Re: black 69 zl1
 

A couple of pics from '69 at Road America, the Z/427 Camaro and the Corvette Mulsanne. The accent color on the Camaro is not black even though it appeared to be in the calendar photo.

-Jon

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...Chevyshow2.jpg
http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/s...Chevyshow1.jpg

Re: black 69 zl1
 

[quote=William]Since I have been in the hobby 35 years I have stories going way back.

Chevy built a 1970 Camaro ZL-1 styling car that Bill Mitchell ended up with, shown on page 110 of "The Great Camaro". It was later updated with a 1978-style nose. I believe it still exists. The engine in that car was supposed to have come from the 1969 ZL-1 show car. Way back in the '80s at a show I asked someone from Chevy what became of the '69 ZL-1 show car. He believed the chassis was sold to someone from the Tech Center purportedly to build into a race car. If that happened, the car may be around but would have to have paperwork to prove its' provenance.

forgive me as I am not a Camaro guy but I find the part about "the chassis being sold for a race car" hard to believe.Aren't these cars unibody? so unless what he meant was the rolling body I doubt some one from the tech center would by the rear end set up and front suspension to build a race car.But who knows.There is an old timer around here who's dad was a big wig with Chevy back in the day.Who swears that one of the cars that his dad got for him to drive was a black Camaro with an aluminum 427.Who knows

Re: black 69 zl1
 

Jon those are some neat pictures. However I question the date of 1969 as the Corvette has the 1970 fender louvers on it. Did anyone notice that the front bumper on the Camaro appears to be molded in, not just the rubber bumper option from 69? Possibly the front clip is fiberglass. Notice the windshield on the Corvette is not stock as it is taller than a production one. The t-top roof leading edge is behind the windshield frame instead of on top of it. The proportions do not look right. I thought the Camaro was yellow but looking at these last two pictures it appears to be a yellow pearl or gold color instead, but I think the stripes are still black. They just look different due to the tent the car is parked under.

Re: black 69 zl1
 

From 1974 on, I've been to Road America every summer. All though the 70's they'd bring show cars, usually Corvettes. The Mulsanne Corvette showed up many times in different configurations.

Re: black 69 zl1
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: William</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Since I have been in the hobby 35 years I have stories going way back.

Chevy built a 1970 Camaro ZL-1 styling car that Bill Mitchell ended up with, shown on page 110 of &quot;The Great Camaro&quot;. It was later updated with a 1978-style nose. I believe it still exists. The engine in that car was supposed to have come from the 1969 ZL-1 show car.</div></div>

Is this the one you're referring to:
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbthrea...7720#Post367720


Jan

Re: black 69 zl1
 

correct

Re: black 69 zl1
 

The '70-style fender louvers do not mean that it can't be from '69. The '70 Corvette changes would have been finalized by calendar year '69, and GM styling exercises often tested or foreshadowed known upcoming production change, especially when you're talking about Bill Mitchell-commisioned Corvettes.

Re: black 69 zl1
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tom406</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The '70-style fender louvers do not mean that it can't be from '69. The '70 Corvette changes would have been finalized by calendar year '69, and GM styling exercises often tested or foreshadowed known upcoming production change, especially when you're talking about Bill Mitchell-commisioned Corvettes. </div></div>

I totally agree with that.

-Jon

Re: black 69 zl1
 

The rear 1/4 panels on the Corvette look like the un-flared 1/4's on a typical '69. The front actually looks like it might have the 1970 front fender flares behind the front wheels. That tall windshield in killing me.......it looks like a man's receding hairline everytime I look at it!

Re: black 69 zl1
 

I only remember this car as the &quot;Scirocco&quot;, but in fact in 69 it was the &quot;Aero Coupe&quot; which showed the new for 70 louvers and the flared front fenders. It had a ZL1 that was actually 454cid, with an experimental 4-spd automatic. The car was repainted for the 70 show circuit, then received A-pillar mounted mirrors, body color front bumper and grill, new hood, and a new roof. It was used as a pace car for the Can-Am series until 1974 when it was modified by Bill Mitchell again into the Mulsanne Corvette which had lots of body and interior modifications. The one constant was the taller &amp; rounded w/s frame. It again was used as a pace car for 1975 on a limited basis. Here are two pictures I found of it on the internet as the Scirocco.

Re: black 69 zl1
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: volspeed1970</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I only remember this car as the &quot;Scirocco&quot;, but in fact in 69 it was the &quot;Aero Coupe&quot; which showed the new for 70 louvers and the flared front fenders. It had a ZL1 that was actually 454cid, with an experimental 4-spd automatic. The car was repainted for the 70 show circuit, then received A-pillar mounted mirrors, body color front bumper and grill, new hood, and a new roof. It was used as a pace car for the Can-Am series until 1974 when it was modified by Bill Mitchell again into the Mulsanne Corvette which had lots of body and interior modifications. The one constant was the taller &amp; rounded w/s frame. It again was used as a pace car for 1975 on a limited basis. Here are two pictures I found of it on the internet as the Scirocco.
</div></div>

Looks like it has '73 plates on it. Can't say this look was an improvement over the earlier version. My parents were tech inspectors (scrutineers) at Road America and we were at every race from '70 thru '74. I even got my tech license for the '73 and '74 season. Bill Mitchell used to bring show stuff like this to the track every year. The Pete Estes '68 Z/28 Camaro convertible was the '68 Road America Can-Am pace car and I believe the Camaro Cherokee was the '67 RA Can-Am pace car. Whatever Mitchell brought every year was usually used as the pace car and that went on until after I left.

-Jon

Re: black 69 zl1
 

I remember standing at the back of the trailer to see what they were unloading.