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Archives for January 2, 2013

The Legend and the Return of The COPO Camaro – Automotive History Comes Full Circle

January 2, 2013 by Chad Arthur Leave a Comment

The 1969 COPO Camaro is the stuff of legend. One of the most sought-after muscle cars in the world, collectors pay big money for genuine COPO Camaros (over $100k for a genuine COPO with documentation, according to http://www.firstgencamaro.com/yenko.html).

These original COPO Camaros are treasured because of their rarity and their incredible power – COPOs (which stands for “Central Office Production Order”) were built to unique specifications, with oversized engines and unique transmissions that werent otherwise available to regular Camaro buyers.

In many ways, these original COPOs were more like race cars than production vehicles, and they showed as much at the trackin their day, COPO Camaros were fast.

The 2013 Chevrolet COPO Camaro.
The 2013 Chevrolet COPO Camaro.

Understandably, when Chevy announced a limited production run of a modern COPO Camaro in 2012, the excitement levels among Camaro fans were off the charts.

The 1969 COPO Camaro

Three different orders were available for 1969 COPO Camaros: the #9560 featured an all-aluminum ZL-1 engine, the #9561 featured an iron engine, and #9730 was a sports car conversion available with either engine type.  The 1969 COPO Camaro earned its reputation as king of the drag strip by running the quarter mile in 12 secondsan excellent time in any era.

The total number of COPO Camaros produced and sold in 1969 is unknown, but it is rumored to be somewhere between 500 and 1,000 cars in totalmaking an original COPO car a rarity.

Whats more, since many of the COPO Camaros produced in the late 1960s were sold exclusively to race teams, most of them have likely been destroyed at the drag strip. Thus, the legend of the COPO – a 12-second car thats incredibly rare – is born.

2012 COPO Camaro

Chevy vowed to not disappoint enthusiasts with the 2012 release of the COPO. Determined to produce the fastest Camaro ever, GM produced a total of 69 cars in 2012. There were engine options available, all specifically designed to NHRA’s class rules:

  • A 5.3-liter LSX-Based 327 with a 2.9-liter Supercharger, rated at 550 horsepower
  • A 5.3-liter LSX-Based 327 with a 4.0-liter Supercharger, rated at 500 horsepower
  • A naturally aspirated 7.0-liter LS7-Based 427, rated at 427 Horsepower

For the 2012 COPO, Chevy removed the back seat, all sound-deadening materials and all power accessories in an attempt to save weight. Finally, while the body is the same as the standard Camaro SS body, it features a solid axle and chrome-molly roll cage.

Unlike the original, the 2012 version of the COPO is designed solely for competitive NHRA racing and is not street legal.  It cannot be registered, titled or licensed on public roads and highways. Still, the power is impressive. Equipped with the 4-liter supercharger, a 5.3-liter 2012 COPO Camaro has run the quarter-mile in 8.88 seconds. Thats 3 seconds faster than the fastest recorded quarter-mile run back in 1969.

In other words, the modern COPO has lived up to the name.

A 2013 COPO Camaro?

Chevy originally intended to release just 69 of the 2012 COPO Camaro to match the original 1969 ZL-1 COPO production. However, when more than 3,000 buyers expressed interest in owning a genuine COPO, Chevy announced a second production line for 2013.

So, if you havent had a chance to buy a new COPO Camaro for yourself yet, the window hasnt completely closed.

Of course, you could always skip the modern car and buy a classic instead. Depending on condition, original ZL-1 COPO Camaros have sold for as little as $84,000 and as much $1.1 million. All it takes is money, right?

Filed Under: Special Tagged With: Chevrolet, Chevy, COPO CAMARO, GM, NATIONAL HOD ROD ASSOCIATION, SPORTS CAR

Off the Cliff: NASCAR, Algae Growers Benefit

January 2, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

If you were worried that the United States was poised to fall off a fiscal cliff you can take heart: lawmakers have passed a bill for President Obamas signature, one that will raise taxes on most Americans while keeping the federal government humming at least for the next few months.

Motorsports Entertainment

Buried within the bill are numerous amendments or sections, with at least three benefiting motoring-related industries. For instance, under Sec. 312 of H.R. 8, an extension of the 7-year recovery period for motorsports entertainment complexes is included. This deal rewards operators of certain NASCAR tracks that make improvements to grandstands, buildings, parking lots and other facilities, offering an equivalent of $70 million in tax credits.

raining money
It’s raining money in Washington, DC.
Buyers of two- or three-wheel electric vehicles essentially motorcycles can take a federal tax credit for up to $2,500. That credit was initially rolled out as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and was set to expire. Legislators have earmarked $4 million to keep the EV bike pump primed throughout 2013 see Sec. 403.

Alternate Fuels

In Sec. 404, manufacturers of cellulosic biofuel will enjoy a tax benefit too. Under the new law, the category was changed from cellulosic biofuel to second generation biofuel to include fuels derived from various types of biomass or organic carbon materials. First generation biofuels are derived from vegetable oils and sugars found in arable crops, while second generation biofuels include algae, waste oils and municipal waste. A special allowance for cellulosic biofuel plant property can be found in Sec. 410.

Title IV Energy Tax Extenders also doles out extensions for various credits including for some that expired a year ago on December 31, 2011. Those extensions are retroactive and provide a benefit through the end of 2013. In Sec. 402, a tax credit for alternative fuel vehicle refueling property is given and in Sec. 405 incentives for biodiesel and renewable diesel are outlined. SS 411 and 412 provide additional relief including the extension of the alternative fuels excise tax credit. Thats a 50 cent per gallon tax credit for energy producers by the way.

Political Largesse

While some people continue to express consternation for the now long ago bail outs of General Motors and Chrysler, Republican and Democrat lawmakers alike are looking out for their constituents, especially for their corporate interests. As for mass transit, rail fans should know that short-line and regional operators will also benefit and can claim a 50 percent tax credit for maintaining tracks that they own or lease. That $331 million package is one of the largest gifts offered in the 2013 fiscal cliff deal.

Although a deal has been reached, some 77 percent of Americans can expect to pay higher taxes in 2013 than they did in 2012. Moreover, the deal does nothing to attack Americas extreme debt, now pegged at $16.3 trillion or about $52,580 for every citizen.


See Also — What Tax Breaks Are Available for Fuel Efficient Vehicles?

Filed Under: Automotive News Tagged With: BIOFUEL, CELLULOSIC ETHANOL, ENERGY CREDITS, NASCAR, TAX CREDITS

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