Let's Try a Little Trivia (302 Engine)
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
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From: Ontario
Let's Try a Little Trivia (302 Engine)
Why was the late 1960s 302cid engine never put in a Corvette as the 327 transitioned from the 327 to the 350? The 302 went with the Trans-Am 5.0 litre restriction. What class(es) was the Corvette racing in in those days? I do not know the answer. Just curious.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Pearland TX
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Let's Try a Little Trivia (paul67)
Now that you bring it up..... was there any other chevy besides the Z-28 that had that 302? And what years had the 302? I know '69 did.
Team Owner
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From: Zionsville, PA NRA Life Member
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10
Re: Let's Try a Little Trivia (paul67)
I believe Corvettes were raced in the SCCA A-Production class.
The Camaros needed the 5 litre to meet criteria for the Trans Am classification.
:seeya Jeff
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 9,127
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From: Pottsville, PA. USA Home Of America's Oldest Brewery Yuengling
Re: Let's Try a Little Trivia (Winging It)
Now that you bring it up..... was there any other chevy besides the Z-28 that had that 302? And what years had the 302? I know '69 did.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 99
From: Ontario
Re: Let's Try a Little Trivia (Corvette ED)
Yes, but why? Was the Corvette racing in those days? Of course it was but why did GM or Corvette people ignore that engine size when the Camaro folks seemed to adopt it?
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,770
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From: St Louis MO
Re: Let's Try a Little Trivia (paul67)
If I remember correctly from my fanatic Camaro days: the 302 was only in the Z28 to homologate it for the TA races. Why was it not in the Vettes? The vette wasn't racing a venue that required the 5L restriction.
Brett :thumbs:
Brett :thumbs:
Racer
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 257
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From: Livermore CA
Re: Let's Try a Little Trivia (paul67)
I came across a website that listed Corvette accomplishement in racing --- "50 Years of Corvette Thunder" Racing Chronology
http://www.corvettethunder.com/chron-corv.htm
According the info there, they list Corvettes racing in GT class
http://www.corvettethunder.com/chron-corv.htm
According the info there, they list Corvettes racing in GT class
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,342
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From: Dayton Area Ohio
St. Jude Donor '08
Re: Let's Try a Little Trivia (paul67)
68 camaro for sure (I had one) and I think the 67 camaro had one. It wasn't until 68 they had the Z28 emblems 67 had 302 on the side.
I'm not sure but I believe 69 was the last year for 302 in the camaro.
I ran class D pure stock with mine
I'm not sure but I believe 69 was the last year for 302 in the camaro.
I ran class D pure stock with mine
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Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: Ontario
Re: Let's Try a Little Trivia (paul67)
I received the following information by e-mail.
[I]Paul,
The real reason for the Chevy 302 was because the 283
would not be competitive and the 327 was too big to
fit under the 5 liter maximum in the CLASS THAT THE
MUSTANG competed in!!! It was ALL about the Mustang!
GM wanted to win races on Sunday and sell Camaros on
Monday. The Mustang was the primary rival in the
showroom and on the track.
The Vette was never competing against the Mustang, so
it did not need a 302. The 67-69 Camaro Z/28 had the
302. Nothing else the General made ever had a 302
because the 302 would never have been built if it were
not for the Mustang.
A much more interesting bit of trivia is that the SCCA
began to allow de-stroking of production engines for
the 1970 season so that is what killed the factory
built 302. The 350 was a better engine for street
driving manners (marketing) and GM could homologate
for racing using the 1970 LT-1 350 and then de-stroke
them to 302 for Trans-Am competition. That was the end
of factory built race cars for the street IMHO.
Feel free to cut and paste this into the forum if you
wish. I have been lurking for some time but have not
registered. Maybe I will some day. I probably should
as I own both a Corvette and a 302 Z/28 Camaro.[I/]
[I]Paul,
The real reason for the Chevy 302 was because the 283
would not be competitive and the 327 was too big to
fit under the 5 liter maximum in the CLASS THAT THE
MUSTANG competed in!!! It was ALL about the Mustang!
GM wanted to win races on Sunday and sell Camaros on
Monday. The Mustang was the primary rival in the
showroom and on the track.
The Vette was never competing against the Mustang, so
it did not need a 302. The 67-69 Camaro Z/28 had the
302. Nothing else the General made ever had a 302
because the 302 would never have been built if it were
not for the Mustang.
A much more interesting bit of trivia is that the SCCA
began to allow de-stroking of production engines for
the 1970 season so that is what killed the factory
built 302. The 350 was a better engine for street
driving manners (marketing) and GM could homologate
for racing using the 1970 LT-1 350 and then de-stroke
them to 302 for Trans-Am competition. That was the end
of factory built race cars for the street IMHO.
Feel free to cut and paste this into the forum if you
wish. I have been lurking for some time but have not
registered. Maybe I will some day. I probably should
as I own both a Corvette and a 302 Z/28 Camaro.[I/]
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,060
Likes: 19
From: Ocean Springs, MS
St. Jude Donor '07
Re: Let's Try a Little Trivia (paul67)
GM definitely only put the 302 in the first gen Z28 Camaro. They built 602 units in 1967, about 7,000 Zs in 1968, and twenty-some thousand in 1969. I have an '68 Z28 with 61,000 original miles and 302 is fun to drive, especially over 4k rpm. I have pushed my 302 as high as 8,300 rpm and the sound is incredible. This engine is lacking in low-end torque however but nothing sounds like a solid cam.
Gordon
'68 Z28
'64 Corvette Conv.
'81 Corvette Coupe
Gordon
'68 Z28
'64 Corvette Conv.
'81 Corvette Coupe
