Fast Car History Lesson: 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL-1

Imagine you had access to a car company’s most advanced race engine – Ford’s Supercars V8, for instance. And if you buttered up the right people, you could have it in the Mustang you just ordered, 480kW/650Nm and all.

Then you’d know what it was like to be Fred Gibb in 1969. First a Chevrolet salesman with a dealership in Illinois, he also ran a drag racing team. The Camaro’s popularity had exploded and although Pete Estes, Chevrolet general manager, promised it to be a small, vicious animal that ate Ford Mustangs, its drag racing results didn’t reflect this on the strip.

At the same time, Chevrolet had just perfected an all-aluminium 427 cubic-inch V8 for Can-Am, known as the ZL-1, which caught Gibb’s eye with not only its power but weight saving over the L88 iron-block 427.

Although a ban existed on putting large-capacity engines in passenger cars, he convinced key Chevrolet men, befriended through drag racing, that the ZL-1 was the exact venom the Camaro needed.

With the help of Estes, Chevy Performance Director Vince Piggins, and dealer-owner Dick Harrell, Gibb exploited the company’s Central Order Production Office to birth a low-volume, special order.

Luckily, Chevrolet had been eyeing off the ZL-1 for the Corvette, so, by enlisting the COPO (Central Office Production Order) system used to build taxis and police cars on factory lines, code 9560 was developed, which snuck the ZL-1 427 into the ‘little’ Camaro.

But you might not have even known it. It had a stronger diff and clutch, but a completely no-frills approach to its exterior and interior. Even the V8 badges were shelved.

Gibb ordered 50 to help qualify the ZL-1 for racing. But as the Camaro’s pace skyrocketed, so did its price, forcing Chevrolet to buy back the 37 he couldn’t sell to distribute, along with 19 others, through its dealer network. Ironically, they wouldn’t have trouble selling today, with examples fetching more than US$500,000.

THE SPECS
Engine: 6997cc V8, OHV, 16v
Power: 321kW @ 5200rpm
Torque: 610Nm @ 4400rpm
Transmission: four-speed manual & three-speed auto
Weight: 1558kg
0-97km/h: 5.3sec
Price (New): US$7919

3 Burly 427 Bits

1. Legendary Connections

The ‘ZL-1’ 427 was developed for Can-Am racing and propelled the McLaren M8A and Jim Hall’s ground-hugging Chaparral 2J. it was 45kg lighter than its iron-block equivalent.

2. COPO Conquers Down Under

The engine’s pedigree meant 448kW and 814Nm were easily achievable, outrageous outputs for 1969. Bob Jane put them to good use with his 1971 ATCC-winning Camaro ZL-1.

3. Getting in on the Go-Fast Act

Gibb’s wasn’t the only one to take advantage of the COPO system. Dealer man Don Yenko created a 427-powered Camaro using code 9561, which instead used the iron-block L72 V8.