Anyone running a Chevy DZ 302 in their rod? I really wouldn't mind running one. There is one back home I might pick up if it is still their. What do you guys think of 'em for rods?
A real DZ motor is rare as hen's teeth! There were maybe 1700 built and every one of them was put in a hot rod, only a few survived. If it really is there you'd best go snatch it up, that is assuming it's still good (as far as being a good block). The factory took a page from the hop up bible when they built the 302, as that first one used a 327 block and a 283 crank. (before the 327 came out hot rodders used the 283 block and bored it 1/8") In '68 the factory started using a 350 block and a special crank, the DZ block was from a '69, the last year and also their biggest production year.
GM production figures sez 18,302 copies for the 1969 DZ 302 motor. Give or take a couple. About 7000- 8000 copies of the 302 in '68 and 602 for 1967..... And they all came with 4-speeds! One black convertible was built in '68 for a member of the top GM brass. The rest were all based on the sport coupe. I wonder how many GM warrenty replacment motors were manufactured???? There's a few of those out there also..
This is the old DZ 302 motor in our 4 door '55 Chevy. It went as fast as 7.85 in the 1/8th mile power shifting gears with a Muncie 4 speed. It was fun to drive when it had the 4 speed in it, but after changing the motor out and putting an automatic in it, it goes faster now. That second video was against a Willys pickup with a blown Olds motor. Something must have been wrong with the blown Olds. <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZeIISKLkADw&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZeIISKLkADw&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pRNY9LoXPAo&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pRNY9LoXPAo&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> -Aaron
The Muncie didn't like the new tires or the high rpm launch's that it needed to get going. It needed a 50 lb. flywheel instead of a 30. We did save the shifter and tail shaft housing though!!
If you have a "REAL" DZ 302 back home, you better grab it now ! As far as using one for a hot rod, they really like to rev. Use a 4 speed and some 4.88 gears and hold on.
i've seen the second vid before and it really makes me smile ,i can feel it when you grab second and can see your grin as she pulls away! i don't think they were finished adjustin' the olds as a 30+year gm tec i've seen a few real DZ's and several home made ones and if you dare to turn them and the load isn't too heavy they really SING!!!
A long time ago in a land far far away my buddy built a home grown 301 with double hump heads and a 30/30 Duntoff cam. He would start slinging the cooling blades off the generator at 7500 RPM.
I have a very nice (new) 302 built on the rare early Nova 327 & 283 crank. It's looking for a new home. Anybody looking for one please PM me. Van
The real ones came with underdrive pulleys too, if memory serves. They were produced to be street versions of the race motors held to a 305 ci cap in trans am racing.
I've got one that came out of my friends '69 Z-28. It's been apart and sitting in my shop for over 30 years. His had the spiril wrist pin retainers in it from the factory and one of them worked itself loose and the pin moved out and put a small groove in the cylinder wall. It can be fixed with a .030 overbore but I've been reluctant to do it as the rest of the bores still have almost new crosshatch and barely combustion staining above the top ring. With about a couple dozen projects ahead of me at any one time it's just never been a priority. My son has the car it came in new but I doubt he will ever restore it so for now the engine (along with about 20-30 others) is doing a fine job of keeping the shop from blowing away. Frank
If I had one or access to one id sell it to a restorer. A guy could probably nearly fund an entire car build. To a Z owner that needs one (with the correct date code) I think its name your price.
Yea, grab it... That oddball 1 of 1 convertible Z28 was up for auction a few years ago. If It sold, Ill bet it was crazy cash.
Hey Frank, you want to adopt a son..I'm self supportive, my wife is a real sweetheart, my kids are old enough to not be a pain in grandpas ass, and I promise I'll take that car from my adopted brother and restore it so we can put that 302 back where it belongs!!! I had a 1967 RS-SS that was special ordered from Berger Chevrolet in Grand Rapids by the guy I bought it from. He drag raced it from day 1 until 1972 when he decided to drive it on the street. I bought it from him in 1988, it still had 1973 tags on it, and only 13,698 miles on the od. He got 3 tickets with it in the spring of 73, so he decided to park it. He had a wlakout basement, and he took the car inside and had a special space for it as a shrine. I tried to but the trophies he had won with it, but he wanted to keep those where they were. I was lucky enough to finally talk him out of the car, so I didn't fuss much about his trophies. I didn't really know for sure what I had, I knew it was a rare car, but I was only 21 and really didn't understand like I do now. I got it fired up, and it has some oil leaks and minor issues so I pulled out the driveline and decides I'd restore the car. I had just moved t Holland, and met a guy who was kindof a camaro freak, and I talked to him about the electric hide-away headlight motors on my 67. I took one off and went to his place and was shocked at all of the camaro stuff this guy had...a 40x80 polebarn full..and I mean full. Long story short, he came over to check out my car, and when he realised what it was he made me a rediculous offer and I sold it. One of the dumbest things I ever did. But, the money really helped me out, paid for me to go stock car arcing, rebuild my 55 chevy truck, and bought me a big block 70 nova ss so it wasn't all for nothing! I still see him ocassionally, and he still has that 67. It is his pride and joy...and needless to say retirement fund!!!
Hey Frank, your son could get goooood money out of an all there 69 Z. I would definately reccomend either doing something with it or selling it to a restorer for big money (or me for a song!). I hate to see that stuff go to waste!
Cool story!! I already knew dang near everything about those early Camaros by the time I was 16 in '76.... I owned 4 of those cars at one time or another. My first was a '68 drop top, 2nd a '69 Sport Coupe, 3rd a '69 Z which got trashed by a drunk driver when it was parked. My 4th one was a '69 SS-396 car which had a bad case of cancer.. I ended parting that one out and made some $$ from it.
Yeah, he redlighted and I still got out on him pretty good from the get-go. The blown Olds Willys pickup run was the 3rd pass EVER in the car since we got it done. It went like this--let's throw this car together and drag it 6 hours north to Missouri and see if it will do anything. Even with carburetor problems it managed a 12.95 on it's first trip to the track. It sure was fun to drive with the 4 speed ! -Aaron
I had one. It had an Engle EP-25 solid cam that sounded great and went better. Balanced, pink rods, ported polished, Low 12 seconds in a 33 plymouth coupe, lakewood bellhousing, M22, 4:56 nine inch
My cousin had a 69 in 1972 it was white with black stripes had elcamino springs in the front with a ball joint lift kit ,high jakers in the back with a factory 456 gear and slapper bars and hookers ,Skinneys on the front with ansons and 10 inchers on the back with N-50s car would snap your neck.He wanted to sell it to me for $1,700 I tryed like heck got pissed at the bank caused they would not loan me the money for it.This car was absolutely like new.I firmly believe if had been able to swung it ,It is one car I would have never sold.
When I bought this Vette in 1990 I was told it had a 327 whae I went through the car I found out it was a 69 302 replacement engine. It has been sitting on an engine stand in my shop ever since. Just waiting for the right car to come along to put it in
The first drag car I was crew on was late 60's slingshot dragster with a flat tappet 11.5 to 1 302 chev in it, it was very basic an went low 10's with ease.I checked the tell tale once and it was at 8500 rpm, not bad for pink rods! Rob
It sure was fun to drive with the 4 speed ! Aaron, what beautiful music! God, what memories - power shifting a high reving small-block. Thanks for sharing.
Well, I checked the classifieds again and seems it's gone. Was a rebuilt to stock blue printed 1968 DZ 302 for $5,000 not bad seeing how a crate 350 with 300 horse would cost that much. Hopefully it will be relisted otherwise I don't think I will ever have the chance.
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