69 Zl-1

[Michael H.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

here is a picture of 50 ZL1 Camaro's in the GM storage lot. PT

I think this pic was at/from the dealer that ordered all the ZL1 Camaro's, Fred Gibbs Chevrolet in Illinois.
Gibbs eventually returned most of these cars, or wholesaled them to other dealers. I don't know how many he sold to the public.

[Edward M.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

i was orange when he brought it to me to work on in 1969. i do not remember if it had any factory strips, what is in the picture john added.

I asked John that very question a few years ago. He told me that the car never had the ZL1 stripe like the yellow car has. No stripes at all.

[John M.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

I'm curious; did they stamp the ZL1 motor just like the cast iron blocks?

A few years back I was at the Street Rod Nationals in Louisville. In the pavillion, they had all sorts of GM Big blocks under glass on display. One was an all Aluminum ZL1 motor. I scoured all over that block. It had the Engine suffix stampings as well as the VIN number. I didn't document the numbers but assumed it was from a Camaro. I stood there staring at that motor for almost 30 minutes and scores of people kept walking by.

I wanted to grab some of them and shake them and say "don't you know what this is?"

It seemed nobody cared. (at least in the 30 minutes I was their).

It amazed me.

[Steven H.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

This motor is definitely in a class all of it's own way beyond everything else.

[Paul J.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

Does anyone know if Roger Judski actually bought the yellow car from Federal marshals and why they had it?

[Patrick H.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

Does anyone know if Roger Judski actually bought the yellow car from Federal marshals and why they had it?

http://www.autofacts.ca/classics/FAPC/ZL1Corvette.htm

[Steven H.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

Interesting history!

[John H.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

I think this pic was at/from the dealer that ordered all the ZL1 Camaro's, Fred Gibbs Chevrolet in Illinois.
Gibbs eventually returned most of these cars, or wholesaled them to other dealers. I don't know how many he sold to the public.

That shot is actually Don Yenko's new car storage lot in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania; Don took a good percentage of the ZL-1 Camaros when they were re-distributed by Chevrolet from Fred Gibbs' dealership.

Photos below are of ZL-1 Camaro #6; note the black cast iron water pump (ZL-1's didn't have aluminum water pumps, contrary to popular opinion).

[Steven H.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

Absolutely STUNNING photos John.

[Michael W.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

http://www.autofacts.ca/classics/FAPC/ZL1Corvette.htm

Yes, that's true. I was at the auction, it was held just up the road from Eckler's facility the day before one of their big shows. I knew very little about the car at the time and thought the world had gone nuts with people bidding in the six figures for a C3.

I still have a copy of the local newspaper and show people the picture and article while holding it next to my lowly '73 L48 yellow coupe. Helps explain 'it's all about the options'

[Art A.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

John, in the middle picture, what would the "T" on the cowl stand for?

[Clem Z.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

after the article about john maher's ZL-1 came out john and i stopped to see rogers ZL-1 and he was very anxious to show it to us and explain all about it. when he found out who john was he shut up and left us standing there. i guess 2 documented ZL-1 was not what he wanted to hear about.

[Ronald R.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

I went to the auction with a letter for $500K. I got cold feet when no one would bid on the car, Reggie Jackson was reportedly represented as well as an Indy guy. Ralph Eckler started the bidding at $50 or $75K, no one else bid except Roger and myself after that. When the bid kept going up i moved close to see who I was bidding against. My final bid was $295K, if there had been more bidders I may have bought the car. As things turned out I do think Roger got a bargain. When the auction was over the Marshall came over and gave me his hat which I still have. The bidding stalled with Eklers bid and he was sweating. I guess I got the hat for running the bid up. A walked over and asked Roger how much higher he would have gone and he said "I was done"!

The white car was bough new by Jack Cheskaty and ther is an article in the Clasic Auto Restorer in Aug 1992. There is no mention of documents, i found this to be interesting as the Yellow car was mention to have engine problems ( it was blown up in a boat). The yellow car is real and correctly restored, the last time I saw the car it had vertical broach marks not circular.
RDR

[Ronald R.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

PS I have one of the two ZL1's and it has an airconditioner!!

[Joel F.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

John, in the middle picture, what would the "T" on the cowl stand for?

Art, it means the trim has been inspected. Norwood built Camaros typically had a T, B, and P stamp indicating the trim, body, and paint had been inspected.