How did GM come up with the name Z06 ?
 

How did GM come up with the name Z06 ?

I've always wanted to know and the only thing I have herd was it was some guy’s last name beginning with a Z that came up with the idea to take a corvette and make it into a fast, great handing sports car. Any thoughts???

"The History of Z06

Zora Duntov With A 1966 Corvette Sting Ray

http://www.corvettemuseum.com/specs/...6History_8.jpg

Corvette’s legendary Zora Duntov first brought forth the concept of Z06. Though the Automobile Manufacturers Association had encouraged a ban on racing in 1957, which the GM chairman strongly supported, Duntov knew customers would continue to race Corvettes. In the midst of planning for Sting Ray production, Duntov suggested it was in Chevrolet’s best interest to continue with parts development to benefit racers. Thus, Duntov and colleagues created “RPO Z06” as a special performance equipment package.

The RPO Z06 package first offered on ’63 models included a 20 percent larger diameter front antiroll bar, a vacuum brake booster, a dual master cylinder, sintered-metallic brake linings within power-assisted Al-Fin drums cooled by front air scoops and vented backing plates, larger diameter shocks and springs nearly twice as stiff as standard.

These Corvettes came to be known as known as the “Big Tanks” because the package initially had a 36.5-gallon gas tank versus the standard 20-gallon for races such as Sebring and Daytona. At first, the package was only available on coupes because the oversized tank would not fit in the convertible.

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

The only engine option on the Z06 was the L84 327-cubic-inch displacement engine with Rochester fuel injection. With factory exhaust manifolds, required to run the cars in the Sports Car Club of America’s production classes, Chevrolet rated the engine at 360 horsepower.

Z06 cost an extra $1,818.45 over the base coupe price of $4,252. Chevrolet later lowered the package price and eliminated the big tank from the Z06 package though it remained available as a single add-on option for any coupe. Chevy then began offering Z06 on the convertible as well. Chevy produced 199 Z06s. Of those 199, many likely were used for play versus strictly racing as only 124 cars were delivered without radios and just 63 with the 36-gallon fuel tank - though the tank was a benefit only to long races.

Prior to the Z06 package in ’63, Chevrolet offered optional racing parts hidden in the order form that only the most perceptive customers could find." http://www.corvettemuseum.com/specs/...6History.shtml

History begins at birth...........
 

Still at my age I find myself time and time again being made painfully aware that history for the majority starts at birth in this country . The apparent supposition being our culture.

No fault or transgression implied, the fact that the history of an icon, or to many a once living God is not comon knowledge implies a shallow culture with parental as well as societal irresponcibility to our children.

A wiseman once said,"You have to know where you come from to know and appreciate where you are going ". To really be able to rejoyce in something , one must understand the sacrifices, the toil, the hardship behind it, whatever it is. Just as freedom comes at a price that was paid by the scarifies of others, freedom will never be fully appreciated and honored by thoses that have not paid that price or do not celebrate those that did.

The Corvette , the flag ship of General Motors performance, a corporation that once led this countries citizens to cry out " As General Motors goes, so goes America", the epitome, the embodiment of American muscle. Where is the call for a National Day of Corvettes? Why isn't the flag dropped to half mast when a Corvette is murdered on our streets? Why isn't "Deadman's Curve" played along side the National Anthem at the begining of every race event in these United States?

God Bless America:flag:

Larry Flint... right?

:flag: :flag:

Bingo!!!!
 

Give Todd a cupie doll [IMG]http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r.../cupiedoll.jpg[/IMG] That's the old American spirit!!

I share your pain, Dave

It doesn't just apply to cars ... the young generations have been infiltrated with lots of "Un-American" stuff.

Guess it's just part of the fact that the world gets smaller and smaller all the time ... and the only constant is change.

Unless I missed it, none of the posted info told WHY it was "Z06" instead of something else.

I'm assuming the "Z" is for Zora and the "06" is for something else ... maybe it's random. Maybe it could have just as well have been "Z03" or "Z14" or ???

I thought it was just the regular production order (RPO) code for that set of options. Z28 came about the same way.

It was Zora-Duntov , the Corvette's spiritual farther and first chief engineer, who made the new 1963 Stingray race ready out of the showroom. This limited edition performance package was named after it's factory ordering designation: ZO6

Thus the C5 in model year '01 once again proudly carries the ZO6 designation after GM went all out to create a world class performance vehicle to hold up as flagship of the corporation. Only in America can the average Joe afford and own such a supercar to cover his ever depreciated role in America's societial strata

:nono: After watching the news tonight about Osama Hussian Obama's "spiritual leader" and his racist attack on everything I hold dear I'm afraid we're seeing the fall of our modern "Roman Empire".

That and Walmart and other US companies are enthusiastically through their greed fueling China's plan to take our place as the "big dog" in the "new" world order. We really need God to bless America.:flag:

Back on subject .........Zora's efforts helped the Covette become an American icon.

:rofl: :rofl:

equallity in the US of A slanted..............
 

CJR2 ; not to hijack 2003Z06LS6's post and this isn't the appropriate topic area but............... If that preacher was a fair haired majority minister in a Christian church speaking against America and some particular minority ( which will be nameless) all Heck would break loose. Where is the Reverend Al Sharpton and the Reverrrrrend Jackson when one of their own is so vocally bigoted and anti American. I do understand that this particular minority ( which shall still remain nameless) is incapable of bigotry against a certain majority because any reprisal would only be a natural defense action from the long time suffrage instilled upon this nameless minority by this other majority,

I agree and understand that the real threat and demise of the Roman Empire ( another fair skinned majority) was from within and not from foreign invaders. Gird your loins.

So was the "Z" in Z06 for Zora, or was it pure coincidence? I've see no info that say it was.

I think the side topic needs to go to Off Topic. :smash:

the man , the myth and the mystery................
 

Seems I read that on Zora's death bed he was asked that very question with the implication of his imortality continuing on thru the ZO6. But all he was heard to whisper with effort was some thing about Area 51:blueangel:

you're correct ZeeOSix, off topics should be in the off topic section, but darn it politics just gets my blood up ............ oh ya, off topic section..........off topic section.........

There is a "system" to the GM RPO codes ... though they do seem to break it once in a while ... though the first character is ALWAYS a letter .....

If the first letter is M, for example, it is usually a transmission (MM6, M12) .... if U it is a radio or other entertainment system (nav, DVD player, whatever), an L is usually an engine (L88, LS1), and Z is a "performance" package or option (Z28 on the Camaro, Z06, ZR1, etc.).

The following two characters can be either letters or numbers.

So in 1963 they had to start the package RPO with a "Z" and since the RPO system was pretty new back then I'm guessing this just happened to be the 6th Z RPO assigned in the GM family. And that is why it is WRITTEN Z ZERO SIX .... even though people say it as if it was the letter "O" ... it is a ZERO.

:cheers:

both topics are interesting. sadly in the near future there may not be high performance cars available due to political correctness, liberals, tree huggers and other idiots that are educated in our public schools and politicians who are only looking to win the next election at all our expense.
oops, sorry. off topic again :ack:

I don't think it always starts with a letter either. I bought a 1LE optioned Z/28 back in 1991.

I'm not pretending to understand all the "intricacies" of the RPO codes, but I believe codes such as 1LE 2LE etc. are usually referred to as "Equipment Groups" or "Trim Levels" (not "options") and the system is complex, a dealer orders (say for a 2001) a 1YY07 if they want a Coupe, a 1YY67 if they want a Convertible, and a 1YY37 for a Z06... then they can order a "trim level" for the car, then individual RPO items, and finally colors such as 11U or 12U for the car, which I guess you could argue are RPO numbers as they show up on your car's "RPO list" in the car's glovebox.

All I was trying to show was that the term Z06 came from an RPO code first used in 1963, and that the origin of the name was in the RPO code "standard" not some "secret" code of Zora's ... but part of a corporate naming standard.

:cheers: