Full Build: Iconic 1969 ZL1 Chevy Camaro Goes From NOPO to COPO

MuscleCar teams up with Chevrolet Performance to build a tribute to one of the most legendary muscle cars ever made: a 1969 ZL1 COPO Camaro.
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[@Kevin_747]

As an old guy I saw a ZL-1 Camaro at Dickie Harrell's shop in south Kansas City. I was 13 and rode my bicycle there. It was around late may '69 because school was already out. Amazing car.

[@SlidingRhino]

KC - Olathe!

[@HughWoo]

My stepfather has a copo he picked up from an auction that had some front end damage and it was something the two of us bonded over. I’ll never forget those days. I would have never imagined being able to turn that car in to what it is today. It does have a few options that others don’t have of the time and I think that’s what made it that much more difficult for us and pricey. It was something we agreed to do every Saturday. We would eat lunch together and then go work on the car or pick up parts if needed. I really miss those days. The car is parked in one of my buildings on my farm now and I never even start it unless he’s getting in with me. Damn I miss those days.

[@flouisbailey]

Start it more often and let the cosmos hear the glory of its rumble. Sad to say he will not be there in the future, I lost my Dad a long time ago, doesn’t mean I don’t miss him in so many ways. You are blessed with the car and (Step)Dad and a place to keep it. I let my 1967 SS/RS, bought new, get away mostly because I didn’t a place to store it. 40-45 years of storage fees eats into a cars value when you are a student.

[@hihihihihello]

Start it up run it!!

[@pollyg562]

weres the safety glasses while fixing the broken seat? they are a must with anything under tension

[@geraldwalk3544]

Dude, I’ve been watching this show since I can remember and everywhere I see you do the interior rebuild. It’s one of the most awesome parts of the show almost as nice as diving into that engine you’re redoing. Thank you for all you do my hats off to you. Good job.

[@matrox]

Ik have been watching this show since the late 1950s.

[@michaelfoster1453]

Nice build! What a '69 should look like. Not an overdone resto-mod.

[@NASTYcraftX]

I thought this was a recent build until they showed that radio and Tommy started talking about iPods lol

[@xr8rick]

In the credits it says MMXIII (2013), so it’s already a decade old. I don’t want to even think what it would cost to do what they did at todays prices!

[@coreystubblefield6332]

Wonder where it is today, a decade later

[@benzlick]

307’s were absolutely gutless so this is one hell of a way to make this Camaro come to life!

[@Driver-ur9mf]

It is sort of the opposite of the 302 as I recall. DZ302 it was known as. I was a mark 4 boy, only owned one small block, 327

[@w.-7658]

The 307 replaced the 283 as the economy engine. It had the bore of a 283 and stroke of the 327. Some people bored them to 4", turning it into a 327. Like all engines, a cylinder head swap, as well as cam and intake woke it up. Problem is, it would cost as much to hop up as a 350 and there is no substitute for cubic inches.

[@nicksloan7398]

Manifold and turbo conversion ffs

[@queensapphire7717]

Ted Nugent building rods now ?

[@snoking1127]

In 1968 My dad gave me two Firestone Wide Ovals for the front of my 1967 SS/RS 350. I drove the car from Port Angeles, Wa to Point Area, Ca on Highway 1 on the North Coast. 3200 miles later they were nearly bald and came off the Camaro.

[@velohana3781]

@2:02:04 says it all. one of the very best full build videos you guys have ever - EVER - done! Truly DIY, iconic, budget considerate, unadulterated power that causes such a smile. Well done!

[@jonny555ive]

That looks on his face needs no explanation...... He is living his best life right then and there.👍👍

[@820hurleyj]

That was a fun build to watch. But I thought for sure that you were going to paint that thing orange! The black looked awesome!

[@robertm2185]

69 camaro has been a dream car for me since I was 13 years old. Great job on the build and thanks for all the information you provide.

[@genemanno1533]

Nice job, well documented resto type build without a bunch of stupid antics and crappy unnecessary add on’s. A nice car that is gonna be a lot of fun to drive and show off.

[@jimhiscott2918]

I love the custom GM decal that has been placed on the ATi Crank Damper. Thecway he measured up, cut and weld that rear end was super slick. I am impressed😊. Great work

[@Bw40099]

this guy knows his stuff thats for sure

[@jackkeller3172]

In 1972 I got a 69 copo Camaro for a high school graduation present I acquired every ticket except vehicular manslaughter in triplicate never wrecked it and never killed anybody my father worked as a paint supervisor in the factory with these cars came from he had an orange ss396 n75 I got to work there for 11 years there were four 427 camaro's around where I lived none were aluminum

[@JamesSmith-iy5nm]

21 minutes is all I can take of this old school history teacher reading q-cards, and Boshers doing all the real work. I don't think this dude could find his ass with both hands.

[@jamesanderson4014]

Not in particular a Camero guy but greatly appreciate a lot of the solid work y'all do. That Camero looking sharper then sharp. Watch this video three hours before 7:30 a.m. Got a 1999 Chrysler Concorde upgrade and restore. Needs painting really really bad runs good. Sharp sharp video.

[@robertprice9052]

Build a retro mod ‘69 Z-28! One of my friends in high school had an awesome blue with white Z. There’s so much you can do with the engine, trans, exhaust, interior, gauges, sound system and so on. Let’s build it!

[@bikerider5296]

The original building for Gibbs Chevy in Laharpe, Il is still there, but it is a tire place now. Its amazing that this tiny little town out in the middle of west/central Illinois was so instrumental in muscle car and NHRA history.

[@doorkicker8507]

Don’t forget NICKEY in Chicago. Two of the ultimate Chevy dealerships in Illinois.

[@worryphree]

That 307 is SO NICE! Kind of a shame to watch it gettin' altered so much. I would love to see that car done as a restomod, keeping and freshening up the original aesthetics, but then beefing up the powerplant, and upgrading the chassis and suspension for modern performance and handling.

[@bmstylee]

The 307 isn't worth building. Not a huge ROI for the shekels spent.

[@rodneyhopper22]

Who gave a shit about a 307 motor to begin with what a lamo of all of the small block Chevy power motor 🙄 duh dude I'd rather have shot my self

[@cashmoney3293]

Not every classic needs to be but turned into an ls restomod

[@worryphree]

@@cashmoney3293 Okay.

[@averypavlik7812]

If I wanted a car to have the drivetrain and suspension + the feel of 2023 camaro... I’d buy a 2023 camaro

[@rickr2029]

Great build job but I have never seen so many advertisement breaks on any other channel. This channel is King in that category.

[@Easterndmondbk]

Tommy Boshers is a master welder. Pretty smart fellow, entertaining and knowledgeable, but he gets that welder in his hand he absolutely backs it up.

[@jacobmccollum9189]

That was one of the best off-road recovery moments I’ve ever seen! Great edit, even better channel. Amazing video!!

[@jonny555ive]

FANTASTIC BUILD guys.... That thing is absolutely BEAUTIFUL would you mind dropping it off to me this weekend..... Thanks. I'll take great care of it until the day I die. This is almost my dream car. You guys did a hell of a nice job, should be VERY proud of yourselves. Master craftsmanship at its finest. Easily, on a scale of 1 to 10 this is definitely an 11 🤘🤘 Awesome work guys. Take care, stay safe out there. ~Jonny5🥁

[@scott6059]

I love the full builds.

[@davidwellington767]

My brain exploded when he made the oil prime tool. Fuckin awesome.

[@curtisevans6914]

I have a clone 1971 SS Nova you did a good job on the Camaro

[@scottrasmussen8258]

Beautiful car! Why no headrests? 1969's had headrests.

[@charliechristie2949]

This is a fantastic idea........But, when you said "some" of these copo cars are lost forever. That is enough to make a muscle car nut my age (70) go down on one knee and cry.

[@jameswade2002]

I think that engine weighs less than 500lbs. I'm pretty sure you could use a 9.8 deck conjoined bore aluminum block to build a 550ci setup with AFRs and a solid roller with EFI and have the greatest OHV internal combustion reciprocating piston engine ever made. Zero compromise in that formula and it doesn't have to cost more than about $1200 above and iron version.

[@SlidingRhino]

Tommy, you are Amazing! Im a huge fan of yours and love watching you work and explain what you do while doing it.

[@jamesbehrick9588]

Love the full builds versus the episodes

[@jeffatkinson6848]

gd trick with the rag fer door handle clips smart and slick

[@MayheM_72]

My Dad had a base model '73 El Camino with a 307, 3 on the tree, and bench seats. I remember him telling me that the 307/3 speed got worse gas mileage than the 350/4 speed! Like you said, you didn't get economy OR performance. Don't feel too bad about not being able to do body work. I worked in 2 body shops, and I never got any good at "mud work". I did the initial teardown, mechanical/electrical repairs (and I was handy with a MIG welder), final assembly, sanding/buffing, and the cleanup/detail. Body filler was like some arcane magic that I never mastered. A buddy of mine bought a '67 Camaro realk cheap. It was originally a "crap brown" with gold interior, 250 straight 6, with a 3 on the tree. When he bought it, someone already swapped in a 327, and had the 3 speed shifter sticking out of the side of the trans tunnel. The 3 on the tree shift collar and "250" badges were still on the car! It ran like crap til he gave it a tune-up, changed the fluids and filters, and swapped the points ignition for an HEI. It became a real fire breathing, tire destroying monster! Another buddy of mine had an old Mustang. ('66 perhaps?) He had the stock stereo in the dash, and he mounted a modern (late 90s) stereo inside the glove box with new speakers behind the original grills. That way he had the original look, and updated sound. Not sure how easy it was to change the station or volume while driving alone...

[@user-zw7ww7kw9c]

You’re in heaven with your 307. All you need is a Powerglide behind all those ponies.

[@jbtOO7]

Used to create finger sized skateboard snowboard in grade school with glue.Used the top of the desk concave relief that is for pencils and pens for the mold process.I never thought you could use epoxy to fix damaged front plastic grills like that and then bondo and sand shape and paint wow I'm impressed to know this method and seeing it work well too wow great job.Hey I got something I noticed that car manufacturers back then were allowed creativity and so my contribution that would work well is to magnetize the seat everything that is metal within the seat to catch loose change.Good job guys.

[@cfmechanic]

The legend of the 427 is one reason why i had to build a small block 427.

[@Trekceffej]

I know someone that has an actual copo and man what a car it is

[@robertwetherington3372]

Love that build . Should have welded axel tubes to center section get rid of that vaccum secondary .1 more gear would be nice

[@Clearanceman2]

What a fantastic build!

[@anthonysmigelski9219]

Awsome build. Good tips., really enjoyed watching you guys. 👍

[@audikid89]

I have a 1970 nova SS currently on the rotisserie being worked on and boy would I love to put one of these in her!

[@larrycraven7787]

It's a real shame they didn't take the time to dyno the engine to give us the real numbers on it😭

[@gsmith207]

Let’s just say, “ oh she moves…” haaa! Bet it’s 525 crank by my math…

[@larrycraven7787]

@@gsmith207 It's atleast that. The L88 made almost that much power.

[@phantom0456]

“Mank da Skank” and “Baullz-Deep Boshers” be keepin’ it REAL!

[@ozahmed4523]

A Canadian and a Southern boy!

[@gooberclese]

Beautiful machine.

[@retronerd872]

69 is My dream car I be happy with the base Camaro

[@NoSenatorson]

Now that I see a COPO, I want one.

[@rynosraceroom66]

God dang man ! What if #Chevrolet produced a NEW 69' Camaro ? I wonder if they would sell ?

[@rorylackey7116]

You could say this is a 2 hour and 6 minute products endorsement with a little bit of car rebuild included

[@DQHW]

Been looking for new car channels today, wasn’t sure if I was gonna like this channel, but then I saw the 427 engine and now I’m hooked!!!

[@xboxgameplay3654]

Thats such an awesome build.

[@blackryderryder509]

Keep up the good work

[@backroom12]

All the car videos I watched , watching them narrow the rear end was cool . Never saw it done before

[@johnsmith-qz4bv]

great build...

[@JRRott-mj5jq]

What a beautiful car nice job guys as always 👍🏻👍🏻

[@anthonyk1234]

Has anyone used the paint kit, if so, what was your experience?

[@williamgoodge9651]

Is the car for sale, if not what do you do with the cars after your done.

[@jimhiscott2918]

What Muncie is going in. 21? or the old rock crusher 22. I had the M22 in my 1969 nova back in 83. That trans was i monster to shift!

[@aphil4581]

The M22 has alternate adjustment holes closer to the gear shafts for quick shifting. To bad they didn't use them. There would have not been any miss shift and wouldn't have had to make such a big hole in the floor!

[@billyjoejimbob56]

A great new series guys... really enjoyed it. Haven't seen Steve Mank before... a great addition to the team. He clearly knows his stuff. Love your approach to the project. And Tommy... you keep getting better and better at your craf. You did not indicate if you did the transmission with original M22 close ratios, or wider spread now available. (I would have done the wider ratio set). Can understand why you did the quick ratio manual box... but wouldn't this car be great with aftermarket electrric rack and pinion? Regardless... great project car.

[@novass7493]

I run a 10 bolt for 15 years in a 69 427 nova been down Atco many times,build it right and drive right!

[@TundeEszlari]

Wonderful content.

[@stefanlind79]

Love this show. Very enoying with the flashing from the cameras though... Thanx

[@novass7493]

Big blocks go in those cars with no problems, big blocks came in those cars!

[@Adamu98]

Yes, the 396. But gm at the time did not allow engines with a displacement larger than 400 ci in midsize and below cars except the corvette. That changed in 1970 when they lifted this rule.

[@ramone202]

I hope I can get my Caprice done like this. 👍

[@rageher0135]

Love this thing. Would’ve been great if you guys with big deep TV show budgets would have saved a less than ideal 1st gen candidate instead of a already decent driver car. But still, that thing is clean!!

[@Charlie_Prinz]

Very Cool. Awesome build 👌👌❤❤👍👍😎😎

[@user-ux3kl3ti3m]

outstanding

[@rogerevans3112]

Find an "O" axel out of a 442, It had super large axles and retainers on the outboard from the factory and less then an inch longer.

[@BWGPEI]

Wow, just Wow!

[@hollowdog9049]

Stock 69 Z/28 (302ci) Bandimere Speedway Denver Co. 15.00 flat @ 99 mph. 6000 ft above sea level. Tire spin all through 1-2 and most of 3.

[@jeffreybrianring6392]

A set of slicks and open headers, probably in the high 11's.

[@Chopski64]

Doing the swap to manual you should of went with a 5 or 6 speed. Overdrive would of been nice.

[@Sir.Veza_]

I think they were staying as close to stock as possible

[@bikerider4326]

Every time I watch one of your shows my chest gets more hair! 😂

[@superezbz]

I feel like this was filmed a lot earlier than this year.

[@wade998]

it was shot in 2012.

[@superezbz]

@@wade998 That explains it! Thanks!

[@sethbarnes7608]

I would definitely change those straight leg boosters to stepped down leg boosters.

[@kevinlewis9151]

No chance I would scrap all that gorgeous chrome

[@greenhometony]

Probably sold it tho....

[@MedicatedOMO]

You should go with Chrome Reverse solids with plain baby moon caps. They look so good on first gen F bodies. Nuthin but reflections.

[@jamesgibson5876]

Golly.. another camaro.. what fun .....

[@consanna]

Nickey Chevrolet had Dick Harrell installing the 427 in the 1967 Camaro. In addition it was performance tuned

[@cdeprima1209]

You could spray rusty brake drums with Rustoleum Red primer which will kill the rust, no sanding required! You could save those old parts tell sell, some of us like to keep it simple and cheap! That primer can save the entire car, really!! cheers! :)

[@ThePaulv12]

Would've been nice to complete the engine bay look with correct looking air cleaner, valve covers & dizzy. Considering all the trouble they went to like keeping rear drums, OEM style radiator, heater box, front and rear suspension, diff and retro tires a few things don't quite add up - ie the OEM style Muncie with the non OEM crossmember, the non OEM looking valve covers, distributor and that crappy throttle return spring which just looks wrong - I don't get it since all the rest of it really nails it. Why not use a 5sp if using that crossmember then finishing the engine bay properly so it looks like a ZL1 from 1969? If it were me doing a homage-ish style resto, the very least I'd do is have factory style rear discs and calipers from a later model which you can't see with these wheels (assuming they fit with those rims), factory looking power steering (even if it was never offered) and as mentioned a 5sp. I'd even try to emulate the smog pump I reckon. In the end it came together just a tad weird but I guess sponsors are why this was derailed.

[@monkeybarmonkeyman]

Most likely sponsors were the reason... myself, I'd have preferred them to build up one from complete scratch.

[@jstdrv]

Cool build! That 307 looked like new though

[@MrStan1221]

Your house looks great.

[@user-jo7ll7nu3p]

wonderful

[@rossthomas945]

If only I had deep enough pockets. Beautiful.

[@slackonthego1489]

🔥🔥🔥

[@larryssnova76]

That little copper contact is the key buzzer not the horn contact!!

[@tonyhorsch9559]

VERY COOL, Would Love to have it in my Garage! Keep up the great builds.

[@swamppy4880]

I'm sure you remembered the sub-frame connecters

[@tomupchurch4911]

That wasn't the horn ground. That was the key buzzer contact switch...horn is on top of turn sig. switch

[@gordocarbo]

1:10 was that the hand thing frmo Adams Family in the L side case?

[@dashriprock2916]

Great build you just needed at least a 5 speed for drivability. 4:11 with a four speed is hardly drivable.

[@raymondmackey8108]

Hey Great Video . I'm a new Subscriber and I Absolutely love your Videos... I planned on watching All your Videos from the beginning to the present ones. And Sharing them with all my friends with a big Thumbs up 👍👍👍. Keep them Coming Guys.😄

[@gsmith207]

I’m from the camp of let’s take this sweet 307 that needs a restoration and a lot of work, and inject it with everything new and go for it! Love it!

[@quickdeuce]

I know I'm not the only one to mention it's 'kind of' a shame to change anything about the car you fellas chose. I didn't hear you mention it BUT considering all the paperwork he had we're assuming it's a "numbers correct" car. If so and since they're so VERY hard to find it hurts a little to see it changed. HOWEVER,, that said the 'cream puff' you found is the ideal candidate for the project you've done and it WILL be a hotrod that can WIN at car shows and on the track. Looking forward to shutt'n up and settl'n back to soak up this episode with a smile on my face 🙂

[@briank3323]

Feeling some static between body man and ol man!😂

[@ianmangham4570]

Muncie ROCKCRUSHER 🤠🤘

[@harperbros.4355]

My dream car is a 1969 camaro ss or copo

[@joshuaruttenberg9508]

Should took the windshield out before you painted the car front and back don’t you think