Nov.'68 HRM ad says "Z is for zap"' When I was a kid,locally we called them "zappers". The only thing that ate up my '69 GTX out of the hole back then,was one of them with 4:56s in it. Quick cars!
Slowmotion, A buddy of mine used to have a 65 Mustang he battled the Z-28's with back in the early 70's. You just reminded me that he called them Zippers for the way they sounded winding up. Larry T
I read in one of my manuals that DZ was a block designation not a rotating ***embly designation. Didn't read it on the internet, Al Gore wasn't a correspondent yet when I started this game. Now as for internet myths, I have been around long enough to know that no one called them a zapper any place but in your neighborhood. Maybe I should say that I never heard one called a zapper any place I have ever been. Larry, Your friend may have called them zippers because of something he heard in SE Asia. Remember that if you are a ford man a Chevy is the enemy.
This is from another thread discussing where the 'Rat' and 'Mouse' motor names came from. I understand it's about the most accurate:
I recently picked up an intake manifold from a 69' Camaro Z28/DZ 302 for my SJ 327 I'm using in my 46' Harvester I'm building. I knew nothing about that motor and would have argued that Chevy never made a 302. I was a Ford guy so 302 was a Ford to me. You sure don't find anything negative about those DZ302s do you. Glad I have a centerpiece like that for my motor.
They were nice engines whether they came in a camero (sic) or not. Hot rodders were building the same basic engine early on. So even though the particular engine configuration in discussion does not count as "traditional" a 302 (301 and change) inch engine can be considered more than traditional. I am no doubt wrong about the name of the engine, I didn't spend a lot of time in the mid west when they were new. But I said from the git that I was not going to be correct at least in the eyes of everyone alive. Earl is actually a good name for the mouse that ran up the clock. As discussions go it is not totally OT to discuss an engine built on the same basic platform as the 283s that were originally altered to go real fast. At the very least I don't think it is and for the most part neither do the rest of the participants in the discussion. Back to th discussion or sort of I would like to lay hands on one of the opriginal off road cams that GM offered for that particular engine. Not one that is gold plated mind you. I had an acquaintence that was better healed than I was that had one with the off road cam and it was head and shoulders above the 302 that I had in the performance realm. Now that is harder to admit than being wrong for sure.
PBer, I meant no personal dis to you. Just trying to clear something up on the DZ designation. It's OT anyway,and really not site relivent. Sorry if you took it that way. I enjoy reading your posts, and you obviously have much more to offer this site than I, with your wealth of knowledge and experience.
I didn't take it that way, I'm just being an *** today. If anyone owes an appology it is me. Anyway I'm good if you are. I still think that Larry's friend called them a zipper because he was called upon to kill a commy for mommy.
It would be better installed in one of my old junks than under your bench. We are building a small journal alchy mill, I think it would be the ***s in one of those, or my 2x5 355.
I think they're repro'ing those nowadays, I'm sure it'd be much cheaper Sounds like a high-winding, cool build. Let'r rip!
Here you go, read the first line in this ad, I had also heard them called zappers before, or like watch out man, dont race that camaro, you'll get zapped. Chevy actually tried to make it stick with a bunch of advertising, and (thankfully) it never worked.
Could I hazard a guess that the O/P may be referring to the names of the motors Chevy used like "Turbo-Fire", "Super Turbo-Fire", "Turbo-Thrust" etc.
Remember Chevrolet sold 302s over the parts counter. I don't think these had the DZ code stamped on the block. That was reserved for the 302s factory installed in the 69 Z28
Here is an authentic Z-28 Trans America sj 302 motor in the flesh........only change is the Hilborn on it. Big cam, big valves, big ports. Spins up as fast as you want it to......sounds like any other compe***ion motor with the headers open. 11.75 CR. Runs on Rocket 100. Got lucky and found it 20 years ago.....
I had a crate motor 1967 MO 302 s-j 2 bolt main. I sold it 25 years ago for 2500.00 twas standard/ standard with all the paperwork,just balanced and blueprinted,30-30 Duntov still had stock cam in cam tube never used! Wonder what it's worth today...
Phase 3 cam dont know the profile but seems to me they were an option with the 456 gear. I agree later of the 301 ,wrist pins were in different location on piston I think
Are you talkin about the Duntov 30-30 offroad cam offered by Chevy in 1967?If so I think they repop them now and it would probably be a better piece...jmho R~R
They were close to if not at zero deck height. It takes a lot more than cam shaft to make one go for sure.
Could be, I don't remember for sure. But he did not like the little Chevies. If ya'll are talking about the second design off road Z-28 cam (and I think it is), those things will stand your hair on end at idle. About the nastiest sounding cam I ever heard anyone try to run on the street. OK, just checked and I was thinking about the 754 camshaft. Larry T
I have a note to add on Z28s. Back in 1966 my Dad was into high performance anything. (I was in the service) He read about the new Z28 Camaro and wanted to buy one of those HP Z's for his Jeep. He went down to Frontier Chevrolet in Fresno, ordered a complete Z28; what you probably never heard before is that when they first came out, GM would not sell a complete engine, short block only. Short block came first, followed by the heads, manifold, carb, air cleaner, distributor, etc. My brother lost his life in his Porsche, and all racing came to an end. The Z was put in the corner of the garage and never ***embled. Still have it today with everything in boxes and bags. Anyway, I guess it's a museum piece now. It's day has come and gone. I know this doesn't belong on the HAMB, I just wish it were an NOS 59 AB. Ha, ha.
Am too. Well it obviously has no value if its day has come and gone. I could use a small journal 301 do you want to ship it or do I have to come get it.
Now pork--ya know you don't need that piece, seein' as how you don't like CamEros. I on the other hand could really appreciate that old obsolete part!
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