Likely, the most valuable part of the drive train is the 12 bolt rear that fits a 2nd Gen.
1973 rs/ss z28, 350/375hp.!!
- Thread starter mort
- Start date
The numbers on the engine tell us only what the engine started life as. After all these years, it could easily have been rebuilt to have 350/375hp. You won't know unless you tear it down, and that doesn't make sense on an engine that runs great. Just drive it and enjoy it.
flht99b
Veteran Member
Entertaining reading. Here is some non fiction. My dad bought a brand new 1962 Chevy II convertible in '62 at a dealer in White Plains, NY. To this day he swears it was the worst car he ever had and traded it in on a '63 Ford Fairlane station wagon in less than a year. Anyway the '62 Chevy II was only available with the iron duke 4 or the "upgrade" was the straight 6 mated to the all mightly Powerglide. HOWEVER, the dealer offered him a package consisting of a brand new 300hp 327 mated to a Borg Warner 4 speed, completely installed by the dealer before taking home his Chevy II. My dad actually got to see a '62 Chevy II coupe the dealer had converted. My mom kept my dad from doing the right thing so he was stuck, though for a short time, with his white over blue, '62 drop top 6 cylinder Powerglide duece. Oh, his '63 Fairlane wagon was powered by a 260 cu.in. V8, along with clear, hard, dealer installed plastic seat covers. I still have scars on my ass as the plastic covers scorched me in the summer heat.
Yes, in the 60s and earlier, there were no smog standards or EPA standards that mandated testing before sale so dealers could install any kind of combination they wanted and still sell a car as a new car. By the mid-70s, that all came to a halt which is why the dealer made super cars like Baldwin Motion became a thing of the past.
1962 was a time when the rules were loose and didn't restrict the dealers much yet.
1962 was a time when the rules were loose and didn't restrict the dealers much yet.
I’ve come across some tall tales while car hunting these last few years. My favorite was a pretty tired car that the guy was selling as a 70 z28. As I asked the typical questions (gas pedal, 12 bolt, 8k tach, etc) it became very clear the car was likely a 307 base model with turbo 350. He was adamant that his late brother bought it and it was a genuine Z. When I pressed him on all the issues, it was almost comical. When I said where's the 8k Tach, He informed me it had idiot lights and not tach but likely the old one went bad so he switched It for a idiot light dash. It was all I could do to hold my laughter.
Nothing further from the OP?
Usually followed by "they built them this way back then. The assembly lines just made cars and didn't care about missing a few things"
Yeah, maybe he’s come to the conclusion that the POs story was pure BS. Hopefully the story didn’t cause him to realize he payed too much. But, even so and as others have said, drive it and enjoy it! I’d say literally 1/2 of the genuine Z28s I inquired about were clones.
Zoomin
Veteran Member
An analysis of ads indicates at least 90% of all V8 engines being sold came from Corvettes.
zfool
Veteran Member
My best friends dad got a 74 Ventura that had a 74 L82 or Sp/Hi-perf motor that was dealer installed. That was 81 or so. We hit a dirt embankment at 120 and bent it in two. 3 of us in the front and no seat belts lol. And we walked away. Sure we were a mess. One dude in the middle looked like he was from planet of the apes when his face bit the curve in the dash pad. Otherwise a very rare car lol. Fast ha
