Central Office Production Order(s)

[Duke W.]

Over the years I've seen many claims that their car is a COPO, and I've been suspicious of most such claims.

I have the dealer copy of the production order for my SWC, and even a well known expert suggested it was a COPO because there is a hand written number in the COPO box.

I special ordered my SWC through Alan Green Chevrolet in Seattle with common RPOs, but one relatively rare event with this order is that it was a plant delivery, and my thought has always been that the hand written number in the COPO box was the sequential number (i. e. identification number) of the 1963 model year plant delivery.

So I have two questions.

1. If one orders the delivery data NCRS has via the Historic Document Service, will this data prove that a car was ordered via the COPO process if that was the case?


2. If so, does anyone have a genuine copy of a production order for a COPO car and can you post a photo of it?

Duke

[Harry S.]

Re: Central Office Production Order(s)

Duke, on my copy 5 of the Regular Commercial and Truck document, I have the number 53 written in the COPO box. There is nothing special about the options and I believe it was delivered to a dealership (Capitol Motors, Inc.) in Hartford, Conn. I have no idea what the 53 represents.

On your Question 1) I believe all the Document Service Provides in a validation that the Ident. No. on the copy of the document submitted matches to the VIN they have on GM Microfiche. If there is a match, they say the document is real. What is written/typed on the document is still up for grabs to interpret.

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[Michael J.]

Re: Central Office Production Order(s)

The NCRS shipping report document also shows a delivery dealer, if it is someplace other than a dealer, I am not sure what it shows, but have heard ones delivered to say the testing area in Detroit show that.

[Duke W.]

Re: Central Office Production Order(s)

The NCRS shipping report document also shows a delivery dealer, if it is someplace other than a dealer, I am not sure what it shows, but have heard ones delivered to say the testing area in Detroit show that.

I don't understand what you mean by "delivered to say a testing area". Do you mean a car ordered by engineering to be delivered to the Tech Center? I doubt if such and order would go to a dealer to then be delivered to the Tech Center.

I assume a bonafide COPO would have the number typed in the COPO box, and nothing is the zone and dealer number boxes. Since many production orders have a hand written number in the COPO box, but were just configured with normal RPOs through a zone/dealer listed in other boxes, what does the hand written number in the COPO box mean?

Duke

[Michael J.]

Re: Central Office Production Order(s)

"Do you mean a car ordered by engineering to be delivered to the Tech Center? " Yes, I have heard it called Milford or something like that.

[Mark D.]

Re: Central Office Production Order(s)

Different era...

[Mark D.]

Re: Central Office Production Order(s)

[Duke W.]

Re: Central Office Production Order(s)

"Do you mean a car ordered by engineering to be delivered to the Tech Center? " Yes, I have heard it called Milford or something like that.

The Tech Center is in Warren and Milford is the proving ground. COPO orders for engineering development cars would likely be delivered to either point depending on what mods and or testing was planned.

Duke

[Duke W.]

Re: Central Office Production Order(s)

Different era...

What's with the "PEP SCRAPPED VEHICLE" address at the bottom of the invoice?

Duke

[Duke W.]

Re: Central Office Production Order(s)

Interesting build sheet and delivered to "Mr. Jingles" himself. Given the date and the mention of "prototype" this must have been a pre-pilot line build. I'm surprised that the engine installation was done at Bowling Green and I expect the engine installation was done off-line in the repair area. Do you have details?

Duke

[Mark D.]

Re: Central Office Production Order(s)

Yes...original engine, installed @ Bowling Green was a single chain Phase II LT5. Those engines had serious oil control issues. Today, most limit RPMs to 2,500.

Edit: When I say most, it should noted there are only 3 1988 King of the Hill prototypes known to exist. Two were never crushed and one was beautifully resurrected from the UK graveyard.

[Mark D.]

Re: Central Office Production Order(s)

What's with the "PEP SCRAPPED VEHICLE" address

Eric Jackson informed me PEP typically indicated a vehicle designated to an individual...in this case, Mr. Ingles @ Milford.

[John D.]

Re: Central Office Production Order(s)

PEP stands for Product Evaluation Program which is the company car program for employees above a certain level. It has a low VIN so it could have been a pilot car built with parts and or processes not yet fully approved and then ultimately scrapped after testing and evaluation at Milford.

[Larry E.]

Re: Central Office Production Order(s)

FWIW>Here some pictures of my build sheet for my 1977 Chevy Sport P/U which is a COPO.
Notice that no mention on COPO in the model number but just in the options.(Last Picture)
It looks to me everything under the COPO Printed is a COPO. Eg.> No color of Black was
available for the 1977 Chevy PickUp under the RPO; just in the Promotional Package. Thanks>
Larry P.S. Bought new; one owner(Larry)

[Mark L.]

Re: Central Office Production Order(s)

Over the years I've seen many claims that their car is a COPO, and I've been suspicious of most such claims.

I have the dealer copy of the production order for my SWC, and even a well known expert suggested it was a COPO because there is a hand written number in the COPO box.

Duke, the SDR provides the dealer code and the date that manufacturing moved the asset to finished inventory (ie build complete). No other information is provided.

I special ordered my SWC through Alan Green Chevrolet in Seattle with common RPOs, but one relatively rare event with this order is that it was a plant delivery, and my thought has always been that the hand written number in the COPO box was the sequential number (i. e. identification number) of the 1963 model year plant delivery.

So I have two questions.

1. If one orders the delivery data NCRS has via the Historic Document Service, will this data prove that a car was ordered via the COPO process if that was the case?


2. If so, does anyone have a genuine copy of a production order for a COPO car and can you post a photo of it?

Duke

Duke, the SDR report provides the dealer number and the date the car was moved to finished inventory. (ie produced)