Sweet '69

[Trailnut]

Saw a '69 CAMARO yesterday (orange with white rally stripes and very clean), had a small block in her. The breather decal showed 302 CI - 290 HP. If that's true, the new V6 with 312 HP is rocking compaired to the 1st Gen. small V8. Probably gets twice the fuel mileage also

[SlingShot]

Originally Posted by Trailnut

Saw a '69 CAMARO yesterday (orange with white rally stripes and very clean), had a small block in her. The breather decal showed 302 CI - 290 HP. If that's true, the new V6 with 312 HP is rocking compaired to the 1st Gen. small V8. Probably gets twice the fuel mileage also

Don't believe the 290, it's way higher than that ... And the torque will put you in your seat ...

[HDDAN]

The 302 was the Trans-am racing series engine used in the Z-28. It actually made around 400 HP. They put a 283 crank into a 327 block to qualify for the 5 liter sedan class.

[Vega]

Ohhhh yeah haha, they've been reported up to 450hp at the wheels with the optional performance carb, makes you wonder how much better the 427 was, sure it packed a few more horses but maybe the weight made up for it? Id like to see a comparison

[chuckstacamaro]

I believe the HP rating at the time for the RPO Z/28 was closer to 370HP in 1968/1969 at least that is what was mentioned in the car rags at the time.

[macalot]

You can banter HP #ers all you want.....also, chassis dyno machines will give differing HP numbers. That being said I've had dyno machines report anywhere from 295 HP to 340 HP at the rear wheels on my car, basically a stock 302, even running the original distributor. I will tell you that IF my competition was out in front going down the 1/4 mile, i'd most likely(no not always) run them down the last 300' or so. That 302 is wicked when it gets twisted up, especially with 4.56's.

[Nine Ball]

I'm a 69 fanatic, owned several. Still have two in my shop right now.

The guys saying the 302ci Z28 engine was a monster are grasping at glorious past memories. 69 Z28 was a mid-high 13 second car stock. In a 3400 lb car, figure ~285-300 rwhp. Not 400+ like some old wives tales would suggest.

Think about it, it is still just an SBC with cast iron crappy-port heads. Getting anything close to 300 rwhp out of an SBC is still tough to do nowadays with better parts available. If you want to retain drivability, at least.

[redman]

The 302 was sure a high revving motor. Back in day the Z was perhaps the most popular D/S car in NHRA. With a 7" slick, 5.38 rear gears, balanced motor and turning 8grand they would go mid 11's. Street cars were a different story and usually got dusted by a good running 350. My rig was a 427 Chevelle and the Z 28's were no match at all. DUH

[macalot]

I am talking street cars, not race cars......I can honestly say that I consistently turned in 13.3 or abit lower in my stock Z back in the 70's....with street tires and mufflers(ok chambered exhaust). What got me most of my wins was the fact that the ole 302 never skipped a beat and ran very, very consistent. The majority of street cars and even street rods driven to the track and ran as is, didn't normally perform all that well. Heck, I used to beat a 440 6 pack road runner about 50% of the time cause he couldn't keep the motor/carbs tuned right. I personally could give a crap about what a street car turns in the 1/4, cause you can be rest assured, most of the time, that it won't be running that good after driving around town. At least that's the way it was around here back in the day......Just saying

[2010 SSRS]

awesome motors

[bhut]

Was home on vacation a week ago and drove side by side shooting the breeze with a couple of guys in a small-block 69 Camaro. It was hugger orange with white hockey stripes, mine is IOM with black hockey stripes - was kinda neat.

[usa1camaro1969]

Originally Posted by Vega

Ohhhh yeah haha, they've been reported up to 450hp at the wheels with the optional performance carb, makes you wonder how much better the 427 was, sure it packed a few more horses but maybe the weight made up for it? Id like to see a comparison

Spoken like a true "never ridden in a true big block car" before. The small block 302 had to wind way up to make power and the 427's could stick you to the seat and wind up also. The small block needed more than a carb for that kind of hp, and I'd be skeptical if they were saying at the wheels and not at the crank.
I've got a 396'4-spd combo in a '67 and a 468'5-spd combo in a '68. They both have aluminum heads so there isn't much weight difference than a cast iron headed small block. Keep your mice, I like my rats.

[RichieFlorida]

Originally Posted by Nine Ball

I'm a 69 fanatic, owned several. Still have two in my shop right now.

The guys saying the 302ci Z28 engine was a monster are grasping at glorious past memories. 69 Z28 was a mid-high 13 second car stock. In a 3400 lb car, figure ~285-300 rwhp. Not 400+ like some old wives tales would suggest.

Think about it, it is still just an SBC with cast iron crappy-port heads. Getting anything close to 300 rwhp out of an SBC is still tough to do nowadays with better parts available. If you want to retain drivability, at least.

I had a 302 in this car many many years ago. It would have ripped a new Camaro easily. I ran a 13.2 back in 1977 with this car at Englishtown. Now I have a small block 427 with 565rwhp and it idles perfect at 900 rpms. I prefer now to pick on new ZO6's since they make better kills.








Nineball you will like the next picture. I like to attend the Viper club meetings in my 69. I have run several members from the VCA and they all have the same sad story to tell Except of course Lee's Blue 08. He has a TT Heffner package and that car is amazing but then I don't need to tell you about Vipers old friend. I picked up an 09 B/W. Love the new 600 horse engine