Stan's Customs

Just curious how ZZ4 owners like their engines...and how they compare to L98 and other stock Corvette engines. (low end torque, rpm info etc.)

I'm particularly interested in how well they pull with OD trannys with relatively high gears (3.07 for instance) at low RPM's... I'm considering a 200-4R and a 3....something gear.

Some C4's had 700R4's and L98 engine. Any direct comparison to that type swap out would be good...or whatever you want to chime in with.

Thanks and best regards..Stan M.

silverslashstreak

I run a L98 in my SWC and my son has a ZZ383 in his 73. 73 has 3.55 gear and 3.27 first Tremec, my 63 has 3.36 and 3.08 T5. My L98 will run with the 383 until midway through 3rd gear then the 383 takes off. We autocross them frequently and on longer courses he is faster and shorter tighter courses I will be.

I love the low end torque of the L98 in my 2900 lb coupe, and all around driving enjoyment is awesome. Raw power the ZZ383 takes the prize hands down.

Jeff

Stan's Customs

Thanks for the reply Jeff..

Not exactly what I was looking for, but good info anyway.

Best regards..Stan

71zman

Stan,
I have some experience here. My 1960 started with a 283, a close ratio T10 w/ 3.70 rear end. I didn't take the car on many long trips because it needed a freeway gear to keep up at 75 mph. I tried 3.30's but was still uncomfortable running long trips (for the first 25 years I owned this car I put only 10,000 mile on it).

Looking for a upgrade to make it more fun, I ended up with a ZZ4 with a Tremec TKO600 and 3:55 rearend. I love this set-up (6000 miles in the past 5 years!). On the freeway, 75MPH @ around 2500 RPM - if you want to pass (I find myself needing to do this often ) - drop to 4th and the motor rev's like a banshee and cars drop away. For cruising - the high ZZ4 torque allows you to run it all day under 2000 RPM - nice and quiet, smooth, the wife loves it!! Out playing with my muscle car friends, my 215/70's smoke easily and the engine pulls strong through 5500 RPM.

Looking at the L98 / ZZ4 comparison, the ZZ4 is rated with more HP and torque - for me more is better. I like the idea of EFI on the L98 (especially running in higher altitudes) although I imagine the installation would be more complicated by adding the computer. The ZZ4 installation was straight forward although I did not like the look of the motor - the ugly intake manifold, the cheap valve covers and the huge HEI took away from the engine compartment. I ended up changing these out for a more period look and feel.

The best part is still driving it - the ZZ4 / TKO600 set-up works really really well!

Hope this helps
bret

Stan's Customs

Hi-I'm Stan's wife. He's on the road (no computer), so I'm relaying messages. He asked me to ask you what the final drive is on your transmission. He tore up his knees a few years back and can't drive a standard anymore, but any final drive info will help. Thanks

71zman

The TKO 600 has a 0.68 overdrive gear in it. My rear end is a 3:55.

Stan's Customs

Ok Bret I'm back home now. Thanks for sharing your evolution to a driveable situation. I wish I could do the stick thing ...but those days are gone for me. I never had anything but 4 speeds as drivers till I was 37 years old. Built some bracket cars...but always drove a stick.

My gear choices for this build are 3.07, 3.34 and 3.45. That's stock gearing for the Dana 44 my chassis will have. I could pay $750 more and get any gear, but I thought I'd see if one of these would work. Might as well say another thousand when you say $750...he heh! ...and I'm about out of thousands...!

Best regards...Stan M

Black_Magic

I'm running ZZ4 with TKO-500 and 3:08 rear. The 500 with its LOW 1st gear (3.27) work well with the 3:08's giving a 10.07:1 low gear and the .68 OD make hiway cruising a breeze. Not sure how the TKO-600 would work well with the 3.08's because of it's 2.87 1st gear giving an 8.84 low gear or the 200-4R with it's 2.74 low giving a 8.44. Probably would need somewhere around 3.55 rear gears for the 600 or 200-4R.

It all boils down to how you want to drive and use the car. My objective was for ease of driving both around town and hiway NOT hard/fast stop-light to stop-light or drag strip because 3.08's won't get it done.

The ZZ4 has lot of torque and and plenty of pull even down around 18-1900 rpm with the A/C on.

Try this link to play with the #'s ===> Click Here

And with a little bolt on stuff you can make them look GOOD

George

Cruzmeisters

Just got the '62 out today; first time since ONE week-end October '08, 3 Cruises/113 miles The ZZ4 with 3:70 rear end makes it very easy to make a "PEPSI ("...pause that refreshes...") COLA" stop at a STOP sign: come to the STOP sign in 4th gear, tap the brake, feed it some gas, and pull away...almost like driving a PowerGlide

97coupechuck

I have a 66 with the ZZ4 motor and I love it! It has billet valve covers and single oblong air cleaner which gives it lots of bling for low $ and mainteinence. I always get oooos and ahhhs when hood is open. I bought the car this way and I haven't stopped driving it! Seriously, bought it in nov 08 and I've driven it all the way across US on Rt 66 and back to Houston. Old school turbo 400 and I don't know what rear ratio yet. All I know is that with the aluminum headed small block it handles just right for the old car. I've owned big and small block midyears and always thought the small blk is the way to go and with the bonus of lighter aluminum heads it's as perfect as a stock configured mid year can drive. It doesn't like cruising over 80 very much. I start to get a little oil smoke out of left bank side pipes. It loves 2900 RPM giving me a nice comfortable 70 mph.

Stan's Customs

Thanks for the info George..

Your engine has always been one of the best on the forum in my humble opinion. Absolutely georgous...!!! I'm curious to know what kind of highway mileage you get with your set up..2X4's and high gears..

I'm thinking I might be better off with a higher gear than a 3:55 (maybe a 3:34).. That would have the same final gear as a 700R4 and a 3.07 rear, which is what a lot of C4 Corvettes had. The 3.07 was considered the high performance gear in those cars, I think.

(Some C4's had a 700R4 and 3.07's with a L98, which is a ZZ4 with a different cam essentially.)

With a 200-4R the low gear is higher and overdrive is higher than a 700R4...so the lower 3.34 rear gear makes the numbers almost the same as the 700R/3.07, if the calculators are accurate.

I'm thinking with the ZZ4 making better HP and Torque than the L98's in the C4's because of the low performing TPI's... and perhaps the addition of a mild stall converter, it might be a smooth combination..and drive as good at least as good as the C4's and perhaps better ? This will never be a drag car and driveability is what I'm after...plus I might as well get some mileage too.

I know the automatic 4L60's and 3.55's with the LS engine combinations ... go up in smoke real easy....so maybe something in between? The ZZ4 has similar hp/torque numbers as the LS1 and LS6 for instance.....although not close the the later LS motors.

I'm kinda limited anyway...my gear choices are 3.07, 3.34, and 3.45. That's all I can get without spending another $750. That's the stock gear choices with a Dana 44...which I'm getting in my Corvette Correction chassis. ('61 body if I haven't said).

To clarify I refer to higher gears as lower numbers ...and higher gears are lower numbers...

Anyway..I'm sure you get my meaning..

Thanks and best regards...Stan

Stan's Customs

Hey CM..

...Thats is a lot of torque, it does sound almost like a powerglide. Makes driving easy around town it sounds like. Thanks for the post..

Stan..

Stan's Customs

Thanks for the post Chuck.

Best regards..Stan..