Quote:
Originally Posted by Coolidge
I'm turning the big five-0 this year and thinking I may celebrate by buying myself a bad ass muscle car. I have researched both the GT500 and ZL1 and and there's one thing that bugs me about the ZL1, the engine. Come on pushrods? Not even forged pistons on a supercharged engine? 
I went down to Ford last weekend and looked at a GT500 in person, man that engine is bad ass. Quad overhead cams, massive cylinder heads, 4 valves per cylinder, forged pistions, rods, crank, cast aluminum oil pan. That's what I would expect in a modern muscle car.
The ZL1 engine in the pictures looks kind of puny and dated. Sure its making HP but I can't help think I'm getting kind of out dated tech in the engine category with the ZL1.
Sadly I had to cross the GT500 off my list because hey Ford where's the rest of the freaking car? This is where the ZL1 shines, the engine aside its literally stuffed bumper to bumper with modern muscle car high tech advancements they really did a hell of a nice job on this car. It needs to shed a few pounds.
So I think I'm going to go for a ZL1, I just may have to  about the pushrod motor until I get over it. |
Pushrods have been a Chevy tradition for decades, now. All their V8 engines are configured this way, so it's not a ZL1-only thing. And while some perceived the configuration as old tech...it doesn't pan out when they consistently outperform the competition. Don't forget how easy they are to modify.
The LSA (engine's name in the ZL1) is mounted low, and aft of the front axle, lending itself to a near-perfect front/rear weight balance of 51/49...the competition may seem like it utilizes the more advanced engine, but there's more to an engine than just how the valves open.
If this is your only concern with the ZL1, I think you should jump on it - and learn to love the effective simplicity of the Chevy Small Block.
EDIT: Oh, and I just noticed this is your first post -- welcome to the website!