9N647308 - L72 COPO T0512MN

[KurtS]

I think the OH zone found out about the COPO and talked it up with their dealers....

[bcmiller]

One other possibility is that the news got out locally from Norwood employees - and then it spread fast via word of mouth to friends and relatives. 

[KurtS]

That would be only one section of the state where as this was statewide.

[R68GTO]

Since we're just hypothesizing on why Ohio has so many COPO cars, I would venture a guess that it had to do with a combination of several factors.
1) Norwood assembly employees (as Kurt S mentioned) - this takes care of southwest Ohio
2) proximity to Yenko in Canonsburg - he did a lot of advertising which surely touched the Columbus/Cleveland markets
3) Ohio is (and was) heavy in good paying manufacturing jobs - people had disposable income for these kinds of cars
4) I think Ohio has a pretty rich drag racing history - a lot of tracks operating back then - word travels fast
My 2 cents....

[bcmiller]

That would be only one section of the state where as this was statewide.

Possibly. But people often have friends and relatives in different parts of the state. And people talk.

[janobyte]

What RG68GTO said...

To this day, Norwalk is a premier track, 42 is all new, and from what I here is having problems keeping up with the turnout. Thompson is a wonderful time piece. National Trails not so good I hear, but still active. Youngstown used to have a track, still may? Milan just over the boarder in Michigan,,,, PA. Jenkins-Strickler. Any theories why Z sales shot up in 69?

Companys just south of Cleveland: Harland Sharp, Hurst, Mr. Gasket,Lakewood.

Gasser wars was just cooling off: Ohio George,,,Jeg Coughlin. Summit was started with a guy selling parts out of his garage to his other buddies with vettes.

 Young guys with money, I believe Mr. Yenko saw the perfect storm for this area.

[janobyte]

So, also, I am sure word traveled fast  on the old Rustbelt circuit.

[janobyte]

Forgot about Quaker City in Salem.

Barb Hamilton's old home track,,,goggle search her.

Very rich drag racing history in Ohio.

[69Z28-RS]

What RG68GTO said...

..... Any theories why Z sales shot up in 69?

1969 was a great year, and the '69 models were so much better looking (and faster?) than any before or after....    Just one man's opinion of course!      they looked/ran so well, that Chevy decided to continue selling them for several months longer also!! 

[X33RS]

There were 3 tracks within short driving distance of the Norwood plant.  We had Beechmont Dragway that opened around 1957.  Tri State opened in (I think) 1961 and is still in business today.   Matter of fact Tri State held the big Hemi shootout there back in 1968 when all the Hemi Darts first came out. It was a happening track at the time.
   The biggest or most popular track we had was Edgewater that I believe opened around 1954 and is also still in operation today.  I assume Dick Weinle is still running it.  We were fairly good friends with Dick as our car club held 2 muscle car events a year there for more than a decade.

And I agree with Gary, 69's are the best    The extended year helped sales but I think GM refined it and got it right before the major redesign.  There are iconic cars that define an era.  The 32 ford and 57 chevy, and it's been said the 69 Camaro falls in that category as well. 

In all fairness though, pertaining to the Z/28 question in particular, after they won the SCCA Trans Am series championship in 68, and then Strickler winning NHRA Stock Eliminator in the 68 Z on the dragstrip, I think people started to really take notice of this little package.

[KurtS]

Other areas had manufacturing jobs and the tracks. Yenko was really tight-lipped about how he was getting the 427's installed - that wasn't the source. PA doesn't have many dealers ordering, nor does Michigan and you'd think MI was more connected! Just a few MI dealers knew, Emmert & Berger come to mind.

This was statewide OH - lots around Cleveland and in the small rural towns. For all those people to know, it almost had to come from the zone.... Maybe the zone found out from the factory, but the zone had to be the info distribution source.