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Here's the story...
Imagine having a new Corvette with more power than a big-block, and the weight of a small-block. That was the basic idea behind the all-aluminum, 427 ZL-1 Corvette. The idea of an all-aluminum engined Corvette was first outlined in 1957 as the "Q-Corvette." What finally emerged was more than anyone ever expected.
While everyone loved the 427's power, Duntov was not happy to have 51% of the Corvette's weight over the front wheels. Some calculating showed that if the engine was completely made of aluminum, the weight would be close to a small-block. So it was decided to go-for-broke and make the ZL-1 a monster.
Duntov started with a "stock" L88 and added an aluminum block that was fitted for a dry-sump oil system, larger main bearing bulkheads, extra cylinder head bolts, 12:1 compression pistons, a new camshaft, and open-chamber aluminum heads. Cast-iron sleeves were installed in the piston bores to solve the wear problem with the aluminum block. With a set of headers, the ZL-1 made over 585 horsepower at 6,600 rpm! Since the L88 was already void of unnecessary street hardware, the ZL-1 optioned Corvette weighed in at only 2,908 pounds, about the weight of a 1957 Vette.
The big hitch for the ZL-1 was its price. The ZL-1 option alone cost $3,000 on top of the L88 option. That made the ZL-1 cost over $10,000 in 1969! That was almost twice the cost of a normal 427 street Corvette.
Only two ZL-1 Corvettes were ever made, making them the rarest Corvettes ever. Performance was amazing: 12.1 quarter mile time and 180 mph top speed. This was really Chevrolet's all-out racing Corvette!
Be sure to check out the NEW Illustrated Corvette Series Portfolio.
This portfolio of Scott Teeters' "Vette Magazine" series, covers every production Corvette from 1953 to 1996. Also included are all of the major Corvette show cars, engineering prototypes, concept cars, and several Corvette racers.
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All of our prints are only $19.95 + $3.95 for shipping & handling.
