COPO Big Block Chevelle. Rarest of them all.

Nice find. For me, the quinessential muscle car will always be the 70 Chevelle SS 454.
 
i need some clarification, was the Malibu the base model for the chevelle. what was the significance of the Malibu badge on the side
 
in the mid 60's "malibu" was an appearance/interior package...it became its own car in the mid to late 70's
 
The Malibu had nothing to do with the rarity of this particular car this is a Central Office Production Order (COPO) was a back door around Chevrolet's performance limits.

MEGA RARE 30x more rare then ANY SS ever made in any form.
 
wait a minute...did anyone else look at the ad? thats a 400ci chevelle....um COPO's are 427 powered....
 
All COPO cars carry one of the option codes below:
9562AA: Four-speed transmission and positraction
9562BA: M40 three-speed automatic transmission and positraction
9562cd: Four-speed manual, special contour bucket seats, COPO tires and special-order springs
9562ce: Same as above, excludes bucket seats
9562dd: M40 automatic, bucket seats, COPO tires and special springs
9562de: Same as above, minus bucket seats
9562ea: Four-speed manual transmission, positraction, J52 disc brakes and L78 tires
9562fa: Same as above, except M40 automatic replaced four-speed
9566aa: Same as 9562EA with the exception of tires (used RPO PL5 14s)
9566ba: Same as 9562FA with the exception of tires (used RPO Pl5 14s)
9694ca: Four-speed together with 9562, 9737 and RPO J50 vacuum power brakes (This option modified RPO J52 power brakes)
9694cb: Three-speed automatic transmission together with 9562DD, 9737LD and RPO J50 vacuum power brakes (This option modified RPO J52 power disc brakes)
9737ld: Sports car Conversion/ Yenko/ This option was 15-inch tires and Rally wheels
According to Cunneen, it appears that only the 9566 options would have been used on non-Yenko orders. Yenko orders would have carried 9562, 9694 and 9737 codes.
No matter what package you ordered, all of these cars included a special heavy-duty rear axle with special heat-treated 4.10:1 gears. Records show GM built 96 COPO Chevelles with automatic transmission (Code MP) and 277 with a four-speed (Code MQ).
Given that most of these cars have been accounted for, there is a vast amount of knowledge on their history that can be derived from sources like COPO Connection. Cunneen runs an excellent web site (www.copo.com (http://www.copo.com/)), with more history and information than we could possibly cover in these few pages.
 
nope....


I can't find any 71 copo chevelles period...that doesn't mean they don't exist, just no iffo...but it does say that all copos were 427 powered
 
it is a beautiful car though...but the sites suggest all copos were "ss's" and the malibu 400 is unusual, but not an SS


1971


For 1971, there were two SS packages. One was the SS-454, and the other was simply the "SS" (available with either the 402, 350-4, or 350-2 engine). The unusual "Malibu 400" package was also available on the non-SS Chevelle and El Camino. It utilized the LS3 402 motor.

New for '71 was a "Heavy Chevy" package which featured special decals and some SS equipment. While the SS was based upon the Malibu, the Heavy Chevy was based upon the base Chevelle model, which had less trim. The Heavy Chevy could be ordered with any V8 engine except a 454. Like the Malibu 400 cars, many Heavy Chevys have been converted to SS clones. The VIN on a '71 Heavy Chevy starts with 13437, while the VIN on a V8 Malibu or SS coupe starts with 13637.

The compression ratio on all GM engines was lowered to 8.5:1. 188 Corvettes were built with the 425 horsepower LS6 motor in '71. There have been rumors that a few LS6 Chevelles were built in '71, but these have all been proven to be false. The LS5 454 motor in the '71 Chevelle and El Camino was now rated 5 horsepower HIGHER than it was a year earlier, even though the compression ratio was lowered. This was accomplished partly by redesigning the heads. The increase was also a result of the overly conservative rating (in the Chevelle) of the previous year's LS5.

If the SS-454 package was ordered, the fenders (and tailgate on El Caminos) would sport "SS/454" emblems. If the 402 or 350 engine was ordered with the SS package, then there would simply be "SS" emblems all the way around (but no external engine size designation). The El Camino SS generally did NOT have any "SS" emblems on the door panels.

The SS hood was the same as in '70. The Cowl Induction package was still available. It was, however, not promoted as much as in '70. As a result, far fewer Cowl Induction equipped vehicles were produced in '71 than in '70. There is some conflicting information, but it appears that that the Cowl Induction package was only available with the 454 in '71.

The '71 SS came with 15" five-spoke rally wheels. These wheels were painted silver, with trim rings and center caps. These wheels are similar to those found on mid-70s Z28 Camaros. The latter 70's Z28 wheels were very similar, but the spokes were a bit flatter.

Another unusual vehicle was introduced in 1971. It was the GMC version of the El Camino called the GMC "Sprint". There were about 5600 Sprints produced in '71. Compared to the '71 El Camino production of over 40,000 the '71 Sprint is fairly rare in any form. There was an "SP" package available for the Sprint that had the same basic equipment as the El Camino SS. Only 249 '71 SPs were built. There was even an "SP-454" package available. In fact, it was also possible to order the Sprint with Cowl Induction, tachometer, bucket seats, positraction, etc. It is estimated that about 25 were ordered with the 454 and about 16 with Cowl Induction.
 
Look at the Guys info and original GM employee order sheet. Its fully documented, one of my Good frinds is actually the high bidder right now. Its the real deal dude trust me.
 
I hope so for your buddies sake....but I have to disagree...to many things point to no...specifically the engine...all copo's were 427's..


bol to you buddy though...hella nice ride
 
He collects Chevelles and has a couple LS6's too. He wouldn't bid if it were not correct.

It is a COPO because the engine was not available in that model. The only way you could get it was a Central Office Production Order (special order that was not on the option list.)

NOT what you typically think of when you hear COPO e.g. 427 Camaro but very much a COPO car.
 
De-marko said:
Clean car.

Same nasty green my '71 Grand Prix was though.
Click to expand...

now thats right up my alley :) very nice car, yea its a copo, and its rare, but how desirable is it? its not a 427 copo car, or a ls6 chevelle, then again i guess thats why its only 31k and not 131...lol
 
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