[Z06] How did GM come up with the name Z06 ?
03-15-2008, 01:45 PM
#21
Burning Brakes
I think you're right about the equipment group line of reasoning. My 1LE example wasn't technically an option you could choose. When you selected a specific combination of other options it initiated the 1LE "equipment group".
03-15-2008, 02:34 PM
#22
Le Mans Master
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.
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.
03-15-2008, 03:21 PM
#23
Safety Car
I've seen the fact that "performance" items were coded "Z for Zora" argued several ways ....
The obvious answer is "It's obvious ... the one BIG performance guy running around GM was Zora, so of course you'd use Z for his stuff"
But the other "answer" I've heard is that Zora was a guy that ruffled a lot of feathers, especially "high level brass", and there was no way they'd "honor him" by coding his initial in the system ....
My personal GUESS ... big corporations will always do weird things that in retrospect seem "clever" .... I'm guessing the guys that had to design the system (system analysts) sat down with some accounting types and asked about what kind of options went into a GM vehicle (cars, trucks, etc ... and from GMC, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Chevy, Caddy ... etc) and hammered out most of the codes before someone said ... heck ... we have a "performance option" here ... any letters left ???? Z was it baby ........
Or MAYBE some crafty system analyst saved the best for last ... knowing that future generations would always be impressed by how
Z06 or ZR1 or Z28 sounds .... and he also knew we'd always be left wondering if Zora was somehow involved ...... 
03-15-2008, 03:39 PM
#24
Safety Car
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
oops, sorry. off topic again
PLEASE let's be sure John McCain gets elected ....So a GM TRIVIA QUIZ since we seem to enjoy going "off topic" in this thread .......
DRUM ROLL PLEASE .....
The GMC division of GM makes mostly trucks .... what do the letters GMC stand for ????????
03-15-2008, 09:50 PM
#25
Le Mans Master
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GMC_(Ge...otors_division)
Some might argue it means: GMC = Garbage Made Carefully.
