I am the owner of a custom auto & body restoration shop here in CA. I have a customer that says he might have a rare copo convertible SS396 Chevelle. He said that the car may have never been sold to a person because it only has dealer info. Does anyone know what would make it rare & what should I look for to help him out?

Try posting the same question over here http://www.yenko.net/ (http://www.yenko.net/)

Can we start with the basics? What year car is it?

Many use and mis-use the word COPO.. Your customer may not even be referring to what we all know to be TRUE COPO cars.. Provide more info. to us about the car and it's dealer information? Which Dealer?

Mike

Can we start with the basics? What year car is it?

Uhhhh, Mike.....check the title of the thread....it's a 69. :waving:

69 COPO Chevelles are a fairly well known commodity, and it is highly, highly doubtful that a convertible COPO was ever built. Unless this guy has some legitimate, ironclad proof that it is a COPO (i.e., original paperwork of some sort) you have a snowball's chance in hell of 'proving' that it is a COPO.

The COPO Chevelles, as we know them, were not SS396 cars as stated. Now, there were fleet orders under the COPO plan but I don't know of any '69 COPO convertibles done that way. If something about this car was done through the COPO system, then great, but the guy would need definite paperwork to back it up.

Oh so now I'm supposed to read the Subject Line? :D

Mike, I was just out in the garage looking for my combination square that was right there in plain sight right under my nose. You aren't alone. ;)

Is there a build sheet or window sticker for this car that shows a COPO number?

A COPO car can be a car built with any COPO option vs a car built with all RPO options.

The COPO option should be shown on the build sheet or window sticker with with a COPO number.

There could be 4 door 6 cyl Chevelles, station wagons, police, fire, military, taxi, etc. special order Chevelles built with a COPO.

for example I have seen a Chevelle build sheet with a COPO alternator and wire harness listed on the build sheet with a COPO number.

another example I have seen 1969 Camaros with a 4:56 COPO rear listed on the window sticker. In 1968 a 4:56 rear was RPO - in 1969 a 4:56 rear was a COPO

There may have been 1969 Chevelles built with a COPO 4:56 rear like the Camaro but I have not seen any documentation on any.

If your customer has a "rare copo convertible SS396 Chevelle" will be hard to prove unless he has some original documentation that shows the COPO with numbers.
Some Chevelle trim tags will show a special order.