My COPO engine was cast Jan 8, 1969; assembled 04/10/69; put into a 6B Baltimore car. A six month span from casting to car installation.

The original agreement with Yenko Sportscars Inc called for 350 COPO 9561 Camaros, probably to be built 1Q 1969. Suppliers of components would have been provided that information for their production planning. When COPOs proved to be much slower selling than anticipated, Yenko delayed subsequent orders creating excessive WIP inventory at suppliers.

Tonawanda foundry was one of them. No one wants raw castings sitting around for 90 days.

Just find it odd that there are quite a few 1969 9561 COPO Camaros that claim to have original engines with a 03 (March)of 1969 cast date on blocks that were built prior to Sept of 1969 when finding some cars built Sept of 69 have a January of 1969 cast date on block.

I wonder how many casting dates there are for COPO blocks. Maybe most or all of the were cast either in Jan or March.

I have a 3955270 COPO MN engine cast I-4-8 which I think translates into Sept 4, 1968.

Block was stamped T0122MN and was installed around second week of April.

I think the VIN is N639383, but it is hard to tell if the threes are eights.

I think I read in someones book, they say all COPO's had '512 blocks. Well, here is the exception. Goes to show anything is possible.


- Warren

casting inventory at Tonawanda was generally FILO. The balance of the unmachined early foundry run was placed in rough casting inventory either between the plants or out in the yard. It was common for pallets of slow moving castings to get buried behind other inventory and frozen in place (Buffalo winters). The rough casting inventory would be organized and counted at physical inventory time and put back into inventory flow.

I don't recall how the motor plant would store machined blocks, but at least some must have been FILO too. I had a 9561 car with POP showing January assembled engine in an 05E car.

I also have a COPO with a 3955270 block. It has the exact same casting date AND assembly date as Warren's. My car was assembled 03D 69 and he says his car was assembled 2nd week of April 69. I know my car's (not my car, i'm just restoring it) entire history and it's extremely original. I have talked to all of the car's previous owners. It has 29,000 miles and was wrecked in or around 1977 and put away complete. it was never disassembled until it came to us for restoration. Anyone else have a COPO with a 3955270 block?

Yes:FILO

I have owned at least one copo camaro thats original motor is a 270 casting. If I remember correctly it was a 05A car. I know it was the original motor because it was found in another car in the area with the matching vin for the copo.