THE STORY OF THE FIRST ZL-1 CAMARO
This is the first Central Office Production Order 9560 ZL-1 Camaro built out of a total of 69 cars. This COPO was conceived by LaHarpe, Illinois Chevrolet dealer Fred Gibb and Vince Piggins at Chevrolet Product Promotion in order to make Camaros competitive in the rapidly escalating "Super Stock Wars" at the drag strip. 
In September, 1968 Gibb ordered 50 cars; the minimum number required to make them legal for A.H.R.A. and N.H.R.A. Super Stock classes. Availability of the exotic aluminum engine components and some durability issues delayed the building orders at the Norwood, Ohio assembly plant. By late November Gibb was getting desperate. He was planning to campaign his own dealership-sponsored car in the A.H.R.A. circuit and the first race was scheduled in January. 
Chevrolet was finally able to build the first two ZL-1 Camaros in late December and issued orders for them to be delivered to Gibb’s LaHarpe, Illinois dealership as soon as possible. Shippers were issued on December 30, 1968 at the Norwood plant and the cars were delivered to Gibb late on New Years Eve in the middle of a snow storm. 

Car #1 was immediately transported to Dick Harrell’s Performance Center in Kansas City, Missouri where it was modified, in just three weeks time, for competition in the new A.H.R.A. Super Stock Eliminator class, This new heads up class eventually evolved into Pro Stock. The cars featured fiberglass front ends, tunnel rams, parachutes and no front brakes. While at Harrell’s facility the car received its now famous Candy Apple Red & Good Lace paint.

Gibb entered the car competition at the A.H.R.A. Winter Nationals in Phoenix, in late January, even though it was still equipped with the factory 850 cfm Holley carburetor. Harrell did not have sufficient time to install the dual carbs and tunnel ram intake like everyone else in the class was running. The ZL-1 still made a very impressive showing with victories over the factory-sponsored cars of Sox & Martin and Don Grotheer before being eliminated by the eventual winner.

Dick Harrell road tested the car for Super Stock Magazine in March, 1969 and turned 10.41 @ 128.10 mph with the production ZL-1 850 Holley carb and 10.29 @ 132.05 mph with a Weiland tunnel ram and 660 cfm Holleys.

During the 1969 season Gibb campaigned the car throughout the country in match races as well as N.H.R.A. and A.H.R.A. sanctioned events. His transporter logged over 30,000 miles as the car was booked for races in 15 major cities and several smaller tracks.

In 1971, Gibb and Jim Hayter campaigned the car in the A.H.R.A. Pro Stock class. At the A.H.R.A. World Points Finals in Fremont, California on October 8, 1971, the car set a record of 9.63 sec at 143 mph and won the Pro Stock World Championship.

The base price of the 1969 Camaro was $2,720.00. The additional cost of the COPO 9560 High Performance option was $4,160.50. This option included the all aluminum 427 ZL-1 engine, special ducted color air hood, heavy duty radiator, transistor ignition, heavy duty springs and special heavy duty 4.10 posi- traction rear axle.

The factory installed, all aluminum 427 cu. In. engine was rated at 430 hp @ 5200 rpm for insurance purposes and the N.H.R.A. factoring. The addition of headers resulted in 550 hp @ 6600 rpm. Super Stock versions of this engine produced in excess of 650 hp.

The car has been restored to its January 1969 A.H.R.A. Super Stock configuration including a 3-speed clutch turbo and lift type traction bars. The 1971 style carburetors and wheelie bars were retained.

During the restoration, the car was updated to meet current N.H.R.A. Super Gas rules including a full cage and other safety items. The weight of the car was increased to just over 3200 lbs.

The 1969 A.H.R.A. Super Stock cars did not run front brakes, so burnouts are made funny car style.

Since the car was restored to its January, 1969 configuration, the intent was to demonstrate the same performance levels that Gibb and Harrell generated in the March, 1969 road test: 10.29 sec. / 132 mph.