There are certain things that still have an aura about them from the muscle car era, more than a half century after they first appeared. In terms of righteous Chevrolet performance engines, the all-alumunm 1969 ZL-1 aluminum big block 427 certainly stands apart. The engine was developed for Can-Am racing and was famously optioned into some cars by crafty Chevrolet dealers who knew how to work the famed COPO system. Effectively hidden from normal buyers, rated lower than the L-88 engine (basically the iron equivalent of the same mill), and priced into the stratosphere, far more of them were raced on drag strips and road courses than ever saw the street.
Being that so many of them were competition engines, a load of them died with their boots on while romping at full throttle. Exceedingly rare when new, they are virtual piston powered unicorns these days, especially the legit Chevrolet ones as opposed to the later blocks and equipment made by guys like Don Yenko who faithfully reproduced ZL-1 blocks with permission from Chevrolet after acquiring the rights to make them.
This engine was built and installed into 1960 COPO 9650 code Camaro #40 by a collector. As it turns out, he has located the original engine for that car so this engine, which is a real ZL-1 but was not proper for his car is being sold.
Starting with a factory block, using a factory crank, and all the correct stuff right down to the specific lifters the Chevrolet engineers spec’d in 1969, the $50,000 price includes the motor from carb to oil pan. Some stuff, like the AIR-injection, cowl induction style air cleaner, and date coded alternator do not ship with the motor because they are correct to the car that it lives in now.
It is one thing to see a ZL-1 block come up for sale, totally another to see a complete and correct engine…especially one that doesn’t come with the rest of the car!
eBay: Real 1969 ZL-1 aluminum 427 engine for sale – Crazy!
This engine assembly is complete rare. If anyone is interested to buy this engine can sale his old engine on my website at good price.
Curious about this engine. Does it belong in another ZL1 or is this a crate ZL1? Info on Ebay is vague.
Had an interesting conversation with a guy in the business last week about prices for certain old rare Chevy stuff being stalled, this may be the top of the market now. Why, is because the old rich guys who care are dying off and the “this” collection and the “that” collection their kids/wives put up for sale will put downward pressure on prices. Not so much as a prediction as just something to consider, if you’re younger and really into these-type cars and parts it may be smart to save up your coins, watch and wait.
This can be seen in just about every field. As boomers die, their kids, grandkids, whomever just doesn’t care about the old-timers junk and the market is just getting flooded with fairly nice antiques for low prices, sometimes even free. As a result, some folks are electing to simply rent a dumpster for mom and dad’s crap to get the house sold. Give it a couple of generations, and what is in abundance today will become rare, the fashion cycle will come back around, and the prices will skyrocket.
Now all someone has to do is live to 200, and they could make a profit on it!
What’s even crazier is that he found the original block for his car!!
Ummm, reading that ad…
it includes “complete shortblock” … so no heads??
“The engine is expected to be pulled out of the car some time in March or April 2015 ”
Almost FOUR YEARS AGO??
When the heck did they write this current listing?
But bonus points for spelling Camaro with no “e”.
A guy at one of the local tracks has a ZL-1 Camaro clone, that has been done to perfection. Visually, it appears to be an immaculate resto, minus the AIR. It has headers, but full exhaust, and slapper bars. It’s a solid ten-second car on just a tire change. He claims the engine is a dead-stock build.