VINTAGE: 1969 COPO Camaro ZL1 At Barrett-Jackson

The 1969 COPO Camaro ZL1 is the “crown jewel” of GM Muscle cars, an aluminum-block 427 racing machine with only 69 ever built in connection with a back-door deal between Chevrolet’s fleet division and an Illinois car dealer named Fred Gibb.

It became the terror of the drag strip as it set out to blow the doors off the Mopars and Mustangs that had previously ruled. Today, the rarity of the purpose-built ZL1, as well as its stunning performance, makes this handful of very special Camaros some of the most sought-after Muscle cars in existence.

The silver COPO Camaro ZL1 (Lot #5010) that’s being offered at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale auction has been brought back to pristine original condition as it came from the factory, says the consignor, veteran car collector and new-car dealer George Lyons of Erie, Pa. After spending its early life as a modified drag racer, the car has undergone an extensive and expensive restoration using mainly new-old-stock parts rather than reproduction pieces, resulting in a perfect time-warp Camaro ZL1 with full documentation.

“It is a spectacular restoration,” Lyons said, adding that he’s uncertain who performed the work before he bought it, but that it was done right all the way down the line. “It’s been driven only a few miles since it was completed.”

You can finish reading the article here: SpeedTV