Hemi Head Z/28

Z28Guy · #1 08-21-2002, 07:36 PM

Back in 1996 or 1997 at the Silver Auction at Hot August Nights in Reno there was a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 with factory experimental Hemi heads up for bid. Does anyone know anything about this car? The car was allegedly owned by Reggie Jackson.

**Mr70** · #2 08-21-2002, 08:27 PM

Was it Yellow and did it have a Cross ram?
If so I believe Charley Lillard owns it.
According to CHP,there will be an upcoming article about it soon.
Charley??

copolocater · #3 08-21-2002, 09:33 PM

There was also a hemi head 69 at Floyd Garrett's a while ago. Don't know if it's still there.I was there to check out Jim's 67 yenko and it was in the corner. If I can remember it was a crossram.Call Floyd.

**Charley Lillard** · #4 08-21-2002, 10:05 PM

I have a Yellow one but it was never at Reno. Reggie owns a Silver one. It was probably his. I go every year and I never saw it there though.

**copo69** · #5 08-21-2002, 10:10 PM

A silver hemi head car was at
Floyd's a couple of weeks ago.

JoeC · #6 08-22-2002, 12:01 AM

Smokey Yunick talked about those heads in his book. They look more like a semi Hemi or Porcupine big block design head. They also look very cool. There is nice engine picture of Charlie's on the net.
http://www.camarogenerations.com/mem...es/yunick.html

**Jeff H** · #7 08-22-2002, 02:48 AM

Somebody had a set of these heads on Ebay last year. I was seriously thinking about buying them to put on my JL8 car but after talking to Charley about some of the hard to find parts I decided not to pursue it. You need to find a crossram base for them and I think the distributor is different too. Very coo, racing inspired parts, but according to Wayne Guinn's book, they didn't flow any better than the stock heads ported.

Chevy454 · #8 08-22-2002, 04:20 AM

How many sets of heads were made?

copolocater · #9 08-22-2002, 05:24 AM

Rob you should talk Wes Jerde who built motors for Dick's shop.I think it was him that told me that he and Dick went to GM to tour the facility on the premise of seeing production of the hemi motor.I can't remember but I think they were invited there to provide some input?

JoeC · #10 08-22-2002, 11:37 AM

Chevy and Ford both went wild to win the Trans-Am Champship 1967 to 69. Ford built the Tunnel Ram 302 with huge heads so Chevy built the Porcupine 302. The Tunnel Ram didn't run that well so Ford changed to the Boss 302. The Chevy/Traco 302 motors were making enough HP with the old fulie heads so they didn't use the Porcupine heads. If I remember correctly, Smokey said in his book that about 200 sets were cast and they were going to release them as an over the counter service part to make them legal in SCCA but never completed the program.