Steve's Camaro Parts

Steve's Camaro Parts

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Classic Camaro Parts - Happy New Year - Steves Camaro Parts San Bruno - 650-873-1890

Happy New Year






No Other Camaro Supplier in the Business Comes Close to Our Selection.  We have been serving the Camaro Community since 1976 and Supplying Camaro Parts since 1981.

 YOU ARE NOT JUST BUYING PARTS – YOU ARE GETTING OUR CAMARO EXPERTISE


Tags: camaro part, camaro parts, Camaro restoration parts, 69 camaro, 1969 camaro, aftermarket camero parts, chevrolet camaro, ss, z28, rs, chevrolet, restoration, 68 camaro, chevy, 67, 69, f-body, camaro, chevy camaro, chevrolet camaro, gm, z-28, 350, ls1, z/28, pace car, camaro ss, 69 camaro, first generation, copo, fbody, yenko, 67 camaro, 68 camaro, musclecar, second generation

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Classic Camaro Parts - The Legend of the Camaro ZL1 - Steves Camaro Parts San Bruno - 650-873-1890





 
The Legend of the Camaro ZL1
 


The ZL1 Camaro is likely the most legendary vehicle in a long and storied history of Chevrolet muscle cars. Although only 69 ZL1s slipped out GM's doors, the ones that did were the fastest cars GM would sell for decades to come. The name of the all-aluminum 427 V8 became synonymous with what remains one of the most potent Camaros to ever leave the factory.

The ZL1 Engine was never intended to be put into a street legal production car. Chevrolet had developed the engine primarily for Can-Am racing and other track use under the hood of a Corvette. Featuring aluminum heads used on the also potent L88 iron block 427, the ZL1 also featured an entirely aluminum casting of the 427 engine block. The combination resulted in an engine that was rated at 435hp and weighed about the same as a small block 327.
The Legend of the Camaro ZL1
 
General consensus among those knowledgeable about ZL1s is that the engines actually produced in excess of 500hp. The engine could easily propel the Camaro in "stock" form to low 13 second ¼ miles. With minor modifications the cars were able to run deep into the 11s. In a time when muscle reigned supreme these kinds of numbers were unheard of.

The ZL1 Camaro came into existence through an exploitation of a Chevrolet factory process. The Central Office Production Order, known as COPO for short was a process that allowed vehicles to be specially ordered from the factory. The original intent was for specialty commercial vehicles, such as taxicabs or possibly trucks, although the process remains best known for the rare and special muscle cars it allowed Chevrolet dealers to produce.

Fred Gibb owned Gibb Chevrolet and was one of the dealers who were well versed in using COPO to produce rare muscle cars. Gibb Chevrolet was well known as a high performance Chevrolet dealership before Fred Gibb even conceived the Camaro ZL1. Dick Harrell, a longtime Chevrolet drag racer, had already been tuning COPO cars that Gibbs ordered for several years. The drag racer, who was already familiar with the ZL1 engine, had a hand in encouraging Fred Gibb to pitch manufacturing ZL1 Camaros to Chevrolet. Both men believed the ZL1 engine in a Camaro would prove dominant on the street and more importantly on the track for the 1969 NHRA season.

With this in mind Fred Gibb contacted Vince Piggins, who was the head of product performance for Chevrolet engineering, in the late summer of 1968. Piggins was the man with final approval over what could be ordered through the COPO system. ZL1 Camaro production would be approved, Piggins told Gibb, as long as the dealer placed an order for at least 50. Gibb said yes, Piggins approved the COPO 9560 package, and the stage was set for the production of one of the most serious Camaros Chevrolet ever built.


When the first two Dusk Blue 1969 ZL1 Camaros arrived at Gibb Chevrolet in La Harpe, Illinois neither of the cars would start due to the cold weather. That wasn't close to the worst of it for Gibb though. The sticker price on both cars, which has been previously unknown to the dealer, was over $7200. The price was significantly more than what a comparable iron blocked 427 COPO car cost. Not surprisingly, selling the expensive ZL1 turned out to be fairly sizable task.
The Legend of the Camaro ZL1

Although 50 of the first 52 ZL1 Camaros made were shipped to Gibb Chevrolet, the dealer was ultimately only able to sell 13, with the rest being returned to Chevrolet or exchanged with other dealers. After being prepped by Gibb Chevrolet, the ZL1s were tuned by Dick Harrell. The dealership sold their last ZL1 in 1972, although it was actually repossessed and returned to them a year later. Some of the other dealerships who ended up with the now legendary cars pulled the ZL1s and replaced them with less expensive engines in order to sell the cars.

In the end, a total of 69 ZL1 Camaros were built. Even though the cars were barely street cars, they were supported by a 5 year/50,000 mile warranty. Chevrolet actually considered a regular production option ZL1 at one point in 1969 but wisely decided it was not a good idea. The ZL1 engine was also put under the hood of two Corvettes before leaving the factory. Although the cars didn't sell well when new, they certainly do now.

The Legend of the Camaro ZL1

The low production numbers combined with the high performance potential make the ZL1 Camaro on of the most sought after rare muscle cars ever made. Before the collector car market burst, it was thought the ZL1 would be the first Camaro to sell for a million dollars. The Grey ZL1 seen at the top of the page sold for $486,000 in 2006 and you can see the sale of Reggie Jackson's green ZL1 post market implosion in the video above.

Although the just-unveiled Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will be the top-end performance package of the Camaro, Chevy's reborn muscle car, it won't…Taking into account the ZL1's reputation for being one of the fastest and most collectible Camaros ever made, it isn't hard to see why Chevrolet opted to bypass the Z28 name and name their new car the ZL1. Giving a production vehicle the name of what has until now been a Camaro legend for not only being the most powerful ever, but also for such a limited run, doesn't exactly sit right with us but it doesn't make the 2012 Camaro ZL1 any less cool. For now at least, the legendary 1969 will remain the first thing that comes to mind at the mention of the term ZL1.

P


by Tom Joslin
(Photo Credits: Barrett-Jackson and Hemmings)
No Other Camaro Supplier in the Business Comes Close to Our Selection.  We have been serving the Camaro Community since 1976 and Supplying Camaro Parts since 1981.

 YOU ARE NOT JUST BUYING PARTS – YOU ARE GETTING OUR CAMARO EXPERTISE


Tags: camaro part, camaro parts, Camaro restoration parts, 69 camaro, 1969 camaro, aftermarket camero parts, chevrolet camaro, ss, z28, rs, chevrolet, restoration, 68 camaro, chevy, 67, 69, f-body, camaro, chevy camaro, chevrolet camaro, gm, z-28, 350, ls1, z/28, pace car, camaro ss, 69 camaro, first generation, copo, fbody, yenko, 67 camaro, 68 camaro, musclecar, second generation

 

Monday, December 23, 2013

Classic Camaro Parts - Happy Holidays - Steves Camaro Parts San Bruno - 650-873-1890






source:  theautoblog.com


No Other Camaro Supplier in the Business Comes Close to Our Selection.  We have been serving the Camaro Community since 1976 and Supplying Camaro Parts since 1981.

 YOU ARE NOT JUST BUYING PARTS – YOU ARE GETTING OUR CAMARO EXPERTISE


Tags: camaro part, camaro parts, Camaro restoration parts, 69 camaro, 1969 camaro, aftermarket camero parts, chevrolet camaro, ss, z28, rs, chevrolet, restoration, 68 camaro, chevy, 67, 69, f-body, camaro, chevy camaro, chevrolet camaro, gm, z-28, 350, ls1, z/28, pace car, camaro ss, 69 camaro, first generation, copo, fbody, yenko, 67 camaro, 68 camaro, musclecar, second generation

Friday, December 20, 2013

Classic Camaro Parts - Some of our Featured Camaros - Steves Camaro Parts San Bruno - 650-873-1890

1969 Camaro RS SS Camaro (green)

Kevin Costa's very nice 1969 RS SS


1967 Camaro RS red

Joe Folchert's 1967 RS

1969 Camaro z/28 in green

John Campbell's 1969 Z/28

1969 Big Block RS/SS Camaro

Skip Vargas' 1969 RS/SS

1967 Camaro RS blue pro tour look

Tait Rush's 1967 Camaro RS

1969 Camaro SS

Randy Kappa's 1969 Camaro SS


1967 SS Camaro

Mike Hill's 1967 Camaro SS

No Other Camaro Supplier in the Business Comes Close to Our Selection.  We have been serving the Camaro Community since 1976 and Supplying Camaro Parts since 1981.

 YOU ARE NOT JUST BUYING PARTS – YOU ARE GETTING OUR CAMARO EXPERTISE


Tags: camaro part, camaro parts, Camaro restoration parts, 69 camaro, 1969 camaro, aftermarket camero parts, chevrolet camaro, ss, z28, rs, chevrolet, restoration, 68 camaro, chevy, 67, 69, f-body, camaro, chevy camaro, chevrolet camaro, gm, z-28, 350, ls1, z/28, pace car, camaro ss, 69 camaro, first generation, copo, fbody, yenko, 67 camaro, 68 camaro, musclecar, second generation

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Classic Camaro Parts - Check Out Bill Stumps 1967 Camaro - Steves Camaro Parts San Bruno - 650-873-1890

Check out these great pictures of Bill Stumps 1967 Camaro - Another Steve's Camaro Customer









No Other Camaro Supplier in the Business Comes Close to Our Selection.  We have been serving the Camaro Community since 1976 and Supplying Camaro Parts since 1981.

 YOU ARE NOT JUST BUYING PARTS – YOU ARE GETTING OUR CAMARO EXPERTISE


Tags: camaro part, camaro parts, Camaro restoration parts, 69 camaro, 1969 camaro, aftermarket camero parts, chevrolet camaro, ss, z28, rs, chevrolet, restoration, 68 camaro, chevy, 67, 69, f-body, camaro, chevy camaro, chevrolet camaro, gm, z-28, 350, ls1, z/28, pace car, camaro ss, 69 camaro, first generation, copo, fbody, yenko, 67 camaro, 68 camaro, musclecar, second generation


Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Classic Camaro Parts - Check Out Nelson Fernandez's 1969 Camaro - Steves Camaro Parts San Bruno - 650-873-1890





Nelson has a 1969 Camaro with a complete front and rear Rally Sport Conversion from Steve's Camaro Parts.

He has a LS3 engine rated at 480 HP and a 4L65E Automatic Transmission.



Customized interior with many components from Steve's Camaro Parts



 
 
Nelson's Camaro also has a Heidt's front end, a 4 link rear and and Wilwood four wheel disc brakes
Ford 9" rear end with 3:55 gears and locker
 





No Other Camaro Supplier in the Business Comes Close to Our Selection.  We have been serving the Camaro Community since 1976 and Supplying Camaro Parts since 1981.

 YOU ARE NOT JUST BUYING PARTS – YOU ARE GETTING OUR CAMARO EXPERTISE


Tags: camaro part, camaro parts, Camaro restoration parts, 69 camaro, 1969 camaro, aftermarket camero parts, chevrolet camaro, ss, z28, rs, chevrolet, restoration, 68 camaro, chevy, 67, 69, f-body, camaro, chevy camaro, chevrolet camaro, gm, z-28, 350, ls1, z/28, pace car, camaro ss, 69 camaro, first generation, copo, fbody, yenko, 67 camaro, 68 camaro, musclecar, second generation


 
 

 

Friday, December 13, 2013

Classic Camaro Parts - 1967 Sunoco Camaro “The Lightweight - Steves Camaro Parts San Bruno - 650-873-1890



For 1968 Roger and Mark had a “body-in-white” acid dipped and prepared an all new 1968 car, adding the weight back in choice areas to balance the car and make the minimum weight.  In its debut at Daytona it suffered cracked cylinder heads and lost to a Mustang. Vince Piggins, Mr. Camaro at Chevrolet, strongly suggested that Penske enter two cars at Sebring, the second TransAm of the year, which would be a 12-hour event within an event.  Not having time to prepare a second car, Mark retrieved “The Lightweight” which had gone back to Godsall, for a one-race partnership.  Roger and Mark fooled the tech inspectors by putting 1968 grille and taillights on the 1967 car and painting both cars identically.  Then they sent the legal 1968 car to tech twice, once with Number 15 and once with Number 16, this worked so well that they repeated the process in qualifying and “The Lightweight” actually qualified them both.  We know this because Mark put it into his book, “The Unfair Advantage”.

“The Lightweight” went on to win the TransAm and finish 3rd overall in the Sebring 12 Hour against a strong international prototype field, finishing behind a pair of factory Porsche 907’s.  The team went on to win 10 of 13 events in 1968 and claimed the TransAm championship for Chevrolet, repeating the feat in 1969. The team built two Camaro racers each of the three years for a total of six.  Four of these cars survive and all were present at the 2010 Kohler International Challenge at Road America where there was a reunion of Mark’s team and many of his cars.  They will also be at the Monterey Motorsports Reunion in August (Formerly Monterey Historics. 

Today the car has been restored to its 1968 Sebring appearance by Rick Parent who along with owner-driver Pat Ryan and son Sean Ryan comprise “Unfair Advantage Racing”, a name taken from the title of Mark’s book.  The team also campaigns the Frank Search TransAm 1971 Camaro for Sean.  The Sunoco Camaro remains remarkably close to its 1968 specifications with the 302 V-8 still built by Tra-co Engineering and sporting a prototype cross-ram manifold first used at Sebring in 1968.  SVRA rules require all TransAm cars to have original period engine blocks, intake manifolds, cylinder heads, brakes, and transmissions.   They are limited to the original engine displacement and must weigh no less than 3000 lbs.

This lightweight 1967 Sunoco Camaro was raced by independent Canadian racers from 1969 through 1972 and was then stored until discovered by Jack Boxstrom in a Sanair warehouse in 1985.  Unfair Advantage Racing has entered it at SVRA Mid-Ohio and Watkins Glen events each year since 1989.  It has also been a regular at the Monterey Historic Races and has been in more than 125 SVRA events, including the TransAm reunion at Watkins Glen in 1995, where it finished first overall. 

No Other Camaro Supplier in the Business Comes Close to Our Selection.  We have been serving the Camaro Community since 1976 and Supplying Camaro Parts since 1981.

 YOU ARE NOT JUST BUYING PARTS – YOU ARE GETTING OUR CAMARO EXPERTISE


Tags: camaro part, camaro parts, Camaro restoration parts, 69 camaro, 1969 camaro, aftermarket camero parts, chevrolet camaro, ss, z28, rs, chevrolet, restoration, 68 camaro, chevy, 67, 69, f-body, camaro, chevy camaro, chevrolet camaro, gm, z-28, 350, ls1, z/28, pace car, camaro ss, 69 camaro, first generation, copo, fbody, yenko, 67 camaro, 68 camaro, musclecar, second generation

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Classic Camaro Parts - Penske and Sunoco’s Z28, Trans Am Camaro Makes Road-Racing History - Steves Camaro Parts San Bruno - 650-873-1890


Photo: Mecca of Speed

Patrick Hogan of Littleton, Colorado has a fascinating collection of vintage race cars that were originally owned by Roger Penske and driven by championship racer, Mark Donohue. Among these are a ’67 Lola T70 Spyder, and the 1969 Sunoco Camaro Z28 that won many a victory at such prestigious circuits as Watkins Glen and Laguna Seca.

The Penske-Sunoco Z28 is a very hard car to miss, as decals from both sponsors are brightly-colored and adorn the car throughout. The story behind this original Trans-Am racing piece is that it took first place at Michigan International, Bridgehampton, Bryar Motorsports Park, Mont-Tremblant, Watkins Glen, Laguna Seca, Sears Point and Riverside during the 1969 racing season. Mark Donohue and the Penske Camaro Z28 won six out of twelve races to win for the Camaro a manufacturers’ championship.

Several modifications had to be made to the Camaro before it became the championship Trans-Am racer that made the Camaro nameplate into a road-racing legend. The most predominant of these was the acid-dipping process in which the Z28 undertook before being delivered to Roger Penske. Acid-dipping on race car bodies was a common practice for the time, and the purpose of dipping a car body in acid was to lower overall mass while maintaining the car’s strength and rigidity.
Photo: Mecca of Speed

Other track-oriented modifications to the Z28 included air channels built-into the doors for increased airflow to the rear brakes, quick-release brake pads and a custom-lube system in which oil could be added to the engine once it reached racing temperatures. All of these modifications are primitive, or so they seem, but the Penske team was the only one at that time who was using them, which allowed Penske to be more competitive than any other racing team at Trans-Am, winning more professional races at an increasingly-faster rate.

After the finish of the 1969 season, the Camaro was sent over to Jim Hall of Chaparral, who used the Z28 as a template for the design of the Camaro that would be raced during the 1970 Trans Am series. Roger Penske eventually sold that car to Roy Woods, who had driver Milt Minter drive the car to a victory in 1970 at the “Donnybrooke” race.

A championship, Trans Am racer with cutting-edge innovations for the time, the Penske-Sunoco Z28 is one of America’s most significant pieces of Trans Am racing history.
source: http://www.chevyhardcore.com/news/penske-and-sunocos-z28-trans-am-camaro-makes-road-racing-history/
by Salvatore Alaimo

No Other Camaro Supplier in the Business Comes Close to Our Selection.  We have been serving the Camaro Community since 1976 and Supplying Camaro Parts since 1981.

 YOU ARE NOT JUST BUYING PARTS – YOU ARE GETTING OUR CAMARO EXPERTISE


Tags: camaro part, camaro parts, Camaro restoration parts, 69 camaro, 1969 camaro, aftermarket camero parts, chevrolet camaro, ss, z28, rs, chevrolet, restoration, 68 camaro, chevy, 67, 69, f-body, camaro, chevy camaro, chevrolet camaro, gm, z-28, 350, ls1, z/28, pace car, camaro ss, 69 camaro, first generation, copo, fbody, yenko, 67 camaro, 68 camaro, musclecar, second generation

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Classic Camaro Parts - 1967 Camaro Z/28 History Trans Am - Steves Camaro Parts San Bruno - 650-873-1890





1967 Camaro Z/28 History

Text and photos from Chapter 6 of Michael Lamm's "The Great Camaro"; and also from Chapter 14 of John Hooper's "The 1967-1968 Camaro Reference Book".




1967 RPO Z28 - Special Performance Package includes 302-cid V8 engine, closed positive ventilation, dual exhaust with deep tone mufflers, special front and rear suspension, heavy-duty radiator and temperature controlled fan, quick ratio steering, 15x6 wheels, 7.35x15 nylon red stripe tires, 3.73:1 ratio axle and special paint stripes on hood and rear deck (requires 4-speed close ratio transmission, power brakes, front disc brakes or heavy-duty front disc brakes with metallic rear brakes; positraction recommended; Sport Coupe V8 only). 
Price - $358.10

Total 1967 Z28 production - 602.




If one man alone deserves credit for the Camaro Z-28, it's Vincent W. Piggins. Vince not only thought up the Z-28 but convinced Chevrolet management to put it into production so the car could be homologated and raced in SCCA's (Sports Car Club of America's) then-new Trans-Am sedan series.
Riverside Introduction, Nov. 1966
 

Steve Kelly wrings out first 302-cid Z-28 at Riverside introduction in Nov. 1966.

 
 
 
 
In fact, without Vince's prodding, the SCCA might never have continued Trans-Am sedan competition at all. It was only after Piggins assured SCCA officials that Chevrolet would lend its support that a racing schedule materialized for 1967.

Vince, who's been a Chevrolet engineer since 1956 and who was the man behind the Hudson Hornet's NASCAR championships in the early 1950's, explains the Z-28's creation with these words:

"After Ford released the Mustang, they had about two years on us before Chevrolet could get the Camaro into the 1967 product line. I felt in my activity, which deals with product promotion and how to get the most promotional mileage from a car from the performance standpoint, that we needed to develop a performance image for the Camaro that would be superior to the Mustang's.

"Along comes SCCA in creating the Trans-Am sedan racing class for professional drivers in 1966, aimed at the 1967 season. I made it a point to have several discussions with SCCA officials-notably Jim Kaser, John Bishop, and Tracy Byrd-and one thing led to another. I suggested a vehicle that would fit this class and, I believe -- supported by what Chevrolet might do with the Camaro -- it gave them heart to push ahead and make up the rules, regulations, and so forth for the Trans-Am series. I feel this was really the creation of the Trans-Am as we know it."

All this took place in mid-1966, several months before the Camaro actually came out. The series was going to be open to all American and European production sport sedans, FIA International Sporting Code, Chapter IV, Touring Cars, Group II, Appendix J. Rules held competitors to a 116-inch wheelbase maximum and 305 cid engine displacement, with only limited modifications. The rule, then as now, required a 1000 production minimum to be built by the end of any model year.

This was "sedan racing," mind you, and what qualified the Camaro and all ponycars as "sedans" was the fact that they had rear seats. And although Chevrolet sold only 602 Z-28's during 1967, they met the 1000 production rule by homologating the 350-cid Camaro under FIA Group I rules and then qualifying the same basic vehicle with the Z-28 option under Group II.

Now on August 16, 177, " continues Piggins, "I put together a memo to my boss, W.T. Barwell, that laid out the basic idea of the Z-28, although, of course, it wasn't called that then. We didn't name the car until several months later, but I'll get into that in a moment.

"This memo went out to engineers Alex Mair and Don McPherson, sales manager Bob Lund, Joe Pike in sale promotion, and C.C. Jakust. 1 said, in effect, that SCCA sedan racing was becoming increasingly popular and would blossom into even bigger things with the advent of the short-wheelbase, Mustang type ponycar.

"My proposal went on that since our projected engine line up for the 1967 Camaro had no V-8 smaller than the 327, and since we were above the 5000cc (305-cid) SCCA displacement limit for Class A sedans, we ought to take a high-performance version of the old 283 and wrap an option package around it to make it competitive within SCCA. You'll remember that the Barracuda was running a 273 V-8 at that time, and the Mustang's competitive engine was the 289. So our high-performance 283 would certainly have been right in there."

The key portions of Piggins' Aug. 17 memo said, "A new 283 high-performance engine plus other relative driveline and chassis items will provide performance and handling characteristics superior to either Mustang or Barracuda. To aid in the merchandising of this vehicle, certain other embellishments have been included to make the overall vehicle immediately identifiable and distinctive. The sales department anticipates a volume of 10,000 such vehicles could be sold in 1967."

Piggins now resumes his narrative: "My initial proposal suggested we use the 283 V-8 plus the F-41 optional suspension, with heavy-duty front coils and multi-leaf rear springs. I also requested the J-52 front disc brakes with J-65 metallic linings for the rear drums, the 11-inch clutch from the 396 V-8, the close-ratio 4-speed with 2.20 low, a brand-new steering gear with a 24:1 overall ratio, Corvette 15 x 6 wheels with 7.75 tires, and a special reworked hood to provide functional air intake. There were other modifications called for as well, and 1 suggested we make the package available only in the Camaro coupe, not the convertible, and that the Z-22 Rally Sport option form part of the equipment for this car. Now not all this equipment went into the production Z-28 automobile, but those were the initial parts called for."
1967 Z/28
While hood and deck striping came standard with Z-28, RS equipment and D-80 spoiler didn't. Both are visible here, plus optional bumper guards and vinyl top. Early Z's didn't carry 302 front-fender emblems.

 
 
 
 
 
Piggins got permission to have a pre-production Z-28 prototype built to these initial specifications, and during a "show-and-tell" session to top management at the GM Proving Grounds on Oct. 4, 1966, he trotted out the car.

One of his first passengers in the as-yet-unnamed Z-28 was Chevrolet's new general manager, Elliott M. (Pete) Estes. The ride didn't come until just before noon. After some full-throttle acceleration runs and a few dives through a slalom course, Piggins let Estes take the wheel.

"Estes was quite impressed with the performance of this 283-engined vehicle," recalls Piggins, "and as I explained to him what we planned to do to capture the Trans-Am championship and to produce a good performance image for the Camaro, it didn't take much convincing for Pete to see what I was aiming toward.

"The only thing. . ." continues Vince, "while we were driving the car, I mentioned that we'd put the 283 into it because we'd built that size engine before. But I suggested when we got back to the starting pad that it might be a lot better to take the 327 block and put the 283 crank into it, giving us a 4 x 3 bore and stroke. That would put displacement at 302.4 cid, just under the SCCA's 305 limit.

"So Pete immediately agreed, especially being an engineer and knowing the potential this car could have. Estes walked over to engineers Alex Mair and Don McPherson and said, `Let's release this package and develop a 302 engine to go with it.'

The actual Z28 work order was #19621-34 and read as follows:

Remove engine and send to motor room

Install engine #196231 - A high performance 283

Engine weight dressout was 572

dated October 11, 1966

"That was really the start of the Z-28, and we proceeded to homologate that vehicle with the FIA as of Jan. 1, 1967 as a Group II car."

1967 Z/28 Wheel
Mandatory front discs for '67 Z-28 complemented 15-in Rally wheels with "Disc Brakes" on spinners.
But even before that could happen, Chevrolet built up a prototype 302-engined showcar and actually displayed it for the motoring press at a special preview. This preview was held at Riverside International Raceway in California in Nov. 1966 at the windup of the ARRC events there.

Walt Mackenzie, who was Chevrolet's public relations liaison at the time, set up a special trackside tent at Riverside, with a technical news handout. This showed the Camaro coupe with what was called simply Regular Production Option (RPO) Z-28. The magazine writers and editors were allowed to drive this first Z-28. To a man, they loved the car, and MOTOR TREND, SPORTS CAR GRAPHIC, HOT ROD, CAR & DRIVER, ROAD & TRACK, and several others published rave reviews soon afterward.

Some people believed that the Z in Z-28 stood for Zora, as in Zora Arkus-Duntov, the Corvette engineer. Not so. Piggins had put a name on the original 283 prototype before he presented it at the October show-and-tell. The name Piggins had chosen was Cheetah. But Vince took that handmade decal off the car at the last moment, muttering, "Well, a name is a name is a name," and the coupe Estes drove carried no designation at all.

"There wasn't any suggestion of what we were going to call this car," notes Piggins. "When it came down to having to decide, somebody just said, `Hey, it's option RPO Z-28; let's call it Z-28!' So the name just grew from there. The graphics people did things with the Z, and that's how the designation stuck. The car got its name from the actual option number."

Ironically, Z-27 is the RPO number for the early Camaro Super Sport package, and Z-28 simply followed it sequentially. RPO Z-29 apparently hasn't been taken yet, but perhaps Chevrolet is keeping it in reserve for some future Z-28 successor.

You're aware, of course, that Camaro Z-28's won the Trans-Am championship two years running -- 1968 and 1969. The resulting publicity helped Camaro sales immeasurably.

Racing also transformed the early Camaro from a me-too car that followed the Mustang into an image car that consistently came in ahead of Mustangs on the track. So the Z-28 made a big difference in the Camaro's early sales record.

Not that the Z-28 you could buy over the counter in 1967-68-69 was anywhere near the same car that won SCCA championships, because the Z-28's that Roger Penske, Mark Donohue, Smokey Yunick, Ronny Bucknum, Jerry Thompson, Tony DeLorenzo, and other professionals ran were honed to an incredibly fine edge. 

But RPO Z-28 did at least form the basis of their cars, and as people like Penske and Donohue learned more about what they needed to win races, Chevrolet began making and cataloguing the parts. These parts immediately became available to everyone.

Horsepower was listed at 290 at 5800 rpm nominal. It's important to keep that word nominal in mind, because it means the 290 figure was just something somebody plugged into Chevy's spec sheets. It might just as well have been 300 or 350 or 400 bhp. Most, if not all, Z-28 302's put out more than 290 bhp and 290 foot-pounds of torque at 4200 rpm.

Actual horsepower depended a lot on which intake and exhaust manifolds you chose, which carburetor(s), and what internal mods you pursued. No actual dyno figures were ever released by Chevrolet for the 302-cid Z-28 engine, but the auto magazines didn't hesitate to speculate. Their estimates ranged from a realistic 350 bhp in ROAD & TRACK to 370-plus in SPORTS CAR GRAPHIC to 400 bhp in CAR LIFE. All-out, blueprinted racing versions, like those built by Traco and Yunick, probably delivered in the neighborhood of 450 bhp, which took some heavy tinkering to pull from 302 cid and still expect reliability.

One of the amazing facets of the first-generation Z-28 was its warranty. Chevrolet didn't flinch and applied the same 2year/24,000-mile warranty to the Z-28 automobile as a whole and its 5-year/50,000-mile warranty to the powertrain. That went beyond expectation and contrary to the practice of warranties for most high performance packages.
1967 Z/28 Engine
Cowl plenum chamber let cold air into air cleaner via big rubber duct. Headers cost $200-$300 additional, came in trunk for dealer or customer installations.






Chevrolet didn't especially encourage the purchase of Z-28's by private individuals at advertising the Camaro Z-28 until 1968. 

The first 25 Z-28's were built between Dec. 29, 1966 and Jan. 12, 1967. These went strictly to favored dealers, mostly for reworking as all-out competition cars. Z-28 #1 was shipped to Aero Chevrolet in Alexandria, Va., where it was groomed as Johnny Moore's entry in the Daytona 24-hour Continental. Cars #2, #3, and #4 went to Yenko Chevrolet, Canonsburg, Pa., for driver Ben Poster, also for Daytona.

Seattle dealer Alan Green received Z-28's #5 through #7, reselling one to a Daytona, Fla., dealer, one to a local Northwest dealer, and the third to a local customer. That means that Z-28 #7 was probably the first to fall into private hands. Many people believe that the 1967 Z-28 didn't debut until late in the model year, but that simply isn't true. A few were in private hands by Feb. 1, 1967.

Ron Tonkin, a Chevrolet dealer in Portland, Ore., ordered Z-28 #8 and placed it on his Beaver Racing Team, which ran mostly West Coast events. After careful preparation, it was involved in an accident while being trailered to its first race. That ended its competition career.

Nickey Chevrolet in Chicago, which went into racing in a big way (e.g. putting 427's into Camaros for the dragstrip), took delivery of Z-28's #9-#10-#11. Two of these ran at Daytona along with the Aero and Yenko cars.

Roger Penske acquired the 12th Z-28, his friend George Wintersteen picking it up at the factory on Jan. 10, 1967 and driving it back to Penske's Chevrolet agen cy in Reading, Pa. Penske immediately tore down the car and sent the engine to Traco in his push toward entering Daytona.

The next eight Z's went to a variety of customers, in cluding three shipped to other GM divisions and one sold to a GM Proving Grounds engineer named David D. Horchler. Car #21 was delivered to stunt driver Joie Chitwood in Tampa, Fla. Chitwood raced the car and has subsequently used Camaros in all his thrill shows ever since.

In Chevrolet's rush to get the first Z28's out to the races, the first 16 1967 Z28's used a 4-P body to get the cars to the Daytona race on time. The 4-L body style code was used after the first ordered Z28's were shipped out.

The 1967 Z28 was responsible for a long term race relationship with the Z28 and Vince Piggins of Chevrolet. The Penske/Donohue race team was largely responsible for bringing many heavy-duty race parts to the Chevrolet dealers' parts counters. Any part used on the racing Z28's had to be made available to the public.

Mr. Fred Gibb raced a 1967 Z28 for over a year and a half. He was a national winner in his class. It was his love for this car which led to the development of the 1969 ZL-1 Camaro.

To most of the die-hard Z28 fans, the main idea was to make your Z28 like one of the special Trans Am race cars like the Penske/Donohue racing Z28 Camaro.
source: http://www.67z28.com/history.htm

No Other Camaro Supplier in the Business Comes Close to Our Selection.  We have been serving the Camaro Community since 1976 and Supplying Camaro Parts since 1981.

 YOU ARE NOT JUST BUYING PARTS – YOU ARE GETTING OUR CAMARO EXPERTISE


Tags: camaro part, camaro parts, Camaro restoration parts, 69 camaro, 1969 camaro, aftermarket camero parts, chevrolet camaro, ss, z28, rs, chevrolet, restoration, 68 camaro, chevy, 67, 69, f-body, camaro, chevy camaro, chevrolet camaro, gm, z-28, 350, ls1, z/28, pace car, camaro ss, 69 camaro, first generation, copo, fbody, yenko, 67 camaro, 68 camaro, musclecar, second generation

 
 

Friday, December 6, 2013

Classic Camaro Parts - Transmission Identification - Steves Camaro Parts San Bruno - 650-873-1890



There are many of us out there who have trouble identifying transmissions when we are running through the wrecking or scrap yard. We have looked over numerous reference books to bring some understanding to this important and troublesome question. The transmission pans are the best way to discern the difference between the many varieties of transmissions. This is only a BASIC generalization and there are other smaller differences between the years of the transmission production.

 

 Manual Transmissions can also be generally identified, simply by looking at their profile. The main housing profile tells you what family it is part of.


No Other Camaro Supplier in the Business Comes Close to Our Selection.  We have been serving the Camaro Community since 1976 and Supplying Camaro Parts since 1981.

 YOU ARE NOT JUST BUYING PARTS – YOU ARE GETTING OUR CAMARO EXPERTISE


Tags: camaro part, camaro parts, Camaro restoration parts, 69 camaro, 1969 camaro, aftermarket camero parts, chevrolet camaro, ss, z28, rs, chevrolet, restoration, 68 camaro, chevy, 67, 69, f-body, camaro, chevy camaro, chevrolet camaro, gm, z-28, 350, ls1, z/28, pace car, camaro ss, 69 camaro, first generation, copo, fbody, yenko, 67 camaro, 68 camaro, musclecar, second generation

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Classic Camaro Parts - Camaro Terms and Phrases - Steves Camaro Parts - 650-873-1890




Terms and Phrases

   
"3/4 cam"; (pronounced "three quarter", not "three fourths". A "three fourths" cam would only work 12 of the 16 valves. This is one of those (bogus and vague) terms used in the old days for a high lift, long duration racing cam.
camshaft.gif
 
Basic V8 Camshaft
383"; a 350 block with a 400 crank
"700R4"; A good four speed automatic transmission for small blocks.
 
 
"4L60"; As far as I know, it's just a new name for the 700R4.
1967_1968_1969_camaro_700r.jpg
 
"balanced"; One of those over used and under defined terms. It could include items like matching the weights of the rods and also the pistons. Normally, it's used when talking about balancing the rotating mass, it other words, the crankshaft. What you will never hear is the accuracy of the balancing.
"Big Block"; Those big chevy engines. The factory engines range in displacement from 396 to 502. They are all (for the most part) the same size outside. Yes, you could make a 502 look like a 396.
"Blueprinted"; I really hate this term! It has to do with making the dimensions of the parts in the engine more accurate (and closer to the blueprint values). What you will almost never hear from the average joe is what values were used!
"BTDC"; before top dead center
"Bump Stick"; A camshaft.
"CFM"; This is a carburetor term and stands for "cubic feet per minute". It's the volume of air (over time) that the carburetor can pass. Bigger isn't always better!
1967_1968_1969_camaro_resto_carb.jpg 
 
"COPO"; Central Office Production Order. I wish that I could make up one!! It's an order to construct a non-standard car configuration.Another over used term
1967_1968_1969_camaro_67_copo.jpg 
 
 
"coupe"; A hard topped car without frames around the door windows. A sedan has a frame that's mounted to the door. As an example, a 70 Chevelle is a "coupe", a 64 Chevelle is a sedan.
"front clip"; the front end sheet metal forward of the firewall. On a Camaro, this should include the fenders, hood, radiator core support, bumpers, etc.

No Other Camaro Supplier in the Business Comes Close to Our Selection.  We have been serving the Camaro Community since 1976 and Supplying Camaro Parts since 1981.

 YOU ARE NOT JUST BUYING PARTS – YOU ARE GETTING OUR CAMARO EXPERTISE


Tags: camaro part, camaro parts, Camaro restoration parts, 69 camaro, 1969 camaro, aftermarket camero parts, chevrolet camaro, ss, z28, rs, chevrolet, restoration, 68 camaro, chevy, 67, 69, f-body, camaro, chevy camaro, chevrolet camaro, gm, z-28, 350, ls1, z/28, pace car, camaro ss, 69 camaro, first generation, copo, fbody, yenko, 67 camaro, 68 camaro, musclecar, second generation

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

1969 Camaro Parts San Bruno - Jerry Sanguinetti's 1969 Camaro - Steves Camaro Parts San Bruno - 650-873-1890

Check out Jerry Sanguinetti's 1969 Camaro



Jerry's 540

 

This beast of a blown 540 cubic inch big block is what is in Jerry Sanguinetti's 69 Camaro that you can see in the Chevy car part of our gallery.

This beast sports a forged 4340 crank, 4340 H beam rods, JE forged pistons, a full roller valve train, ported rectangle port heads, a port matched intake manifold, a Blower Shop 10-71 huffer, a 16 injector BDS EFI system, and a whole slew of other goodies




No Other Camaro Supplier in the Business Comes Close to Our Selection.  We have been serving the Camaro Community since 1976 and Supplying Camaro Parts since 1981.

 



 YOU ARE NOT JUST BUYING PARTS – YOU ARE GETTING OUR CAMARO EXPERTISE


Tags: camaro part, camaro parts, Camaro restoration parts, 69 camaro, 1969 camaro, aftermarket camero parts, chevrolet camaro, ss, z28, rs, chevrolet, restoration, 68 camaro, chevy, 67, 69, f-body, camaro, chevy camaro, chevrolet camaro, gm, z-28, 350, ls1, z/28, pace car, camaro ss, 69 camaro, first generation, copo, fbody, yenko, 67 camaro, 68 camaro, musclecar, second generation