Some of you know my Dad was a diemaker at Chevrolet Flint Manufacturing (Pressed Metal Division), which is where they would make oil pans, rocker arms, valve covers, radiator supports, air cleaners, etc. As a result, one of the things Dad used to do was make special parts for Duntov. If Zora had something unique, like an air cleaner or special oil pan or something, he would call up to Flint (since that was where the base part was made) and ask for the die room to whip it up. He would ask for Dad, specifically, to make the parts for him ("...I van da skeeny diemaker to make deese..").
One time Zora was doing a study on valvetrain geometry on small block Chevys, for wear vs lift, so he requested (via a sketch on a napkin) a batch of rocker arms to be made in various ratios: I think they started as low as 1.2:1, then incrementing up through 1.50, maybe 1.55, 1.60 and finishing up with a 1.65:1 ratio. He asked for 100 pcs of each, so Dad would run 100 for Zora (to ship to the Tech Center) , and then 100 for himself (and stick them in his locker).
Our paths would cross with NHRA legends Dave and Ben Wenzel on occasion. Dad happened to see them up at Tri City one time, so he handed them a bag of these 1.65 ratio rocker arms and said "here, try these" .
They looked at him quizzically, like "...who are you and what are these and why should I try them?".
Dad said "just try 'em".
They did, and then they were REALLY flying. They got protested, torn down and the cam checked but were declared legal. Nobody ever did notice these special, production looking stamped steel rocker arms that they were running.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...yal/img026.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...oyalwenzel.jpg
If memory serves, they might have a ZL1 car or otherwise rare '69 Camaro sitting in the barn with about 100 miles on it. My recollection is they ran it briefly but did not prefer it, and so returned to the previous year car.
K
