Quote:
Originally Posted by gpskinzhut
The 67 & 68 Z's were low production. The 69's had well over 20k produced.
It would seem counter-intuitive to raise the bar of the Z28 to what they did with the Gen5 only to slap the badge on what would be an underperforming entry-level car in the case of a V8 LT. Because I'd bet it would speed limited with the 18" wheel/tire package that an LT comes with and the single piston calipers, same way the gen 5 non-RS V6's were speed limited. And it wouldn't be a stripper in the sense of a factory race car as that just increases costs and negates the entire point having an entry level V8.
As far as history goes, the 2nd gens, the Z was the top model after the SS was dropped in '73 and the early 2nd gen Z28's it was a legit performer with the LT1 from the Vette. Then the Z28 was dropped for a couple years between... what 75-77? After that, it was the top trim package again until the IROC in 85-90 and specifically the reintroduction of the L98 350 in '87 that was only available on IROC trimmed cars. Then it was top dog again from 91 through to 94 or 95 at which point the SS was reintroduced. Then we all know it's rebirth in '14 to '15 where it was at the top of the food chain and channeled its original origins. Whether the performance was there or not is irrelevant really. Nothing in the mid-late 70's performed but it was never an entry level trim.
The ZL1 has never been just slapped on whatever. And really it's only been on the 50 '69 COPO cars and the 5th-6th gens, from GM anyway. I'd say the LSA & LT4 ZL1s are a very legitimate bearer of the badge.
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There was a Z28 in 1977 for sure . I had one back then.