I read some where that there were some 64 chevelle Z-11s(427)built with fibreglass front ends.they were built for drag racers just like the 63 Impalas. If so were they factory? how many were built?And where are they today?

In 63 GM dropped out of raceing, Most of the Chevy people in the Z-11's Changed over to Mopar or Ford.
A couple true Chevy guys installed there 63 Z-11 engines in the new 64 Chevelles and did well without Factory backing, But they were not factory cars.
I think the only 63 Z-11 left is at Floyd Garretts.
Bob Johnson

Originally posted by Bob Johnson:
I think the only 63 Z-11 left is at Floyd Garretts.I think there's more than one left, Bob. I saw a maroon one last fall at Chevy Vette Fest in Chicago. I think it belonged to a gentleman in Texas. It was a beauty!

Know of one that was in Des Moines most recently, a white one. Owner sold it approximately 1 1/2 years ago. Spent most of its years in southwest Iowa collector's garage.

No '64 Z-11's. However, there were a handful of late '62 Chevies with some hybrid parts that evolved into the '63 Z-11. Don Nicholson was one of the chosen few to be supplied by the General with the add on parts for his '62. The '63 RPO Z-11 created a lot of thunder when they first came out and there were approximately 60 of them built.

Maybe he has seen the old picture of Dickie Harrel's '64 Chevelle with '427' written on it.
GM pulled out of racing in Feb. '63, ending the Z-11 & the Super Duty 421 Pontiacs. Politics!

Don Wattie in Hamilton, Ontario had a White 63 Z-11 several years ago, don't know if he still owns it. Saw it when I was looking at a 69 Z he had for sale. It had all the "lightweight" goodies. Plus a cowl plenum air cleaner which, if my memory serves me right, he paid about $20K for :eek: . The only Z-11 I have seen in person.

Don also had some COPO Camaros and a couple of original Trans Am Camaros.

If memory serves me right GM had 57 of the 1963 Z-11 built-they are amazing -I know someone who owns an original one (copper colour) they are amazing-this fellow also owns a Copo Camaro and yes a 70 LS6 chevelle ragtop -which he has owned since 1979 (before all the hype) it is a real history lesson and fun filled day when I visit him once in a while -keep on cruisin -Dave

I know the 63 Z-11 Maroon car. It came out of the MacGrooder Collection in Phoenix . The current owner, from Oklahoma, and Texas bought it in 2001. Today,the car is for sale for $175000. One item that made them really different is the Corvette Z0-6 heavy duty brake system on these cars. Complete with screened backing plates for cooling, and segmented,semi-metallic linings. They also had 15 inch wheels.

In 1962, Z-11'S were also made. I think 9 of them. The most famous was Dave Strickland's "Old Reliable" of Grumpy Jenkins. Engine power was advertised as 409 cubic inches, but the alluminum front ends and other pieces were strictly Z-11 design.

Dick Harrell had two 64 Chevelle SS models with the 427 engines that he drag raced around the country. I was fortunate to help pit crew on the east coast car once when it raced at Wilkes-Barre, PA in 1964 while I attended college in nearby Scranton. The other car was stored in California and raced all the west coast events.

Both cars were powered by the 427 / Mystery motors of 1962 design. These were very rare and were used in 1962 and 63 NASCAR prototypes. The heads were similar to the 65 porcupine 396 design. I remember the car running 12.2 @ 123 plus mile per hour quarters. Strong numbers, but the 426 max wedge and later HEMI's were to strong for Chevrolet to stay in front of the horsepower race.

Doug Hughes in Phoenix has "all the story" for those that have to know.

The York US 30 Reunion this summer will celebrate many of these cars and their history, as well as Bakersfield in October 04 and again in March 05.

.

A friend of mine from duboise pa. has three Z-11s. His latest purchase was AMMON R SMITH or old realible from Bill the grump J. He also has a white from green chevrolet Sea. Wash.Also a green one thats looks like a stock Imp. He has a few bucks. he bought an old super market to keep the rest of his 40-50 cars. He and Floyd a very good friends. I am a piker I have 3 chevelles and am happy. Bob LS5 M22 Elky org. owner SS 396 wagon see ya in music city

One of the first Chevelles to hit the drag strip was 427 powered but it was a 1963 Z11 "W" engine removed from Dick Harrells Z11 Impala and installed in a new 64 Chevelle. This engine was similar to the 409 "W" engine.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v58/MotionSS1/427Chevl64.jpg

Norwood Chevrolet raced a Z-11,I'll dig out some picture. Ed

I think the only 63 Z-11 left is at Floyd Garretts.
Bob Johnson
As stated there were no 64 Z-11 cars but there are alot more than one 63 Z-11 left.
Here is a list of attending Z-11 cars at the first inaugural 348-409 convention last year in Kansas sept 21, 2004 produced by Phil Reed. Also check Chevy Rumble magazine for the last few months, Lots of 348, 409, Z-11 coverage.

INAUGURAL 348-409 NATIONAL CONVENTION
1962 & 1963 Z-11 SHOW CARS

The following is a list of owners and show cars that are “scheduled to appear”. All have said that, barring any last minute problems, they will be here for the convention. This is a very impressive list of cars!!

DON FEZELL

Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins white 1963 Z-11 Impala. This was the very first production Z-11 car built and probably the best known of all the cars.

The Alan Green Chevrolet 1963 Z-11 Impala from Seattle, WA.

The Enoch Chevrolet 1963 Z-11 Impala from Southgate, CA. This car was driven originally by Richard Schroeder.

NOTE: At KCIR on Saturday, Don will race Grumpy’s car against the Alan Green car. Can you imagine these two cars going down the track 41 years after their debut!!!! Don races the cars thru 3rd gear and then coasts thru the traps…UNBELIEVEABLE!!!!!

HANK GABBERT

The Jack May 1963 Z-11, driven by Good Ole’ Mr. Wilson, completely restored rolling chassis will be on display. It is a running engine and transmission but the body will not installed yet. Hank will be bringing along his aluminum front end to display also.

DENNIS McCLENDON

Dennis has a black 1962 Belair sport coupe complete with the aluminum front end and Z-11 engine.

RUSTY SYMMES

Rusty has a blue 1962 Belair sport coupe complete with the aluminum front end and Z-11 engine. He will be bringing his 2 Z-11s on his restored 1950 MHS car hauler. This car hauler is the most incredible restoration you have ever seen and is worth the price of admission just to see it!!!

TOM JACOBSON

1962 Biscayne 2 door sedan with a Z-11 engine. “Old Blue” has been in the NHRA Museum in Pomona, CA.

JACK GIBBS

Jack has a white 1962 Belair sport coupe with the aluminum front end and Z-11 engine.

JIM BARNES

Jim has a red 1962 Belair sport coupe with the Z-11 engine that is just being completed in time to be here. In fact, Jim will see the finished car for the very first time here when it is unloaded!!

WILLIE SMITH

Willie is bringing the aqua Frank Sander’s “S&S Headers” 1963 Z-11 Impala.

Z-11 RACE CARS

We will have some cars here to race with Z-11 components also.

JERRY WALSH

Jerry will have his 1962 bubbletop “Virginia Connection” here. It has a Z-11 race engine.

DENNIS McCLENDON

Dennis will have his 1962 bubbletop with his aluminum head Z-11 race car. This is an all tube chassis car that has just been certified for 7.50’s!!!!!

RUSTY SYMMES

Rusty will have his 1962 Belair sport coupe with a full race Z-11 engine to run at the track on Saturday.

BOB WALLA

Bob has a 1964 Impala Super Sport with a 409 and a Z-11 top half. Bob has raced this car in the Indianapolis area for over 20 years!!

MORE 409 RACE CARS

DONNIE SHAFFER

Donnie will have his 1963 Impala “The Obsolete Missle”. This 409, 4-speed car has turned 9.95 @ 136MPH. Not bad for a stocker!!

KEN WALSH

Ken Walsh will be here with his 1963 white Impala “Mr. 409”. Ken turns times in the low 10’s. Go to www.beaversprings.com. Scroll down to the first picture of the race cars and there is Ken leaving the line. Incredible picture!!!

There will be many more cars here. Most aren’t registered yet but THEY WILL BE HERE!!!

Wow! Thought this thread died way back! I asked this ques, because I saw Malcom Durham raced one. Where are these cars today? There just bad looking cars.

I think what Bob Johnson meant when he said that he thought that only one Z11 was left and that Floyd Garrett had it, was a Z11 engine, NOT a Z11 car! And Floyd DOES have a Z11 engine on a stand in his museum.
The Z11 car as well as the 63 Holley Farms (replica) car driven by Jr Johnson with a 427 Mystery engine that Floyd DID have, were sold. Last year when Zac and I were at Chevellabration, we went over to Floyds one day and I asked him about those 2 cars and he told me that he had sold them!!!! That was the ONLY reason that I went to Floyds, was to see those 2 cars!!!!!http://www.chevelles.com/forums/images/icons/icon9.gif
The 63 Holley Farms replica that Floyd built had a 427 Mystery engine which he had obtained from Smokey.
DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE THAT CAR IS TODAY? Floyd couldn't remember who he sold it to (that's what he told us).

I have had this forum saved in favorites for a while now and have read some of the older posts. I need to correct some things.

In the 60's I worked for Dick Harrell in Carlsbad, before that I went to the races with him starting in the late 50's. I saw a couple of posts I would like to address. One was that the Z 11 engine out of his 63 Z 11 car was put into the 64 Chevelle we built in Late 63 early 64. That is not true. The Chevelle did have a Z 11 engine but a fresh one. The parts were easy for him to get and at one time I worked at the Chevrolet dealer he was sponsored by and I did the parts ordering for his Z 11 pieces. A special form was used and sent to a certain person at Chevrolet with Dicks signature on it with serial number of car and the parts soon arrived. My instructions from Dick were, "As soon as a "set" arrives order another one. " A set meant, 2 heads, a cam and lifters, 8 pistons, a block and crank or any other component on the "List" we had. He build many 427 Z 11 engines. These parts were not free either.
The other post I saw that was not right was that Dick had 2 identical 64 Chevelles. Not true. In early 64 he did build another almost identical car for a man in central NM named Mack Medley. Many times Mackie would race at the same track as Dick. Other times they were spread across the country with Dick spending time in the east. Mackie was a college student in Las Cruces NM and we kept his car at my parents house.
Its easy for stores to get confused or changed over the years so I just wanted to try and keep things as they were when I was there.

I can also comment on the fiberglass body components if any one is interested.

Thank you

Posted by Larry Morrison 04/05/2011

I have had this forum saved in favorites for a while now and have read some of the older posts. I need to correct some things.

In the 60's I worked for Dick Harrell in Carlsbad, before that I went to the races with him starting in the late 50's. I saw a couple of posts I would like to address. One was that the Z 11 engine out of his 63 Z 11 car was put into the 64 Chevelle we built in Late 63 early 64. That is not true. The Chevelle did have a Z 11 engine but a fresh one. The parts were easy for him to get and at one time I worked at the Chevrolet dealer he was sponsored by and I did the parts ordering for his Z 11 pieces. A special form was used and sent to a certain person at Chevrolet with Dicks signature on it with serial number of car and the parts soon arrived. My instructions from Dick were, "As soon as a "set" arrives order another one. " A set meant, 2 heads, a cam and lifters, 8 pistons, a block and crank or any other component on the "List" we had. He build many 427 Z 11 engines. These parts were not free either.
The other post I saw that was not right was that Dick had 2 identical 64 Chevelles. Not true. In early 64 he did build another almost identical car for a man in central NM named Mack Medley. Many times Mackie would race at the same track as Dick. Other times they were spread across the country with Dick spending time in the east. Mackie was a college student in Las Cruces NM and we kept his car at my parents house.
Its easy for stores to get confused or changed over the years so I just wanted to try and keep things as they were when I was there.

I can also comment on the fiberglass body components if any one is interested.

Thank you
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=349560

it is interesting that one of the first Chevelles to hit the drag strip was 427 powered.

Harrell's 1964 Z-11 Chevelle was built to run with the 427 Ford and the 426 Hemi

In Dick's case the 427 Z 11 engine allowed him to be competitive immediately. He had that engine combination figured out and adapting the Chevelles weight and wheel base was not much of a problem. First time out in Phoenix at the AHRA winters he won class and I think an eliminator bracket. The car being fast at the beginning kept him from having to do something desperate like take a Ford deal that had been offered to him.

Larry

Larry, do you remember if Dick Harrell had any other Chevelle race cars?


This article about the Fred Gibb dealership and Harrell Performance says they plan to take a 68 Chevelle Super Stocker to the Winternationals and race it under the name of a local dealership.

I know he ran a Chevy II (Nova) body in 65-66 and he built 427 and 454 Chevelle street cars but I have not seen a picture of a 1968 Harrell Chevelle race car.

I wonder if you remember if he built any other Chevelles to race or for a customer?

thanks

By 68 I was raising a family in southern NM and Dick was back east. We had a few phone calls but I really don't know much about what went on except what I have been told. He was driving his funny car and building other cars for customers. You might go through some of the posts at dickharrell.com and see if you can find anything about a Chevelle. I really doubt if he had one that he raced him self. There are many stories about cars he supposedly raced, worked on or just parked in front of his shop so be careful about what you hear. There is a lot of information on the web site and some of it has been substituted by people that were there. My knowledge is more in the 58 through 65 era.

Thanks
LarryLarry, do you remember if Dick Harrell had any other Chevelle race cars?


This article about the Fred Gibb dealership and Harrell Performance says they plan to take a 68 Chevelle Super Stocker to the Winternationals and race it under the name of a local dealership.

I know he ran a Chevy II (Nova) body in 65-66 and he built 427 and 454 Chevelle street cars but I have not seen a picture of a 1968 Harrell Chevelle race car.

I wonder if you remember if he built any other Chevelles to race or for a customer?

thanks

That 68 Chevelle went to Daytona thats all I can tell you.