ZL-1 ahead of it's time?

[61 Bubble]

I have a ZL_X in the basement. It is a fresh .100 over now. It had the same parts inside but the iron block

Bob, few questions:

1. Are you the original owner?
2. If yes to #1, what yesr did you buy it? And from where?
3. What year is it? What size ZL-X, and what stage/configuration?
4. What casting is the block/heads? What intake do you have?

There is some info out there, and alot of hear-say. I believe the first time the ZL-X moniker was used was in 1969 at Baldwin-Motion for there stuff. I believe picked the name up in about 1971 to use for their crate-motor steel block version of the ZL-1. I know that it carried on till about 1979 that I know of from various sources that had printed catalogues with the ZL-X offered in them. After 1979 I do not know.

I know there was a 427, 454 and 480 versions. Usually 3 different Hp ratings per size with a I think 3 different choices for intakes (198, C427X and tunnel ram) and 3 different size single carbs. As well, there was an aluminum head option for these engines as well.

Bob, I too have a ZL-x. 480" version with the 074 heads and tunnel-ram. Mine is a 1976 vintage I'm told. Didn't really ever go over it too much as I never really heard of it till last 2 years. I bought it in pieces WITHOUT the intake and picked up a couple vintage TR2-X's that Joe Sherman told me we period correct and would most likely be used with mine. I have both 4150 and 4500 TR2-X as I'm not sure what direction I'm going.

 

[region rat]

I bought it from Smith Chevrolet in Hammond, In for a friend with a 69 SS. The short block was $550 and we bought the heads and intake soon after. It was 1973 and it's a common casting $, like 289?

I'll try and check later. Getting ready to go work 12 hrs.

It was .060 over when I bought the 69 ss and the motor shop probably bored .100 overbecause he had a set of Speed pros that size

 

[region rat]

I put it in my 64 and @ 4100# it went 12.50 but 134 mph. Much wheel spin

 

[61 Bubble]

Bob, one thing I have never got clarification on is the ZL-X 480" engine. no one seem to know much about them? If they were 4" or 4.250" stroke. Seems "most" think they were 4" stroke with .120 over blocks?

Funny mine is 4" stroke and .100 over as well. So that's why I say 480" as it's what 475? I have never seen or heard of anyone having a 480" as they were advertised as a marine application? I'm sure they could have been a car version or some put into cars????

IF yours was a 454 I wonder what Hp rating it was? There was 3 Hp offerings on the 454 engine plus the marine 454 ZL-x at 475Hp. So you had 475, 575 and 625Hp levels. Now the extact differences in each, I don't know.

 

[region rat]

The only one I knew about from GM was a 427. Motion may have put together their own, but that's something I'm not aware of.
Also never heard of GM putting them in cars. But you never know.

Bob

 

[Blk61409]

There were many variations of the steel version of the ZL-1, we received a 430 cu in from Chevy for a boat back in about 1970 or 71. I believe Vince Piggins is who shipped it to us, he was always working on something different.

Just an FYI.

 

[Skip FIx]

I think the road race versions they used in the Can Am cars were 430 ci also.
"Then you have the Reynolds Can-Am blocks/castings. These were what I hear when talking to people about racing teams using ZL-1 motors. Some even went from the standard 4.250 bores to 4.500! But also these racing Reynolds blocks DID NOT use steel sleeves in there blocks. Just sort of thin protective coating over the Alum bore"

They used the same cylinder technology as the Vega aluminum motors instead of sleeves walls impregnated with a hard material(silicon?) Then a special honing that got rid of the aluminum but left the harder stuff for the rings to ride on.

 

[Blk61409]

One of the Chevy engineers, George Pierce, told me he worked on the ZL-1 project. He said one of his jobs was to figure out how to create sleeves that would work without having to go to steel because of the heat expansion and contraction
problems. He devised a system to move up and down the interior of each cylinder spraying brass on the aluminum to see if they could get that to work. He said he honed the brass on the cylinders to the specs he needed, assembled the engine, started it up, ran for a short while, locked up and he scraped that idea thus we have steel sleeves.

 

[region rat]

What about the ZL-X?

I have one in the basement. It has the stock oiling. Built arounfd 73