1963 Chev Z11 NASCAR effort?

[ss wannabee]

Recently seen on one of the 409 sites....a 1x4 intake manifold for a Z11? Reportedly only 4 of these were cast...and somebody HAS them ALL? Seems to make some sense...NASCAR rules dictated single-carb engines ONLY...Piece in the photo looks like Z11.....

Thought that the Z11 program was drag-racing ONLY with the familiar 2x4 induction? Did Chevrolet test the engine for "roundy-round" usage (with 1-4bbl) only to move on to the fabled "Mystery Engine" ? Perhaps the Z11 results were lack-luster on the long track?

Also, would NASCAR allow the lightweight body parts? I think they might've be "trouble" anyway at lap speeds of 170-180 mph...which was competitve for that time...

Maybe that 1x4 intake was made for a certain drag class? Anyone out there got info?

[BlueOval Ralph]

63 Cheby ran the Canted valve engine,Starting at Daytona in Feb of 1963, Ford raised so much hell over it GM was forced to sell one of the engines to them, It was around Ford Enginerring for a long time, Ford also bought one of the Z-11 cars as I recall it was a Maroon color, it was supposed to be scrap in late 63 but rumors say it was driven out the gate at the test track in Dearborn. In those days the way cars were scraped is the Chrusher lot was behind the Dearborn Inn at the Enginerring Center. The way they were accounted for is there was a brass tag with a number of the vehicle like 306-T-225 on the tag held on with a sheet metal screw. When scrapped the tag was removed and taken to a bean counter and he took vehicle off the books only problem was nobody ever checked to make sure the vehicle went into the Chrusher lot!

Originally Posted by ss wannabee

Recently seen on one of the 409 sites....a 1x4 intake manifold for a Z11? Reportedly only 4 of these were cast...and somebody HAS them ALL? Seems to make some sense...NASCAR rules dictated single-carb engines ONLY...Piece in the photo looks like Z11.....

Thought that the Z11 program was drag-racing ONLY with the familiar 2x4 induction? Did Chevrolet test the engine for "roundy-round" usage (with 1-4bbl) only to move on to the fabled "Mystery Engine" ? Perhaps the Z11 results were lack-luster on the long track?

Also, would NASCAR allow the lightweight body parts? I think they might've be "trouble" anyway at lap speeds of 170-180 mph...which was competitve for that time...

Maybe that 1x4 intake was made for a certain drag class? Anyone out there got info?

[Hemi Moose]

Like this...hard to tell if it's a 1x4bbl carb or 2x4bbl carb set-up.

[BlueOval Ralph]

In the back of my mind I can't help thinking the Cleveland design heads came from the Cheby Mystery Motor that Ford bought from NASCAR in 1963! But no one at Engine Enginerring would ever own up to this!

Originally Posted by BlueOval Ralph

63 Cheby ran the Canted valve engine,Starting at Daytona in Feb of 1963, Ford raised so much hell over it GM was forced to sell one of the engines to them, It was around Ford Enginerring for a long time, Ford also bought one of the Z-11 cars as I recall it was a Maroon color, it was supposed to be scrap in late 63 but rumors say it was driven out the gate at the test track in Dearborn. In those days the way cars were scraped is the Chrusher lot was behind the Dearborn Inn at the Enginerring Center. The way they were accounted for is there was a brass tag with a number of the vehicle like 306-T-225 on the tag held on with a sheet metal screw. When scrapped the tag was removed and taken to a bean counter and he took vehicle off the books only problem was nobody ever checked to make sure the vehicle went into the Chrusher lot!

[Alex Denysenko]

And here it is

[BadBanana]

Originally Posted by ss wannabee

Recently seen on one of the 409 sites....a 1x4 intake manifold for a Z11? Reportedly only 4 of these were cast...and somebody HAS them ALL? Seems to make some sense...NASCAR rules dictated single-carb engines ONLY...Piece in the photo looks like Z11.....

Thought that the Z11 program was drag-racing ONLY with the familiar 2x4 induction? Did Chevrolet test the engine for "roundy-round" usage (with 1-4bbl) only to move on to the fabled "Mystery Engine" ? Perhaps the Z11 results were lack-luster on the long track?

Also, would NASCAR allow the lightweight body parts? I think they might've be "trouble" anyway at lap speeds of 170-180 mph...which was competitve for that time...

Maybe that 1x4 intake was made for a certain drag class? Anyone out there got info?

I don't think they ever intended the Z-11 engine for the Big NASCAR. It never breathed that well at high rpms. It is possible that it would have worked at some of the shorter tracks; and it would have needed that single 4 bbl manifold. NASCAR would not have allowed the aluminum parts to be used. They had the mystery motor ready for Daytona about the same time as the new Z-11s were being delivered around the country. As I remember, there were 4 drivers at Daytona with mystery (porcupine head) engines; Johnny Rutherford, Rex White, Junior Johnson and Ned Jarret. From what I heard at the time, GM was under intense anti monopoly scrutiny by the government, and therefore GM decided to "pull the plug" on their racing activities to reduce the spotlight on them. That included not further supporting the Z-11 program with newer development for Drag racing but also their NASCAR programs. This all came to a head about the time of the Daytona 500, and GM (Chevrolet Racing) strategically played that race. At one point or another the mystery engines driven by those four racers all took turns coming to the fron for awhile and then fading back. They proved what they could do but did not want to win that race with that engine. After that race GM was pretty much out of racing for sometime and longtime Chevy Drag racers like Sox and Martin, Dyno Don Nicholson, Dave Strickler (Bill Jenkins), Hubert Platt, Gas Rhonda, Butch Leal, etc. all had to go elsewhere for a factory ride, either with Chrysler or Ford.
Dave Colbert - original Z-11 owner

[ss wannabee]

Thanks Dave for the info! How long did you have your Z11 and did you sell it complete or part it out?

[rawhide]

Originally Posted by BadBanana

I don't think they ever intended the Z-11 engine for the Big NASCAR. It never breathed that well at high rpms. It is possible that it would have worked at some of the shorter tracks; and it would have needed that single 4 bbl manifold. NASCAR would not have allowed the aluminum parts to be used. They had the mystery motor ready for Daytona about the same time as the new Z-11s were being delivered around the country. As I remember, there were 4 drivers at Daytona with mystery (porcupine head) engines; Johnny Rutherford, Rex White, Junior Johnson and Ned Jarret. From what I heard at the time, GM was under intense anti monopoly scrutiny by the government, and therefore GM decided to "pull the plug" on their racing activities to reduce the spotlight on them. That included not further supporting the Z-11 program with newer development for Drag racing but also their NASCAR programs. This all came to a head about the time of the Daytona 500, and GM (Chevrolet Racing) strategically played that race. At one point or another the mystery engines driven by those four racers all took turns coming to the fron for awhile and then fading back. They proved what they could do but did not want to win that race with that engine. After that race GM was pretty much out of racing for sometime and longtime Chevy Drag racers like Sox and Martin, Dyno Don Nicholson, Dave Strickler (Bill Jenkins), Hubert Platt, Gas Rhonda, Butch Leal, etc. all had to go elsewhere for a factory ride, either with Chrysler or Ford.
Dave Colbert - original Z-11 owner

Dave,
Ned Jarrett ran a Ford at the 63 500. He finished third, last car on the lead lap. There were 7 Chevys in the 50 car field. Rutherford finished best in 9th place, 4 laps down. Rex White finished 14th, 6 laps down and Junior only ran 26 laps before misfortune came his way. I do not know who the fourth Chevy may have been but the next best known driver in a Chevy was G.C. Spencer. Jack Smith, Wendall Scott and Bubba Farr were the other Chevy drivers. Spencer led 21 laps and White led 4.
thanks and regards, Roland

[k.pascoe]

I believe Wendall Scott was always in a Ford.

[BlueOval Ralph]

He always had the hand me downs from Holman & Moody with Passino's blessing