Tough decision

[ZL1FanAU]

The time has come for me to get a new project car. My current project is a heavily modified Z4 coupe with an N54 engine that puts over 800hp to the wheels but there is nothing else to do with it now so I want a new project car.

I have found an importer who will do the right hand drive conversion for me already but I am trying to decide between two vehicles. One being the ZL1 and the other being a new challenger with the hellcat engine. What is going to make the difference is how easily I can modify and add some serious HP to the engines. Since I had a couple of Camaros in the past ( 69 and 91) I am leaning very heavily towards the ZL1. How easily can you add HP to the engine and what is the most that anyone has been able to get out of it. I have been doing some reading on the forum and other places but the amount of work is not really detailed. Any insight would be very helpful.

Course my other idea is to cram a much larger engine into the Z4.... but I digress

[135Hoser]

I actually just sold my 135i for my ZL1.

The ZL1 has the benefit of being based on a very well known GM Engine platform that's been around for an eternity. It seems to respond well to mods, and always seems to put out gobs of torque no matter where you are in the rpm range (At least on the stock cam)

The only thing that sucks, is that the Camaro is a 4100# car. I'm not sure where they put it, but GM's engineers found a way.

It seems to be pretty easy and cheap to pick up extra power in the ZL1. A place south of me has a 850hp package for just $25k.

I'd worry about the hellcat being so high strung, you can't get any more power out of it. Also you gotta wait for folks to crack the ECU, etc.

Also I added 75 rwhp to my car (bringing it up to probably 550-575'ish, and it was all of about 3 hours labour. We installed a CAI, and new lower pulley. The most annoying part was torquing the ARP crank bolt to 250ft/lbs or whatever it was)

[ZL1FanAU]

Originally Posted by 135Hoser

I actually just sold my 135i for my ZL1.

The ZL1 has the benefit of being based on a very well known GM Engine platform that's been around for an eternity. It seems to respond well to mods, and always seems to put out gobs of torque no matter where you are in the rpm range (At least on the stock cam)

The only thing that sucks, is that the Camaro is a 4100# car. I'm not sure where they put it, but GM's engineers found a way.

It seems to be pretty easy and cheap to pick up extra power in the ZL1. A place south of me has a 850hp package for just $25k.

I'd worry about the hellcat being so high strung, you can't get any more power out of it. Also you gotta wait for folks to crack the ECU, etc.

Also I added 75 rwhp to my car (bringing it up to probably 550-575'ish, and it was all of about 3 hours labour. We installed a CAI, and new lower pulley. The most annoying part was torquing the ARP crank bolt to 250ft/lbs or whatever it was)

thanks for the info. I love my Z4 but I need another project and I want something that sounds mean.. nothing like a bog V8 for that.

Do you happen to know the name of the tuner that has the 850hp package?

[crangie]

Go with the ZL1.

Although the Hellcat is a good engine. Overall the ZL1 is the better car.

Also as the ZL1 is based on the Holden Commodore you have way more options on engine upgrades down there than with the challenger. Also more experienced tuners available

The new Holden VF GTS uses these same engine (LSA) as the ZL1. You can go with a bigger block and larger supercharger/ or turbos. Your wallet is the only limit.

[HDRDTD]

Go with the ZL1 in my opinion.
there's MUCH more to a ZL1 other than just horsepower.

of course there's much we don't know about the Hellcat yet other than the supposed 600+ HP.
What does it weigh
What does it have as far as suspension that may/may not compare to the mag ride in the ZL1
Does it have the designed in PTM modes or their equivalent like the ZL1 has?
When a car comes from the factory and they say, put it in PTM 5, go to a well prepared track and hammer it! All under warranty, to me that says a lot about the robustness build into the ZL1.
AFAIK we don't even know what it's MSRP is.

[jrhagen]

ADM Performance in TX did a dual turbo swap on a ZL1 and it produced just short of 1100 rwhp. It is smooth enough to be a DD.

[jessrayo]

If you want simplicity in getting parts and multiple choices for modifications there is absolutely no better platform to begin with than the ZL1. My best chassis dyno so far is 1203. I'm looking to put up some better numbers in the next couple of weeks.

[hognutz]

Originally Posted by ZL1FanAU

The time has come for me to get a new project car. My current project is a heavily modified Z4 coupe with an N54 engine that puts over 800hp to the wheels but there is nothing else to do with it now so I want a new project car.

I have found an importer who will do the right hand drive conversion for me already but I am trying to decide between two vehicles. One being the ZL1 and the other being a new challenger with the hellcat engine. What is going to make the difference is how easily I can modify and add some serious HP to the engines. Since I had a couple of Camaros in the past ( 69 and 91) I am leaning very heavily towards the ZL1. How easily can you add HP to the engine and what is the most that anyone has been able to get out of it. I have been doing some reading on the forum and other places but the amount of work is not really detailed. Any insight would be very helpful.

Course my other idea is to cram a much larger engine into the Z4.... but I digress

the zl1 is a good platform to go to the 700-750whp range. after than you have to just way the cost and benifits. the hyper pistons,PM rods, and 1.9L start to run out of headroom.

I mean there are guys who have built 800-1100 hp builds for sure but they raplaced the bottom end and went away from the 1.9L.

the highest builds I have seen in 91-92 octane trim without spray were in the 900-1k range.

there is a guy on the board with an ADM twin turbo kit making big numbers over 200mph in the standing mile. I can't rember if her broke into the 9 second range or not but the car is bad. I don't know the budget involved in that. there is another 4.0L whipple car that makes 1k plus that is forsale the guy is dubi. it was on ebay.

how far are you looking to go with it??? what kind of budget???

ported heads, cam, lagre lower or small uper pulley, injectors, headers, tune CAI, TB seem to be good for the 700-750 range. you will most likly need to upgrade the HX or add a chiller or meth kit to keep IAT2's in line.

[2014CamaroZL1]

Since you are in Australia...
Can't you get a ZL1 version of the Holden Commodore ?
Like they have in the UK with the Vauxhall VXR8 ?
Unless you gotta have a coupe.
Then how about a Maloo ?

[Oddvious]

Originally Posted by hognutz

the zl1 is a good platform to go to the 700-750whp range. after than you have to just way the cost and benifits. the hyper pistons,PM rods, and 1.9L start to run out of headroom.

I mean there are guys who have built 800-1100 hp builds for sure but they raplaced the bottom end and went away from the 1.9L.

the highest builds I have seen in 91-92 octane trim without spray were in the 900-1k range.

there is a guy on the board with an ADM twin turbo kit making big numbers over 200mph in the standing mile. I can't rember if her broke into the 9 second range or not but the car is bad. I don't know the budget involved in that. there is another 4.0L whipple car that makes 1k plus that is forsale the guy is dubi. it was on ebay.

how far are you looking to go with it??? what kind of budget???

ported heads, cam, lagre lower or small uper pulley, injectors, headers, tune CAI, TB seem to be good for the 700-750 range. you will most likly need to upgrade the HX or add a chiller or meth kit to keep IAT2's in line.

Awesome point I'm here not just not sure I'm ready to pull the motor and take that leap. I feel the platform isn't something I want to hold onto forever since I like to get new vehicles every other year and the motor pull would be a build that would time me to it for over this period because of the investment I'm just over 12k possibly more kinda lost track honestly Haa. But the motor would be 12k easily and to have 80+k in a ZL1 Well I'm just unsure I want to take that leap since I'm already looking an new cars and I got the ZL in Dec. if I'm not mistaken LOL.. I love it jet really unsure what to do from here on out it's not doubt an impressive platform and I love it.

I forgot to mention I've owned 4 SRT's and the tuning on the Hellcat won't be available for years after release the 2012+ still have limited Fuel tables even tho they claim full tuning I do SRT's for a living and have been for 8 years and I would't do the hellcat over the Camaro if it was the only option on the planet honestly. I had more problem with the 2012Jeep SRT8 and the 2012 300 SRT I don't think I'll ever buy another honestly and this is my primary business LOL.

[ZL1FanAU]

I have gone ahead and ordered a ZL1 in red. It will be close to 6 months before I get it completed with the conversion. Thanks for the advice. I am looking forward to a nice V8 rumble again

[jessrayo]

Originally Posted by ZL1FanAU

I have gone ahead and ordered a ZL1 in red. It will be close to 6 months before I get it completed with the conversion. Thanks for the advice. I am looking forward to a nice V8 rumble again

I don't think you will be disappointed.