Maher ZL1 in Corvette Fever: Question

[zl1vette]

First of all let me state that this is not intended to start a flame war nor make accusations. I ask questions and seek facts.

The March 2006 issue of Corvette Fever has a four page article on John Maher's 1969 Monaco Orange Corvette and is claiming that this is the second documented ZL1 Corvette found in existence. Thus it would also make it ZL1 Corvette no. 3 including the yellow and white ZL1's. The white ZL1 does not have its tank sticker, but two previous owners have signed affidavits as to its originality.

Corvette Fever shows what it reports as the origninal invoice for the car, and part of the original tank sticker.

What I find strange is that the invoice lists "Special Turbo Jet 427" and then the price of $3000. On the tank sticker next to the "02ZL1AA" code it lists "Special Turbo Jet 427".

Now it has been my understanding that the ZL1 option was an aluminum block for the L88. In other words, there was no ZL1 engine itself. The customer had to order the L88 engine and the ZL1 option, which is what the whole, original build sheet for the yellow, fully documented ZL1 shows. (Vette Vues magazine, March 1980, page 10). The reproduction invoice for the white ZL1 also has the L88 listed.

Perhaps this was a typo on the tank sticker, but unfortunately the rest of the sticker is missing where it would have indicated that an L88 was ordered for the car.

The invoice however is complete, with all options listed, but again there is no mention of the L88. The VIN number is listed as ending in 10209. What is also of note is that the white ZL1 VIN number indicates that it was Corvette number
6753 built in 1969, and the yellow ZL1 VIN number is 29219. Therefore, if we accept the authenticity of the white ZL1 and its VIN number, that would indicate that the orange ZL1 was built in between.

My question: was the ZL1 option available without the L88?

One could conjecture that GM might have done this as a price break to help sell the RPO, but then Fred Gibb ordered 50 COPO ZL1 Camaros all at once and he did not get a price break.

In the Camaro the ZL1 was not listed this way, but then that was a COPO car, and technically there was no L88 nor ZL1 RPO for the Camaro.


BW