Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Weyman
Can anyone explain to me how the 2nd Gen big block all aluminum engined Camaro raced by Frank Gardener was ever remotely legal?
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Now I'm glad you asked that, Al! The ZL1 Camaro was a factory production option on the
first generation Camaro, and was aimed at the Superstock class of the NHRA, for which the minimum production number was 50. The Camaro was already available with the alloy-headed but iron blocked 427 L88 motor, but Chevrolet introduced into limited production a motor based on that used in the Chaparral Can-Am car. I'm not sure if the heads were the same as the L88 or not.
In all, Chevy produced 69 Camaros fitted with the alloy big-block motor, which weighed about the same as the stock all-iron 327. The motor was also made available as a production option for the Corvette; two were made.
I believe that for Group 2 homologation at the time, it was only necessary to produce a certain number of parts kits; they did not have to be fitted to cars off the production line. However, I thought the minimum quantity was 100. Also, the motor was never sold in a second-generation car, so just how Frank's car got its homologation I do not know.
If the homologation
was dubious, how come Ford to name but one competitor did not ask the question of the FIA at the time- although I'm not sure how dry-sumped, mechanically fuel-injected 1litre and 1300 BDA Escorts got in , either.
Later, of course, we had the farce of Group 1 Avengers with twin 40DCOE Webers, and the Mazda RX7's acceptance as the saloon car it so clearly wasn't....