Ultra Rare Camaro ZL1 vs L88 Corvette - 1/4 Mile Drag Race Video - Road Test TV ® 

You're right. I have a 1967 Corvette coupe with a built (period correct) 427. We think it has about 500 HP. Nothing like the L88 or ZL1, but it's fun to drive and it sounds pretty good.

Only way to drive them.

Yea no shit

Agreed. They aren't built like a sweater, to be relegated to storage in a closed room with mothballs. However, unless they're clones, I'd yank the numbers matching original motors, and build a replacement motor with the same, or even more power, and store the original motors in an engine bag.....

Exactly my thoughts, if those are true numbers matching examples, they are worth quite a bit of money to be out thrashing them.

Agree 100%. Thanks for watching, Troy.

@@roadtesttv are these cars stock from the factory?

+Xavier Fumat .im guessing these cars won't be going to an auction anytime soon. Hats off to these owners! That ZL1 is so crazy expensive I remember seeing one for sale locally,. $60,000 auto trader in the late 80's or early 90s I thought that was expensive back then. I should have bought that instead of a house! I used to drive a 1968 Camaro cross country and down through Mexico. Now that was fun.

+Xavier Fumat . For the same price as a ZL1, you could own 4-5 houses! Hold on to your classics.

terminatedgt, sorry, but the "Baddest" Car from the 60's was the 1968 Hemi Dart

The 67-71 Dart is my favorite Mopar, well until the Demond is out. Chrysler just can't compare to GM or Ford. This is an opinion ya they have the Viper right well this was Shelby and Cheysler so. They finely stepped up to the plate this year and stepped they did. They now have power like the Super Snake and can't wait to see what's next.

terminatedgt, what in the blue hell are you talking about?? "Chrysler just can't compare to GM, & Ford"..lol. Stop it man. Have you DRIVEN a 2015-17 Challenger Scat Pack 392? Challenger SRT? Challenger Hellcat? 3rd gen, 4th gen, 5th gen Viper? JGCSRT? 300SRT8? The only thing Chrysler can't "compare to GM, & Ford in" is Car sales numbers, & unless you're a Chrysler Employee you shouldn't even care about that crap! The FACT is SRT is easily the Coolest American Car brand. They're the king of the Track with the 14-17 Viper T/A, & 16-17 ACR! The king of Coolest Muscle Car with the 15-17 Challenger Hellcat (with the 6spd manual)!! The king of bad ass Performance SUV with the JGCTrackHawk!!! And King of THE GREATEST PRODUCTION AMERICAN MUSCLE CAR OF "ALL TIME" the 17-18 Challenger Demon!!!!

Shit.........you can buy an older C5 or C6 Corvette, like youtube ch: "Cleetus McFarland" did.....the previous owner cooked the original motor & replaced it with a little STOCK 5.3 cast iron TRUCK MOTOR WITH OVER 200,000 MILES ON IT.......Cleetus wound up finding that beat up Corvette for sale ONLINE AT AUCTION. ( I think he bid 8 grand ) They dyno'd that little truck engine & it only produced 290 hp. So they bought a good SINGLE turbo kit ( NO NITROUS ), slapped other USED high performance parts from a couple other cars laying around, did only MINOR porting, threw a good tune in it, and that car right now will blow the damned doors off ANY of those brand new Chrysler cars...........FOR ONLY A FRACTION OF THE COST......and YES, IT IS STILL STREET LEGAL. They aren't even using full boost and already got 785 hp and 750 lb/ft OF TORQUE.....ON A LITTLE CAST IRON TRUCK MOTOR WITH ORIGINAL STOCK BOTTOM END WITH OVER 200,000 MILES ON IT. You just wait & see how FAST those new Chrysler cars start FALLING APART after only 100,000 miles on them, IF NOT SOONER. They make great engines, but the rest of the car WILL start falling apart, you mark my word. Even the BONE STOCK bottom end of late model Chevy motors WITH HIGH MILEAGE will take a real beating when the top end is all hopped up........providing someone kept that old stock Chevy motor properly serviced. Don't believe me? VISIT RU-vid CH: "Cleetus McFarland" and see the proof for yourself. And he's not the only one doing this kind of stuff with old, used Chevy cars. TONS of people all over are doing it these days, and they are NOT "buying brand new Chevy crate motors" to do it either.

@@hmackprotection1 The ZL1 was faster stock vs stock sorry to hurt your feelings with facts.

line lock on the camaro eh? what makes you so certain?...

Eloquently explained, and I would not argue with most everything you stated....however....traction loss and tire spin WILL kill elapsed times...and that Camaro was spinning the tires all the way thru first, and you can even see the rear kick out and come back in at around the 100 ft mark.....I think anybody here wanting to argue which car was ''quicker'' would be better able to that with the time slips in hand, I promise you that Camaro's 60 foot and 330 ft were horrendous.....and in my opinion, that is where this race was lost for the Camaro.

@@mikespillman3075 The Vette ran 4 mph faster. That is going to be the case whether the Camaro spins or not.

Yup. Technically you're racing the clock, not the car in the other lane.

Very fast for how car set up.ran 12.04 112mph 300hp 456 gear 900 950 soft compound .headers bars in 67 nova back in 1970. Should of ponyed up for eithor one back in the day.be money in the bank

yeah but the NEW ZL-1 has top speed unlike the old school cars and you cruise with them, I had a car with 456 gears and I can tell you its a joke on the highway

jim dandy You don't need high end top speed for drags or even on the race track unless that track is the Ring and you have a massive straight.

Mike Duncan Well obviously the other guy's trying to defend top speed. You see a trend that track cars are always geared for a lower top speed? The Z/28 tops out at what 165 mph? Where as the ZL1 gets 180+ and the C6 Zo6 is like 191 or something. The NEW Zo6 tops out at 185 while it has more power than the old ZR1.

Stock ZL1s were not that fast in '69. More like mid 13s . . .

bman99ss Stock ZL1 Camaro ran 11.6 secs with headers/drag slicks.

If there the same why couldnt the ZL1 catch the L88 on the big end . Not happening the Vette had a 170 mph top speed , bye bye Camaro even with your mighty ZL1 🏁

It's the same for the ZL1. Correct me if I'm wrong, but in 69 I believe the L88 and ZL1 went to an opened chambered aluminum head. In any event to get these cars to really turn low times they need open headers, slicks and gears. With the correct work and tuning I could see both cars turning the low 11s or even the high 10s. I remember in the late 60's similar cars, set up fro racing, turned in the mid to high 10. Those were fun times.

P Gorman they're known to hit 570

Billy Lowe why would you expect a better time? do you know how much heavier it is than the vette

Billy Lowe Zl1 also has a bigger camshaft than the L88 by .040 lift and the valve timing is much different. L88s would idle below 1000 RPM. ZL1 wouldn't make enough vacuum to run a brake booster. But for the aspect of block and camshaft specs, the late L88s were indeed the same. The early L88s had closed chambered heads. Sorry I didn't see your other comment but yes, they responded greatly with Hooker big tube headers and staggered jetting, limiting total timing to around 36° with initial near 18 and the lash a teenie bit tighter on the exhaust. 4.56s were a Big Block's ultimate 1/4 mile gear ratio based on stock tire height.

Good grief kid. When you can afford one of these extremely rare classic muscle cars ( even though the Vette is considered a sports car ) and race them like this, I don't think you would be worrying about "buying tires".

Well the ZL1 cam is a little more aggressive than the L88 cam but there is some debate if some of the 69' L88 shared the same came. My understanding is most L88 in 69's were manufactured before the ZL1 cams were used.

I believe the Vette blew the light

There are videos that have those, but I like the old on old, evens things out.

No, he didn't. Vette ran 4 mph faster, he was pulling away

Talent Page true.. but the L88 still had a much faster trap

+BEBNC1 They both had L88's.

William Stewart No, not exactly. The ZL1 used an aluminum version of the L88...an engine not shared with any other GM car. This Camaro was actually named for its engine...ZL1.

BEBNC1 Yes I know the ZL1 had the aluminum block which shaved about a 100lbs off the front. They were very close in power though.

james marshall Not sure what that has to do with this conversation. I'm aware of earlier L88s, but the first L88 RPO wasn't until 67, if I'm not mistaken.

The Vette has the L88 option which is a 427 cast iron block with aluminum heads/intake and 4B 850 Cfm carburetor rated at 430HP. The Camaro ZL-1 has the all aluminum 427 4B, rated at 430 hp. The two engines are very similar besides one being a all aluminum and a cast Iron. Both engines produce 560+ hp

+christopher m The L88 has a more aggressive cam profile, little more lift and overlap which is designed to run in the 4500 - 8000 rpm range

+christopher m another note ; the L88 had 12.5:1 compression where as the ZL1 had 12.0:1 compression ratio! If I'm correct L88 heads are closed chamber and ZL1 heads are open chamber which makes up for the little lower compression!

+philip naclerio I have to correct myself ; the Zl1 actually had the hotter cam, I believe the lift was close to .590/.600 with a duration somewhere around 270 degrees at .50

67/68 L88 had closed chamber heads 12.5 compression,69L88/ZL1 had open chamber heads 12.0 comp,ZL1 had hotter cam also.

I think it's an all stock from factory race..no.mods.

stock cam, stock cubic inch, stock heads, stock intake, stock carb, stock transmission. Stock tires stock exhaust manifolds. What more do you want??

yep real nice years gone

Ace Speedy I would bet that vet is not 100% stock

***** It has the 100% correct spec camshaft, Stock heads, stock carb. Its a .060 over , with 13:1 compression.

so its 468 ci 13.1 not 100%stock for me

look at the tree dumb ass. the vette red lighted half a second before the green went down. both cars are usually neck and neck.

Yep! We can agree that with the right driver the Camaro would have won. I am glad you see it my way.

vennie brice im saying the driver of the white car is a good driver. He got close to a perfect reaction time. If the corvette had "not" red lit, it would be a close battle. These cars will never reach 10 seconds in the quarter with out slicks and headers. usually they are both 11:50's @ 120 mph

that is not what the historical statistics say. The '69 ZL1 Camaro with aluminum block could run low tens, Their were only about fifty of them made I believe, so this car is ratre.

im aware, this white car is in my garage. Im telling you, 11:50's is what she runs. If i were to put headers and slicks with a high stall converter i would be able to run 10's.

Thank you I saw the same thing!

agreed. Invalid race.

@Mark rapacki well the corvette did redlight

@Mike Yerke! You Win the Day! Props to you & thank you for the badly needed giggle! Rock on! 🔥🤘🏴🍻💨💨

And you had a Ford/Mopar/whatever that never lost to a Corvette/Camaro/427, right?

Is that a clone ZL1?

@@boostjunkie2320 many of the certified real ones are clones....

Mr. Yerke, being an expert on general automotive knowledge, can you tell me, what would the correct ignition timing be on a 1955 Bel-Air Chevrolet, with a 327 cubic inch engine, and a 4 barrel carburetor?

It's still fast, unless ya got 50 grand kicking holes in the piggybank, just itching for a C8 Vette, or a modern ZL1 Camaro......

You're shitting me those times are incredible even now the only way people are running those times now is kids are taken out mortgages on cars not houses they don't know how to change oil they just like the show factor

That’s still fast lmao

HJLK;LLKJKL,

They did with nothing but drag slicks. L88s have been clocked in the low 11s stock. ;)

I got my 1968 fully modified yenko camaro 4 speed.. 456 gears into the 10 second range.. in 1968..

i have a 1965 409 big block im putting together for my `64 belair, i swapped out the old 3speed for a muncie 4 speed

@@johnsalazard6659 great idea.. I had a 2 door 64 belair back in the day.. you can get over 400 h.p... and use 2 .4 barrel carbs.. and if you can get the close ratio 4 speed and about a 3.70 to 4.10 rear differential even better.....

The idea? and stock appearing? So, you think these are modded? Under the hood they looked factory clean and original, and what numb nuts would modify in anyway, two rare, expensive and collectible cars? Don't you have a conspiracy theory convention to go to? Maybe go post on another video hoe they faker the moon landing?

Steve J. Dude wtf? Calm down lol

​@@stevej.1428 Uh...yes, they do. That is why it's called F.A.S.T. class, factory "appearing stock tires...the tires look like the old polyglass, but tires are made for this class with a whole different compound. As long as they "look" stock from the days of old...seriously, no "factory" built Chevy, Mopar, Ford etc could come close to the 11's in the quarter, that were built for the street like these cars. . For God's sake man, think about it

These are real times. The ZL1 camaro on a good day can run low 11s at 130 mph.

That 427 makes nearly anything that fast. Saw one in a pickup and it was stupid fast.

I once heard they could make closer to 600 HP.

The Zl1 was about 525H.P....the L88 WAS about 625... the L88 you could build to a higher H.P....and was a stronger and cheaper motor...the ZL1 motor option was $4100 In 1969..L88 was Cast iron.. not aluminium....

@Harry Knows Harry the real numbers are hard to agree on.. I raced a new 1968 camaro L72 4 speed built to similar specks as a L88.. little less compression bigger cam bigger carb..holley 3 barrel 1050 cfm. Big headers..lots of internal machine work.. mainly on the heads..ran this car fot 3 years on the street and dragstrip.. best time at minnesota dragways was 10.68 et..the natioal record then was about 9.8.. asked my engine builder about using aluminum engine parts.. he said no to fragile and he was right.. my shift point was about 8000 rpm that car today is in a high dollar collection and is on the internet.. 1968 ralley green 4 speed 427 yenko camaro ys# 8016..in the picture I am the 19 year old holding the trophy on thr hood of said camaro at the strip...

@Harry Knows my 68 camaro had right at 650 H.P. ..that is a true number..you seem to like the ZL1.. didnt stand up to hard use.. expensive to repair.. you could take a L72 block and build it almost anyway you want... remember I did this back in 1968..afer 3 years of racing I sold the camaro to my brother.. he remade the motor and the car only for the drag strip.. with a tunnel ram and 2 4 barrel holley carbs.. with car weighing a little less than 3000 pounds and more than 750 H.p... you do the math.. this is from some one you did it back in the day....

@Harry Knows and also back then your engine was only as good as the person that built it.. the L88 back in the 1960s was sold to the public as a motor that was a starting point.. to be modified and raced.. the best platform for the chev. 427 V8 was the Camaro.. how many other people do you know that raced them back in the day.. do you know how many ZL1 cars I saw at the drag strip back in the day..zero..and before I raced that 68 camaro do you know what I raced?.. a 1965 pontiac G.T.O..4 speed with a highly modified 421 H.O. tri power out of a catalina 2+2.. that was my favorite car..and yes of course the camaro was faster..but the pontiac was a better driving car

Actually not. They did make 430HP at 4,400rpm. Take it up to 6,400rpm though, and you were at 500+.

No way , the L88 in a Vette . His top end was unlimited 🏁🏁🏁

Have you seen Horsepower Depot? They recently set the F.A.S.T. record in the 9.30s with a C3 Corvette on these old skinny bias ply tires.

Reality was the L88 had at least 100 more H.P....

@Fishermanguy44 he isn't talking about the actual weight of the cars you dummy.

Horsepower ratings were what GM advertised, both engines were rated at 430hp in brochures and order forms. Notice the Camaro's air cleaner lid has the 425hp decal, due to the fact that neither engine was ever supposed to be available in the camaro, and both engines used a cowl induction air cleaner in the Corvettes, there was never a 430hp decal made. But, of course, the advertised hp was far less than what the engines actually produced, because GM didn't want the average idiot to order one and try to drive it on the street. True L88 hp has been estimated and between 540 and 560, and the ZL1s between 560 and 580, but since very few of these have ever been dynoed, it's hard telling what they made exactly.

@@ronmac5488 I came here to the comments to find the morons that always take everything literally and here mr fisherman guy has not disappointed......lol. While we laugh at him....could you imagine actually being that ignorant that you can only think that way? Sarcasm would be a huge waste of time on mr fisherman guy I would assume. Yes I should really not rag on him though.....maybe he is a really nice guy....and maybe he has had some head trauma or something. Boy, finding that out would make me look like a real A hole huh? OR maybe he is just ignorant. Who knows......I am in a mood to pick at him so I am going with that.

Yes 100 hp underated at least

Chris Craft we dont.

they try to mess with us lol

I wonder how any of the big block cars would have done in Trans Am?! If I am not mistaken, those cars were all limited to 5.0 liters, hence the Boss 302, the Z 28, AAR Cuda and Challenger equivalent (although for the street, they were 340 cu in--not sure how Chrysler got away with that since I thought the manufacturers had to sell x number of street cars to compete). Funny enough, NASCAR in the mid-60s, had some pretty cool wide-tired cars running around road-race tracks, but the public seemed to want the skinny-tired street versions. We Americans seemed to have wanted 2 dimensional cars (only for the drag-strip) over 3-dimensional muscle cars that handled AND could run the quarter. A wide-tired NASCAR-style road-racing machine built from the 1969 ZL1 Camaro is intriguing--heck most any '69 Camaro, but an aluminum-biased engine in any of the 427 COPO Camaros would have made for an interesting machine! Heck, with Dynacorn bodies out there, combined with a GM crate engine, and all the suspension one can now get, you just helped start my bucket list!!

Oh I thought the Camaro was slow off the line, would love to see that race again, everything being even,.

Exactly

david bultman so you telling that this car is fake?

Kumarevel, not "fake", just not true factory original. ZL1 engines were available for purchase "over the counter" for years. This guy probably had a regular big block Camaro and put a ZL1 in it, making it a "clone", still fast as hell, but not nearly as valuable as a Camaro with a factory installed ZL1.

My Grandfather was a salesman at Rost Chevrolet in KCMO back then. They had one of the COPO ZL-1 Camaros and it was white. Column shifter, no heater no radio and sticker inside glove box saying to only fuel it with Sunnaco 260 or equivalent.

Trust me, while an L-88 Vette is a real street sweeper, it is no match for a Z-L1.

Explaining at its finest sir, cheers FROM alberta.

I still have my 73Z-28 I bought new, blew up the smog motor lifter broke. Bought a 69 370 hp 350 new from gm. Decked the block, cut the heads . 030, balanced, gm off road 140 cam,. 019 thick steel gm head gasket. Has a B+M 400,3200 stall, 488 gears, slapper bars, 90-10 front shock, 850 Holley. Ran 11:71-11:72- 73 with cheep 7" wide cheater slicks. In 1976, ok so I used alittel laughing gas too. 126 mph, tracks didn't have compound sprayed where we raced back then. Fun times😊

robert tallman what are you talking about? A pair of center dumps is just as good as headers. You talking crazy if you think headers will give out 50 hp

Camaro took a nap at the Xmas tree.

​@@garyhull5617 The Camaro won. The Corvette red lighted. You can hear the announcer say that. Both beautiful cars.