Rare Camaro History

[ELEFUNTMAN]

Nice rocker arms and headers too!!

[William]

"Under consideration" is meaningless.

Some excellent books that cover the real story on Chevrolets' involvement in racing in the '60s:

Chevrolet = Racing?
By Paul Van Valkenburgh

He worked in Chevrolet R & D in the ‘60s. Chevy had tremendous involvement with stock car racing, T/A racing with Penske/Donohue, sports car racing with Jim Hall/Chaparral. He mentions the real story behind the JL8 option. In the "under consideration" category, the Tech Center built a Z/28 with a Corvette rear axle assembly. Surprise, didn't corner any better than the live axle.

The Unfair Advantage
By Mark Donohue

There is no better source for perspective on what dealing with Chevrolet was like. The Penske/Chevrolet relationship was so bad by the end of ’69 they switched to AMC Javelins for the 1970 season. When their ’67 Camaro race car was damaged in a trailer wreck it was rebuilt with junkyard parts.

Best Damn Garage in Town
By Smokey Yunick

The consummate insider, Smokey was there at the birth of NASCAR and was involved with R & D well into the ‘70s. There are some amusing comments about the Hemi 302. A constant theme throughout the book is how cheap and difficult Chevy was to deal with.

I also have the FIA Homologation documents for the '67, '68 and '69 Z/28s.

Nowhere in any of these publications is the sb 3 x 2 manifold mentioned. And why would it be? Looks to have been cancelled April, 1966, months prior to the introduction of the Camaro. As for Smokey Yunick, he was not partnered with the factory in SCCA T/A racing. The SCCA didn't much want him around either, finding many rule infractions in the Camaros he built. That he had this 3 x 2 intake doesn't mean much either. He had buildings full of factory parts that were never used. Chevrolet may have asked him to evaluate it. Since it was never released for production, safe to say he wasn't impressed.

Sorry for the rant, attempts to re-write history need to be addressed.

[70 copo]

William,

Do you have a copy of Echoes of Norwood?

Multiple eye witnesses from the Assembly line have gone on the record as stating several examples were built for GM. Cars produced had Z/28 style stripes.

[70 copo]

Originally Posted by 70 copo

William,

Do you have a copy of Echoes of Norwood?

Multiple eye witnesses from the Assembly line have gone on the record as stating several examples were built for GM. Cars produced had Z/28 style stripes.

Originally Posted by William

So what? Many things were considered for production.

I am not sure if you understand? I asked you If you had a copy?

The L-70 was produced at Norwood according to workers who were eyewitnesses, and this story along with images of the engine are in the book.

[scuncio]

Are there images of the engine in the Norwood plant?

Perhaps this was a pilot build prior to cancelation.

[70 copo]

Originally Posted by scuncio

Are there images of the engine in the Norwood plant?

Perhaps this was a pilot build prior to cancelation.

Yes this is correct. The L-70 was produced in plant as a prototype job for GM evaluation.

Images of this engine with the air cleaner on and off are in the book that was first published back in 2013.

[William]

Originally Posted by 70 copo

I am not sure if you understand? I asked you If you had a copy?

The L-70 was produced at Norwood according to workers who were eyewitnesses, and this story along with images of the engine are in the book.

Nope, do not have a copy.

Not getting your point. Since the manifold has a production part number and the Engine Dress Line components are shown in the AIM, it did come close. I don't doubt L70 Pilots were built. The M08 Sport Shift option is in the '69 AIM with part numbers and that never made production either. It happens.

My position is that the L70 was intended as an option for the SS350. There is no reason to believe there was any intention to use it on the 302. For whatever reason, it never became a production engine.

[70 copo]

Originally Posted by William

Nope, do not have a copy.

Not getting your point. Since the manifold has a production part number and the Engine Dress Line components are shown in the AIM, it did come close. I don't doubt L70 Pilots were built. The M08 Sport Shift option is in the '69 AIM with part numbers and that never made production either. It happens.

My position is that the L70 was intended as an option for the SS350. There is no reason to believe there was any intention to use it on the 302. For whatever reason, it never became a production engine.

I understand then that you have an opinion then. That's fine with me.

[William]

So what? Many things were considered for production.

[Fast67VelleN2O]

Very interesting that this manifold has an actual production part number and is not an 0- part, especially being dated February of 1966.