copo trucks

[Gray Ghost]

Very cool find Andy! Thanks for posting that one...fascinating article.

[Longhorn Man]

and that is not even acurate.
You could get the clearance lights on ANY 10 - 30 series truck, any C model, and K model.
Hell, the fact that it was claimed to pull the cab from the one ton assembly line is wrong again... since they were done on the SAME ASSEMBLY LINE.

[Gray Ghost]

It didn't say assembly line....it said simply C30 line meaning the genre of chassis/cab versus a separate assembly line. Only the C-30 and up had those lights standard right?

The trucks were COPO (Center Office Production Order) vehicles and were very early off the line for 1969.

The cab for the truck was pulled from the one ton C/30 line and installed on a C/10 chassis for this special order COPO vehicle. Only the C/30 and up trucks featured these built in clearance lights.

So even thought they were available on any C series they were not installed on any other truck UNLESS ordered. The article looks to be correct from my point of view. Please correct me if I am wrong cause I certainly don't know it all.

[Longhorn Man]

c/30 didn't have them standard, only c/30 cab/chassis. My C/30 for example, did not have them.
Starting in 68, they were required by federal DOT standards, along with working side markers front and rear. GM had them as 2 seperate manditory options (at added cost) upon ordering an 03 model (cab/chassis).
The way that was phrased;

The cab for the truck was pulled from the one ton C/30 line and installed on a C/10 chassis for this special order COPO vehicle. Only the C/30 and up trucks featured these built in clearance lights. The "C" designation was applied to both two and four wheel drive trucks until the arrival of the K5 Blazer in early '69. After that, all 4x4s were "K" trucks

They say the cab was pulled from the C/30 line. and installed on a c/10
They were both on the same line, they were both light duty trucks, they both used the exact same cab... everything on a c/30 cab is the same as a c/10 cab except the VIN.
Even the comment on C verses K is wrong being that the 4X4s were K series in 67.... probably earlier. If he ment BADGED as k series, then it is istill wrong, since ONLY blazers (c or k series blazers mind you) were badged K, all pickups or cab/chassis trucks, were badged C.

I would venture to say, that truck isn't even a COPO... and if it is, I'll bet a solid punch in the gut, that the spot light isn't listed on the SPID... meaning, not factory installed.
Since COPO trucks were specialty BUILT trucks, the SPID still says what the truck was built with on the assembly line. That mod was done either at the dealer (not likely) or by an owner. I can't see the factory building an off road BAHA race ready truck, being, GM doesn't have (nor ever had) baha type stuff in there RPO boxes of parts.

[No3Fan4Ever]

picture of 427 truck at the Talladega Museum in this thread

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ight=talladega

[Gray Ghost]

I'm bettin' that the writer didn't mean a separate assembly line at all and that of course not knowing nearly as much as you, he wrote it the way he was told it happened by his source.

It must suck knowing as much as you do about these trucks having to correct all these misquotes huh?

[mark 68]

I've been looking for the pics of the Talladega truck..
Thanks

[Andy4639]

I have my doubts about that truck to be honest. The Talladega Museum truck. I could build one too with the right decals.
No one has ever seen the motor, trans, rear gear and there is no paper work for it so how did it come about?
I have never be sure about it. Those mirror's I doubt they would have been the choice back then for speed. Anybody could stick those decals on it and say it was a factory deal.
I did find this though so it wasn't a factory truck after all.
Lee Hurley was inducted into the AARP Hall of Fame on December 9, 2004.
Prepared and drove a car and a truck setting world records at Talladega Speedway in '76. These records still hold today. The truck is on display at the Talladega Motorsports Hall of Fame & museum.
Read it here

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...%3D1%26hl%3Den

[Longhorn Man]

the thing is, everyone wants there stuff to be rare, everyone wants there stuff to be one of a kind, and a lotta people make crap up. How many e-bay adds do you see that describe there average truck as rare, or one of 5 made, or rare 3 door burb, or has every single option offered bexcept big block?
I honestly suspect this cat is one of those guys.

[special-K]

As far as that COPO truck in a museum goes,it`s not documented.Rarity must be documented to hold any water.

Originally Posted by whatnow123

I'm actually kind of surprised no one really "hot rodded" these when they were new. Order a big block, auto and posi rear end, tweek the engine a bit and you have a cheap hotrod that could run with most of the Muscle being sold at the time.

These trucks "have" been hot rodded since day one.And trucks were hot rodded way before`67,too.I bought a big block`72 shortbed in`73 with posi.The first thing we did back then was slap a cam,headers,manifold/carb,hot ignition,and shift-kit on them.
And,trucks were used as more than work trucks.That`s why there`s coild suspension for a better ride and about every option offered today available back then.If the mentality was trucks only as work horses,why would someone wnt a houndstooth seat,woodgrain trim,tilt wheel (most cars didn`t have that back then),a tape player,and a/c?A/C became a standard.But,back then it wasn`t so,even in cars.How about whitewall tires and full wheelcovers?They are car items on a truck.

[Andy4639]

The Talladega truck isn't a COPO truck the article says so if you read it. The truck motor was built by Lee Hurley, so it not a copo just from the fact he built the motor. As stated anyone can build a factory truck, thats why you see so many short wheel based trucks with tachs. I would say not even half of the factory trucks had them... peroid, why would a farmer have a tach in the dash to begin with think about it. As stated before my dad got a new company truck every 3000 miles and I don't recall any of them having a tach.
Unless you can prove the build sheet and I mean with documantaion I really doubt most trucks are factory what they say they are. I don't mean just showing a glove box sticker or the build sheet either. I want GM proof.

[Gray Ghost]

You know it's funny...I never liked much from the factory when it came to trucks and even with most cars. There are a very few really cool factory rides. I never understood the folks who have to have everything as it came. I didn't think they did all that great a job on them to begin with and believe that ANY truck or car can be improved on.

Keeping a truck all stock is kinda like entering a car show and sitting behind your car all day rolling your eyes at the comments and questions....why bother? I prefer to drive the vehicle and I like it equipped my way for the most part.

All that said, it would have been neat to see a copo truck that had big ones under the hood like a 427 and a special designation.

And yeah, as long as there are fools in the world there will be many who prey on them with 'rare'/'factory' ads on ebay, Craigslist, etc.

And while I'm at it, that truck is damn cool whether it's factory or not. If it really does have a 427 in it, that's even better!!

[Andy4639]

Gray Ghost,
I agree the truck is cool but I don't like the people trying to make it out as a rare truck. Yes I beleive it's got the track speed for a truck but it was because they built the truck not Chevy. All in all it's a great truck and it's cool a model of our trucks hold's that record.
I would like to know more details of it but haven't been able to find any.

[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

, why would a farmer have a tach in the dash to begin with think about it.

I will agree that there are a lot of trucks around with tachs in them that did not have them from the factory. BUT I have personally pulled tach dashes out of a lot of "farm" trucks in Texas. They were C-60 trucks used to haul grain. Got a few out of dump trucks too.

[WIDESIDE72]

Would this truck be considered a COPO?

[leddzepp]

The tachs seem to be more common on the bigger trucks. My gauge console came out of a big truck, and had both a tach and an air pressure gauge

[70rs/ss]

Longhorn that statement is from the Hicky built truck for the Baja, and it is factory. I read the article, and it is word for word. I have a c/30 cab with the lights (from a motorhome) and I want to put it on the 67 4X4 truck I have since I like the lights. COPO no COPO, I don't care, they are trucks, My 2wd Blazer is a special ordered Blazer, but it doesn't have enough to get hot and bothered over, just a 2wd Blazer.

[Rack Man]

Originally Posted by Gray Ghost

You know it's funny...I never liked much from the factory when it came to trucks and even with most cars. There are a very few really cool factory rides. I never understood the folks who have to have everything as it came. I didn't think they did all that great a job on them to begin with and believe that ANY truck or car can be improved on.

Keeping a truck all stock is kinda like entering a car show and sitting behind your car all day rolling your eyes at the comments and questions....why bother? I prefer to drive the vehicle and I like it equipped my way for the most part.

All that said, it would have been neat to see a copo truck that had big ones under the hood like a 427 and a special designation.

And yeah, as long as there are fools in the world there will be many who prey on them with 'rare'/'factory' ads on ebay, Craigslist, etc.

And while I'm at it, that truck is damn cool whether it's factory or not. If it really does have a 427 in it, that's even better!!

You'd hate my build then....LOL

I personnally love them all...I spend an equal amount of time at car shows checking out highly modded cars as I do bone stock cars....I've done my share of mods....(mostly to Camaro's)...but I'm a bit of a purist at heart and love to see highly detailed stock builds....I guess that's why they offer chocolate, vanilla & strawberry ice cream!!

JMO, Dan

[Andy4639]

When I said farm truck I was meaning a 1/2 ton pickup. I bet not one of the 1/2 ton pickup's you see now came with it. I bet is was very far and in between that some guy went into a dealship and ordered a 1/2 ton with the factory tach.
Mine cam out of a dump truck also.
There is also a cable driven tach for the bigger 427 horse dump truck motors like in a corvette old cable setup.
I had one and sold it years ago before ever seting my eyes on this site.

[Gray Ghost]

I hear ya Andy, I am not a fan of those who misrepresent ANY vehicle or part as rare.

[72armyswbtruck]

Not really cheap.
More like in the 5K range for 72.

Originally Posted by whatnow123

I'm actually kind of surprised no one really "hot rodded" these when they were new. Order a big block, auto and posi rear end, tweek the engine a bit and you have a cheap hotrod that could run with most of the Muscle being sold at the time.

[72armyswbtruck]

That is exactly what a COPO truck would be like,
look at my avatar and name,
many fleet vehicles ordered from the Central Office, with the options that the particular fleet customer needed and wanted, why pay for an ashtray, cigarette lighter, or radio. Just to name a few items.
Army

Originally Posted by WIDESIDE72

Would this truck be considered a COPO?

[Longhorn Man]

i had a SPID in my hard drive a while ago... can't find it now... it says COPO on it on the bottom of the spid.

[factorystock]

[QUOTE=Gray Ghost;3029044]You know it's funny...I never liked much from the factory when it came to trucks and even with most cars. There are a very few really cool factory rides. I never understood the folks who have to have everything as it came. I didn't think they did all that great a job on them to begin with and believe that ANY truck or car can be improved on.

For the purist, it has alot to do with historical significance.We want to learn the way they were and like to see them the way they were.Its kind of like a historical piece or building, there are many who want to see it perserved the way it was in its heyday.We can document original work, but there is no way to document a custom creation.

[thirdstreettito]

I want those tires! They look awesome!