Maher ZL1 in Corvette Fever: Question

[zl1vette]

Ratbox,

You are definitely correct that the RPO L88 and RPO ZL1 are different motors with more than just different cylinder blocks. My question has to do with how it was written up on the build sheet.


BW

[Rowdy Rat]

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You are definitely correct that the RPO L88 and RPO ZL1 are different motors with more than just different cylinder blocks.

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While the first design L-88 differed considerably from the ZL-1, the second design L-88 and ZL-1 were essentially the same with the only difference being the aluminum block. Open chamber heads, the bigger camshaft, the new Holley DP carb... all were part of the second design L-88 as well as the ZL-1. A few second design L-88s were built early in the 1969 model year (around November/December 1968 to get them in the hands of racers for Daytona), but the vast majority were built after the strike in mid-1969.

As far as the ZL-1 in question, I also have the 1980 Vette Vues and was immediately curious why it differed from the Corvette Fever article... I even had someone email some high resolution photos of the Daytona yellow car which he had to make sure that I wasn't seeing things.

Your question in the initial post is a good one. There are differences between the paperwork for orange car and the yellow car that should be researched.

One piece of information that would be very helpful in my personal research is if someone has in their possession or has access to an original window sticker for a Hechler Chevrolet (Virginia) delivered Corvette in the latter half of 1969. If so, I would very much like to get a photocopy of it (I'll be happy to pay for your trouble in getting it).

Regards,

Stan Falenski

[JChlupsa]

The complete article and a copy of the Yellow ZL1 Vettes sticker

[Marina66SS]

There were four ZL-1's built originally. Two are supposed to be the yellow Roger Judski car and the white (Otis Chandler owned, I know he doesn't own it now and I apologize to the current owner). I don't know much about the other two other than one was a convertible painted in a light color. I read an article that had vintage photos that showed the light paint, possibly white. They used this car for testing and actually had put a TH400 in it and got a best of 10.96 @ 132 mph with slicks and the bumpers removed. All this is from memory so if I remember right he car was supposedly destroyed. However, if it wasn't along with the fourth car it is possible to have four documented ZL-1's. Certainly this car fits the pictures that I seen before being that it is a convertible.

[zl1vette]

An earlier post commented that the orange car owned by Maher could be the white convertible that Zora set up for the press. However, that test session occurred in Feb 1969 and the Maher Corvette has a sale date of 12-30-68. The white convertible also had a four speed Muncie transmission as reported in the May 1969 issue of Road & Track, so that would disqualify these two cars as the same.

The test car that Zora set up with the automatic transmission was a red T-top coupe. There is a photo of it in the Oct 1969 Motor Trend.

Corvette Fever also reports that Maher was a friend of Don Yenko, and their August 1992 issue has an article with paper work that shows a Yenko purchase of a 1966 L88 Corvette roadster. This car of course does not show up on any of the sales sheets as it was not sold to the public. Maher's car was invoiced through Chevy dealer West Penn Garage.

[Chevy454]

You also have to remember that this car has a Gulf Racing connection, and GM regularly backdoored hi-perf stuff to them...

[Jeff H]

I thought I remembered reading an article a few years back about a ZL1 Corvette that was used for hill climb racing like at Pike's Peak. Was that the Yellow car? Then a couple of years ago I remember reading somewhere that the new number was there were 7 ZL1 Corvettes made, but I have no idea where I saw that. So I have no clue as to how many were supposedly made. It's kind of the same situation with the ZL1 Camaros. 2 prototypes and recently the talk of a Yellow car in Canada that does not appear to be on the list of 69.

[PLATINUM6BBL]

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a 1966 L88 Corvette roadster. This car of course does not show up on any of the sales sheets as it was not sold to the public.

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I've seen a rollbar and intakte manifold that are believed to be from one of these cars.

[Defbob]

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Certainly this car fits the pictures that I seen before being that it is a convertible.

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I see an orange car with a vinyl top. My opinion is that it is just an L-88 car that probably had a ZL1 in it when he bought it and he was conned.

[hvychev]

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I thought I remembered Larry (Pantera) saying that he saw a blue ZL1 on a lot back in the day...

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Darren I was thinking the same thing. If memory serves the car was blue and was sitting outside a body shop in Oklahoma.