1970 Camaro Z28 Road Test
- Thread starter Patstuff28
- Start date
76z28
Veteran Member
I still love when older people tell me how fast these cars used to be "compared to today" and in reality they were about as fast a rav4.
Patstuff28
Veteran Member
- Aug 23, 2020
- 919
My wife’s V-6 RAV4 is claimed to run 14.6 quarter miles. You can mash the accelerator and it will hook up with AWD. The muscle cars of the day were hampered by lack of traction on bias ply tires.
zero60times.com
2007 Toyota RAV4 0-60 Times and Quarter Mile
2007 Toyota RAV4 0-60 Times and Quarter Mile
zero60times.com
I remember the "Blue Max" '69 Z/28 when that article appeared. Where they took a '69 Z/28 and replaced the 302 with a 350. Much easier to drive and live with, they noted.
When Gen II arrived, it was the Firebird which got all of the attention due to its improved chassis dynamics and such. Plus the bigger engines and better trim. First time I got to ride in a '76 TA, I was impressed with its cornering and ride. But a Chevrolet was just a Chevrolet, to me, back then.
Although I liked the looks of the Gen II Camaro better, from day one. But to me, the Z/28, related to Corvette, was always "The REAL One".
Before and after I ordered my '77 LT, I read lots of road tests, but passed on that particular Brooklands book, at the time. I had the magazines in my archives, then and now.
Thanks for bringing back those memories!
FS87LT
When Gen II arrived, it was the Firebird which got all of the attention due to its improved chassis dynamics and such. Plus the bigger engines and better trim. First time I got to ride in a '76 TA, I was impressed with its cornering and ride. But a Chevrolet was just a Chevrolet, to me, back then.
Although I liked the looks of the Gen II Camaro better, from day one. But to me, the Z/28, related to Corvette, was always "The REAL One".
Before and after I ordered my '77 LT, I read lots of road tests, but passed on that particular Brooklands book, at the time. I had the magazines in my archives, then and now.
Thanks for bringing back those memories!
FS87LT
I'm waiting for somebody to transplant the current GM 2.7L HO (310 horsepower/430 lbs-ft version) 4cyl, with the 8-speed automatic (and 3.36 rear axle ratio) GM powertrain from a Colorado into a vintage car (electronics included). No doubt, the 8-spd automatic will help things along greatly! AFTER everybody gets past the "What were you thinking?" reactions. Not to mention the greater fuel economy, too. NOT to forget that some YouTube road tests clock it at 89mph in the 1/4 mile in a 4wd Silverado.My wife’s V-6 RAV4 is claimed to run 14.6 quarter miles. You can mash the accelerator and it will hook up with AWD. The muscle cars of the day were hampered by lack of traction on bias ply tires.
2007 Toyota RAV4 0-60 Times and Quarter Mile
2007 Toyota RAV4 0-60 Times and Quarter Mile
I've always wondered what something like the '70 Z/28 with the noted 4.10 rear axle would do if it had a 8L90E automatic in it instead of the THM400? Just a thought . . .
FS87LT
76z28
Veteran Member
Even with full on traction, the old cars still weren't that fast. My wife drives a rav4 prime which can run a high 13. A set of tires will only help that camaro so much... the z28 302s were mid 14 second cars too even with good tires. The 302s were sooooo overrated it's unreal.My wife’s V-6 RAV4 is claimed to run 14.6 quarter miles. You can mash the accelerator and it will hook up with AWD. The muscle cars of the day were hampered by lack of traction on bias ply tires.
2007 Toyota RAV4 0-60 Times and Quarter Mile
2007 Toyota RAV4 0-60 Times and Quarter Mile
The LT1 was better, but still pretty slow when people swear up and down they used to run 11s with theirs. That never happened. Ever.
'70 Z/28 RS
Veteran Member
If they ran 11's, then they musta had like 5 nitrous tanks on theirs! lol
If they had a stock 11 second Z/28, they must have finished off a case of bear each night too, by themselves. Even if a "case" was really a 6-pack.
'70 Z/28 RS
Veteran Member
And
And don't forget the 3 hot playboy bunnies in the car, that added an extra 360 lbs. If it wasn't for the bunnies, a 10.25 sec. quarter mile was def. possible!
@Patstuff28 and COPO, Thanks for sharing these very interesting articles from way back then.
In reading the articles, COPO's in particular, it's not hard to tell what additional gearing and traction/tune would do to the 1970 Z/28 quarter mile performance. There is a full second untapped in that combo.
With a 100.3 mph trap speed, this lines up with a 13.2 ET "potential" if optimized, 12.90 if science'd out.
Take that new 1970 Z/28, install a modern multi geared manual trans and drag radials with shocks/carb/ignition/headers and it would be still considered quick 53 years later with an engine designed 69 years ago, just saying.
In reading the articles, COPO's in particular, it's not hard to tell what additional gearing and traction/tune would do to the 1970 Z/28 quarter mile performance. There is a full second untapped in that combo.
With a 100.3 mph trap speed, this lines up with a 13.2 ET "potential" if optimized, 12.90 if science'd out.
Take that new 1970 Z/28, install a modern multi geared manual trans and drag radials with shocks/carb/ignition/headers and it would be still considered quick 53 years later with an engine designed 69 years ago, just saying.
