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How many of the 12 ZL1's can you identify?
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Re: L88 or ZL1?
I've probably read about every article ever written about this Corvette. It certainly has an intriguing story. Spoke with Dick Ferrando recently and we were discussing the possible number of ZL-1s built. -
Re: L88 or ZL1?
Warren..is it your conclusion that any ZL1 engines were installed at the factory in any production Corvette..or were they installed as replacement engines for already built production cars?
Lets say at Nickey Chevrolet?
Is there an existing document that shows the delivery of the engines and how many and at what date.
To exclude..later over the counter engines or blocks?Comment
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Re: L88 or ZL1?
Joe --
The ZL-1 had a completely different hood stripe. John Maher's orange ZL-1 was at the Cincy regional this year, also at BG, and was recently sold to a private collection in Florida.
Ol' GeezerComment
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Re: L88 or ZL1?
Joe, there is irrefutable evidence that backs up the yellow ZL-1 as being factory. The gentleman (who also was a Corvette person) that was the manager of the GM auto carriers receving yard in Winston Salem spotted it when it was unloaded from the train. He photocopied all the documents and kept them. I saw them probably 25-30 years ago. He also wrote an article on his find that was published in the Restorer magazine.Dick WhittingtonComment
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Re: L88 or ZL1?
Dick..I remember seeing the shipping docs on the yellow car as well.
Having interviewed John Evans who served as the one and only Chief Inspector of the St.Louis Corvette Plant from 1953 till he retired around 1971..I am a firm believer that special cases took place..that were out of the ordinary. I would include the installation of ZL1 engines in that regard. Although installing an aluminum big block wouldn't be that big of a change from a cast iron big block.
I am still curious why after all these years we don't have the documents that show where the other..original batch ZL1 blocks or engines went.
Were the engines installed in the yellow or orange cars..from the first bacth of 7 or so engines. One of which was reported stolen and another damaged on the engine stand..as it was being tested.
We are only talking 39 years ago..certainly..someone who was there is still around.
I would think that race teams like that of Roger Penske would have been provided the newest equipment like the ZL1 engine and installed in their race cars. With the Cobra and the Hemi's winning most everything..a big block with major weight savings would have been desirable.Comment
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Re: L88 or ZL1?
I have seen the audit #'s for engines produced in Tonawanda and they show that quite a few more ZL-1 and L/88 engines were produced than were installed. I know that I purchased two of the crate L/88's in '69 or '70. The neighbor of mine that owned the L/88 that I eventually purchased also had a yellow '69 with a ZL-1 engine. As to the authenticy of that car, who knows. Was it one of the many crate engines or was it a factory installation? Only one person, whose identity will remain anonomous, knows for sure how many ZL-1's were installed at St. Louis. I do not believe that even the TV series, CSI, could come up with verifiable numbersDick WhittingtonComment
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Re: L88 or ZL1?
John M. had a spaare Al engine that he used in the car, with the valuable original engine on a stand. The car was a 1/4-mile and hill-climb car. I'spect that Joe L. has a spare aluminum engine also.
RTemember that a lot of these engines went into Camaros. John H. has a photo of a fleet of them at a Gramd Rapids dealer.Comment
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