Did the 1969 Z/28 story begin with this Camaro?
 

https://i.postimg.cc/bNy7v4dn/MM210-STOCK1-14.jpg

Did the 1969 Z/28 story begin with this Camaro?

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/art...he-first-draft

Short spoiler and nonchrome exhaust would make me say yes...but I thought Sports Car 200 tires didn't come out until later in the model year?

Is that the Pilot Car belonging to Larry Christianson?

From the Hemmings article, yes sir...:beers:

Sounds like it is. Interesting about the hood though. My understanding is the first "production" ZL2 hoods arrived with the COPO ZL-1 on December 30th 1968? Seems interesting that this car which was maybe an August-September build 68 car would have one? I'm sure the development of the hood was several months at least. The original air cleaner would most likely a prototype level also. Pity it was lost.

We went over that in another thread about this car because I questioned the same thing. It was never explained.

Other than we know the fiberglass hoods were around at that time, and designed for the cross ram (which this car is not equipped with), there hasn't been any data I've seen that tells us the steel production hoods were around at that time frame. It's often believed and stated the first production ZL1 in late December 68 saw the first assembly line ZL2 hood. I don't think anyone at this point has found a ZL2 hood with a stamped date earlier than about 50 or so.

My Z is just a few serial numbers away from the first ZL1 and all the sheetmetal on it is stamped 50 or 51.

Would love to hear more.

This is the best photo I have seen of the engine compartment of the car. You can see a small section of the hood.

I've never seen a PCV setup like that before. The air cleaner-hood seal is also pretty unique. Doesn't appear to be a deep groove PS pulley.

I saw the car in person. Yes it does have some oddities. Enough that it makes you believe it's another clone. The data tag is missing etc... Rear stripes extend down under the spoiler, chrome air cleaner lid, and a lot of other little things throughout that isn't considered "the norm". I would also have expected to see an earlier smog tube setup on the driver side with the center port that I've seen on a few very early 69's???
William explained most of this in the other thread on this car that makes sense. The ZL2 setup on such an early car still remains a mystery though.

This was an Engineering/Styling car, not production. '68 parts [floor & trunk pan], hand-made parts, temporary tooling parts, pilot run parts. The 10/68 Motor Trend photos were taken no later than July '68, a full month prior to production start-up at Norwood.

this CRG post has info on the early cowl hoods

there was an adapter to use it with single Holley

http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=8105.0