Here it is. The ZL1 Camaro. The
baddest of the bad. The fastest of the fast.
The meanest one of them all. This name just refuses to
die.
Way back in 1969, Chevrolet released
69, that's right, sixty nine ZL1 equipped Camaros for
NHRA racing. Many of these hit the streets instead,
creating the legend. Rated at 425 factory horsepower, but
realistically pumping out close to 600 horsepower with
dyno-tuned headers, the all aluminum big block chevy was
difficult to beat.
This ZL1 appeared a few years ago as
an experiment in power.
It lead to the release of the 1996 Camaro Z/28 SS. Here
is it's latest rendition.
In the course of the past six years,
the ZL1 has been tweaked and fine-tuned as it evolved
into the SEMA show car for 1999. Yet it remains an
excellent exercise in acceleration, a halo car for the
Camaro brand, and an image vehicle exemplifying the upper
ends of Chevy’s performance boundaries.
At the heart of a laundry list of
updated ZL1 modifications is the powerplant: an 8.4-liter
aluminum-block pushrod V8 making a foot-stomping 770
horsepower at 6900 rpm and a raucous 683 lb.-ft of torque
at 5200 rpm. Transfer of power comes via a five-speed
manual transmission and a three-disc hydraulic clutch
setup. The myriad performance add-ons includes everything
from a Hamburger Hi-Torque starter and a Crower forged
steel crankshaft with 4.5-inch stroke, to a Dart intake
manifold reworked for fuel injection with a K&N air
filter and Exhaust Tech dual 3.5-inch inlet and outlet
mufflers. And that’s only scratching the surface.
There is also a host of GM OEM parts off of the various
F-bodies of the past few years.
The chassis has been appropriately
reinforced and stiffened to better handle the onslaught
of speed and power. The front suspension uses spindles
modified for Brembo four-piston caliper stopping power,
with Koni shocks and 540 lb/inch springs. At the rear,
lower control arms have been reworked to house the
18-inch wheels shod with Goodyear Z-rated performance
Eagle F-1 tires. Modified stabilizer bars live at both
front and rear.
If you look closely enough, you'll see
that the rear fenders have been massaged enough to create
a bulge or flared fenderwell large enough to hold the
extra large 18-inch rear wheels and tires.
For all you folks who are content with
the looks of the car, you can stop here.
But for those of you who crave more
performance, here's the scoop:
The usual
10 second quarter mile times can be credited to the
following:
CONFIGURATION
Front-engine/rear-wheel drive
101.1 in wheelbase
Track: 62.3 front/ 63 rear
Weight: 3390 lbs. (dry): 1865 lbs. front (55%) 1525 lbs.
rear (45%)
DRIVETRAIN
Aluminum V8 pushrod engine
Three-disc hydraulic clutch
5-speed manual transmission
Solid rear axle
1-piece Prop Shaft
CHASSIS
Front suspension: independent coil-over-shock SLA
Rear suspension: three-link coil spring with torque arm
4-wheel disc brakes
ENGINE SUMMARY
DISPLACEMENT:
572 cu.in. (8.4L)
BORE: 4.5 in. (114.3 mm)
STROKE: 4.5 in. (114.3 mm)
COMPRESSION RATIO: 13.8:1
PEAK TORQUE: 683 @ 5200
PEAK POWER: 770 @ 6900 (through complete exhaust system)
ENGINE SHORT BLOCK
DONOVAN aluminum cylinder block
(#500), with milled head surfaces
CROWER forged steel crankshaft, 4.5in stroke, internally
balanced, (#S-95137)
VIBRATECH 61/4" Torsional damper, neutral balanced
(#713282-000)
CROWER forged steel connecting rods, 6.535in C-C,
(#F91092-B)
FEDERAL MOGUL main bearings, chamfered for crank fillet,
(#8-7200 CH-STD)
FEL PRO rear main oil seal
JE forged, domed pistons, (#111595)
JE piston pins, .990 x 2.930 double spirolocks
SPEED PRO 1 1/16" moly top, 1/16" cast 2nd,
3/16" chrome faced oil ring set, (#R-10317+035)
CLOYES roller timing chain/sprocket set, (#9-3100)
FEL PRO front cover gasket
TITAN oil pump & pickup
Balanced & fitted assembly
Fabricated aluminum 8 qt. oil pan with baffling and trap
doors
CYLINDER HEADS
DART Pro-1 bowl ported and gasket
matched
Valves stainless FERREA ex. 1,880 dia, titanium DELL WEST
int. 2.300
PSI springs (#CT-1046)
Titanium COMP CAMS (#735-16)
FEL PRO head gaskets (#FP-1093)
COMP CAMS valve locks + .050"
Combustion chambers relieved, polished & matched to
4.5" bore
VALVE TRAIN
LUNATI camshaft (#RRB-280-284)
Intake: 280 degrees duration x .722" lift
Exhaust: 284 degrees duration x .722 lift
112 degrees lobe centers
ISKYROLLER lifters (202.96RHC)
CRANE stud girdle (#13602-1)
DIAMOND RACING rocker arms studs
MANLEY push rod guide plates, (#42164)
INDUCTION
DART intake manifold reworked for fuel
injection application
FEL PRO GASKETS, (#FP-1275-5)
Special machined 4-bore 2" throttle body with idle
air by-pass
K&N air filter (#E-1963)
EXHAUST
Fabricated stainless steel tubular
four into one headers, 2 _" runners
FEL PRO exhaust header gaskets, (#1412)
Fabricated dual 3 _" exhaust system complete to rear
bumper with 2 _" balance tube
EXHAUST TECH dual 3 _" inlet and outlet mufflers
FUEL SYSTEM
BOSCH 67 lbs/hr port fuel injectors.
Fabricated fuel rail assembly
SX PERFORMANCE fuel pressure regulator- set to 45 PSI
static fuel pressure, (#15402)
SX PERFORMANCE fuel pump (#18201) rated for 80 gal/hr+
SX PERFORMANCE high flow filter, (#41002)
AEROQUIP- 8 "pushlok" feed hose and fittings
IGNITION
MSD COMPENENTS
Crank trigger (#8620)
Cam sensor
Control unit (#6420)
Coil (#8202)
Dist. Hold Down (#8110)
Distributer (#2340)
CHAMPION C63-7C spark plugs, gapped @ .035"
MAGNECOR 10mm spark plug wires, custom fit, (#R-230)
ENGINE MANAGEMENT
FEL PRO PERFORMANCE,
electronic SEFI with individual cyl control
Input sensors: Coolant
temperature, manifold air temperature, throttle position,
manifold pressure, exhaust O2, engine speed, camshaft
position
Controlled outputs: fuel
injectors (8), ignition timing,
idle speed control motor
COOLING SYSTEMS
GM-SPO aluminum engine water pump with _ block spacers,
(#3975928)
No thermostat
GRIFFIN aluminum crossflow radiator,
27in x 17in x 4in core
Dual 15in electric cooling fans
Special machined oil cooler block adapter
LONG oil cooler plumbed with #12 and hose and fitting
ENGINE
ACCESSORIES
HAMBURGER hi-torque starter with
solenoid rotated 180 degrees for header clearance,
(#5005)
GM ’95 F-Car 124 amp alternator
GM ’94 F-Car power steering pump and remote fluid
reservoir
Fabricated accessory drive mounting brackets
GM crankshaft pulley, (#25525204) with machined spacer
FORD water pump pulley, (#E75E-8509-CA95 F-Car)
Fabricated power steering pump pulley, back driven
Fabricated fixed idler and adjustable tensioner pulley
assembly
GOODYEAR 6-rib POLY VEE drive belt, (#4060600)
DRIVELINE SUMMARY
ENGINE MOUNTING
GM ’94 F-car front motor mounts, bosses welded to
cylinder block for attachment, urethane filled production
isolaters
Fabricated rear transmission mount/crossmember with
torque arm attachment and polyurethane mount
CLUTCH
McLEOD steel-faced, aluminum flywheel
McLEOD triple-disc and pressure plate, (#651003-5)
McLEOD annular hydraulic release bearing, (#1400)
TILTON master cylinder and remote reservoir
TRANSMISSION
QUARTER MASTER aluminum bell housing (#110104)
Special-design "G" FORCE built 5-speed with
"H" pattern race shifter
Ratios: 2.860, 1.936, 1.552, 1.295, 1.000
REAR AXLE
DANA 60 center housing, modified for torque arm
attachment; tubes installed and modified to accept
original production spring, shock absorber and lower
control arm brackets and brake caliper brackets
3.54:1 final drive ratio
DANA "Torque-Lock" 4-pinion differential
STRANGE ENGINEERING axle shafts and yoke; 61.625"
flange/flange
DRIVESHAFT
MARK WILLIAMS ENGINEERING, 45.256" center-center
length, 3.5in O.D. x .095 in wall steel tube
STRANGE ENGINEERING front yoke to match transmission
DANA-SPICER 1350 series u joints
CHASSIS SUMMARY
STRUCTURE
Reinforced lower control arms
2 _" x 1 _" rectangular steel tubing connecting
rear
lower control arm mounts to front frame rails
New, fabricated panhand bar brace and trunkwell
for exhaust/muffler clearance
WHEELS/TIRES
Front:
FISKE 10" x 18" (#851585) with neg. 2"
offset
GOODYEAR EAGLE F-1 FIORANO P-335/30 ZR-18
Rear:
FISKE 12.5’ x 18 (#854580) with neg. 3/16"
offset
GOODYEAR EAGLE F-1 FIORANO P-265/40 ZR-18
STEERING
GM ’94 F-Car steering rack
GM ’94 F-Car intermediate shaft
GM ’94 F-Car steering column
FRONT SUSPENSION
GM ’93 F-Car spindles modified for BREMBO calipers
F-Car upper and lower control arms with
WHEEL TO WHEEL bolt and poly blushing package
540lb/in springs
KONI shocks (#8242.1005)
Special WHEEL TO WHEEL stabilizer bar race package
(38.5 x 1.250 x .250)
REAR SUSPENSION
GM ’94 F-Car lower control arms reworked for tire
clearance and WHEEL TO WHEEL bracket and link package
Production panhard bar with WHEEL TO WHEEL poly blushing
Fabricated torque arm attachment
BRAKES
GM ’93 F-Car master cylinder assembly with willwood
adjustable proportioning valve modified viper front
rotors, 33mm dia. 32mm thick (#4642122)
BREMBO F040 four piston front calipers with paget blue
compound pads (#305120)
Production F-Car rear calipers and pads and 11.5 in.
rotors
Stainless reinforced Teflon brake hoses front, production
rear
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