2013-17 COPO Camaro: Strictly Business

The COPO (Central Office Production Ordered) Camaro is the rarest of all the Camaros that is available to the public. It was first introduced in 1969 and was built by General Motors for the sole purpose of drag racing. The ideal behind it was to bring competition to the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) drag racing circuit. Up until 1969, the Ford Cobra Jets and Dodge HEMIs dominated the Stock and Super Stock circuits because the Camaro did not meet NHRA rules and regulations and was unable to race. So to fix that problem, GM decided to make sure the COPO Camaro would be produced and delivered to the consumer with every NHRA rule and regulation followed.

Although the existence of the '69 COPO Camaro would be short lived, the legend would stick around up until present day. Starting in 2013,  General Motors brought it back with the same intentions, strictly drag racing. 

There will be 138 COPO Camaros that will be produced and sold for 2013 and a pacific number each year after. There will be three different engine options for the consumer to choose from: A 427 cubic inch naturally aspired V-8, a 327 cubic inch V-8 with a 2.9L supercharger and a 327 cubic inch V-8 with 4.0L supercharger. The Camaros will also have a special designed drag race suspension including a rear solid axle, racing tires, role cage and a fuel cell with an easy access exterior on/off switch. You will also find that there is no back seat, but you will have full functioning racing harnesses for the front seats which all complies with NHRA's rules and regulations.


What makes these cars so rare outside of its raw horsepower and racing capabilities? The COPO Camaro is the only American made cars that you can buy that have no VIN. #, no title and they can not be registered to drive on public roads.

2013 Special Edition COPO Camaro Convertible 

A special edition convertible version of the COPO Camaro was auctioned off at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in 2012. General Motors managed to bring in $400,000 dollars for the first ever sold 2013 Inferno Metallic Orange Camaro with all proceeds going to help the American Heart Association.

Now, if you were someone that wanted to get your hands on one of these rare Camaros, you would not have to shell out $400,000 dollars, but you should expect to at least shell out about $89,000 dollars, that is if you are someone who is lucky enough to order one before there all gone.

COPO CAMARO GENERAL INFORMATION:

NHRA horsepower ratings:

• 327/4.0L supercharged– 550
• 327/2.9L supercharged – 500
• 427 Naturally aspirated – 425

NHRA shipping weights:

• 327/4.0L – 3175 lbs
• 327/2.9L – 3250 lbs
• 427/N/A – 3195 lbs

• Recommended max engine RPM – 7500

CHASSIS:

• Chrome-moly cage – NHRA certified to 8.50 ET
• Subframes tied together
• Front engine cradle modified to accept additional oil pan clearance
• Rear subframe modified to accept unique COPO NHRA Stock Eliminator suspension

REAR SUSPENSION:

• 4-bar with adjustable top links
• Adjustable panhard link
• Double-adjustable Strange Engineering coil over shocks
• Anti-roll bar

FRONT SUSPENSION:

• Adjustable Strange Engineering coil over struts
• Sway bar removed

STEERING:

• Production steering gear modified for manual (non-assist) operation

BRAKES:

• Light-weight vented rotors
• Billet 4-piston light-weight calipers
• Light-weight tandem master cylinder
• OEM pedal modified to mount master cylinder
• All components provided by Strange Engineering

WHEELS:

• Bogart Racing light-weight with unique COPO logo
• Forged outer ring
• Billet center
• 15” x 10” rear – 5/8” studs
• 15” x 3.5” front – 1/2” studs
•  4 – 3/4” bolt circle pattern

TIRES:

• Rear – 9” x 30” x 15” radial slick
• Front – 4.5” x 28” x 15” – drag-only

GEARS & AXLES:

• Strange Engineering 9” aluminum center section
• Light-weight steel spool
• Strange 9310 alloy 4.29 ring & pinion set
• Strange Engineering 35-spline axles
• Strange Engineering chrome-moly yoke

DRIVE SHAFT:

• 4” OD x .125” wall 6061-T6 aluminum tube
• Chrome-moly end caps
• Forged chrome-moly slip yoke
• Heavy-duty 1350 universal joints

TRANSMISSION:

• ATI Racing Products “Pro Glide”
• SFI-approved ATI “Super Case”
• 1.80 ratio 9310 straight cut gear set
• Precision balanced carrier with 4340 tool steel output shaft
• Turbo spline input shaft:
• 327/4.0L – Vasco material
• 327/2.9L and 427 – 300M material
• 7 clutch high gear pack
• Billet clutch hub
• High flow front pump with heat-treated pinned stator tube
• Deep aluminum pan
• Hard Chrome Rings
• Fluid overflow catch can

TORQUE CONVETER:

• ATI Racing Products “Treemaster MRT” Series
• 327/4.0L – 9” diameter housing
• Furnace brazed impeller and turbine fins
• Precision pump drive tube
• Heavy duty needle bearings
• 22 element sprag with dual cage construction
• 327/2.9L and 427 – 8” diameter housing
• Furnace brazed impeller and turbine fins
• Precision pump drive tube
• Heavy duty needle bearings
• Investment Cast Cover

SHIFTER:

• Hurst “Quarterstick” – 2-spd. automatic
• Forward pattern
• Built-in neutral safety switch
• Light-weight aluminum cover

327 ENGINE:

• Chevrolet Performance “LSX” cast iron block with steel main caps
• 4.065” bore x 3.150” stroke
• Static compression ratio – 10:1 nominal
• Callies 4340 crankshaft – double-keyed snout
• Callies 4340 H-beam “Ultra” rods
• 6.350” length
• .928” pin bore diameter
• Clevite H-Series heat-treated tri-metal rod & main bearings
• Mahle 2618 alloy forged domed pistons
• Graphal coating
• Hard-anodized top ring groove
• Friction-coated skirts
• Mahle .043” x .043” x 3mm piston rings
• Ductile iron top with radius molybdenum face
• Plain cast iron tapered 2nd
• Chrome-plated oil rails with low-tension expander
• Comp Cams steel billet hydraulic roller camshaft
• Duration – 246°/254° @ .050” lift
• Theoretical valve lift – .630”/.630”
• Lobe centers – 117°

Valvetrain:

• Chevrolet Performance “Ceramic Ball” high-RPM hydraulic roller tappets
• 3/8” diameter LS7 pushrods
• 1.8:1 ratio LS7 rocker arms with roller trunions
• PSI “Max Life” beehive valve springs
• Hardened steel spring seats
• Light-weight steel retainers
• Fully CNC’ed aluminum cylinder heads – based on LS7
• 275 cc nominal intake port volume
• 89 cc nominal exhaust port volume
• 70 cc nominal combustion chamber volume
• Del West titanium intake valves – 2.200” head diameter x 7mm stem
• Light-weight sodium-filled exhaust valves – 1.610” head diameter x 7mm stem
• Fel-Pro Performance multi-layer steel head gaskets with raised cylinder sealing bead
• Internal wet sump oil pump
• Deep-sump cast aluminum oil pan – 6 quart capacity
• ATI Performance Products SFI-approved damper – 10-rib shell
• Whipple twin-screw supercharger
• 327/550 – 4.0L
• 327.500 – 2.9L
• Whipple billet throttle body
• 327/550 – 172mm oval blade
• 327/500 – 109mm round blade

427 ENGINE:

• Chevrolet Performance LS7 aluminum block
• 4.125” bore x 4.00” stroke
• Static compression ratio – 13:1 nominal
• Callies 5140 crankshaft
• Callies 4340 H-beam rods
• 6.100” length
• .928” pin bore diameter
• Clevite H-Series heat-treated tri-metal rod & main bearings
• Mahle 2618 alloy forged domed pistons
• Graphal coating
• Hard-anodized top ring groove
• Friction-coated skirts
• Mahle .043” x .043” x 3mm piston rings
• Ductile iron top with radius molybdenum face
• Plain cast iron tapered 2nd
• Chrome-plated oil rails with low-tension expander
• Chevrolet Performance steel billet hydraulic roller camshaft
• Duration – 233°/276° @ .050” lift
• Theoretical valve lift – .630”/.630”
• Lobe centers – 107°

Valvetrain:

• Chevrolet Performance “Ceramic Ball” high-RPM hydraulic roller tappets
• 3/8” diameter LS7 pushrods
• 1.8:1 ratio LS7 rocker arms with roller trunions
• PSI “Max Life” beehive valve springs
• Hardened steel spring seats
• Light-weight steel retainers
• Fully CNC’ed aluminum cylinder heads – based on LS7
• 275 cc nominal intake port volume
• 89 cc nominal exhaust port volume
•  70 cc nominal combustion chamber volume
• Del West titanium intake valves – 2.200” head diameter x 7mm stem
• Light-weight sodium-filled exhaust valves – 1.610” head diameter x 7mm stem
• Fel-Pro Performance multi-layer steel head gaskets with raised cylinder sealing bead
• Internal wet sump oil pump
• Deep-sump cast aluminum oil pan – 6 quart capacity
• ATI Performance Products SFI-approved damper
• Meziere billet electric water pump
• Chevrolet Performance/Holley “Hi Ram” intake manifold
• Whipple billet throttle body – 102mm blade

FUEL SYSTEM:

• Aeromotive “Eliminator” fuel pump – free flow rating = 800 lb/hr
• Aeromotive A1000 pressure regulator with manifold pressure compensation capability
• Aeromotive 10-micron high-flow filter
• Light-weight black nylon braided -8 AN hoses
• Black anodized aluminum -8 AN hose ends and fittings
• High-impedance fuel injectors
• 327/550 – 105 lb/hr @ 43.5 psi with EV1 connector
• 327/500 – 80 lb/hr @ 43.5 psi with EV1 connector
• 427/425 – 42 lb/hr @ 58 psi with EV6 / USCAR connector

ENGINE CONROLS & IGNITION:

• Delco MEFI 5A electronic fuel injection processor
• Speed density operation
• Interfacing software & hardware available in the aftermarket
• Cable-actuated throttle
• Production LS7 ignition coils
• Production LS7 secondary wires
• GM sensors

ELECTRICAL:

• Dash-installed control switches:
• Starter
• Ignition
• Fuel pump
• Cooling fan
• Intercooler pump/water pump, depending on engine package

GAUGES:

• Autometer with gold “Bowtie” logo on dials:
• 5” 10K RPM tach with shift light
• Electronic water temp with 2 1/16” face and 100°-260°F range
• Electronic trans temp with 2 1/16” face and 100°-260°F range
• Electronic oil pressure with 2 1/16” face and 0-100 psi range
• Electronic fuel pressure with 2 1/16” face and 0-100 psi range
• Voltmeter with 2 1/16” face and 8-18v range

SAFETY:

• RJS Safety Equipment 3” driver restraints
• RJS Safety Equipment window net