Here at Super Chevy Magazine, we are planning to soon begin construction of an all aluminum ZL1 engine. Some of you may be saying to yourselves, "didn't GM just come out with an anniversary edition?" The answer is, yes, they did. The anniversary edition of the ZL1 engine is a street version of the famed big block. It has low compression pistons for everyday driving, a modern 870 cfm carburetor for low rpm crusing, and is made for 93 octane gasoline.

   We plan on creating an exact clone of the unbelieveable ZL1 from 1969 with the available reproduction parts from General Motors Performance Parts. In '69, dyno numbers ranged anywhere from 440hp up to 580hp. Hot Rod magazine claims low-eleven second drag times with slicks and open headers. I for one, am not going to dispute that. In fact, we plan on bettering that time when this project is all said and done. The ZL1 is arguably the greatest motor to ever come off of a GM production line. It was built at a time when gas was cheap, the government stayed out of the way, and the drag wars were on. It tangoed with the 426 race Hemi and Shelby GT500's.

   This motor is in a word...wicked. 12.5 to 1 compression, a Holley 850cfm carb, 2.19 Intake/1.88 Exhaust valves, aluminum block, aluminum heads, aluminum intake, and 427ci to boot. With all this aluminum, this motor will weight less than a small block and hopefully create in excess of 600 horsepower. We plan on using GM replacement 401 heads, an aluminum block tooled from the original cast of the late 60's, and doing no porting/polishing AT ALL!!! Imagine, almost 40 years later, and we are just barely making this kind of power with superchargers, fuel injection, overhead cams over in 5.0 Slow land.

   More to come about this motor in the future.