Quote:
Originally Posted by BadBanana
Once again, you're making progress, Alan. Slow, but some progress. I know about the 409s and Z-11s I had both when they were new. See the segment here about the '62 Nationals on this same site (the Z-11 is pictured there). Ran the 409 in SS/S at the 62 Nats. Received the Z-11 the next Winter and raced in '63.
To your point, when could you actually buy a '69 427/425 Camaro from the factory? Few had them from the factory, and I tried to buy one from my dealer - no dice !!! I settled for a 375hp 396 SS Camaro. Later people like Baldwin and Yenko made them. Back in those days NHRA forced the OEM Manuf. to make at least 50 before they would consider them into S and S/S. Geez, where have I heard that lately ????? My SS/EA started out as a 69 6 cyl Camaro.
We have met the enemy and they are US.
|
Records show they made around 1K or so COPO Camaros with the L-72 427-425 engine in 1969, I've read there were as many as 1200 or so. The engine itself had been installed on Corvettes and big cars since 1966 (the 427/425 became the 427/435 when they changed it to a 3-2 intake in the Corvette in 1967). I'm sure there were a lot of dealers that did not get a 427/425 Camaro in 1969, especially considering several dealers got a lot more than one. They came with a VIN, an exhaust system, street tires, and passed federal and 49 state safety and emissions standards.
What does making a 427/425 race car out of a 6 cylinder car have to do with anything? I'm sure the Camaro we run in Stock Eliminator did not start as a 427/425 car, you'd have to ask Steve Calabro and Joe Fasano but I think it was a 350 car. I think Steve Koppien's blue car did actually start out as a 427/425. The SS/EA we're racing now did actually start out as a 396/375 SS car, albeit with a 4 speed. People don't normally build race cars out of $100K collector's cars. That doesn't really have anything to do with the subject at hand.