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1-Of-5: 1967 Chevrolet COPO Corvette Convertible

We’ve seen some fantastic Corvettes come across our desks in recent times here at Barn Finds, but occasionally one will appear that is a cut above the rest. That is where this 1967 Corvette Convertible fits into the equation. This isn’t any old survivor because its originality has allowed it to be selected for the highly-coveted Bloomington Gold Special Collection. That is only one string to its bow because this is a COPO Corvette that will attract plenty of comments from the more knowledgeable enthusiasts. It is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is being offered for sale here on eBay. The BIN has been set at $76,000 for this desirable classic.

When you mention the term “COPO” to a classic car enthusiast, their pulse will usually begin to race. That term will bring to mind the mighty 1969 Camaros ZL-1. However, COPO was used by dealers for other purposes. It allowed them to customize cars with various options and combinations that were unavailable to the average buyer. The reality was that it represented a backdoor way for canny dealers to provide a bespoke program to their customers. In this Corvette’s case, it wears a color and trim combination that you won’t see very often. The car is finished in Silver Pearl, and it is worth noting that it isn’t immaculate. This Chevy is an original survivor that wears a few chips and marks on the paint. In a similar vein, the trim and chrome aren’t pristine, with some marks and signs of pitting. However, there is no questioning its originality. Bloomington Gold Awards aren’t handed out lightly, and this car is not only the recipient of this coveted honor but is one of the rare cars that was selected for the 2006 Bloomington Gold Special Collection XII. If that isn’t enough for prospective buyers, you can add an NCRS Top Flight Award to the portfolio. The documentation and certificates for these will be included in the sale. The buyer will also inherit the original Owner’s Manual, Protect-O-Plate, Tank Sticker, Window Sticker, and the NCRS Validation Certificate. That will give the new owner bragging rights that they can back with hard evidence.

When we look inside the Corvette, we come to the crux of what makes this car so unique. If you walked into your local Chevrolet dealership in 1967 with the money to buy a Corvette, you had ten standard paint colors from which to choose. If you ticked the box beside Silver Pearl on the Order Form, your interior trim choices were Black or Teal Blue. The original owner must not have found either option appealing because this vehicle features its original Red vinyl interior trim. This looks quite impressive for a survivor. There is some stretching of the upholstery on the driver’s seat, and I suspect that the foam is also collapsing. Beyond that, it is unmolested and extremely clean. A wonderful touch is the original information card attached in its rightful place on the AM/FM radio. Once again, there are some obvious signs of aging, including pitting on some of the plated items. However, the buyer could take this classic to a show, or a Cars & Coffee with their head held high.

The Corvette’s engine bay presentation is all that you might expect on a survivor-grade car. Everything is there, everything is right, but it doesn’t look like it just rolled off the production line. What we find is the standard 327ci V8, which should be good for 300hp. This V8 is backed by a 2-speed Powerglide transmission and a 3.36 Posi rear end, while the addition of power steering suggests that this owner wanted to buy into the Corvette lifestyle in a relaxed fashion. It might not have been the most mindblowing combination available in 1967, but it would still have been capable of covering the ¼ mile in 15.6 seconds. Surprisingly, the owner doesn’t provide any information on how well this Corvette runs or drives. I find this to be a curious omission on a classic of this caliber. If I were seriously interested in the Corvette, these are the sorts of questions that I would be asking the owner.

This 1967 COPO Corvette is a fantastic survivor with the documentation to back its claims. The color and trim combination is striking, and it made me wonder how many cars were built in this configuration. Such information is not that easy to find, but a couple of sources indicate that this is 1-of-5 built during 1967 with the Silver Pearl/Red vinyl combination. That makes it a rarity and one that true Corvette aficionados will appreciate. It isn’t a cheap car, but it isn’t every day that a Corvette like this comes onto the market. Given its claims to fame, is this a classic that you might be interested in pursuing further? If you do, I could fully understand that.

Comments

  1. Avatar Nevadahalfrack Member

    Good to see that some folks do appreciate what they’ve got in a car. A lot of love going on here with this one. Very nice.

    Like 7
  2. Avatar 86_Vette_Convertible

    This trips a lot of triggers for many, though the automatic will turn off some. Personally I like it, but can’t afford it.

    Like 8
  3. Avatar Derek

    Automatic? Nah…

    Like 7
  4. Avatar 370zpp Member

    I think I can safely say that many of us dream of owning one of these beautiful C-2 Corvettes.
    But that dream does not include reaching down to the “shift lever” and putting it into “Drive”.

    Like 16
  5. Avatar TJJR

    Years ago, a friend had a butternut yellow 64 with glide, a/c, and a red interior…. NICE and original. 327/300.

    Like 3
  6. Avatar stillrunners

    So this is a COPO based on the interior ? Wow guess why it demands the big bucks.

    Like 2
  7. Avatar gbvette62

    I think calling this a COPO is stretching things a bit. In the 60’s all it would take to order a non recommended color combo, was a dealer willing to order it. Getting a Corvette painted in a Cadillac color, required a Central Office Production Order, getting an already available interior color, with a production exterior color shouldn’t. Black & Teal were the recommended interiors with Silver Pearl, but red was available with other colors, and shouldn’t have been difficult to order with Silver Pearl.

    As a very original, unrestored 67, this is a desirable car, but I don’t know that the uncommon paint & interior color combo, increase it’s value any. The price seems a little high, but it’s one of Rick Hendrick’s cars, and he knows what they’re worth, and usually does get top dollar.

    Like 12
  8. Avatar leiniedude Member

    This listing was ended by the seller because the item is no longer available.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Daniel Gavin

    So SAD………..automatic kills it.

    Like 2
  10. Avatar gaspumpchas

    Yep eveeryone is throwing the term COPO around and dont even understand what it means, like the new “Hemi’s” that arent Hemis, and “roller motors”. The COPO program was great as you could order off items a la carte. Not like today where if you want one option you have to upgrade to a more expensive model. I believe that all of the car manufacturers had comparable programs, correct me if you would. Stay safe and good luck!
    Cheers
    GPC

    Like 2
  11. Avatar TIMOTHY FAIRCHILD

    so sad,car is just orginial,low end but orginial,there for gets awards handed out. just a raw wore old corvette. Copo it ain’t even close.

    Like 4
  12. Avatar PATRICK DIAMANTE

    Nope not for that kind of money COPO is way over rated as you have stated in this article. A simple special paint job with interior does not live up to the COPO legend.

    Like 4
  13. Avatar john hugh

    never heard of a COPO vette..whatever

    Like 2
  14. Avatar George Mattar

    As mentioned above, this car is owned by Rick Hendrick. It has been to several Mecum auctions and never sells. While silver and red may be scarce, the Powerglide kills it. You could get any colors you wanted as long as a dealer would work with you. I am certain hefty down payments worked. I know of a legit 1967 427 435 silver convertible in central Pennsylvania that was ordered with the beautiful Bright Blue interior. The second owner bought the car in 1972 at an Oldsmobile dealer where I worked. It was a trade in.

    Like 4
  15. Avatar Stan Marks

    Apparently, this Vette has been around & still hasn’t sold. It seems the seller can’t get his price. If the seller ended the bids, without a buyer, why not take it off the bf site? Just askin’….

    Like 3
  16. Avatar Billy

    The non standard red interior looks awesome with the silver paint. however I would never buy this car because it’s an automatic. It must be a 4 speed manual transmission. You see my wife cannot drive a standard shift and if I purchased this Vette, she would be in it all the time and I wouldn’t get to drive it.

    Like 7
    • Avatar Stan Marks

      We know who wears the pants, in your family. LOL!!!

      Like 4
  17. Avatar PRA4SNW

    For that money, you can keep the “COPO” interior and 327 / auto.

    I’ll take a ’67 BB / manual in a run-of-the-mill color, please.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Billy

      Silver with a red interior combination was a standard selection and available on other C2 years and many C3s. So although this is a COPO, the color combination is nothing special.

      Like 1
  18. Avatar Driveby

    I disagree with comments saying that the Powerglide makes this car undesirable. Considering the price, the buyer probably has a big-block, 4 speed already and is buying this one for his wife.

    Like 2
  19. Avatar Daniel Gavin

    Yes…….buying it for his wife……not a car for “real men”!!!

    Like 1

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