1969 ZL1 Copo Camaro Test, Prepped by Dick Harrell -Motor Trend

[William]

If you are referring to the #2 ZL-1, last I knew it is restored and located in TX.

Good feature on it in the January 2009 Muscle Car Review.

[JoeC]

ZL-1 #15 was also a Harrell built light weight gutted fiberglass nose match race drag car

built as a twin to the #1 Gibb car and raced by the Leatherman Brothers

Many of the ZL-1s went to the Harrell shop for mods for NHRA or AHRA or light weight match race cars. Some were sent to Chevy Dealers as race cars.

The Harrell shop installed roll bars, suspension mods, B&M clutch turbo transmissions, did engine mods and blueprinting, custom paint etc.

A drag racer who said he lived near the Harrell shop and knew the guys there said he thought Harrell had got 50 of the ZL-1s because he remembers new 1969 Camaros all over the shop and parked down the street. He remembers it was a big deal that they were $7000 Camaros and some were taken apart and had a fiberglass nose installed.

Most likely, not all of those Camaros were ZL-1s because Harrell also worked on L-72 Camaros and other Camaros.

Dick Harrell was also running ads to sell the ZL-1s.

[muscle_collector]

i was actually wondering who in oklahoma got the #2 mentioned.

Originally Posted by William

If you are referring to the #2 ZL-1, last I knew it is restored and located in TX.

Good feature on it in the January 2009 Muscle Car Review.

[William]

Many?

As of June 1969, Gibb had retailed 6 ZL-1 Camaros.

#2 Dusk Blue auto #5 Dusk Blue auto #9 Silver auto #15 Silver 4-speed #16 Orange 4-speed #30 Orange 4-speed.

Of these, it is known that #5 and #15 were prepared by Harrell’s shop. #2, #9, #16 and #30 were raced but are not known to have been prepped by Harrell.

As of June 1969, Gibb had wholesaled 6 ZL-1 Camaros to other dealers.

#7 Orange auto #10 Dusk blue auto #28 Orange 4-speed #29 Orange 4-speed #42 Le Mans Blue 4-speed #47 Le Mans blue 4-speed

Of these, #7 was raced for a short period by the dealership and sold with an L72. #10 had an engine swap early in its life, not known to have been raced. #28 still exists with original engine, not known to have been raced. #29 was extensively modified and raced by Grady Bryant/Bill McKay Chev. It did have a smaller Dick Harrell logo. Sold in 1970, unknown since.

#42 was raced by Malcom Durham. No Harrell logo on the car in vintage photos. #47 still exists, not known to have been raced.

Of the 37 ZL-1s Gibb returned to Norwood, 11 have racing history, but no known association with Harrell. #12 did have some Dick Harrell mods, but not seriously raced.

#33 & #52 were exported. #43 was stolen and never recovered.

5 were re-invoiced to Merollis Chev in Detroit. The Merollis story has been greatly embellished over the years; only two were stolen in separate incidents. #11 is restored, #24 was reported destroyed in MA 1973 [I’m not certain it was the other stolen car].

3 have unknown history at this time: #32, #37, #50. One is known to have been sold to drag racer George De Lorean.

I realize I am being nit-picky here; it's important to choose words carefully. The Merollis Chev story is a great example of how stories expand over time.

What is certain is that Harrell modified at least 4 Gibb ZL-1 Camaros. There could be others.

[William]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

i was actually wondering who in oklahoma got the #2 mentioned.

Robert Carpenter

[JoeC]

ZL-1 #29 was another Harrell built light weight gutted fiberglass nose match race drag car campaigned by Grady Bryant , owned by Bill McKay Chevrolet

Grady Bryant and Dick Harrell were friends and both raced Funny Cars

Grady wrote a book called "Match race Madness"

If the Harrell ZL-1 drag test was ZL-1 #1 and #2 then Harrell had at least five ZL-1s

#1, #2, #5, #15 and #29

Who better to sell $7000 Camaro Drag cars then a Nationally known Funny Car driver who has a shop building Camaros and was in all the drag racing magazines.

I had saved this screen shot of a FB post from Grady Bryant and a reply where a guy said he remembers 25 ZL-1s at the Harrell shop.

I don't know if its true but I have seen multiple comments saying Harrell had a bunch of ZL-1s come through his shop. I know Harrell also built some COPO L72 Camaros so hard to say how many ZL-1s.