red2012

My two best friends who are car guys and were even bigger car guys of the 60's love the way my '12 coupe drives. Now back then they were into the VETTES, CAMARO'S, GTO'S CUDA'S CHEVELLE'S all the big block muscle of the mid to late 60's. Im 56 yrs old so a little before my time and they are a little older than me so they were right in it. Alot of them had their dedicated track cars but alot of them also had their showroom bought big blocks for the street and friday night crusing. So I posed the big question. How do you think my car would do against the stock big block muscle of the day? And their answer was, no contest you would be half way down the block before they even got out of the hole. I said no ****! My friends said they drove most of the muscle in the day and although they were fast not a match for todays technology. But they did say there was a couple of specialty built cars in the day something about a 68 or 69 L-88 all alluminum motor vette that was built for racing that was too expensive that nobody ordered but was a oem car that would have destroyed anything in its path if i remembered the story correctly.

obxchartercaptain

Your friends are correct....You're (I assume you have a C6) Vette would clean their clocks. However, a few of the 60 runners did turn in the 11's from the factory with slicks at the track. I know, I raced against them....and got MY clock clean after winning my class (B stock in my 65 442 always in the low to mid 12's depending on the temps)

The L88 was a special engine but could be ordered and some did as you see every year on Barrett Jackson when they come up for bid.

Dmenace

My 08 is just as quick as my 454-450 with only street tires . No headers or slicks like the big block

JCtx

Any stock big block of that era wouldn't even come close to a base of GS Vette today. The main reason is TRACTION. But also heavy front weight bias, and heavier overall weight. They're most competitive in a roll-on. And least on a road course. But yes, modified with stickier and wider tires would immediately make them much closer out of the hole. I don't enjoy driving old cars. Never understood the 'nostalgia', when there're MUCH better (and safer) cars nowadays. But to each his own.

Racer

An LS3 Corvette would probably beat my 69 427 Camaro in street trim, but it wouldn't out "cool" it, it wouldn't out "maintain value" it, it wouldn't out "draw all the attention" it, it wouldn't out "sound" it and the list goes on.........

Mach2

I have always thought that if those of us that had muscle cars in the early 60's to 1971 may not be around today if we had tires back then like we have today. We would rapidly have found out just how inadequate the brakes were. What kept most of the muscle cars in the mid to high 13's and low 14's back then was the lack of traction, but thank the Lord the tires were poor, the other side of the coin would have been ugly.

Racer, you are so right. To this day the car that pulls my trigger the hardest is a 1955 Chevy post sedan with a 427 engine, GMC 8:71 blower and two holley carbs. To see the top third of the blower, the two holley 4 bbl carbs and air cleaners sticking out of the hood, hear the whine of the blower and feel the rattle of the exhaust shaking the ground around the car................. Man, it doesn't get any better for the ole Mickster than that. Then if the owner whacks the throttle, well that's it.

Cybernetic Medic

I agree a stock vette today out performs the stock muscle cars of the past. Here are some times for comparison...

http://www.albeedigital.com/supercou...0-60times.html

85scott

Actually, probably all Corvettes starting with an LS2 and beyond would be faster than big blocks from the 1960's. The C5 ZO6's would be also.

The most powerful commonly available BB from the 1960's era was the 435HP Vette. And if rated today, it would have had a net rating in the range of 370-385 horsepower. If I remember right, the 1971 LS6 had a 425HP rating & 325HP net rating from GM. But it had been somewhat detuned by then with 9.0cr, etc.

I mean these really are awesome times for fast cars. With so many to choose from that are both faster & more comfortable to live with than ever before.

cclive

Some of those monster big blocks were doing 14 second quarter miles...the LS3 would eat them alive.

george vee

Yes we had a tough time breaking 13 seconds in the quarter mile, back in the day.
Here are 2 of my cars back then , wish I had them now

saplumr

The '67-'68 and 1970 split bumper Camaros are some of the best ever! My personal favs were and still are '66-'67 Chevy II SS' even though they were small blocks. One of my four had the engine compartment cut out with a 427 dropped in.

george vee

the car on the right, that was a nova with a 427 dropped in. To bad I don't have a full pic

ryoder

How about the Lingenfelter 540cid 1990 C4?

http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...d.php?t=127971

I wonder how much that put down? I wonder if it would take a Z06? It surely is a large motor.

red2012

Just looking thru some of the numbers and times and im just guessing is, that weight and traction is what killed the times of those big block cars. A 69 427 -435 VETTE, I'm assuming its a tri carb, running a 5.3 0-60 13.8 1/4 mile WOW! OK so maybe the times are + - a little but still stock for stock a LS-3 would annihilate that car.

ZR1Cat

A friend asked me which of my Vettes was fastest. My 67 (L71) 427 435hp or my 2012 ZR1. I just had to laugh. I told him the ZR1 of course. It wouldn't even be close. The 60's BBs (stock or near stock) ruled the roost for decades, but their time is over. Love the 427 and 454s but unless they are really modified, they are just wonderful museum collectibles or weekend cruisers for car shows or the drive-ins.

Cybernetic Medic

It's all of that plus it's hard to tell what hp they were really putting out back then. There were always the stories that they were underrated from the factory but they were also using gross hp vs net today.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-g...vs-net-hp.html

mpuzach

The engine you're referring to was RPO ZL1, an aluminum block 427 offered during the '69 model year only. The cost was $4718 (base price on a '68 coupe was just $4781) and only two were built. Factory rating was 430 hp but the actual number was much higher.

z51vett

68 Z28 Camaro 302 hedders dualpoint dist. 370's ran 13/30 in quarter.
67 big block (454 450hp) would pull the left front wheel off ground never dragged that car go figure.Correction I have a trophy 11/80s at 120 mph Charlotte Motor speedway Queen city Corvette Club.
z51vett
Doug

z51vett

Rumor has it 3 one being used as race car.I gave all my mags away or I would look it up. The yellow one is in Fla belongs to I think it's Rogers corvettes. The race car was red.

z51vett
Doug

mpuzach

Yes, I've heard that rumor, too. As far as I know it's not been positively substantiated but it's still a distinct possibility. As you said, the yellow one is part of Roger Judski's private collection in Florida. Here's a photo: