Messages

1

General Discussion / Re: Late '69 3/8 Fuel line

« on: October 19, 2023, 05:01:51 PM »

Were later V8 cars equipped with a carb that didn't need the vent line?

Don't forget the ever-popular L14, 307 cubic inch V8. 

2

Restoration / Re: Help with VIN / Registration of restomod

« on: August 22, 2023, 02:40:26 PM »

My '69's registration had lapsed by the time I got around to licensing it in California and it's existence had been erased from the system although the dash VIN and the hidden VINs on the firewall were intact.  I had a choice between trailering the car to a Highway Patrol Office or hiring a licensed inspector to validate the VINs before taking the paperwork to DMV to pay the back registration and obtain a current registration.  I chose to pay the inspector to come to my shop, verify the numbers, and sign-off on the state documentation.  His visit took about half-an-hour but that's the extent of the process in this state.  Worth every penny to have it done in my shop.

Good luck,

c

3

General Discussion / Re: Owen Keown Chevrolet

« on: October 29, 2022, 10:03:23 PM »

Google says it was located at 4141 Lincoln Boulevard, Marina Del Rey, California. 

4

General Discussion / Re: 68–1st day Los build on Ebay

« on: September 18, 2022, 03:41:55 PM »

My '68 Camaro, former Stock Eliminator race car, carried Norwood VIN# 300200.  If I remember correctly, the firewall date tag indicated "083".  The paperwork indicates that it was taken off the street in about 1971 and was eventually purchased as a roller from a salvage yard in about 1975 for $400.  The odometer in the car read 14,XXX miles but I could not verify that it was the original instrument cluster. 

c

5

Mild Modifications / Re: Factory Camshaft spec's for 1967 L48

« on: August 08, 2022, 03:02:56 PM »

Couldn't they just pull the lifter and place the dial indicator direct to the lobe?

The protocol for an NHRA "teardown" was specified by the organization.  Obviously, there is more than one way to accomplish the same end but NHRA used the solid lifter method during the inspection ritual therefore, that was the most reliable way to avoid unpleasant outcomes.  For example, measuring lift directly off the lobe would have left plenty of room for a knowledgeable builder to capitalize on rocker arm ratios, pushrod length, etc. to beat the specified lift measurement by a few thousandths and thereby gain an edge.  If that seems to be an anachronism, it was really nothing compared to some of the other procedures that were routinely followed.  A casual observer would have been mesmerized by the process for checking camshaft duration and overlap using a dial caliper, a dial indicator, a Sharpie or lead pencil, and a strip of masking tape.  Of course, the problems of attaining an acceptable degree of accuracy using that procedure eventually led to the abandonment of the duration spec for stock camshafts in NHRA competition.  Meantime, in order to compete in their game, we measured the lift/duration and overlap on every cylinder, the open/closed valve spring pressures on every cylinder, sorted through buckets of stock rocker arms to find the 16 that would produce favorable lift numbers, poured every combustion chamber and head runner to determine legal volumes, and a bunch of other factors every time an engine was built or freshened.  In retrospect, it probably wasn't worth the effort but, in order to appreciate it, you really needed to be there.  During the early years, a Stocker "teardown" session at the U.S. Nationals or the Winternationals could have included as many as fifty or sixty cars and the "barn" would have been in operation for at least 10 or 12 hours.

6

Mild Modifications / Re: Factory Camshaft spec's for 1967 L48

« on: August 06, 2022, 04:45:00 PM »

Went back into the GM Heritage Center archives <https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/docs/gm-heritage-archive/vehicle-information-kits/Camaro/1968-Chevrolet-Camaro.pdf> and came up with 280° intake duration/288° exhaust duration with 58° of overlap.

7

Mild Modifications / Re: Factory Camshaft spec's for 1967 L48

« on: August 06, 2022, 03:58:02 PM »

I raced in NHRA Stock Eliminator with an L48 motor in a '68 Camaro for about twenty years.  The teardown specs for lift on a stock cam called for a maximum .390" on the intake and .410" on the exhaust.  Just dug through my records looking for the duration specs but NHRA stopped checking spring pressure, duration, and overlap in Stock engines in about 1988 and those numbers have escaped my recollection plus they are not in my log books.  The lift was checked at zero lash with a solid lifter, a stamped steel rocker arm and stock pushrod length. 

8

General Discussion / Re: ZL-1 Stock Eliminator

« on: February 25, 2020, 08:25:55 PM »

Crossboss said:  "Thanks to everyone commenting on this. I do realize running a very limited production car in an NHRA 'Stock' class would be major up hill battle. I would guess 'IF' a ZL-1 did compete, it would be factored among the 426 Hemi cars."

That is an accurate assumption.  The fastest time recorded in AA/SA in 2019 (9.62) was turned by a '65 Race Hemi Belvedere at Gainsville.  The fastest ZL1-entered in any NHRA event in AA/SA went 9.66 at Orlando.  The Hemi car is a bit heavier since it is rated at 450 hp by NHRA while the Camaro is rated at 445.  I feel fairly confident that none of the Camaros running that combination is a true ZL1.  I don't know about the originality of the Mopars but the classification guide specifies:  "Any body combination with a Race Hemi (425/450) has a wheelbase 1 inch less than listed for that body in other classes..
Race hemis are steel cars, no aluminum components. All have hood scoops."

9

General Discussion / Re: ZL-1 Stock Eliminator

« on: February 25, 2020, 03:56:59 PM »

Until about ten years ago, NHRA effectively blocked the 1969 ZL1 from Stock Eliminator by excluding cars with a horsepower-to-weight ratio below 8 pounds per horsepower and additionally by excluding models that were produced in quantities of fewer than 500 units.  When NHRA eased those requirements, manufacturers began licensing the construction of modern Camaro COPO, Dodge Drag Pack, and Mustang Cobra Jet race-only cars in Stock Eliminator.  Now, there are instances in which a Camaro that produces, arguably, in the area of 800 horsepower, running an 8.35 ET at over 160 MPH chasing down an 80 horsepower, front-wheel drive, Plymouth Horizon that runs a 16.60 ET at 75 MPH!  Factor in the requirement that the driver of the Horizon is not required to have a roll bar and is equipped with only a lap belt and a helmet for safety gear.  What could go wrong??   

10

General Discussion / Re: ZL-1 Stock Eliminator

« on: February 25, 2020, 01:32:42 AM »

William, all that is good to know.  I only saw one production ZL1 "in the day" and that one was bought from a dealer in Alhambra and driven to a race shop to be converted into a Pro Stock car.  It was silver/black interior and it is my belief that it has since been restored.  Each bit of information serves to complete another piece of the puzzle.

c

11

General Discussion / Re: ZL-1 Stock Eliminator

« on: February 24, 2020, 09:19:45 PM »

Following up on this topic, this is a link to an advertisement for Billy Boyd's '69.  I am not sure if the car is an original ZL1 car.  <https://www.chevyhardcore.com/news/gallery-super-stock-69-zl-1-camaro-up-for-grabs/>

Images of the McClanahan Family car can be found at:
<https://www.google.com/search?q=brian+mcclanahan+racing&oq=Brian+McClanahan+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l2.20359j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8>

The McClanahan car is not an original ZL1 car.  Brian, his son (Ryan), and his dad (Jerry), have each been crowned a World Champion in Stock or Super Stock NHRA drag racing .  To my knowledge, this family is the only three-generational group to accomplish this feat.

12

General Discussion / Re: ZL-1 Stock Eliminator

« on: February 24, 2020, 08:28:52 PM »

For many years, the ZL1 weight-to-horsepower ratio was too stout to qualify for Stock Eliminator when the fastest class was A/S that broke at 8 pounds per horsepower.  Several years ago, with the addition of the AA/S and AA/SA classes that break at 7.5 pounds per horsepower the combination is eligible for Stock.  It is currently rated at 445 horsepower which means that a ZL1 Camaro has to cross the scales at 3505# after driver weight is added.  In 2019, seven cars including last year's World Champion, Brian McClanahan, made runs in AA/SA while claiming that combination.  I don't know if any or all of them actually used the aluminum block. Obviously, in recent years, the combination has been used more frequently. No cars teched in with that combination in AA/S. 

I know that Billy Boyd, a racer from Colorado, ran a ZL1 aluminum block in S/S within the last 30 years and there were probably others but I can't name them.  The first NHRA legal stocker to record a 9 second run and tear down for the record was Bobby DeArmond in about 2001, however that car was equipped with an L72, iron block motor.

13

General Discussion / Re: Very Late Built Camaro & Interesting

« on: August 02, 2019, 01:19:59 PM »

Our car is a 10C, LeMans Blue X11.  700017

14

Restoration / Re: Torx door strikers

« on: April 23, 2019, 03:04:34 PM »

My Nov 69 Norwood car has Allen head strikers...

As does my 10C, late VIN, Norwood coupe.

c

15

General Discussion / Re: When was the 1st 68 Camaro built and sold?

« on: March 23, 2019, 06:10:06 PM »

I owned '68 VIN 8N300200 for about twenty years.  The date code format on the trim tag was 08C.  The car was an NHRA Stock Eliminator competitor when I bought it and was still a race car when I sold it.

c