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The torque is what snaps your head from a stop or low speeds.
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I don't want to turn this into another big argument [maybe even about ricers and backpressure! 😀] but it's not torque that does that, it's acceleration. Imagine you had 3000lb-ft of torque mated to the appropriate gearbox - slam it to WOT at a stoplight. Feel any neck-snapping torque? This is assuming you don't have 60" drag slicks... 🙂
 
Originally posted by: pyonir
Originally posted by: RSI
If I'm not mistaken, there was never once a Camaro released with an engine larger than 350 (you see plenty around, but none were released stock this way).
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in 1969 they released a SS396
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Don't forget about the ultra-rare 1969 cars with the all aluminum ZL1 engine.

http://musclev8.freeservers.com/zl1.htm

The nastiest street-machine Chevy ever offered, this engine the ZL1 was a 427 which was underrated at 430 bhp. Actually it had over 500, making it the most powerful engine on muscledom. The car had full 5 year/ 50000 miles warranty and was fully street legal. In the standard configuariont it turned low 13s. With appropriate tuning it got in 11.6 at 122 mph!! All this had a price, and very high indeed. The engine alone cost 4100$ and pushed the price to a Star Trek level of 7200$. In fact only 69 were built and 30 remained unsold until the early 70s.

 
More mouth watering big block goodness: (just don't expect to see many of these for sale)

All of the dealer mods offered in 67 and 68 led Chevy to offer two versions of COPO (Central Offce Production Order) Camaros in 1969. The main thrust of these cars was to make the Camaro a leader in Super Stock drag racing. about 500 Camaros were produced with COPO 9561 which included the 435 HP 427 cid engine; and about 70 were produced with COPO 9560 the 430 HP, ZL-1 engine. Both engines were under rated but the ZL-1 was reputed to have over 500 HP. The L72, 435 HP engine included 11:1 compression ratio, forged steel crankshaft, 4 bolt mains, forged aluminum pistons, solid lifters and a 780 cfm Holley carb. Air was fed to the beast through a ducted hood directly to the carb. The ZL1 version was externally unmarked without even 427 badges and featured aluminum block with cast iron liners, aluminum heads, 850 cfm Holley carb, special forged pistons, along with the other goodies on the L72 engine. The ZL1 with slicks could turn low 11 sec quarter miles and is reputed to have factory dynoed out to 588 HP.

http://home.golden.net/~appster/text.november.html


 
I can appreciate the old muscle cars, but only for the nostalgia. If you really want to talk muscle though, then fast forward to today. This is the last year for the Camaro and the Firebird (so the rumor mill says), and right now the 2002 Camaro SS is one of the fastest regular production Camaros that has ever been built. Were talkin 320 horses and 13.4 second 1/4 mile times out of the box and on factory tires equipped with tracton control and all the creature features. That's impressive. If I were you I'd try to land one of these and hang on to it for about 20 years. BTW, 1999-2002 SS's are all pretty much same and they sell for about sixteen to thirty-some-thousand USD.

Like I said, I can appreciate the want for a classic, but if you're just wanting to go fast (I'm assuming since you mention 400-454 c.i. engines to drop into your classic, your not so interested in a factory original restoration piece) you'll do better getting something you can find with a warranty that you won't have to wrench on.

Just my opinion.
 
Hey, my daily driver is an 81' Z28 camaro. She's in pretty good shape compared to most camaros of this age and she's all original. right here she is🙂 Anyways, the electronics do suck on this car although she almost has 145,000 original miles on her and she's still got some balls. I could spend a buttload of money and redo everything and just run a msd ignition but I don't wanna spend that kind of money. I'm probably gonna sell her soon and get a honda or something more economical because I can't afford this 8 mpg stuff especially when I go away to school. Anyways, I'll hate to get rid of her but it's just something you have to do. Someday, I plan on owning an older camaro again🙂
 
Originally posted by: Munchies
<----------------------owns 1970GTO
<----------------------looking for a 427 pontiac SUPER DUTY engine
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....keep looking. They did make 421 and 455 Super Duties, though 😉

JC

 
yeah, '67's are my favorite too 🙂

all of the first gen ones look good though. You can still get most (all?) parts for them, from remanufacturers. like fenders and stuff, if you buy one that has rust.

probably best off with a fixed up 350, parts are cheaper and still plenty of power. I think thats what I'm going to put in the Vega, even though I've always wanted a 454. (I can get either cheap, just can't afford the gas for a 454 😉)

I've been thinking of maybe a chevelle or similar too, but I already own the two vegas, so that would save me $$$

not to mention i should go get my liscence one of these years... 😱
 
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