1969 ZL1 Copo Camaro Test, Prepped by Dick Harrell -Motor Trend

[William]

A few other items of interest borne out in the photos. Over many years I have seen a number of ZL-1 Camaros restored with the orange HP plug wires. Photos show the #2 car in this feature and the #3 car were built with standard production BB plug wires.

The photos do not show an auto trans idle solenoid. It is shown in the AIM section M40 pg. A10. Another test of a November '68 built L89/auto Camaro shows the same. At some point automatic COPOs were fitted with it; not clear when.

[1971ls6]

What is the consensus on how many cars came with the orange plug wires? What about the burgundy distributor cap?

[William]

Originally Posted by 1971ls6

What is the consensus on how many cars came with the orange plug wires? What about the burgundy distributor cap?

I have the six-page Engineering Parts List for ZL-1 Camaro production. COPOs were initially processed as L78 orders, this listing has all parts added/deducted in production. It shows, for example, the 1115293-coil deducted and replaced by the 1115210.

Plug wires are not listed. No reason to believe anything other than standard production wires were used, as seen in vintage photos of #2 & #3.

Side note, COPO build orders listed the L78 engine. This means the oft-quoted L78 production quantity of 4,889 is overstated. L78 production was 3,823 L72 997 ZL-1 69.

[JoeC]

The first race of ZL-1 #1 was at Beeline Dragway Winternationals Jan 23-26 1969 Phoenix, AZ.

Harrell built it as a light weight Camaro to run in AHRA Super Stock Experimental and for Match Racing

Fiberglass nose , no front brakes , single seat, 2650 lbs.

It ran with a single 4bb at its first race but was soon running a tunnel ram 2x4bb