copo 9796 ,when was it available?

Dougs67camaro · 11-26-2005, 04:32:43 PM

Ok everyone. I had a post about a front spoiler on this board. My car is a 1970 camaro z28. My car has a build date of first week of april 1970(04a). My car has the tall rear spoiler on it. The car does not have a front spoiler nor is the valance drilled. I have some people telling me that with my build date of 04a the car could have not come with the tall rear spoiler. Is this true? Does anyone know when the tall rear spoiler was available in 1970? Does the copo option 9796 include both front and rear spoilers or just the rear? If in fact, you could not get a tall rear spoiler this early in 1970, would it hurt retail to put a front spoiler seeing that the car has the wrong rear spoiler? Thanks for all the help. Sorry for all the questions..... Doug

camarochevy1970 · 11-26-2005, 04:42:46 PM

I don't remember that option being a specific date range, but I suppose I could be wrong.

1996Z15 · 11-26-2005, 05:40:02 PM

Doug I was just reading a summer 2005 issue of Musclecar Review where they did a whole issue on COPO cars, one of them being a documented 1970 9796 rear spoiler car. In the article it states that the tall rear spoiler became available after April 26. Shortly after that; the article states June 1970, the front spoiler became part of the COPO 9796 package.

From what I have read and what I have been told I think your car is too early to have been built with the tall rear spoiler and a front spoiler.
Umless you intend to fully return the car to 100% original I say install the front spoiler, leave the tall spoiler on the car and enjoy it the way you want it to look. These things can always be removed at a later date if you change your mind.

BADBLACKZ · 11-26-2005, 07:01:04 PM

Doug. 1965Z15 hit the nail on the head.... Make it like YOU like it..... I personally dont care for the tall spoiler, but I would never turn up my nose at a 70 with the tall one.
My car did not have a front spoiler on it when I bought it, but the holes were there, so, it was easy for me to add it. Weather or not my car is "supposed" to have it was never a concern of mine, I dont care. I bought this car (and the spoiler) LONG before I was into owning a computer and long before I found the huge welth of information here on NastyZ28. At the time I had zero knowledge of "early" and "late" 70s, I noticed the holes were there so I ASSumed the car was just missing the spoiler.....
I realize your car is MUCH closer to stock than mine will ever be, and I respect the concern for "correctness" however, the most important thing is for YOU to enjoy YOUR car and make it the way YOU like it....

Dougs67camaro · 11-26-2005, 07:22:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z COOKS

Doug. 1965Z15 hit the nail on the head.... Make it like YOU like it..... I personally dont care for the tall spoiler, but I would never turn up my nose at a 70 with the tall one.
My car did not have a front spoiler on it when I bought it, but the holes were there, so, it was easy for me to add it. Weather or not my car is "supposed" to have it was never a concern of mine, I dont care. I bought this car (and the spoiler) LONG before I was into owning a computer and long before I found the huge welth of information here on NastyZ28. At the time I had zero knowledge of "early" and "late" 70s, I noticed the holes were there so I ASSumed the car was just missing the spoiler.....
I realize your car is MUCH closer to stock than mine will ever be, and I respect the concern for "correctness" however, the most important thing is for YOU to enjoy YOUR car and make it the way YOU like it....

Dave and zcooks, I agree but every time someone looks at it they say (quote, that is wrong)! I suppose i should have just put a big block in it like i wanted to. The money i put into the lt1 could have easily put a stout big block together that would have went mid 11's in the car. I now wish i would have did that but cannot go back now. I guess i was listening to people instead of myself. I think i will put the spoiler on just because i like it! Thanks for helping me see my way and not everyone elses. Doug

CamarosRus · 11-27-2005, 05:02:15 PM

Phil Borris ownes what is probably the most publicized well known 1970 COPO Camaro. Phil in my opinion is also the leading EXPERT on any 1970 COPO Camaro questions. I recently received the following from Phil and will ask that everyone apply this knowledge.

"4-26-70 is when you could order them. The Key word here is ORDER.

Late May before the first cars hit the show rooms, which means that production started second to third week May.

There were some earlier cars made up "in the field in Dallas" by Pierce in the first week of May but those cars were not built as COPO 9796 at the factory."

1996Z15 · 11-27-2005, 07:02:31 PM

Thanks for the clarification Chuck. Phil's car was the one featured in the Summer '05 Musclecar Review magazine I referred to in my post; what a great looking car.

twozs · 11-27-2005, 11:35:11 PM

why would gm ship a car to dallas to mount a spoiler that didnt even fit on the car when pulled on or off the transporter and then ship it somewhere else to a dealer? according to my assambly manual the front spoiler came in the car in the passenger seat folded down and the brackets in the console. sure my car is a 73 but the transporters didnt change

twozs · 11-27-2005, 11:50:14 PM

acatuallyi lied the manual says that the front valance extension was shipped between the seats and the brackets are in the trunk

70COPO · 11-28-2005, 01:05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twozs

why would gm ship a car to dallas to mount a spoiler that didnt even fit on the car when pulled on or off the transporter and then ship it somewhere else to a dealer? according to my assambly manual the front spoiler came in the car in the passenger seat folded down and the brackets in the console. sure my car is a 73 but the transporters didnt change

COPO 9796 was at first just the rear spoiler. The early cars were so equipped. The story of the "Ruse" is the story of the SCCA approval of the rear spoiler only. The front spoiler was added later to COPO 9796 in June and was shipped in the car and dealer installed as you state.

The Ruse... as told to me by Vince Piggins in 1985:

Pierce was the special assistant to Vince Piggins. Penskie had alleged that Chevy was "cheating" and that the spoilers were not in production yet.

Penskie based his complaint with SCCA - in an effort to get Hall's Camaros to remove the big spoiler thus loosing the downforce advantage.

Hearing of the Penskie complaint with SCCA - Piggins had Pierce drop ship several dozen sets of spoilers to a couple of local dealers in Dallas where they were rush installed on - in stock Camaros. Some of these these same cars were driven and parked in the infield of the Texas Motor Speedway prior to scheduled SCCA Trans Am race.

This was all part of the "ruse".

When SCCA officials confronted Piggins about the Penskie allegations - Piggins simply told SCCA to check a couple of the local dealers in the Dallas area for stock. Pierce also told SCCA to take a look in the parking lot of the track at Dallas as there even might be some cars there.

SCCA officals looked and found three piece spoilers equipped cars even parked in the spectator area of the speedway.

The Ruse worked and SCCA promptly denied the Penskie protest.

And so it was.

Phil

11-28-2005, 04:03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 70COPO

COPO 9796 was at first just the rear spoiler. The early cars were so equipped. The story of the "Ruse" is the story of the SCCA approval of the rear spoiler only. The front spoiler was added later to COPO 9796 in June and was shipped in the car and dealer installed as you state.

The Ruse... as told to me by Vince Piggins in 1985:

Pierce was the special assistant to Vince Piggins. Penskie had alleged that Chevy was "cheating" and that the spoilers were not in production yet.

Penskie based his complaint with SCCA - in an effort to get Hall's Camaros to remove the big spoiler thus loosing the downforce advantage.

Hearing of the Penskie complaint with SCCA - Piggins had Pierce drop ship several dozen sets of spoilers to a couple of local dealers in Dallas where they were rush installed on - in stock Camaros. Some of these these same cars were driven and parked in the infield of the Texas Motor Speedway prior to scheduled SCCA Trans Am race.

This was all part of the "ruse".

When SCCA officials confronted Piggins about the Penskie allegations - Piggins simply told SCCA to check a couple of the local dealers in the Dallas area for stock. Pierce also told SCCA to take a look in the parking lot of the track at Dallas as there even might be some cars there.

SCCA officals looked and found three piece spoilers equipped cars even parked in the spectator area of the speedway.

The Ruse worked and SCCA promptly denied the Penskie protest.

And so it was.

Phil

Even if that weren't true, it sure makes for a good story either way.

Bob R · 11-28-2005, 05:18:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 73454

Even if that weren't true, it sure makes for a good story either way.

It is true, 100% of it..........

Bob R

70COPO · 11-28-2005, 05:25:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 73454

Even if that weren't true, it sure makes for a good story either way.

Same information was also provided by Piggins in greater detail to Noted Author Gary Witenzburg.

Phil

CamarosRus · 11-28-2005, 05:32:02 PM

Phil and others, I am taking ALL of Phils COPO info as the best possible info available. There is NO better authority on the 70 COPO subject than Phil Borris. I will distribute any and all of Phil Borris expert COPO opinions to, all 1970 Camaro judges and can only hope they will accept it as gospil.......

owners2 · 11-29-2005, 01:11:45 PM

The tall 3 piece spoiler became available on april 26,1970 & the tall 3 piece spoiler didn't replace the 1 piece spoiler till april 1971. the following comes from an e-mail between myself & mad mike ,discussing at what date the tall spoiler became R.P.O D-80. "Prior to april 1971,the tall spoiler had to be formally requested,most easily ,via the COPO 9796 to ensure the correct spoiler went on the car or GM would have slapped whatever was in the bin on the car (the one piece spoiler). Since it was requested,the build sheet might give this away. It would still say D-80, but the code in the specific box may indicate the COPO number. Also it could have been hand written on the sheet to instruct someone to put the other spoiler on the car. GM knew what COPO 9796 was ,it didn't just expire because 1970 ended, after april 1971 it became unnecessary and irrelevant (R.P.O D-80 regular production order). Prior to that ,if someone wanted the cool tall spoiler all someone had to do was drop the COPO number and it would start ringing bells. Without the build sheet , it is impossible to prove or diprove a true COPO 9796,since anyone with a drill can install a spoiler."