ZL 1 #69

[kwhizz]

I heard that ZL 1 #69 was reunited with it's original block http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gifthat Heartbeat Jim had........Gotta be a neat story behind that reunion.........Any stories or Info????

Ken http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif

[camaromb]

The original trans is still in the Chicago area! Jim sure finds quite a few original ZL1 motors. Last year or so he sold the # 58 engine to its current owner. If I was the car owner I'd like to see the motor vin stamp and compare it to the original trans that was bought years ago, as much as theses cars are worth I know I don't trust that ANYTHING is original anymore!
Mark

[Joe]

there was one in NJ where i live years ago , i saw it the guy had it in a 57 chevy . He had the motor for years he claims . where it is now ? i'd have to track down that 57 .

[nuch_ss396]

I have heard so many negative things about the original ZL-1
blocks in terms of oil leaking right through the castings,
weak bulk-heads on the mains, etc. that I wonder the liklihood
of any of the original 69 blocks surviving - given the intended
use of them to start with.

I'm not throwing darts, but with only 69 of them built anyway,
how many of the original blocks survived racing? Do any
of you guys remember seeing or hearing about these things
blowing-up back in the day? Just wondering http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[Charley Lillard]

More and more seem to get found but it is understandable. I would find it hard to throw away a aluminum big block, even a damaged one. Now that the cars have become worth so much you can throw alot of money at repairing a damaged block. Reggie Jackson spent a bunch repairing the orig block for his ZL1. Aluminum is alot easier to repair than cast iron.

[MosportGreen66]

[ QUOTE ]
there was one in NJ where i live years ago , i saw it the guy had it in a 57 chevy . He had the motor for years he claims . where it is now ? i'd have to track down that 57 .

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you're right. He also has a Hugger/Black '69 COPO.

[Mr70]

Wasn't ZL-1 #69 considered destroyed early in it's life, not so long ago?
I thought I read that on here,as well as Eds site a few years back.

[nuch_ss396]

Charley!

That's a great point. I guess if I spent almost $4,000
on an aluminum 427, I'd save it as well. Makes a hell of
a door stop... http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

BTW, I'd still like to know the true facts on the longevity
of the original ZL-1 blocks.

[csx289]

The original engine for #18 was out of the car when I bought it - had a crack at the head mating surface and a hairline casting defect/porous area on an oil galley. Took a very, very skilled engine builder and a great welder to fix. Was not cheap. And this was a block in great shape, not blown or damaged, just normal casting issues and factory defects.

Happy to say that it is fixed right and in the car, where ever it may be today.

Colin

[GRB]

I will double check this but I believe the NHRA made the race cars #51-69 switch to iron blocks after Lamar Walden beat the class record in Gainesville, FL by around a second right out of the box. That is, after the head problems were solved. I'm not sure any of those racers were thinking about collector value but rather trying to make ends meet from week to week.

[Charley Lillard]

Why would NHRA know what cars # 51 -69 even were ? Most of them were sold to individual dealers. They were basically sold as street cars.

[Kim_Howie]

I sorry but nobody ran a second faster than anybody else back then or today period. I'm sorry!! Check the records. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/scholar.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Kim_Howie]

Lamar never did that!! Nor did Wiliam Tyler Jenkins!! I Think most people have heard Bill Jenkins!!!

[GRB]

Again, I'll double check but I'm fairly sure after GM took back the majority of the ZL1s they gave #51-69 to prominent GM racers throughout the country. If that is true then of course the NHRA would have known. Also, when Lamar set the record first time out in the spring of 1970 (I'll double check that date) he had a phone call waiting for him when he got home saying that the NHRA had done the math and a 425HP Camaro could not post that kind of ET. Thus the iron block, at least in some race cars, to keep them in a class that did not allow two 4 barrels like the Hemis were running.

I'll get the word straight from the horse's mouth this week. These will be the words from a man who was given a car (#51), raced it and participated in the ZL1 history. You can chose for yourself what you want to believe.

[Charley Lillard]

This is the first I have ever heard of GM giving 51-69 to racers across the country. That would be very big news. I know the blue RS ZL1 was not a give away car and I think it is # 55 ? 57 ?

[Kim_Howie]

The ZL-1 was rated at 430 HP then and it wasn't competive then and still isn't today. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif

[Verne_Frantz]

Charley,
It may be possible that NHRA received a list of the first 50 cars built in order to meet NHRA's qualification that a minimum number of 50 were actualy produced. That made the cars class legal. I don't see any reason why NHRA would need to know about any more after #50 though, since the minimum number had already been met.

A similar situation occured for the '63 Z-11. Just before the Winternationals, NHRA was given a list of the first 40 Z-11s built (that's all that were built by then). That wasn't enough to satisfy NHRA and Hayden Profitt's new Z-11 was put in a "Limited Super Stock" class.

Verne

[Kim_Howie]

Verne, I don't know how NHRA did it but when Fred Gibb had the 50 Nova's for AHRA they sent a letter to tech stating all 50 cars were delivered to his dealership. No VIN # s were sent to AHRA. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[Kim_Howie]

I have heard 6 or 7 cars still have there org. motor. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[Verne_Frantz]

Kim,
That's just the way it was for NHRA. The list of 40 Z-11s that went to NHRA didn't have any VINs either. Just the name and address of each dealer that received one. I guess as far as Chevy was concerned, once it went to a dealer, it was sold! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

Verne
PS: it was nice to meet you at SCR9 (although briefly) http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Kim_Howie]

Same here Verne. It's nice to put a face to name. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[Chevy454]

We have letters to/from Yenko Chevrolet & the NHRA, and it was VIN#, selling dealer, and original owner's name/address...the last part got fudged some, 'cause there are several salesmen's names, dealership owner's wives, etc...if the car wasn't sold but was in the pipeline, then they put down whomever came to mind!

This worked for the '69 cars, but for some reason NHRA never let the Deuces in...even today they're left out in the cold... http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[GRB]

Personally I think GRB needs to get his facts straight. Idiot. Only two cars were given to prominent GM racers....Lamar Walden and Dick Harrell. Of the 34-37 cars GM took back from Gibbs most were used (maybe, I am sure of nothing!) to force dealers to take them to get the more difficult to get corvettes. <--- I would take that statement with a grain of salt unless you hear someone you trust say it!

Chrysler complained about the ZL1 not having sold the min. number. Both factory backed cars evidently dropped a valve and destroyed the engines before they could make their first pass. Lamar's happened as he was doing a burn out. Vince Piggins sent him a "care package" of 5 engines, 2 fiberglass fenders with GM numbers stamped on them and a disc brake rear end strapped to a pallet. Lamar did not use his. Not sure what he did with the fenders.

The crate (?) engines were taken apart and rebuilt, especially replaced were the valves. These two cars spent most of their lives involved in exhibition and match races.

All of the above is subject to correction.

[sYc]

<font color="red"> Only two cars were given to prominent GM racers....Lamar Walden and Dick Harrell. </font>


The ZL-1 Camaro (#1) Dick Harrell drove was not given to him by Chevrolet, but was owned by Fred Gibb Chevrolet.

[GRB]

Like I said, all of the above is subject to correction. However, Lamar did tell me this afternoon that only two of the ZL1s were given to racers. He may have said DH got a care pkg. too....not sure of anything anymore.

[CamarosRus]

The #27 Alan Green Camaro, as I bought it from Dick Tutino(Service Mgr/Alan Green).This car originally Fathom Green with M-40 had been raced since new in NHRA SS classes. After not a winning competitive car in SS, Dick converted car to Modified Eliminator. I honestly can not attest to his success. I did run car a 10:19, but cant recall how this compared with index, circa 1976........


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/CamarosRus/Misc%20Camaro%20pics/ZL1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/CamarosRus/Misc%20Camaro%20pics/ZL1b.jpg

[Stefano]

Very Cool Pics. Do you have any more? What did you end up doing with this car.

[CamarosRus]

I do have more pics, but nothing any better. I have no pics to prove it was the #27 ZL-1. Taking pics of Trim Tags and VIN tags was not on my mind in those days. Only the old NHRA Div 6 crowd from that era in Seattle, can verify what I'm showing you.
I parted the car out to build THIS car(circa 79-81).........I won't write anything further.....You can call me sometime if you choose.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/CamarosRus/Misc%20Camaro%20pics/Fallnationals.jpg

[Stefano]

"I parted the car out to build THIS car(circa 79-81).........I won't write anything further.....You can call me sometime if you choose." http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

Everyone already knows the story Chuck, might as well lay it out in writing http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

[Mr70]

I don't,and I am not by a phone at the moment..
Love to hear the story.

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

That's 'cause you live under a Chevelle http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[GRB]

Kim, your box, so to speak, is full. I will now be known as "Idiot Boy". I am the first to criticize morons like me who dream crap and then post it as fact. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

BTW - See Idiot Boy's new thread. I need advise and I no longer trust myself to make intelligent decisions! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[Kim_Howie]

I'll clean my box up http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[tom406]

Although I sometimes question Chuck's fears and motives http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif, I don't blame him on this one. Since there's a car out there identified as #27, all nice and restored and probably valued at a half million or more, its not unreasonable to assume that lawyers will be dispatched if Chuck were to, THEORETICALLY, tell a tale of a similar car raced, defaced, torn apart, and its pieces scattered to the four winds. Such a tale, put to the infinite reaches of the internet, could limit the bidding when it hits ebay or BJ someday.

Go ahead and call Chuck if you're intrigued, he won't bite. Before the internet, I assume car guys actually had to get on the phone once in a while. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif