1969 Chevrolet COPO Camaro 427 Sells for $200,000, Some Say It's a Bargain

The bid battle wasn't as heated as expected for a classic of this caliber. The vehicle spent almost a week online with a high bid of $199,427 before the winner snatched the COPO for an additional $1,000. While the $200K+ sticker is anything but small, some of the users who watched the auction claim it was the "deal of the century." "I would have bid if I knew this was going to be a giveaway," said another BaT community member.

But was this COPO Camaro a steal? Well, we need to get a few details out of the way to draw a proper conclusion. For starters, it's important to note that we're looking at a COPO 9561. Also known as the COPO 427, this Camaro packs the L72 V8 engine. The mill was first requested by Don Yenko and eventually found its way into nearly 1,000 units.

The other COPO, sporting order code 9560, was equipped with the all-aluminum ZL-1 engine. Commissioned primarily for NHRA Super Stock racing, it was produced in just 69 examples. The ZL-1 is the most expensive of the bunch. The priciest iteration was auctioned off for a whopping $1.09 million, while three other examples sold for more than $700,000 in recent years.

The more common COPO 427 is not quite as expensive, but it has been a six-figure classic for over a decade. By selling for $200,427, this LeMans Blue version joined an exclusive club of only 11 COPO 427s that changed hands for more than $200K. The record currently sits at $305,000. This Camaro is the second $200K+ COPO 427 auctioned off in 2024.

This LeMans Blue example is a stunning restoration that retains many original parts. However, it no longer has a numbers-matching V8. The original 427-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) was presumably blown in the vehicle's early years when it was drag-raced in the Super Stock D class as "Rats Nest." The Camaro does have a period-correct L72 and M22 four-speed manual transmission.

Although it's not longer all-original, this Camaro won the Gold Certificate at MCACN (Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals), so it's been recognized as a full-fledged COPO rig. However, I wouldn't call its price tag a steal, especially when compared to other COPO 427s that went under the hammer recently.

In May 2024, a Fathom Green example crossed the auction block at Mecum's Indy event for $210,000. The said car was highly original except for a repaint that it got in the 1980s. That's right, for only $10K more, this COPO had a numbers-matching L72 and M22 four-speed combo under the hood.

All told, this COPO was neither the deal of the century nor too expensive. Given its specifications and current market trends, it fetched the right amount of moolah. Money aside, though, it's a stunning piece of Camaro history. So make sure you watch the test drive video below.