The Larson Race Cars ZL1 Camaro – A Twin Turbo Big Block, Back Half, Drag Week Destroyer! All Modern Stuff Still Works!


The Larson Race Cars ZL1 Camaro – A Twin Turbo Big Block, Back Half, Drag Week Destroyer! All Modern Stuff Still Works!

Apparently Larry Larson has fully recovered from the post traumatic stress of Drag Week 2015 because he rolled one of the coolest cars in the history of the world out of his shop yesterday. This 2013 Camaro ZL1 was bought brand new and driven through the door at Larry’s shop with 36 actual miles on the clock. Thirty-friggin-six. The build plan? Back half, funny car cage, big block, twin turbos, and oh, make sure all of the cool modern stuff in the car keeps working. Call me when it’s done, Larry! I saw this car personally when it was first gutted at the Larson Race Cars shop prior to Drag Week 2013. I was there shooting an episode of Hot Rod Unlimited and talking to Larry about Drag Week. This car had been completely stripped and all that was left was a shell and an immense amount of wiring for the HVAC system and the other modern amenities that the ZL1 Camaro had installed from the factory. This car will be competing at Drag Week 2015  as the owner and the shop have publicly stated.

The work on this thing is amazing and consider these first few photos below a teaser. We’re going to rough up some photographer buddies and get more detailed photos for a full feature on this car with all the specs, info, and backstory on making a very vicious hot rod come together while retaining the complex modern systems that pack all new cars. This was no easy job but damn are the results impressive. There are no track numbers yet as the welds have barely cooled on this thing and the owner just showed up to cruise it around the lot at Larson Race Cars. It will be in his hands this weekend and then the real fun will start.

We’re not saying this because it has anything to do with Larry but because it is our honest opinion but this could be one of the coolest Camaros ever built. The exterior package is amazingly undisturbed from front to back. No goofy exhaust pipes hanging out in the breeze, no weird flares and junk to the body, nothing. Just pure snow driven white awesome.

Can you imagine the first idiot that pulled up next to this thing and asks the owner what mufflers are on it? HA!

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE PHOTOS AND WE’LL CHASE LARSON DOWN FOR MORE DETAILS!

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12 thoughts on “The Larson Race Cars ZL1 Camaro – A Twin Turbo Big Block, Back Half, Drag Week Destroyer! All Modern Stuff Still Works!

  1. Sumgai

    I don’t understand. If you’re going to change the powertrain and suspension anyways, why not start with an ex-rental V6 Camaro or something similar?

    1. Brian Lohnes Post author

      If you want all the cool optional stuff in the car and you want to keep it all you need to start with a zooty model.

      That being said, I get your question. I also get the fact that if you have the money to have something done the way you want it, go for it, right?

      1. greg

        Just my opinion,FIRST,if you have the money to have a car like that built,go with one that has all the creature features you want instead of having to work them in during the build cuz it will actually be cheaper that way since its already there. SECOND, who is gonna buy a wore out V6 drivetrain verses a brand new ZL1 drivetrain..easy gain of over 10,000 in money made back…not that it matters when you paid over 50,000 for the car and over another 100,000 to get it built this way.

  2. loren

    If you -have the money-, a better “investment” than a sitting warehouse full of 1977 Lincolns etc., don’tcha think… 🙂

  3. TheSilverBuick

    The install packaging is soooo frigg’in clean. And the A/C works on top of all the other digital bells and whistles. Amazing.

  4. C1BAD66

    Hmmmm…. Has someone taken liberties with the logos on a pair of Bill Miller Engineering valve covers?

  5. Jeff Lee

    My guess is that the ZL1 Drivetrain is going to find a home in some other project vehicle down the road. CLEARLY a value purchase all the way around.

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