69 Zl-1

[Joel A.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

John Maher bought this car NEW, and went racing with it. It is an automatic car, and it IS one of the two ZL1s...
Last I heard, he had sold the car a year or so ago...with the original engine. He had changed the engines out over the years, but he always had the original one. It was featured in one of the Corvette mags a few years ago...might have been Fever in '06, but I can't remember...

Is it possible that the white "Test car" that Zora had built is being mistaken for a factory car?

[Joseph T.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

What color was the orange car new and what striping scheme did it originally have?

Joe

[Art A.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

"Is it possible that the white "Test car" that Zora had built is being mistaken for a factory car?"


If and when Zora, or for that matter anyone else at Engineering, did any testing or created a "Test car" a Work Order would have been issued. The WO system was one of the areas that I looked into for the white Otis Chandler car. Again, my research into the Engineering files did not find anything related to that car.

I did not research the production records for two reasons, 1, I was only asked to research the Engineering records (production records were not part of the Engineering files), 2, Production records would not be specific enough to identify such a vehicle.

[Jim B.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

When I bought my very late 68 the dealer showed me a red 69 ZL1 and tried to sell it to me. He showed me the racing options book that was used to order it and bragged about how fast it was. He wanted over $12K for it which was obscene at that time when corvettes were selling for around 5K, and I smartly??? passed on it. This dealer was a COPO dealer and sold Camaro's and Chevelles as well. They told me and I am led to believe it that there were over 60 COPO camaros built with the ZL1 engine (I believe the correct number is 69) for several dealers including Baldwin, Yenko and the dealer I bought from in RI, Scuncio Chevrolet. They were known by their COPO order number 9560. There were also some COPO Chevelles. Most of these dealer also sponsored race teams at the time. Bottom line, there were a number of ZL1 engines made. It is interesting that GM has been able to privide records for the Camaro and the Chevelle but not the Corvette. To be sure, there were many ZL1 engine made but who knows where they ended up.

I later heard that the ZL1 I was shown was wrecked by the dealers teenaged son who took it out and crashed it. Seems like it was a handful to drive. It was never titled and they canabalized the engine for the race team. Many of the Camaros wound up in a similar manner because they were so expensive and difficult to sell. I heard that some dealers took out the ZL1 and replaced it with the cheaper L88 so they could sell the cars. The Detroit Musclecar web site claims that some were even returned to GM. More documentation on www.camaros.org/copo.

[Clem Z.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

What color was the orange car new and what striping scheme did it originally have?

Joe

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.

[Clem Z.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

If that's an aluminum block, why was it painted but the heads were left left bare?



Jim

to cover up the places it was welded as the blocked was damaged when a clutch came apart while it was in a dirt circle track car. this engine was raced in other cars besides the corvette and back them those ZL-1 engines were everywhere if you were into circle track racing. i know where there is one setting now in a race shop all covered with dirt.

[Joseph T.]

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.

Clem

The reason I asked..is I interviewed a St.Louis plant painter who said he painted the stripes on at least one of the ZL1's.

There is also some belief that a decal was available. One of the members on this board owned a 1968 that was used as the paint scheme mule for the ZL1 stripes and has the documentation to prove it.

If you notice the stripe scheme is different on the white and yellow cars. I make no judgement on these cars and feel they speak for themself.

I too know where a ZL1 engine resides and it was cast on 12/25/68 Christmas day...which seems mighty strange. I am not versed on Camaro's but recall the Xmas ZL1 block being identifed as a Camaro engine.

Fun stuff.

Joe

[Chris E.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

Is the information available as to how many 69 ZL-1 corvettes were produced,and if so ,their vin#'s ? (I always thought there were only two, but after browsing a post in archives,it seems there is a possibility of three?)
Thanks-EJ

Are you seeking this information because you are just curious or you want to buy one or????? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Steven H.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

Just a tidbit; there is one of the F body ZL1 motors here in Tulsa, one of the countries top Pontiac collectors is in possession of it. All I know is that it came by way of MI years ago.

[Patrick T.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

Just a tidbit; there is one of the F body ZL1 motors here in Tulsa, one of the countries top Pontiac collectors is in possession of it. All I know is that it came by way of MI years ago.

I think Camaro was an F body car so here is a picture of 50 ZL1 Camaro's in the GM storage lot. PT

[Steven H.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

I'll take that black one right there on the end thank you.

I find this thread extremely interesting; I have always been fascinated with the mystique surrounding the 69 ZL-1 Corvette. Seeing the one pictured here in the thread is a true thrill; combined from the testimony of the guy that worked on it in 69. Much to my surprise as I looked further today after a renewed interest from the thread; I see the Kevin Suydam has the white one in question. I don’t know the fine details of the controversy or car; but I have talked to Kevin before and he is a very nice and well respected collector, it would be my thought and hope that if the car has been misrepresented Kevin is of no blame.

[Tom M.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

I'll take that black one right there on the end thank you.

I find this thread extremely interesting; I have always been fascinated with the mystique surrounding the 69 ZL-1 Corvette. Seeing the one pictured here in the thread is a true thrill; combined from the testimony of the guy that worked on it in 69. Much to my surprise as I looked further today after a renewed interest from the thread; I see the Kevin Suydam has the white one in question. I don’t know the fine details of the controversy or car; but I have talked to Kevin before and he is a very nice and well respected collector, it would be my thought and hope that if the car has been misrepresented Kevin is of no blame.

Here is a few pictures of the Roger's yellow ZL1 from bloomington , next to my L88

[Steven B.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

Was Zora's white hardtop a production car or made up in engineering? When I was at Milford on business in '74-5 I asked about the car and one of the engineers said he thought it was still stored somewhere, but wasn't certain. He did tell me they (engineering) were building a wilder one than the ZL-1.

[Steven H.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

Tom

Extremely nice cars, thanks for sharing. I love the yellow one's stripe; and now I like the orange one's very much as well.

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

I looked around a bit on the white one; it seems the big point of unknown would be the 170 miles it received between dealer trade and who may have done what in that time period.

In the Pontiac world there is a very popular car that is marketed as the elite of the elite; it turns out to be a GM buy back car with a base motor from the production line, all the crazy RAIV and RAV history is after being sold from The Retail Store and not what was preached for so many years.

[Clem Z.]

Re: 69 Zl-1

back then used to paint the alum block with a special paint with iron content so it would pass the magnet test when the rules said no aluminum blocks allowed