1965 COPO Malibu 300 Coupe with 425hp 395 !

[1972coronet]

I saw this beauty earlier today (see link). I can't get over it ! 

1965 Malibu 300 Deluxe Coupe with a COPO 425hp 396 (Corvette engine) !

https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=169745&fbclid=IwAR1gLJx96Btrm8KAR8Dcc-FZBpJ8PT9VNL8OHd0S5oGpi3Fja_h-KGAJq 

 

Edited December 20, 2021 by 1972coronet
Added Image

[deuces wild]

Sweeeet!...??

[larman]

Now that is quite the set up! Too bad it wasn't available to the general public. 

[deuces wild]

Yep....?

We can always build a model of one though....?

Edited December 20, 2021 by deuces wild

[Scott8950]

That's beautiful 

[deuces wild]

The new amt wheel and tire kit are pad printed with gold lines on one side and red lines on the other... Oh, and the wheels are AR 5-spoke I believe.... I'm sure we could make those fit the Revell '65 Malibu SS kit...

[junkyardjeff]

Was there ever a kit made of the sedan,the altered wheelbase should have been made as a sedan.

[Snake45]

5 minutes ago, junkyardjeff said:

Was there ever a kit made of the sedan,the altered wheelbase should have been made as a sedan.

MCW shows one, but currently shows it out of stock. 

[1972coronet]

15 hours ago, larman said:

Now that is quite the set up! Too bad it wasn't available to the general public. 

I never understood as to why Chevrolet loaded-up the Z-16 with a grip of options -- then stuck the whole shebang with a 'one-wheel-peel'. 

I'm surprised that Yenko et al. didn't order a batch of 300 Coupes with either the 375hp or --as in this instance-- the 425hp 396.  Heck , even Chevrolet should've slid a few of the base coupes into the batch ! After all , these cars were destined for the 'quarter mile wars'.

[espo]

I think one reason Chevrolet only offered a "Peg Leg" differential in the '65 396 Chevelle was their fear that the rear end wouldn't hold up although you could get the same Engine in a full-size Chevrolet with the 12 bolt Postreaction option. As nice as this is I would want to see a lot more paperwork than what's shown here and even an actual Build Sheet before I would call this a 100% real deal COPO car. This is the first time I have ever seen such a car presented as a COPO. This maybe or it could be a figment of someone's imagination. 

[larman]

59 minutes ago, espo said:

 This is the first time I have ever seen such a car presented as a COPO. This maybe or it could be a figment of someone's imagination. 

Yes. That could be very true.

[oldscool]

19 hours ago, deuces wild said:

The new amt wheel and tire kit are pad printed with gold lines on one side and red lines on the other... Oh, and the wheels are AR 5-spoke I believe.... I'm sure we could make those fit the Revell '65 Malibu SS kit...

Those are wheel covers.A factory option on many car back then. I once owned a 69 RS Camaro with those wheel covers.

[Snake45]

19 hours ago, 1972coronet said:

I never understood as to why Chevrolet loaded-up the Z-16 with a grip of options -- then stuck the whole shebang with a 'one-wheel-peel'. 

I'm surprised that Yenko et al. didn't order a batch of 300 Coupes with either the 375hp or --as in this instance-- the 425hp 396.  Heck , even Chevrolet should've slid a few of the base coupes into the batch ! After all , these cars were destined for the 'quarter mile wars'.

As I understand it, the 200 Z16s were intended to be sort of "flagship" cars for the line, and a preview of the coming '66 SS396. Many of them went to highrollers and celebrities such as TV's Dan Blocker. 

In all my looking, I think I've only turned up two Z16s that were seriously raced--one red one, and one yellow one with a Turbonique rear axle. 

[1972coronet]

1 hour ago, Snake45 said:

As I understand it, the 200 Z16s were intended to be sort of "flagship" cars for the line, and a preview of the coming '66 SS396. Many of them went to highrollers and celebrities such as TV's Dan Blocker. 

I get that - that they were gussied-up to attract attention.  I wonder why the 1965 iteration of the 396 in the Chevelle was a one year only hydraulic lifter 375hp engine (L-36 ? L-37 ? I can't recall at this moment) ? 

I worked at one of the dealerships which received one of the Z-16s : Don Steves Chevrolet (La Habra, Ca. -- one of John Force's earliest sponsors. R.I.P.) . I wish I'd had the wherewithal to enquire about it in detail ; at a minimum , enquired about lithographs of the photos of the car and the attendees on that day.  I was surprised that Cone Brothers Chevrolet (Fullerton, Ca. --R.I.P.) didn't receive one, especially given their likewise performance-orientated prowess. Oddly (or not) , Friendly Chevrolet (Rialto, Ca.) received a copy via the Los Angeles Zone (which ostensibly covered all of southern California).

There used to be a list of recipients of the Z16, but I can't find it now...