2012 Camaro ZL1

[Andy]

I like the looks of the car and am seriously contemplating getting one. 550 hp, full GM warranty, and it will be priced competitively with other cars in the market segment. The ZL1 was built by Chevrolet back in 69 and that's how it should be built today. The aftermarket build cars will not hold the value a factory produced car will imho.

[ORIGLS6]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Andy</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> The aftermarket build cars will not hold the value a factory produced car will imho. </div></div>

Hmmm.

[jannes_z-28]

From the horses mouth:
http://media.gm.com/content/media/us/en/...vrolet/0208_lsa


http://media.gm.com/content/media/us/en/...208_zl1_history

The links has some images too.

Jan

[70 copo]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Andy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I like the looks of the car and am seriously contemplating getting one. 550 hp, full GM warranty, and it will be priced competitively with other cars in the market segment. The ZL1 was built by Chevrolet back in 69 and that's how it should be built today. The aftermarket build cars will not hold the value a factory produced car will imho. </div></div>

I think the aftermarket cars will still be the pick of the lot 20 years from now. The buyer of a Nickey, BM, SLP and others can still create a car with option content that will make these cars individual. The factory ZL-1 after the basic cosmetics will be the same cars and to some degree mass produced unless GM limits production.

Also let's compare HP numbers. The SLP ZL-1 makes 750 HP. The new factory car could have been made with an LS-9 like the ZR-1 then you have an apples to apples comparison for the top dog engine just like the 1969 COPO (ZL-1).

New factory &quot;ZL-1&quot; was intended to be the Z28. IMO... With the engine and the modifications from the factory the switch to the name ZL1 seems odd and again out of sinc with what the car's specifications turned out to be.

[Stefano]

The Nickey built Fred Gibb Commemorative 427 Camaro serial number 1, made 847 HP and 910 foot pds of tq on pump gas. The car could go over the 1,000 HP mark, with a pulley change and switching to race gas.

550 HP is cool, but there are customers who want more, much more.

[AutoInsane]

Stefano - what would a Camaro with a LS7 with not too many frills cost from you guys?

[Stefano]

We can put a GM crate engine in for $2,000 labor, $600 tune and the cost of the crate engine, give or take.

However, we do not use crate engines in the normal course of our builds. The only GM parts we use are the engine block, bare heads and some covers etc.

For the extreme builds we use both the RHS block and Heads.

It would have been nice to see the ZL 1 start out with a real 427 and all forged internals.

[Andy]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 70 copo</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Andy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I like the looks of the car and am seriously contemplating getting one. 550 hp, full GM warranty, and it will be priced competitively with other cars in the market segment. The ZL1 was built by Chevrolet back in 69 and that's how it should be built today. The aftermarket build cars will not hold the value a factory produced car will imho. </div></div>

I think the aftermarket cars will still be the pick of the lot 20 years from now. The buyer of a Nickey, BM, SLP and others can still create a car with option content that will make these cars individual. The factory ZL-1 after the basic cosmetics will be the same cars and to some degree mass produced unless GM limits production.

Also let's compare HP numbers. The SLP ZL-1 makes 750 HP. The new factory car could have been made with an LS-9 like the ZR-1 then you have an apples to apples comparison for the top dog engine just like the 1969 COPO (ZL-1).

New factory &quot;ZL-1&quot; was intended to be the Z28. IMO... With the engine and the modifications from the factory the switch to the name ZL1 seems odd and again out of sinc with what the car's specifications turned out to be. </div></div>

They didn't build the car with the LS9 because it would be out of the price range of most Camaro buyers, and it would be higher than other cars in the market segment (GT500 and SRT8 392 Challenger). They are trying to sell cars, and make money, not have them collect dust in showrooms like the originals did unfortunately in 1969. No one could afford them. Personally, I enjoy seeing Camaros on the road and since Chevrolet chose this route with the ZL1, I believe we will see many more on the roads to come.

As far as performance goes, the LSA can make the same horsepower as the SLP equipped car spending 5k or less on the following mods: full exhaust, a pulley for the blower, possibly porting the blower, a camshaft and a high flowing cold air intake. Surely an individual can get 625 rwhp out of the new ZL1 with these mods if they are getting over 500 rwhp out of the new SS with a camshaft and full bolt ons.

Speaking of the SLP cars, I have only seen one since they have came out, and that was last summer. I've seen more original ZL1s than these cars.

Referring to the usage of the term &quot;aftermarket&quot;, this was a direct comparison to 1969 Camaros. A factory produced #s matching ZL1 typically brings more at action than a #s matching Yenko or high performance dealer C.O.P.O. Camaro, at least from what I've personally seen.

I honestly believe the ZL1 nameplate was used for the Camaro because they brought back the ZR1 nameplate for the Corvette.

[black69]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Andy</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I like the looks of the car and am seriously contemplating getting one. 550 hp, full GM warranty, and it will be priced competitively with other cars in the market segment. The ZL1 was built by Chevrolet back in 69 and that's how it should be built today. The aftermarket build cars will not hold the value a factory produced car will imho. </div></div>

I have to agree with above, plus I love the new hood as it is aerodynamic (good for top end speed) and it matches the theme of the old cowl induction hood used on the 69s.

Aftermarket cars value will depend on what trends the factory continues to build. The aftermarket cars actually done back in 68-69-70 were representative of the highest horsepower at the end of an era. They are valueable and will always be.

I have a friend that spent $25K (liengenfelter) on his 95 vette to go racing (when it was new), and its money long gone if he went to sell that car today.

As long as the 'factory' moves the line in the sand to the right for horsepower ratings, its hard to say what aftermarket cars will really be worth 20 yrs from now. Once the line stops (like what happened in 69-70-71, i.e. an end of an era), it would be those cars at the end that would be likely valuable.

Hey, so what are the odds that 550hp is 'derated' for insurance purposes [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img]. It wouldn't be the first time things were underated by the big 3.

[Andy]

There may possibly be hope for a small displacement, high winding Z28. A friend of mine follows the GT2 class in ALMS, and the Vettes are running a 5.5L displacement engine. 485 naturally aspriated hp out of 336 c.i. 4.09&quot; bore, 3.185&quot; stroke. http://www.corvetteracing.com/