Big block engines typically spell more power. Thus, when Chevrolet announced the return of the big block for the 2022 COPO Camaro, drag race drivers couldn’t hide their excitement. Dennis Collins recently went on a private tour of the COPO Build Facility in Oxford, Michigan, where he got to see the very first Chevrolet COPO Camaro with the 572-cubic-inch V8 engine.
2022 COPO Camaro Brings Back Big Block V8
Dennis, his daughter Kelsey and crew member Alex (as well as a cameraman) received a warm welcome from Rich Rinke, head of the COPO Build Center. The center takes pride not just on its new facility, but also on the fact that it builds some of the rarest turnkey Camaro drag racers in the country. The center only assembles custom Camaros that dealers ordered via Central Office Production Order, thus the name COPO.
Interested customers usually have a little chance of ordering a COPO Camaro. Chevrolet has built fewer than 700 examples since it restarted the program in 2012. Chevrolet only builds 69 cars a year, and it holds a lottery for the allotment. Perhaps expecting a deluge of orders for the COPO Camaro with the 572-ci V8, Chevrolet isn’t limiting production of the 2022 COPO Camaro. However, Chevrolet is taking orders on a first come, first served basis.
An Exclusive Tour Of The COPO Build Center
Inside the COPO Build Center, Rick is giving Dennis, Kelsey and Alex a first-hand tour of the high-tech facility. He showed them completed COPO Camaros of previous model years and gave them a walkthrough on how each 2022 models are being built. He also showed them the quality of each build, from the parts to the exterior finish. The tour was happening while the technicians and mechanics were working on COPO Camaros on the background.
Dennis Collins Bags 2022 COPO Camaro #001
Typically, only people lucky enough to buy the custom non-street COPO Camaro monster can have a tour at the COPO Build Center. Apparently, Chevrolet allowed Dennis, Kelsey and Alex to tour the Oxford facility since the Collins patriarch ordered the very first 2022 COPO Camaro (Serial Number 001) for Kelsey. It was a completely optioned 572 build, and it bears Kelsey’s name.
The gesture touched Kelsey, who hugged her father right after Rich took the veil off the COPO Camaro 001. Kelsey took the keys and drove the COPO Camaro out of the factory. An ordinary drive won’t suffice, so Kelsey – herself a car gal – did some burnouts and left some rubbers on the asphalt.
Source: Dennis Collins on YouTube