69 ZL1 engine for sale

[David K]

Craigslist San Diego.
Real?
https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/pts/d/escondido-camaro-corvette-zl1-427/7716224625.html

[bcmiller]

No guarantee that it is a 1969 produced block and the heads are 1971.

[David K]

Was there any general round number of replacement engines built? I’m thinking this could be a warranty leftover from parts.

[william]

There were zero ZL-1 'CE' warranty engines built.

The few production ZL-1 Camaros that had engine failures received reconfigured ME code Corvette ZL-1 engines.

[David K]

So William, this would most likely be a reconfigured Vette?I can’t imagine there’s many of these out there in the first place.

[maroman]

No, lots were sold over the counter to racers.

[william]

Fran Preve, an Engineer at the Tonawanda engine plant, reported ZL-1 production numbers in 1987:

ME  Corvette manual  80
MG Corvette auto       14
ML  Camaro manual   54
MM Camaro auto       34

Of the 182, 71 were used in production. The ZL-1 program was shut down as of June, 1969 and remaining stock placed in GMPD inventory.

[rocco376]

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/chevrolet-zl1-v8/  Stunning ZL1 sale result on BaT the other day.  William, any insight on the Yenko stamp on this one?

[william]

No.

My interest ends with the last Winters casting, approximately 7/31/69. Just for the record, Winters must have completed about 325 bare blocks.

[maroman]

Supposedly there were two ZL 1s ordered by the local dealer, one blue and the other yellow. The drag racer that worked there swapped the engines for iron engines before the cars were sold and the aluminum blocks went in his funny car. I saw the yellow car but only heard about the blue one.

[Kelley W King]

I think the ZL1 option on a. 69 camaro was over 4k. Anyone know what an over counter ZL1 engine cost?

[william]

Supposedly there were two ZL 1s ordered by the local dealer, one blue and the other yellow. The drag racer that worked there swapped the engines for iron engines before the cars were sold and the aluminum blocks went in his funny car. I saw the yellow car but only heard about the blue one.

Brewers Chevrolet, Campton KY had the other Daytona Yellow ZL-1. Rumored to have been sold with an L-72 427.

The car has been restored; the engine survives elsewhere. Only ZL-1 Camaro they had. Campton KY has a population of 424 so I guess one was adequate inventory.

ZL-1 auto      msrp $4160.50
ZL-1 4-speed msrp $4160.15

[GMAD_Van Nuys]

I found an ad in the March 1971 Hi-Performance Cars magazine where Motion Performance was selling a "complete 427-inch ZL-X engine for $1,395, with a "complete 454-inch ZL-X for $1,995.

[rocco376]

Cool ad

[fsc66]

I’m sure has been posted:

[cook_dw]

Side question:

Was the green Penske ZL1 #44?

69-69 car was #17
72-72 car was #25

[william]

The 37 Gibb ZL-1s returned to Chevrolet/Norwood were re-distributed to high-performance dealerships. A former Merollis Chevrolet employee stated they were awarded a new Corvette allocation for each ZL-1. #44 was initially shipped to Penske but may have been DX'd to another dealership, possibly Degnan's.

#17 and #25 survive with their original engines. #44 is unknown. 

[maroman]

Where was Penske's dealership, maybe Reading or Philley?

[william]

4800 Chestnut St Philly. Now Central City Toyota.

Last ad they ran only listed #44.

[maroman]

thanks

[boomer632]

Perhaps some relevance to topic here

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1367095174193253/?ref=browse_tab&referral_code=marketplace_general&referral_story_type=general&tracking=%7B%22qid%22%3A%22-2529993981454681962%22%2C%22mf_story_key%22%3A%228267293611624123884%22%2C%22commerce_rank_obj%22%3A%22%7B%5C%22target_id%5C%22%3A8267293611624123884%2C%5C%22target_type%5C%22%3A6%2C%5C%22primary_position%5C%22%3A5%2C%5C%22ranking_signature%5C%22%3A3449005120946769128%2C%5C%22commerce_channel%5C%22%3A501%2C%5C%22value%5C%22%3A0.00055983243703183%2C%5C%22upsell_type%5C%22%3A3523%2C%5C%22candidate_retrieval_source_map%5C%22%3A%7B%5C%227392348964150714%5C%22%3A3502%2C%5C%227160527190696419%5C%22%3A805%2C%5C%227103298069792111%5C%22%3A805%2C%5C%227182946005131167%5C%22%3A805%2C%5C%227387613567988044%5C%22%3A805%2C%5C%228125570017459511%5C%22%3A701%7D%2C%5C%22grouping_info%5C%22%3Anull%7D%22%2C%22lightning_feed_qid%22%3A%22-2529995355814672005%22%2C%22lightning_feed_ranking_signature%22%3A%223449005120946769128%22%2C%22ftmd_400706%22%3A%22111112l%22%7D

[bcmiller]

About 10-12? years ago I could have bought a nearly complete ZL1 engine. It was stupid to not have bought it based on prices today, but I passed. It was $20k. If my memory is right it had the intake, correct dated heads, correct dated block, 7115 crank, dimple rods and standard pistons with an AS number stamped on the deck. No VIN and no engine plant assembly plant date and engine code stamping.

[JoeC]

John Greenwood bought a lot of ZL-1 engines from Chevy for his Corvette Racing team
He ran L-88 engines in 1971 and ZL-1 engines in 1972 and 1973
In one article , he said he bought all the ZL-1 engines Chevy had available.

Here is a clip from an article by Martyn Schorr  where he saw the ZL-1 engines in Greenwood's shop.