Originally posted July 2010

It’s one thing to own a real “COPO” car (central office Production order) and it’s yet another to be the original owner of such a car today! Arizona’s Kevin DeWitte is one such guy, as he purchased this white ’69 427-cid Camaro brand-new back in 1969, and today it’s part of the DeWitte household, and in much the exact same condition as when he first picked it up at the Berger Chevy dealership, located in grand rapids, mi, all those years ago.

Kevin DeWitte was only 20 years old when he walked into the Berger Chevrolet showroom to check out the new cars, at the dealership known for performance cars. he had a good job at a grocery store at the time and worked hard to generate money, and had 1200 bucks in his pocket for a down payment. at first he was thinking of purchasing a new ford Torino with the 428-cid cobra Jet engine, but a chance drive to Berger (about an hour drive from his Kalamazoo, mi home) got him hooked on the 427 Camaro.

Because it was late in the model year when he was car shopping, the salesman was willing to dicker on the price, and the young buyer was able to get the car at a discount, paying $3685.56 for the car that stickered for $3980.10. It was nearly 300 bucks off because they needed to sell the car. A great car, a great price, and things were looking up for sure!

The only fly in the ointment was when young Kevin went home and found out his parents weren’t exactly thrilled he was purchasing a rather expensive car, and one with so much horsepower. The news on the home front was this: OK, fi ne, buy the car, but we’re not co-signing any loan. Hmmm…. So quick-thinking Kevin contacted the salesman, explained the situation, and a deal was made where the car would be stored at the dealership until Christmas Eve of that year, the day of Kevin’s 21st birthday. This way, he could get the loan in his name and no need for a co-signer.

He drove the car and did his share of racing with it, but by 1974 a Corvette caught his eye and the 427 Camaro was sold. Looking back, he now knows that was a mistake, but hindsight is always 20/20! He managed to track down the car in the early 1990s and eventually was able to repurchase it, with help from his good friend, the late Tom Karay. This extremely rare 427 Camaro is a cherished fixture in the DeWitte family garage and this time around, it will NEVER be sold.

Kevin was the original owner and it served as a daily driver from December 24^th, 1969, until August 22^nd, 1974, where he traded it for a Corvette. Some 20 years later he was able to purchase it back (with only 8,000miles added) and this time around it’s not going to be re-sold.

This is the window sticker on the car. Kevin has the original (which he keeps in a safe) and this freshly typed one is used for car displays.

Quick History

COPO # 9561 was a $489.75 option, and few dealers knew about it. The 427-cid engine was known as the “L72” and it featured all the good stuff: forged 11.0:1 compression pistons, heavy-duty connecting rods, forged crank, four-bolt mains, solid lifter camshaft (.5197-inches of lift, measured at .050, 336-degrees of duration), rectangular port heads, 780 CFM dual-feed Holley, aluminum high-rise intake, and deep groove pulleys. Power is rated at 425 horsepower for this engine at 5600 rpm; however, the factory has earlier admitted the L72 really develops some 450 ponies when the revs go to 6400 rpm. One potent production power-plant!

How quick was a factory 427 Camaro? In 1969 the guys at Super Stock and Drag Illustrated Magazine tested a 427 Camaro and took it out to the York US30 Dragway to find out. The car was stock except for a set of headers and the re-working of the dual point distributor, which was converted to full centrifugal advance. To help traction woes, the rear springs were clamped and a set of 8-inch M&H slicks were used, with 9.5-pounds of air pressure.

The featured car is also unique, as it’s considered a “Double COPO” car, since it’s factory equipped with the “Sports Car Conversion” package, COPO 9737. This consisted of special gauges, larger diameter front sway bar and E70 X 15 rubber, mounted on steel rally wheels. Berger Chevrolet is said to have sold about 40 of these COPO Camaros, a group of 20 cars that came in with February 1969 build dates, and a second batch that had May 1969 build dates.