z28 should have the lsx motor vote

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by bada

But = good for bad ass kick but power Allows for many power adder choices. Turbo's, superchargers, NOS, ETC.

Sure, but the thing that makes a Z28 a Z28 (or at least what should make a Z28 a Z28) is its handling, not its potential for power adders.

[bada]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Sure, but the thing that makes a Z28 a Z28 (or at least what should make a Z28 a Z28) is its handling, not its potential for power adders.

Well I know this, back in the 60s when they came out. At The local hang outs, they were used as drag racing, and street racing cars. You never saw locals use them for road racing, or their handling. They were some bad little cars, on the street back in the day.

[Q-ship]

Originally Posted by wildpaws

You are correct on the ZL1 engine weight (plus or minus a couple of pounds), that does not change the fact that the SS350, ZL1 and BB SS396/427 did not have a suspension equal to the task of handling like a Z/28 back then.
Clyde

Not exactly 100% true. Yes the Z/28 was the best handling package Camaro from the factory. BUT the Z/28 was a parts bin car, it was the best handling selected pieces from the Camaro option list and put into a package. All the pieces for the suspension could be option on to any Camaro in 1967 - 1969, so yes you could build a SS350 Camaro that on street would have run the wheels off a Z/28, the 350 had torque the 302 could not match in stock form. A prepped Z/28 would kill an SS350 Camaro but off the showroom floor a SS350 could be option to hurt the Z. Big Block ZL1 would have had too much torque to control in handling with the tires available, the iron block 396 and 427 was just too damn nose heavy to even come close to a Z/28 even with the same suspension.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by bada

Well I know this, back in the 60s when they came out. At The local hang outs, they were used as drag racing, and street racing cars. You never saw locals use them for road racing, or their handling. They were some bad little cars, on the street back in the day.

So, if some use their Z28 as a daily commuter, it should therefore get packed with comfort options, have a nice soft suspension, and get excellent fuel economy?

[bada]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

So, if some use their Z28 as a daily commuter, it should therefore get packed with comfort options, have a nice soft suspension, and get excellent fuel economy?

What are you talking about? I am talking about a kick ass car.

[wildpaws]

Originally Posted by Q-ship

Not exactly 100% true. Yes the Z/28 was the best handling package Camaro from the factory. BUT the Z/28 was a parts bin car, it was the best handling selected pieces from the Camaro option list and put into a package. All the pieces for the suspension could be option on to any Camaro in 1967 - 1969, so yes you could build a SS350 Camaro that on street would have run the wheels off a Z/28, the 350 had torque the 302 could not match in stock form. A prepped Z/28 would kill an SS350 Camaro but off the showroom floor a SS350 could be option to hurt the Z. Big Block ZL1 would have had too much torque to control in handling with the tires available, the iron block 396 and 427 was just too damn nose heavy to even come close to a Z/28 even with the same suspension.

Having been there back in the day, I can assure you that I never saw a SS350 Camaro that could "run the wheels off a Z/28"!! I'm not talking about "you could build" or "prepped", I'm talking about how almost all of them came from the factory. How many people ever ordered a '67-'69 SS with anything but the basic suspension package? You also seem to forget that while the SS350 came with 14" wheels and tires, the Z/28 came with 15" but still sat lower than the SS versions. And the SS 350 engine had hydraulic lifters with a 5,500 RPM redline, the Z/28 302 had solid lifters with a 6,500-7,000 RPM redline. SS 350 was rated at 295HP (300HP in '69) at 4,800 RPM and 380 lb./ft. torque at 3,200 RPM, Z/28 302 was rated 290HP at 5,800 RPM and 290 lb./ft. torque at 4,200 RPM, higher RPMs gave much better figures than the factory ratings for the Z/28 302, 350HP at 6,700 RPM and 333 lb./ft. torque at 4,400RPM. What you often saw was a SS350 getting the jump off the line only to lose to the Z/28 farther down the road once the Z/28 was staying within it's optimal RPM range. And again, most SS Camaros back then did not have anything "extra" ordered in the suspension components and a quick cruise through the "twisties" would confirm that. I totally agree with your conclusions about the iron block 396 and 427 engines being too nose heavy, conclusions about ZL1 handling back then are subject to speculation as most of them were bought as 1320 stormers and nothing else. In the end, I believe we need to focus on what GM might give us if and when they build a new Z/28.
Clyde

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by bada

What are you talking about? I am talking about a kick ass car.

You're also talking about a car that will get its ass kicked in the twisties

[macalot]

wildpaws
....What you often saw was a SS350 getting the jump off the line only to lose to the Z/28 farther down the road once the Z/28 was staying within it's optimal RPM range.....
Clyde

How true, and many times I was the one in my Z/28 going past them somewhere during the last 400 feet. Big Blocks that wouldn't run consistently were beaten as well on occasion. That 302 really did have the ability to breathe at high revs for the time period it was in. Having said that, there were plenty of cars back then that I couldn't run down if I had to.
Put plain and simple, the 1st gen Z/28s were quality high performance cars that were tons of fun to drive AND at a price point within reach of a large part of the population.

[Shock Em]

I for one think they are waiting for a new engine if/when they bring back a Z28.

[bada]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

You're also talking about a car that will get its ass kicked in the twisties

So true. But for every 1. Z/28 you will see in the twisties, you will see 2 or 3 to 1. more on the streets, or the dragstrip. The old Zs, although they were meant for the twisties. Saw more action on the local streets & the dragstrips, than they did in the twisties. I know because the local hang out, had them out every weekend looking for action.