How many ZL1’s are known to have their numbers matching engines?
 

Hi guys!
Curious, how many 69 Camaro ZL1’s are known to have their original numbers matching engines?

Gets more difficult to answer that question as time goes by.

For purposes of this discussion "original matching numbers engine" is defined as, at minimum, the VIN-stamped cylinder block of the original engine assembly. Components contained within or fastened to said cylinder block may or not be original to it.

Current best educated estimate: 19. There are 6 other engines/chassis that both exist but are not in the possession of the same owner. At least one of those engines is damaged beyond repair.

There are 7 surviving engines original to cars that have not been found or no longer exist. A few restored ZL1s have production engines that originated in other chassis.

Complicating the issue: some ZL1 Camaro cylinder blocks were VIN-stamped on the pad with the engine code. A common racing engine build procedure involves re-machining this area, usually obliterating the stampings.

Man I would love to see your books. You have a ton of research information you have gathered over the years on many different types of cars. Likely similar to my LS6 research I have accumulated but still neat to hear about your research. Sadly I have never put any of my stuff onto spread sheets as of yet so it is not as easy to answer some of those questions.

You read my mind Rick!

William, if memory serves me correct, #3 and #26 have the other car's engine.Have they ever been reunited?

They have not.

Seems like a win/win for both owners to swap the motors, no?

Dave

When I owned # 3 I also owned his engine and tried to work a deal till I was blue in the face but the guy just jerked me around so I installed his engine in # 3. Some day future owners will come to their senses.

Makes no sense... would the value double for both cars or nearly so? #26 is a Hugger Orange 4 speed. Senseless.
How nice is the #26 car?

I don't remember but Porterfield went to his Mom's basement and took great 35mm pics of #3's engine.

I can't imagine 2 guys having each others engine and not just doing a swap. Just pay for shipping and it's done. :dunno:

Charlie, was this guy trying to get money on top of getting the engine to you?

Agree, each car should get it's BORN WITH engine back.

If it we me, I would offer:

Swap engines, meet half way, R & R engines, make sure BOTH are back up and running properly. Hell I would even kick in "some" cash to reunite an born with engine back into an original ZL1. Be worth 10 of thousands MINIMUM upon resale, would it not?

Sorry the guy that refused Charlie is just being a ass!!!! Best for BOTH I would think.

This is very interesting information, thank you for posting.

His car is apart. He bought the # 3 engine back in the 70's and thought he was going to buy # 3 from the guy that had it with a small block in it. Porterfield swooped in with a boot full of cash and bought it out from under him. Porterfield tried for years to buy the engine. The guy wanted Porterfield to sell him the car. Later Porterfield found the block to # 26 and did a complete build up of the engine with a magazine covering it and even invited the guy to be part of the article. Guy still would not trade. Porterfield gave up and sold the engine to Heartbeat City. When I bought # 3 from Porterfield I then bought the engine from Heartbeat thinking I could get the deal done but just wasted my time. I offered to trade plus cash, Offered to buy him a car etc. When the guy dies the engine will probably get put into the correct cars.

this ZL1 sold for over $1M and has an interesting story on getting the original engine back


https://www.hagerty.com/articles-vid...of-one-million

Charley,did the #3 engine guy have a price stated that you couldn't agree too,or did he never state one?

I just shared a post on the Yenko FB page about a fellow who is selling a MacNeish-certified ZL-1 for $600K. No idea what it is about, but might be worth a look for anyone in the market for one.

It must pain Hagerty a great deal to actually post a somewhat positive article about a musclecar.

Would never price it. At one point I think he told me he would consider a Thunderbird Sport Roadster and I found several but he really just wanted to yank my chain. That's when I gave up.

I don't understand people like that. What do that have to gain except maybe stroking their ego if it's because he's miffed someone scooped the car on him? I group them in, almost, with the "I'm going to restore it" crowd that let nice rigs rot away in their yard or garage just because they can't or won't admit to themselves that they'll never actually be able to do it. At least they have delusions of grandeur versus being motivated by greed or whatever it is.

Porterfield probably got the owner of the #26 car so p***ed of, fearing the #3 engine, #3 car and Porterfield might be reunited, he might have in his will that the engine be pushed off a cliff....

I remember #26 at Nankivell in the show room. Dad remembers the window sticker he says. After the BJ sale last week he called me to reminisce about the $7k Camaro he should have bought... :) Its fun reading up on all these cars, and the drama.

I don't understand either.

It was cheaper to create an entirely new front end from scratch than to reunite this car with it's original aluminum.

K

Or get sold at the yard sale.....

It's all ego. I've something you want, and you can't have it. Just like when we were children.

Ego and emotions. Bad mix.