How many ZL1s did GM give to racers?
 

I have been under the assumption for years that GM gave one to Dick Harrell and one to Lamar Walden. At the last SEMA show I attended, probably 8 years or so ago I bought a Camaro book from the author of the book who then autographed it. We were just standing there talking and somehow in the conversation he said that there is no record of GM giving a ZL1 to anyone other than Dick Harrell. I didn't know what to make of this and didn't really care. Now I have heard that same thing again.

Maybe it's one of those memories that have been obscured by time or maybe there is some real proof somewhere. I tend to believe what I've always heard and that is that two racers were given cars. Is there another opinion and any proof of it?

Re: How many ZL1s did GM give to racers?
 

Though some would like for you to think that Dick Harrell owned the '69 ZL-1 he raced, car #1, it was in fact owned by Fred Gibb. And from what Helen has said, none of the ZL-1 they received were free, far from it.

Re: How many ZL1s did GM give to racers?
 

As I understood the story GM gave away two ZL1s to prominent GM racers because the cars wouldn't sell and this would help get the word out. Is this not true?

Re: How many ZL1s did GM give to racers?
 

I thought The Grump got one of them. or was it they gave out just the engines

Re: How many ZL1s did GM give to racers?
 

Grump just had an engine, not sure if he bought it or not, though...and I've never heard of *any* racer getting a complete ZL1 Camaro.

Re: How many ZL1s did GM give to racers?
 

But it was built using a siamese Can-Am block, wasn´t it ? And he used a shorter stroke crank with that bigger bore block, the rumour says.

Re: How many ZL1s did GM give to racers?
 

Bill Jenkins ZL-1 Camaro was not one of the 69 production cars. It was built as an L78/M22 SS and retro-fitted with a ZL-1 engine from one of the Ammon R. Smith ZL-1s.

http://www.camaros.org/copo.shtml

Re: How many ZL1s did GM give to racers?
 

Probably my ZL1.

Re: How many ZL1s did GM give to racers?
 

Whiner https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif

Re: How many ZL1s did GM give to racers?
 

[ QUOTE ]
But it was built using a siamese Can-Am block, wasn´t it ? And he used a shorter stroke crank with that bigger bore block, the rumour says.

[/ QUOTE ]I believe you are correct Anders! I am not sure Grump ever really liked the ZL-1 block and so forth. I do remember Jenkins, while maybe not getting cash in hand from Chevy he got loads of parts to sell. Heard that a few times years ago but no real proof!