COPO car through a dealership, or was that option only for GM Dealers? And for that matter, is that (COPO) still available to them as well?

 

I thought GM ended the COPO program in the 70s. I know only high sales dealerships that had lots of pull with GM could order COPO vehicles.

 

I think that some form of it still exists, but it is not a public thing. That is how police cars, taxi cabs and other fleet vehicles are ordered.

 

Not true. Police vehicles have a special package. They order and Impala with police package. The COPO program allowed for dealerships to order power train packages that weren't normally available in that vehicle. Like a Vette engine in a Camaro from the factory for example. I'm almost 100% positive that GM doesn't do that anymore.

 

Sounds like an impossibility with todays certification of each powertrain for emissions, etc.

 

I was thinking the other night, that a COPO HHR SS with a real power-plant in it would be ideal, and more suited to the SS Badge.

 

Please define "real" powerplant. The SS engine is cranking out 260 HP as it is. I beleive that compares quite favorably with the V8 engines found in some emmissions choked Corvettes from the back in the day.

 

I was thinking more along the lines of an SS engine in a panel. Whatever engine or transmission they mounted in the car had to have the same mounting points and the engine bay had to fit the engine. They didn't custom fabricate anything for COPOs just gave the vehicles options that weren't normal available on that model like engines and transmissions or options that weren't regularly available for customer orders like police package suspension components. If GM did still have the COPO program I highly doubt they would take an order for lets say a Vette engine in an HHR because it's not meant for the HHRs platform and there would be a ton of custom fabricating involved. I think if they couldn't build it on the line they wouldn't take the order.

 

My deffinition of 'real' power-plant is (and always has been) a V-8 with at least 300 HP (or more). I'm sure there would be alot of modification to cram a V-8 into an HHR SS (it has been done before mind you).

It is even possible to supercharge an already supercharged engine?

Something to think about.

 

kinda like Jackson Racing put a 5.0 into a Ford Focus some time back...a rear wheel drive ford focus zx3 putting out like 300hp.....IT can be done but dunno if could/would be done from the dealership.