Author Topic: The Hugger goes ZL-1....  (Read 115189 times)

hgger69

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The Hugger goes ZL-1....
« on: August 19, 2015, 09:51:09 AM »
Hi guys,
During the 10 years that I now have had my Camaro it has gone thru a lot of different shapes, not much has changed every time but something.
I've also tried to walk on the thin line between what was original to the car and adding some mild customizations...I want the car to behave well and still look as it could have done in the 60_ or 70:ies!  8)
Here is a kind of resume and examples of what I´ve done with the car so far.

This is how it locked in the ad at eBay 10 years ago, taken from its origin in Waterloo, Illinois:




It was a descent restoration but much were loose due to a fast selling procedure. The wheels had wrong backspace and were made for a Corvette, therefore it was equipped with hi-jackers! First thing was to get rid of the ugly jackers, swap the wheels to 18" American Eagle and a lot of small corrections...


After that I mounted a Hotchkis sport leaf kit and adjusted the exhaust:


...the engine bay before and after minor adjustments:




I got tired of the bling-bling and the wheels set up went to original look:


Changed the grill color for correct argent silver:


Done some touch up for the interior as well....before:


...and after:


Then it was time for the larger bumper guards. I think this has been on the car as an option from the beginning...it seemed that way in the front at least. I also widened the rear rims so they now are 14x7" and the front is 14x6. Were lucky to find some NOS rear tires with the dimension H70-14!


The latest, so far, set of wheels are these almost period correct American Racing S200, though these are 17" and with custom built backspace for The Hugger. Its great to have another set of wheels to alternate with for the steel wheels, which I always will keep!

The next level in my life with a 69 Camaro - the engine swap!
I've always loved the real deal COPO 9560 and it has certainly had an affect on me how I've putted the car together so far...I certainly don't have the money to buy a genuine 9560 so the second best for me is to build my own ZL-1 engine and put in The Hugger!

This project doesn't have a specific deadline so I'm going to update this thread whenever something new has happened and when I've the time, and money, necessary to continue the swap.

The background data on the car is rather interesting because The Hugger is a original X44 car and also the VIN is close to the VIN that the 69 original COPO 9560 had......so who knows?  :P
It already has a 12 bolt Chevy rear with 4.10 gear, front disc brakes and the steel wheels with dog dish caps.
We will also try to keep the TH350, the cooler, front springs etc to keep the cost down but still get a functional car!?

Just to clarify, were not going to build a perfect COPO clone here but as close as we can with the given conditions! Fell free to comment and help us during these project, I know you guys have tons of information of how this should be made as good as possible and I'm all ears!  :)

....this will be continued. Welcome!
Regards,
Hakan from Sweden
1969 Camaro X44, hugger orange, 427 ZL-1 tribute, TH350, 4:10 12 bolt Posi, RPO Z87, black/white houndstooth, 14" steel wheels & dog dish, 02D built
www.hakansmotorsida.com

69Z28-RS

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Re: The Hugger goes ZL-1....
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2015, 12:45:30 PM »
You have a great looking car, Hakan!  .. and I like the changes (improvements) you've made to the car over the years!  Personally, I like the car the way you have it now, but if one has to 'have a big block', then an all aluminum ZL-1 is a great way to go!  :)
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ko-lek-tor

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Re: The Hugger goes ZL-1....
« Reply #2 on: August 19, 2015, 02:20:02 PM »
Hakan,
Looking real good there! How did you widen the rear steel wheels to 14x7?  And....Hugger Orange does rule, especially with a big block! Way to go.  8)
Bentley to friends :1969 SS/RS 396 owned 79
1969 SS 350 (sold)
1969 D.H.COPO replica 4spd. owned since 85
1967 302 4 spd 5.13

69Z28-RS

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Re: The Hugger goes ZL-1....
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2015, 03:04:48 PM »
Didn't the COPO cars come from the factory with 14x7 steel wheels and little caps?  :)
09C 69Z28-RS, 72 B 720 cowl console rosewood tint
69 Corvette, '60 Corvette, '72 Corvette
90 ZR1 red/red #246, 90 ZR1 white/gray #2466
72 El Camino, '55-'56-'57 Nomads, '55-'57 B/A Sedan

william

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Re: The Hugger goes ZL-1....
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2015, 05:34:09 PM »
Didn't the COPO cars come from the factory with 14x7 steel wheels and little caps?  :)

The standard wheel for COPO 9560 & 9561 was the same 14" x 7" wheel [XT code] used on Camaro SS. Some were ordered with rally wheels; those were also 14" x 7" [YJ code] optional on Camaro SS.

COPOs also ordered with COPO 9737 Sports Car Conversion received 15" x 7" rally wheels [YH code] with E70 x 15 tires as used on Z/28s. COPO 9737 was only available with COPO 9560 or 9561.
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hgger69

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Re: The Hugger goes ZL-1....
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2015, 09:08:13 PM »
You have a great looking car, Hakan!  .. and I like the changes (improvements) you've made to the car over the years!  Personally, I like the car the way you have it now, but if one has to 'have a big block', then an all aluminum ZL-1 is a great way to go!  :)
Thanx Gary, really like your support! :)
Since the the original V8, whatever it was, is long gone I thought it would be fun to get the ZL-1!
Regards,
Hakan from Sweden
1969 Camaro X44, hugger orange, 427 ZL-1 tribute, TH350, 4:10 12 bolt Posi, RPO Z87, black/white houndstooth, 14" steel wheels & dog dish, 02D built
www.hakansmotorsida.com

BULLITT65

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Re: The Hugger goes ZL-1....
« Reply #6 on: August 20, 2015, 03:57:38 AM »
Hey I like the changes you have made thus far. (I am on the fence with the front bumper guards)
So my question is how far are you going to take it?

Are you going to pop off the 350 emblems &  fill the holes ?
Remove the white stripes?

I know the current mechanical gauges you have are probably very accurate, but are you going to put the factory gauges in ?

What is your image of the car being done?
1969 garnet red Z/28 46k mile unrestored X77
-Looking for 3192477 (front) spiral shocks 3192851 (rear)
-Looking for an original LOF soft ray windshield
-Looking for original Delco side post negative battery cable part # 6297651AV

hgger69

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Re: The Hugger goes ZL-1....
« Reply #7 on: August 20, 2015, 06:30:27 AM »
Hakan,
Looking real good there! How did you widen the rear steel wheels to 14x7?  And....Hugger Orange does rule, especially with a big block! Way to go.  8)
Thanx, man!
I took the wheels to a shop that's specialized in widening rims and we made them 1" on the outside to get more depth for the hub cap! :)
Its very professional done and looks like an original rim.
Hugger orange always rules and its original to this car..... 8)
Regards,
Hakan from Sweden
1969 Camaro X44, hugger orange, 427 ZL-1 tribute, TH350, 4:10 12 bolt Posi, RPO Z87, black/white houndstooth, 14" steel wheels & dog dish, 02D built
www.hakansmotorsida.com

hgger69

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Re: The Hugger goes ZL-1....
« Reply #8 on: August 20, 2015, 06:42:30 AM »
Hey I like the changes you have made thus far. (I am on the fence with the front bumper guards)
So my question is how far are you going to take it?

Are you going to pop off the 350 emblems &  fill the holes ?
Remove the white stripes?

I know the current mechanical gauges you have are probably very accurate, but are you going to put the factory gauges in ?

What is your image of the car being done?
Hey Bullit,
I just love the bumper guards, makes the car looks meaner in my opinion, but this are things that are so easy to change so...and, as I wrote earlier, I think they have been in the front all the time cause the holes seems were already there when I bought the car and the look old...!?

Regarding how far I will go it depends of money and time! :)
I want to repaint the car in the future and that includes to get rid of the stripes, remove the holes in the fender, drop the spoilers and maybe put factory gauges in the console!
I also want to put the DX-1 stripe on it but I want the complete stripe kit made of vinyl, anybody seen that? I can't find anything but the painting stencils and that's not what I want....:(

During the time I've bought the incorrect 427 fender emblems, but they fit in the same hole as the 350:ies.... :)
Regards,
Hakan from Sweden
1969 Camaro X44, hugger orange, 427 ZL-1 tribute, TH350, 4:10 12 bolt Posi, RPO Z87, black/white houndstooth, 14" steel wheels & dog dish, 02D built
www.hakansmotorsida.com

hgger69

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Re: The Hugger goes ZL-1....
« Reply #9 on: August 20, 2015, 06:55:25 PM »
If you're going to build this kind of high end engine you have to start from the ground and what's more suitable then the block? ;)

As you guys already know the real deal ZL-1 block from 1969 to the 70:ies cost a lot of big money so that's out of the question, for me at least....  ::)
Then we heard that Chevrolet Racing Parts, you can read more here  http://www.superchevy.com/features/sucp-0109-chevy-zl-1-engine-new/, had started to make new ZL-1 blocks from the old original tooling! Now things starting to get interesting........

We did a scan of eBay and after a while we found a brand new 12370850, which is new part number from Chevrolet, to the right price and took it home to Sweden:






There is a serial number with the new block but I'm not sure how to value that? Does anybody know how many of this new casting Chevrolet have made so far?


Great detailing:


Far as we know these new castings have the same casting number as the original 1969 blocks from Winters Foundry, #3946053!
We haven't had the block out of the wooden box yet to confirm this.....we are waiting for the rest of engine parts before anything happens....

This is how Chevrolet describes the block themselves:

The Chevrolet ZL1 Aluminum Big Block is back and better than ever. This block was first introduced in the 1969 Corvette and Camaro. It was one of the rarest production engines ever built. Now the improved version is available. This block is based on the original tooling. The new casting is made from 356-T6M aluminum alloy and has a 4.118" cast iron liner that can be bored to 4.300". The bottom end has also been improved with new four-bolt splayed steel main caps, with dowel pins to locate and hold the caps in place. This block includes screw-in freeze plugs with o-ring seals, and a two-piece rear seal. The new block has a provision for both dry sump or regular oil pump systems and mechanical fuel pump. All GM performance cylinder heads will fit this block and it only weighs 110 lbs. The maximum stroke is 4.375".


....so now it's just to find the rest of the missing parts!  ;D
Regards,
Hakan from Sweden
1969 Camaro X44, hugger orange, 427 ZL-1 tribute, TH350, 4:10 12 bolt Posi, RPO Z87, black/white houndstooth, 14" steel wheels & dog dish, 02D built
www.hakansmotorsida.com

BULLITT65

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Re: The Hugger goes ZL-1....
« Reply #10 on: August 20, 2015, 07:23:11 PM »
Wow what a nice piece!  Can you mention the cost of the short block? also what did it run you for shipping?
1969 garnet red Z/28 46k mile unrestored X77
-Looking for 3192477 (front) spiral shocks 3192851 (rear)
-Looking for an original LOF soft ray windshield
-Looking for original Delco side post negative battery cable part # 6297651AV

1968RSZ28

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Re: The Hugger goes ZL-1....
« Reply #11 on: August 20, 2015, 07:43:02 PM »
Quote
Wow what a nice piece!  Can you mention the cost of the short block?

Austin, it's a bare block and they're asking $4900.00 or B/O...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GM-RACING-12370850-ZL-1-ALUMINUM-V8-BLOCK-NEW-/351280881187?hash=item51c9f8de23&vxp=mtr

Paul

BULLITT65

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Re: The Hugger goes ZL-1....
« Reply #12 on: August 20, 2015, 08:24:51 PM »
Thank you , Paul. Good that guys have the option, and thanks for posting the link.
1969 garnet red Z/28 46k mile unrestored X77
-Looking for 3192477 (front) spiral shocks 3192851 (rear)
-Looking for an original LOF soft ray windshield
-Looking for original Delco side post negative battery cable part # 6297651AV

hgger69

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Re: The Hugger goes ZL-1....
« Reply #13 on: August 20, 2015, 09:42:03 PM »
Wow what a nice piece!  Can you mention the cost of the short block? also what did it run you for shipping?
It really is, thanx!
I bought it from a privat person at the same price and free freight! .....to California will say!
We have a company here in my hometown that get containers from California Shipping almost each month so I got the block to my town Umea, Sweden for like $ 260 incl. shipping, tax and toll!
Regards,
Hakan from Sweden
1969 Camaro X44, hugger orange, 427 ZL-1 tribute, TH350, 4:10 12 bolt Posi, RPO Z87, black/white houndstooth, 14" steel wheels & dog dish, 02D built
www.hakansmotorsida.com

BULLITT65

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Re: The Hugger goes ZL-1....
« Reply #14 on: August 21, 2015, 04:32:51 AM »
not bad at all. Keep the updates and pics coming.
1969 garnet red Z/28 46k mile unrestored X77
-Looking for 3192477 (front) spiral shocks 3192851 (rear)
-Looking for an original LOF soft ray windshield
-Looking for original Delco side post negative battery cable part # 6297651AV