Fastest ZL-1 ??

[iluv69s]

Which ZL-1 ran the fastest times back in the day? We’re automatics faster than the 4-speeds?

[William]

The local guys that raced #7 out of Dale Chev said it ran much stronger with a higher stall converter. The #2 ZL-1 auto in the famous test ran 11.64/122 with open headers and a little Dick Harrell tuning. They tried the 850 DP but it was too hard to launch on the tires they had. No mention of a converter change.

Probably with the same changes, 4-speed was quicker.

[napa68]

The local guys that raced #7 out of Dale Chev said it ran much stronger with a higher stall converter. The #2 ZL-1 auto in the famous test ran 11.64/122 with open headers and a little Dick Harrell tuning. They tried the 850 DP but it was too hard to launch on the tires they had. No mention of a converter change.

Probably with the same changes, 4-speed was quicker.

Any idea who drove the Dale car?

[William]

Hard to believe, they are still around. HARE was the chief wrench I recently met with. He still had the original air cleaner flange, reunited with the car last month. He ran the ZL-1 engine from it in his '67 Camaro Hare's Hip Hugger race car for a few years. Spent a few hours listening to his memories of those days.

Still has an Orange '69 Z/28, a fixture at Cruise Nite here.

[napa68]

Hard to believe, they are still around. HARE was the chief wrench I recently met with. He still had the original air cleaner flange, reunited with the car last month. He ran the ZL-1 engine from it in his '67 Camaro Hare's Hip Hugger race car for a few years. Spent a few hours listening to his memories of those days.

Still has an Orange '69 Z/28, a fixture at Cruise Nite here.

Harold is good people. I thought that's who was involved with the car. He is a fascinating guy to listen to

[JoeC]

Here is a quote from a 1969 article about Bill Jenkins running in SS/C (4 speed)

"Bill Jenkins has been floggin' the ZL-1 Chevy for two weeks now and has managed to run 10.09-138.48 in his single, four-barrel, 2,830-pound Camaro with a stock parts motor!"

heads up Match racing was a popular money maker running with 2x4BB tunnel ram and light weight into 9 sec ETs (in 1969)

Bill had a SS 396 L-78 with a ZL-1 engine

[William]

Shipping weight for a 4-speed ZL-1 Camaro was 3,325 lbs.

Here's the Gibb/Lafferty #23 ZL-1 with a 10.75 dial-in and possibly some engine mods.

[RALLY]

Here is a quote from a 1969 article about Bill Jenkins running in SS/C (4 speed)

"Bill Jenkins has been floggin' the ZL-1 Chevy for two weeks now and has managed to run 10.09-138.48 in his single, four-barrel, 2,830-pound Camaro with a stock parts motor!"

heads up Match racing was a popular money maker running with 2x4BB tunnel ram and light weight into 9 sec ETs (in 1969)

Bill had a SS 396 L-78 with a ZL-1 engine

I read where Bill Jenkins said the ZL-1 Blocks had core shift and the cylinder bores had a lot of oil ring blow by with bore distortion. They have the steel bore liners. Bill used from i read the Can-Am Blocks for racing which seem to be better.

[William]

Many racers moved to the 430" configuration [4.375 x 3.470] which added 300 rpm at the same piston speed as the 427. Saw some docs concerning the change in the Gibb paperwork.

Yes, the blocks had problems on production motor mounts. One attempt to fix it.

[JoeC]

It is a bit confusing because Bill J was given some early aluminum blocks that some called "Chaparral" blocks so he can build and test them.
These were 427 4.250in bore and similar to the production ZL-1 block. Some say it was a little stronger then the ZL-1 block but it was legal in NHRA SS/C as it was very close to the ZL-1 block

Bill said the 427 aluminum blocks "moved too much" and would lose power due to loss of ring seal.
He even tried using a water heater rigged to keep the block warm all day at the track so it didn't heat cycle.

I heard Bill talk about this at Carlisle when he was there at a vendor booth and I was able to ask him some questions and get an autographed die cast model of Grumpy's Toy IV.

In 1970, with the new Pro Stock class rules, they allowed the Chevy 430 Can Am block
4.440 in. bore 3.47 in stroke siamese cyls design.
The Chevy 430 was legal in Pro Stock but not legal in SS/C.

[Gary Anderson]

The Hare