that looked like this, that is for sure!
Since the current COPOs are drag only machines, this would be a street car like the originals. Are their any dealers left that have a performance image and would score a couple of these to peddle at horsepower crazed Camaro lovers? There has to be! You tell us!
SHOULD THEY BUILD IT? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS MODERN TAKE ON A 1969 COPO CAMARO? WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE OR DO DIFFERENTLY?
Engine choices; any of the Hi-Perf LS series. ZL-1. ZZ-502 (too bad their blocks weren’t offered in aluminum). The 502 would likely have to be EFI’d.
Interior options; none. Make ’em as stark (and light-weight) as the inside of an Amish buggy. No back seat.
Transmissions; 4L80E. Powerglide. 6-speed manual.
Axle; a solid 9-inch clone with 3.73, 3.90, and 4.11 ratios as choices.
Suspension; stock in front. Rear; lightened and stiffened “truck arm” with coil-over springs/shocks. Sub-frame connectors as standard.
Paint; white, black, or Hugger Orange.
‘Be interesting what others’ choices will be.
Oh, yeah, and under $45,000!
I’m all for stark and fast,but that rendering looks like it was made for the animated movie cars. LOL
The only redeeming quality of the car is it’s driveline–those are damned ugly cars!
It needs a set of these
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s720x720/565021_2471999376676_548383180_n.jpg
Use the black wheels from the 9C1 Caprice with the chrome hubcaps. Use the LSA and 7.0 from Z06 program. Auto and 6spd trannys with rear from COPO. Any color in current Camaro pallette.I like the fascia and COPO hood.
Berger Chevy is still kicking. Sold numerous COPO’s including #3 ZL1 that was in HotRod magazine.
Corporate Fuel economy average regulations mean that a V8 “COPO” at a “working mans’ ” price is NEVER going to happen.
What all the OEMs need to do if they’re interested in potentially volume-selling a “stripper” performance car under the current fuel economy and emissions restrictions is . . .
DEVELOP AN EFFICIENT SMALLER V8 that can stand-in for the current base engines (no hit to the fuel economy average or even an improvement to base V6 fuel economy) but which is tough enough for easy and serious bolt-on power.
A base V8 of that type would need to be MUCH SMALLER than current engines, turbocharged (or perhaps twincharged) and direct injected with active fuel management (most likely with an E85 or alcohol-on-demand octane enrichment system), a seven or eight-speed transmission, and probably a driver-overridable “start-stop” starter-alternator system based on 48+ volt electrics. Or a possibly a turbo diesel.
And the real-time OBD II reader/data acquisition system should be built into the dashboard.
Short of that, they’re never going to be able to sell ’em in sufficient volume at future CAFE averages (or attractive enough to a wide enough customer base) to make much of an impact.
If all they’re going to do is build another unobtainable “halo” car, just make the current COPO street legal and sell a handful of ’em for whatever inflated price the market will bear.
It needs to come down about a foot, but other than that it’s cool.
ME LIKES !!!!!!!!!