Chevrolet built a total of 69 Camaros equipped with the COPO 9560 ZL1 engine option. The creation of Chevrolet’s legendary product manager Vince Piggins, the ZL1 had its origins in the fire-breathing L88 427 CI big block racing engine. Developed in the Can Am racing series by Jim Hall’s innovative Chaparral team, the ZL1 made extensive use of aluminum in the block, heads, intake and ancillary pieces, employing steel only for the forged crank, connecting rods, pushrods and camshaft. The result was the most exotic American production engine ever built to that time. The ZL1 weighed little more than a cast iron Chevy small block engine while generating approximately 550 HP, far exceeding its almost ludicrous factory rating of 430 horses. Already by definition one of the rarest of all Camaros.
