Pacemakers Dragway Park

[Jeff Murphy]

Hi all. I now own the car in question and it is indeed in England, but will come back Stateside when I move home, never fear.



I came on the site a while back, but I think it was just launched and there wasn't much on it. Glad to see others are as interested in the history as I am and that Michael Cochran has provided some facts about this great car.

I am lucky enough to have all of the original dealer paperwork from Walters Chevrolet, now Bowman Chevrolet, which is how I found Michael's uncle Jim, the original owner. John Bowman bought the dealership from Robert Walters in the 80s after rising through the sales ranks to become Sales Manager. After the dealership changed hands, his son went scrounging in the attic of the dealership and found all the old records, saving some of the hi-po stuff, in particular the COPO orders which he recognised as special. I understand that they sold Jim's Camaro and one Chevelle, as well as a second hand Yenko Camaro (which I incidentally have found an old classified ad for). The paperwork I've got includes the original handwritten dealer invoice, car shipper, carrier invoice, title documents, power of attorney, etc. all in the original filing envelope. I have also been in touch with Robert Walters who was kind enough to send me some original dealership stickers that they used on the tail pans and trunk lids of cars sold at the dealership.



The car is pretty unique in that it was ordered with the M20 wide ratio transmission. This transmission was originally thought to not be available with the L72 427 package for reliability reasons, but the documentation proves otherwise. It is my understanding that there is only one other documented M20 COPO car out of the several hundred known to exist. Jim has told me he had trouble keeping transmissions in the car and I don't doubt it. The car also has endura (rubber) front bumper, chrome appearance package, some interior wood grain pieces, AM radio (heavy) and rally wheels, but no console or guage package, just speedo and fuel guage. Clearly the car was bought to be a race car, but the trim choices are interesting.

The car was delivered to Jim directly at Pacemakers and turned twelves right away, according to a statement I have from Larry Morgan. The car was delivered by then Sales Manager, Charlie Rihl, who some of you may remember as the driver of a very competitive 69 Camaro (Z28, I think) called the Hebron Hugger. Jim continued to race the car until he sold it to his cousin in 1974, who in turn traded it in for a ‘75 Monte Carlo(?!). Morgan clearly understood what COPOs were all about as he tracked the car down 14 years later a few miles up the road from him in New Albany, Ohio, with only 24,442 miles on the odometer. Morgan sold the car in 1992 to Gary Holub, an Iowa based collector.

I'm not clear on whether the car was restored by Morgan or Holub, but while owned by Holub the car won three consecutive Gold Spinners at Chevy Vettefest during 1992/1993. The car became Iowa-based collector Carl Stuber’s first COPO when he purchased it from Gary in early 1993 and it continued the string of show successes with First Place honors at Chevy Vettefest that November. Carl continued to own the car until I acquired it from him in the summer of 2002.

I have shown the car a bit here in England and it always draws a big crowd, especially when running. I also do drive the car a bit, since I think trailer queens miss the point, and the 1992 restoration is getting a bit tired, so why not, right? I have done a few things to put it back to the way Jim might of had it in late '69/'70. I've managed to find and install NOS period correct Sun blue line guages and tach, Hurst Line-Loc, Hurst Gabriel rear drag shocks and Doug's Headers. I have also recently found a set of NOS JC Penney cheater slicks and mint condition Firestone Drag 500 front runners, which will go on period correct Cragar SS. I'm still trying to find a set of 15" x 7" or 8" Drag 500 rears that will fit under the wheel wells. All of this stuff can be taken back off again pretty easily if I want the car showroom again. Jim told me that the car came with Firestones, which makes putting it showroom a bit of a challenge - they don't reproduce the '69 year Firestone Wide Oval (the car has '70 version repros on it), so I have to find originals, which are as rare as hen's teeth. I am lucky enough to have found one NOS sticker tire and one mint tire that still has the mold nubbies on it.

Michael, I would be interested in anything your Dad might have related to the car - pictures, time slips, paperwork, parts, speeding tickets, anything... Your uncle thought there might be some stuff at your grandmother's house, including the original pistons, but he hasn't had time to check. I would also be interested in any memories that your dad or uncle might have about the way they modified the car, the fun they had with it anything. I had asked your uncle just to jot down anything that comes in his mind and send it to me, I'd encourage your dad to do the same.

I saw a comment on this site that said the history of Pacemakers is the people, the cars and the races. I agree with this philosophy. I think the history of the cars and the people that owned them is the really interesting stuff - sort of autmotive archaeology.

Oh, and I'd be interested in the radiator, of course!

Regards,

Jeff
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Jeff M.

COPO 9561 w/M20 - Walters Chev, OH; ZL1 #49 - Dale Chev, WI

[Jeff Murphy]

Just a quick update for those that are interested. I've recently moved back the USA and brought Jim Cochran's old COPO back with me to live in Connecticut not too far from NY City.

The car had a junk show car motor in it that lost pressure in one cylinder. I thought it would be cool to put the car back in Stock/Super Stock form so I asked Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins to redo the motor for me to the specs he and Ed Hedrick (who won the National Division in a 69 Yenko Camaro) raced in 1969. I got to spend a bunch of time with him and he did all the carb and head work on the motor himself, as well as designed the camshaft for the engine. Using all "old school" technology, including original GM transistorized ignition, the engine is putting out 577HP at 6500 rpm and max 510 ft lbs torgue. Pretty stout for an old motor.

Hopefully, now that I'm back I can get the car out in public some more, maybe even to Ohio. FYI, I also own 1969 ZL-1 #49 which will be part of a ZL-1 gathering, now up to 16 of the 69 original cars, at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals (http://www.mcacn.com/) in Chicago over November 19-20 weekend. If any of you happen to be up that way, make sure to say hi.
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Jeff M.

COPO 9561 w/M20 - Walters Chev, OH; ZL1 #49 - Dale Chev, WI