The most "significant" Chevrolet performance car.

[Verne_Frantz]

My 2cents:
I think Kwizz was close.
In the entire history of Chevrolet, there was never a more "designed from scratch", full package, under one RPO number, race purpose vehicle than the '63 Impala Z-11. IF you look at everything that car had under ONE RPO #, strickly built for racing only, (with only 50 produced just to have NHRA sanction) there was never another Chevrolet produced with so many specific packaged features for one purpose.

Verne

[flyingn]

I'd lean towards the 65 Z15 Chevelle. Chevrolet's first big motored mid sized car....

[hvychev]

Verne, when I was thinking about this thread before I posted it, what I really had in mind is one PARTICULAR car out there like ex: Red Alert, or Dickie Harrel #1 ZL1, the blue RS ZL1, so and so's original owner Yenko Camaro, etc.

[69hurstSC]

significant...? probally the first ever 427 conversion car.

[copo69]

I agree with Verne on the '63 Z11. By significance, this car had to be a major influence on the popularity of later Chevrolet muscle. Car was more competitive and much more specialized than the ZL1 plus they were easier to sell. Many ZL1's lost their motors to boats and other race cars or were motors were pulled just to sell the cars. While they had a weight advantage even Jenkins said the iron motors made more power. I'm a Camaro person but feel that big Impala was more significant. I think the runnerup would be the early Z28's in TransAm.

[WILMASBOYL78]

This is like asking....what do you like more..??? Redheads or Blondes....the answer is....YES

Tibor....how you doin' in Cheeseland..???

NuYawk

[Jeff Murphy]

I would think it must be the Camaro and in particular the Z-28 if we are talking muscle only.

However, if Frank really means "significant" Chevrolet performance car and not just muscle car, it must be the Corvette, I'm afraid. It was (is?) the only true American sports car. Between the early Duntov specials, the show cars, the Grand Sport program, the 67 L-88s and the more recent C5R/C6R endurance racing program it has been the only car to really put the US on a world stage. I think that the C5R/C6R program in particular distinguishes the Vette due to the direct factory involvement, the dominance it held over its class and the fact that the road ZO6 was built in the same department. It continues in production form to be "the dogs bollocks", as they say over here.

As for the other marques:

- Ford = the Mustang in all it's various guises
- Pontiac = GTO
- Buick = GSX version of the Skylark
- Olds = W-30 (although I prefer W-31s)
- Plymouth = 'Cuda, in particular the Hemi cars (although I'm partial to the Wing cars)
- Dodge = dare I say the Viper?
- Chrysler = the 300 maybe?
- AMC = AMX

[Steve Shauger]

Pete Estes 68 vert was a one off but my understanding when it was sold to the public it was sans the JL8 and crossram. If we are focusing on chevrolet muscle cars the ZL1 does it for me. Now which one take your pick #1,55 or 3.

The blue 68 convert Z28 is a clone with made up paperwork and restamped parts. Not sure why the owner went as far as he did with restamping parts and making fake paperwork

[Donutblue]

I would have to say the 69 ZL-1. It's significance is not only based on it's very limited production, but with it's intentionally under rated HP we need to give GM a lot of credit for creative marketing and advertising.