1969 Reggie Jackson ZL1

LemansblueCOPO · #1 08-01-2009, 11:09 PM

Hey, was wondering if anyone has some info on this Reggie Jackson ZL1 coming up for auction in the near future. I have a friend who is interested in the car. Have you seen the car and what was your impression of it? http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/public.sh...aleSectionNo=2#

**iluv69s** · #2 08-02-2009, 04:40 AM

wonder why Reggie is not selling his car thru B-J since they seemed to have a close relationship ??

...just curious

**Charley Lillard** · #3 08-02-2009, 05:01 AM

Reggie lives in Seaside right next to Monterey so he could probably just drive the ZL1 to the auction. Most of the McGroeder collection cars were good cars so it is probably a good ZL1. I have never heard anything bad about it. A Friend tried to buy it a few years ago but Reggie wouldn't sell it.

**RPOLS3** · #4 08-02-2009, 06:39 AM

Is this the car he brought to the Mecum Spring auction in 2006 (last one in Belvidere, IL?) that was bid to somewhere around $600k and did not meet the reserve?

Les Quam · #5 08-02-2009, 07:34 AM

It always amazes me to see these high compression cars like the ZL-1 and the L-88s with so many miles? Assuming the owners didn't rebuild the engines and replace the pistons how did they find high octane gas in the early 70s and drive these things in normal traffic? I had a friend with a stock L-88 in the 70s and it was absolutely hilarious to see him try to drive it to work each day in traffic. This was before guys had one car for every day driving and one for weekends.

**PhilS** · #6 08-02-2009, 08:50 PM

Les,

I know of several with high miles that had more tolerant engines installed for the bulk of their mileage. I've sent you a PM.

**William** · #7 08-02-2009, 09:52 PM

Some of the really HP stuff like L-88/ZL-1 had cams that bled off so much compression at low RPM they would run on pump gas just fine if you didn't beat on them. Back in the day we ran the ZL-1 on 93 octane unleaded premium with no problem.

You would want to have a supply of fresh plugs and anti-seize around though.

GRB · #8 08-03-2009, 06:20 PM

So, this is obviously not the controversial #51. Hmmm....

Chevy454 · #9 08-03-2009, 06:27 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Some of the really HP stuff like L-88/ZL-1 had cams that bled off so much compression at low RPM they would run on pump gas just fine if you didn't beat on them. Back in the day we ran the ZL-1 on 93 octane unleaded premium with no problem.

You would want to have a supply of fresh plugs and anti-seize around though.

[/ QUOTE ]
Those cams have such huge duration that cylinder pressure down low is nil...and when you figure that as built from the factory they'd be lucky to be 10.5:1 *actual* compression ratio, you can get by with a lot less octane than you'd think.

69 L88 · #10 08-17-2009, 01:17 AM

Did his ZL1 car sell ?

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