Cliff92Z

RS = Rally Sport

SS = Super Sport

Z28 = ? ?
-what does this mean?
-where did it come from?

anybody know?

Kevin91Z

iTrader: (1)

Z28 was an option package on the 67 and 68 Camaros that installed the road racing options that allowed the car to compete in the Trans Am races of that era, I believe... There was also a Z27 and Z29 code. The Z28 options became so popular that in 69, the Z28 became its own model, and the code has stuck ever since.

I *think* thats how it came about.

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1991 Camaro Z28
5.7L 5-Speed (originally 305)
13.25 @ 107.18 MPH
Southern California
Member: SoCal 3rd Gen F-Bodies
Webmaster: SoCal F-Bodies
-=ICON Motorsports=-

Cliff92Z

ok thanks. thats better than not knowing anything. i was just curious about that. hope you can find out more on it.

MRZ28HO

Good stab at it. But I'll fix the errors I see before you are grilled from Muscle Car enthusiasts.

Z28 = RPO for the suspension used for the model that would compete in SCCA.

1968, Chevy placed badges on them designating them as Z28. There were 607 Z28 in the 1967 model year (no Z28 badges at all anywhere). The reason for only 607 is because SCCA mandated that any car, to be able to compete in the (then) new Trans-Am series (5.0 CID limit) must be mass produced (500 units IIRC).

Z?? series RPO codes usually indicate a suspension option in Chevy vehicles. But oddly, my '84 has Z29 stamped on the outside roof of the trans tunnel (above the centerline of the trans).

Just to add more fire ... RS has always been an appearance package from the 1st to the 2nd gens, 3rd gens and even the 4th gens. (go ahead and ask)

Obtw, can this be moved to History and Resto ... where it belongs.

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George P. Lara
1994 Z28 LT1 T56
1984 Z28 High Output
Member: SCCA, SCFB, SC3GFB

Jason E

Let me clear up a couple things....

1) To nitpick, 602 Z28s were produced in '67

2) The RS was NOT ONLY an optional appearance package for 3rd gens. It was the standard model for the '89-'92 model years. It was an appearance package for CA only '87 and '88 Sport Coupes, but was standard across the board '89-'92.

MRZ28HO

Dooh, I always get confused on 607 or 602, but yes your right. Nitpicking is fine, so long as your are correct.

Monkie

Z28 was like the last or first number on the vin number of something. I dont really KNOW but all I do know is that they didnt know what to call it so someone saw the last or first 3 numbers on some camaro car and decided to call the new model what the numbers and letters were (Z28). And Im sure you're confused as hell now. LOL sorry. But thats the truth. It has something to do with a last minute thing.

RB83L69

To add to George's info, the SCCA required that for a car model to qualify, there had to be a production run of at least 500 of them. In 67, the RPO (regular production option, Monkie, it has nothing to do with the VIN) Z28 got you the road-race suspension package; the 302 motor, which was the same thing the hot-rodders had been doing since 63, which was putting a 283 crank in a 327 block; a HUGE solid-lifter cam, the biggest showroom stock cam they had ever used; 4-speed only; 3.73 gears, which were too tall for the motor; and no comfort options whatsoever, not even a radio, even a heater was optional. It was strictly a race car. The motor was rated at 290 HP, which was a total joke, with less than an afternoon of work you could get about 400 out of it. It was a terrible drag racer, a low-mid 14 was all it would do in stock trim, since that wasn't what it was made for; you could get it into the 12s with a 4.56 gear though. The motor produced peak HP at a way high RPM but had no bottom end because the cam was so wild.

When word got out how to get it, people were going to the dealers asking for it by the RPO code; it became so well known that in 68 Chevy named the car model after the RPO code, and it stuck. There has been a Z28 ever since except from 75-77. It is a Camaro with engine and handling options, the details have varied over the years. In 68 you could get it with most option packages, even with the RS package (strictly an appearance option group) that included such racing-useless things as disappearing headlights.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."

Monkie

My bad man! But I also said that it was a spirt of the moment name that was taken from some number on the car. In this case it was the RPO code and not the VIN. But I was right and what do you mean 290 HP is a joke? Ummmmm I think you might wanna check your stock HP. Oh and they were good cars at the strip. Hemi Cudas had trouble keeping up.

RB83L69

No problem...

The 290 HP rating was a joke in that the motor shop at GM had to be careful to avoid upsetting the insurance companies and their internal risk-assessment staff and other such bean-counter types, which would have yanked the car off the market had they been more realistic. So they sandbagged the HP rating, knowing full well that those guys weren't going to put their motor on the dyno. It was fairly common practice back then. All the car companies did it to some extent. In particular, there was a problem with exceeding the one HP per 10 lbs threshold; quite a few of the 60s and early 70s muscle cars were rated well below what they actually produced, to stay below that limit.

Although I have never did have one of those cars myself (way too poor in those days), I knew a few people back when they were new who did. They were no match for a hemi Chrysler at the strip I can assure you. You're not going to go to the strip and beat a car with 450 HP at 5200 RPM and 425 ft-lbs of torque at 3600 with one that has only 400 HP at 6000 RPM and 300 ft-lbs at 4000, not in 1967 or 2000. It doesn't work like that. Those cars simply weren't set up for the straight track. And of course you have to remember what they came with for tires... a 2000 Z28 probably has more traction on wet pavement than a 67 had under optimum conditions. While I truly enjoyed all those cars when they were coming out, I'm too realistic to get all starry-eyed and romantic about what they were capable of.

BTW my stepfather was an executive for Chrysler from 65 to 71. One of the conditions of his employment was that he had to accept a Chrysler product at company expense as his personal vehicle, whether he wanted it or not. The company further required that he had to turn it in for replacement every 3000 miles even if he liked it. They at least had enough pity on their employees that they allowed them to order any Chrysler product they wanted - any. He had 440 six-pack Chargers, hemi Cudas, New Yorker convertibles with every conceivable option, a Daytona Charger (the first car to turn a 200 mph lap - NASCAR banned it), etc. He used to complain bitterly about their gas mileage - what a curmudgeon! Though that was quite some time ago, I don't recall the hemi cars having any trouble with the Z28s, or the SS396 Chevelles, or the Boss Mustangs, or the GTOs, etc. The Z28s were canyon-carver type cars not stoplight demons like some of the others.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."

Jason E

Mr Z28HO,

Thanks for not taking it the wrong way when I corrected you You seem very knowledgable, so I figured it was just a slip.

Don't worry, I never post anything up here unless I am sure of it, because I know others are ready to knock me down if I'm wrong, as I would expect them too!!!

[This message has been edited by Jason E (edited September 24, 2000).]

Monkie

Man what are you talking about "they wernt made for strait tracks"? 1 a guy that owns a hemi said that the only thing bad about the hemis were that they lacked the torque that the z28s had at the time. 2 i know that the have a hell of alot of torque cause i drive one every day. and 3 im not talking about a stock z anyways. If you full moded a camaro back in 67 - 69 and moded a hemi the camaro would win.

Monkie

and in 67 the z28s had RS badges...for anyone who didnt know

MRZ28HO

If equipt with the RS package. I have to totally agree with RB (and be jealous of him having to be around such cars. ) The 302 does have torque, but because of it's 3.00" crankshaft it doesn't have the same potential in torque as a 350 with a longer 3.48" crank throw, let alone the Hemi (don't know crank throw). Simple physics.

Jason E I know what you mean, that's why unless I'm pretty darn sure I'm right I won't post. But we do make mistake (as shown above), and I trust that some fellow members will correct me as I expect them to. As far as being knowledgeable, thanks, but I'd still like to learn more.

Cliff92Z

You guys have taught me alot and cleared up a lot of things. I'm gald yall knew about this, you just taught me something Thanks for the input.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

What's that supposed to mean? "modded" encompasses quite a HUGE realm. That's like saying that fun things are fun. What mods? That's an impossible claim to make, because there are 44 billion (yes, I counted) different mods that you can do to a car, and different motors respond differently to different mods. Plus, since the motors are different to begin with, it's nearly impossible to do identical mods to each of them. But what it boils down to is that like the others have said, the 302 was NEVER designed to be fast at the strip.

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<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
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RB83L69

The RS trim package wasn't available at all on a 67 Z28. Not even a radio was available, let alone a bunch of disappearing headlights and other heavy race-useless stuff like that. Remember, it was a race car, not a boulevard cruiser. Starting in 68, however, the RS package was available on Z28s, as an option. The majority of them didn't have it.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."

Cliff92Z

btw,

IROC-Z = International Race of Champions

is this correct?

Jason E

Indeed it is.

Grim Reaper

Oh god, I DO hate to nit-pick (especially when RB83L69 speaks), but I think I finally got him on one. THERE WAS A 1977 Z-28! That was when it was reintroduced and has the smaller rear tail lights than the 78s.

Forgive me RB. BTW, did you move to Carlsbad? Drop me an e-mail sometime.

CanadianCamaro

What is the Z27 or the Z29? I've seen one of each running around where I live.... they have Z27 or Z29 on the sides, I thought it was someone with a plain SC who decided to jazz up the outside of their cars with Z28 like graphics.

drain89

iTrader: (10)

Monkie, The only Z to ever roll off a show-room floor and make a hemi owner nervous was the ZL-1 Camaro. Period. As for the 302 Z's....There's no replacement for displacement. They were about as torquey as a 5.0 mustang (but at a much worse point in the powerband) their suspension was not set up for drag-racing ...period. I have a friend who bought one back in 68. He put the headers that came with it in the trunk on and put in 4.88 gears. That's how he got his torque. He still had his doors blown by big-blocks. The Chevy Raceshop even did an experiment with a 4th gen camaro with a 302 using the LT1 block and the 3" crank out of later model caprices and their times were respectable, but not nothing to lust after. Why do you think they put 502 and 571 big blocks in their "prized" toys.

Jason E

Whoops, I must have missed that. There was indeed a '77 Z28. There were no Z28s for '75 or '76 though.

scottmoyer

I have seen these also. They date back to the mid 80's berlinetta style cars. I can't say I know what they are either, but I have seen them while growing up in NJ.

In '69, a Z27 was the RPO code for a base SS 350. I wonder if the 3rd gen used the RPO for base Camaros that might have had performance upgrades or suspension upgrades that weren't typical for that car.



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87 IROC 350 TPI with less than 10k original miles
www.users.uswest.net/~smoyer/iroc.htm

Monkie

My bad dude, all I know is what I heard!

MRZ28HO

Actually there is a recorded ONE 1975 Z28. Check here at the end of the RPO listings.

92 Rag

yeah, I bought a new '77 1/2 Z28, red, 4 gear and I ordered it with radio delete! I wonder how many they made with radio delete?...anyway, what I was going to buy was a '74, but then the '77 1/2 came out in April, so I went for that...would be cool to see that '75...

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Drive It Like You Stole It!!!!
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[This message has been edited by 92 Rag (edited October 20, 2000).]