ZL-1 Camaro

[PeteLeathersac]

Wow Cliff, welcome aboard!!!
A few performance cars you delivered are still around including some that've shown up here on this site.
Note the post a couple pages back by Rszmjt w/ a timeline of your engine after it left your hands.
I expect your dealership was Zone # 82, do you happen to recall your dealer code?
Lastly, we love pictures here so if you have any of your dealership or your ProStock car there's lots of lads here that would love to help you post 'em.

[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]
~ Pete

[SS427]

Welcome aboard. Its stories like these that make it all worthwhile. Thanks for that.

[ZAPPER68]

Welcome aboard Cliff....I remember your Pro Stock car when it raced in Saskatoon back in the day. I have coffee regularly with Dan Barkley who had the Wheeler Dealer Camaro from the same era. He too has some great stories from that era. Not to hijack the thread but Dan &amp; his son Chad are still racing to this day.

[camaromb]

Cliff,
Thanks for posting. The current owner of the car would like to talk to you about the car if possible. The engine is currently being repaired/built. There may be some history on that motor you remember! I sent you a pm. We look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you.
Mark

[6smitty9]

Hi, im new here, i have a 69 ss that would tribute to #54 ZL1 very easy, just want all the info i can get on it, thanx , Smitty

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 6smitty9</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hi, im new here, i have a 69 ss that would tribute to #54 ZL1 very easy, just want all the info i can get on it, thanx , Smitty
WHAT exactly are you inquiring about???
</div></div>

[x3hillsfarmer]

RE: 1969 ZL1 Camero

Hello I am Brian - X-3 HIlls Farmer. It was great to see Mr. Cliff Bristow respond to your site re: Blue 1969 Camero ZL1. At 15 years of age, My dad, Fred, was farming 1500 acres of grain land at Three Hills Alberta. In 1968, my dad purchased (demo) Chev custom half-ton pickup from Mr. Bristow One day, my dad and I stopped into Cliff's garage. The big door was opened and there was a new 1968, 302 Z28 with the hood up and running and with a cross ram. I was hooked. July 17, 1968, my dad got sick and we lost him. For a few years, we carried on farming but without my dad, things just weren't the same. My cousin, Roy, was friends with Cliff and also John who owned the IGA Store next door to Cliff Bristow motors. Roy introduced me to John who at the time drove a 1967 SS396, 4 speed, Chevelle; ordered new from which was Three Hills Motors at the time. At 15 years old, I jumped into John's Chevelle, went down the road and back by myself, jumped out of the car and said to John, &quot;One day I'm going to own this car.&quot; A year and 1/2 later, the car was mine. A year or so later, I decided I needed more power. At 17 years old I went into Mr. Bristows office and sat down with him and ordered new 30 over, 375 Hp, 11-1 pistons, 375 hp solid cam and lifters and rebuilt my big block 402 in my dad's shop on the farm by myself. It was a winner. It ran great.

All the staff and mechanics at Bristow's were very nice to me. At any time, I could go to their shop and test ride in a 69 Nova with a 427 or go for a ride in a new 70 Camero Z28, Hugger Orange, which was just unloaded off the truck. Now before I ordered those 11 to 1 pistons, there was a big block, short block on the floor wrapped up in a plastic bag. I asked one mechanic what that was and he said &quot;No, you don't want that engine.&quot; He said it had 7 or 8 thousands cylinder clearance. It was a new 427 L88 Short block. Now that I think of it, it probably wasn't the cylinder clearance but maybe it was too much engine for a 17 year old to go out onto hwy 21 with. The 1969 blue camero ZL1 with hounds tooth interior was a fact. I looked at this car several times sitting along side Cliff's garage, sitting high in the front end with the engine out. I had my hands on the drivers glass lookin inside the car.

Many times I road my Honda to Shepard Raceway in Calagary to watch Rollie drive Cliff's 68 Rat Patrol Camero with a 427 which always ran great. As well as the 1970s' Rat Patrol Camero which had the ZL1 engine out of the blue 69 Camero. This was a great looking car which always reminds me of Grumpy Jenkin's Cameros. All of this is FAct. From this point on, I lost track of these cars. I brought into Cliff' Bristow, s garage two close friends of mine (brothers); Barry ordered a 70 Chevelle 454, LS5 with a bench and a rock crusher. --for just under $4400 Canadian. I was sitting there when the deal was made. Cliff the other brother purchased a new 70s Nova with a 350, 4 speed but Bristow Motors swapped engines for a 375 hp, 396. Another fellow that I knew from Calgary purchased a new 69 dark green L88, 427 Nova. At any given time, there were 454, LS6s and LS7 big blocks sitting there ready to go. This dealer ship had big blocks all over Alberta. Once the dealership and Cliff Bristow were gone, the fun was gone. I am a permanent US Resident living 17 years in NV, . CA, and in the Phoenix, AZ area. If I could go back to the Three Hills Farm, get my work done, drive my 67 big block Chevelle down highway 21 to Bristow's hot little dealership, I'd be back in a minute.
Best regards,
Brian
PS At 60, I may be looking for another red 1967 SS396 HP 4-speed again.

[chevelleheart]

Great story Brian !! Neat to hear some history like that!

[bigsixman]

I enjoyed your post, thanks for sharing it.

[camaromb]

Brian,
Thanks for your post regarding your experiences with Bristol motors and the ZL1 Camaro. The original ZL1 motor for the blue ZL1 is currently being re-assembled and I hope to see it back in the restored blue Canadian ZL1 in the near future.

Mark