Chevrolet Original Z Designation a Dragstrip Demon
 

The original performance Z designation was not ZL1,Z27, Z28 or Z11 Pace car. It was the 63 Impala Z11 with a stroked 409 to 427ci, 13.5 compression, and a plethora of aluminum body parts and factory racing accessories.


http://carguychronicles.com/chevy-guide-to-z-code-muscle/

Love the starting line picture. Looks like one of the crew of the opponent is wearing an Indian headdress. Imagine that today haha!! Thanks for sharing

A lot of great stories and info about those factory terrors in the book "Super Stock: Drag Racing the Family Sedan" by Larry Davis. Tons of other cool street and strip stories in that book, too.

https://i.postimg.cc/281QQvgj/604761-1000-0.jpg

Predates the Z11. Released mid 1962,

Z01: Monza Spyder
Z02: Spyder Appearance Package, Performance Package, Turbo

I prefaced my statement with "original performance Z designation" so in my opinion the 63 Z11 was the first.

Not enough performance huh? How about the Z06 Corvette? That also predates the Z11 (built between Dec. 1962 and Jan. 1963). Or is it just drag racing you have in mind?

https://i.postimg.cc/T2Vq2mBp/fl0116-236846-1-2x.jpg

That's a killer performance rpo for sure!

That's the "mascot" for the Indy Nationals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyU-M0Pw51o
(film posted by Mike Noun, our very own "StealthBird")

I love how the front end on those aluminum cars gets so beat up. A lot of cars got dinged up while flat towing to/from the track.

K

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...7.jpg~original