Yep you know what, it's not. But the Vette hasn't been known to have an SS option. The Vette is considered to be in a class of its own.

Cool. That helps my case I guess.

But the Z28 wasn't a better performer either. The SS was "rated" higher and considered to be top dog.

In the late 1960s, what Z28 was more powerful from the factory than the SS Camaro?

In 1996 to 2002, it is well known by Camaro enthusiasts that there was little difference in track times, but the SS was rated with more power from the factory and considered to be top dog. Except for the extreme Z28 fans living in a dream world who thought Chevy wanted the public to perceive the Z28 as "top dog" over the SS.

Yes it is called the Z06. When was the Corvette ever referred to as an "SS"? Once back in the 50s? Actually now there are rumors that they may be making a Corvette SS that will be the top performing Vette, making the SS the top performer in every category, including the Camaro, just the way it should be.

 

Good Grief!!

This thread is like flying over Hiroshima the day after the Enola Gay, and bouncing the rubble with another nuke.

Every argument has already been made and countered a hundred times.

But just one thing, it's great to have an opinion...especially when you can back it up....but I simply cannot stand it when people pull "facts" out of their a$$. I see some of that in this thread. It annoys me.

 

Its been a few months

This topic will prob never really die

 

Charlie, not calling you out here, but I am curious as to which facts are in error? I personally hate spreading incorrect information, so if some are mine, let me know.

 

I might be wrong but, if we make the new Z28 into a 1LE style vehicle (..see..Z06), the price will be near or more than an SS, and we'll end up selling more plain-jane Camaro coupes than anything.
I say give the Big Cubes to the SS, it'll need more grunt with all the power options...and give the Z28 a higher revving version of the LS2, lighter quicker and more agile....what ya think?

 

I am a supporter of the z28 top dog thing, but when has a race prepped 302 regularly smoked a race prepped 396. If we are talking about straight line, the 396 would have slaughtered the 302, especially in "race prepped" trim. I know the 302s were underrated, but I think the legend the dz302 has become greater in legend than in reality.

 

Honestly, I don't care what we get, hell they can call it a Berlinetta as long as it's fast. But for the record, my '68 crossram Z/28 would beat on 396's like a kettle drum on a regular basis, both on the street and at the dragstrip. I never ran against an L-78 375 horse model that I remember, they were more rare then than they are now with all of the cloning going on. But I ran into a few 350 horse ones and a slew of 325 horse ones that couldn't keep up. For those of us that were there during the late 60's and actually lived through it, there is more to the 302 legend than what you may realize.

 

and it was JUST GETTING PEACEFUL AROUND HERE..............


OK...listen up.

Stop the fighting.

I don't care about the history of the various nameplates......I've already provided that to every man, woman, and child (and men acting like children) at GM...............

I've been called a liar and worse on this board over the names.

Here's my take.......

The SS is a hallowed nameplate.......but it's been placed on many Chevrolets other than Camaro.

Z28 is Camaro......and ONLY Camaro. In fact, you could say that the Z28 is a brand unto itself. ("I drive a Z28"tells the world you drive a Camaro......"I drive an SS" tells the world you drive a Chevrolet.)

Now.....I will continue to defend why we used the SS Moniker in 1996.......and I've been thru it so many times I refuse to do it again.....suffice to say we did it.....I defend it......I'm Fbodfather, ...so SHUT UP!!!! (how's THAT for arrogance????) <evilgrin>

So.......calm down. Enjoy the community.

We'll decide what monikers go on the vehicles.......and you already know which one I think needs to go on the top dog.

One other thing...when the decision is made to build this car, understand that not every model will come out right away. (think C6 Z06.....)

Now......back to our regularly scheduled bickering.........

 

Yep...

Yep...

No problem there, it was the right move unless you wanted to re-engineer the whole lineup/model arrangement.

I like what I'm hearing

Methinks this discussion is over.

 

Did you not read where it was mentioned "race prepped" 396s. When I hear race prepped, I think of an engine that is race prepped. I would be left to presume that is directly regarding the L-78 motor, considering that it was the HO model.

 

Some of the 3rd gen info being spread here is just plain wrong.

What is correct though is that the 1982 Z/28 (YES! it had a SPECIFIC Z/28 only suspension notgetleft), had 165hp. It was a different time. The badass - and it was - Mustang GT had 157 hp. The Corvette had 200.

The other thing is the implication that all Camaro SS's came with the 375 horse 396. I know that you know that's not true. The 375 horse cars were very fast but handled like a, (in the words of the Camaro's chief engineer) "truck". The 325 horse 396 handled no better and was alittle pokey in a straight line as well. Most however, were equipped like my SS350 - that's Camaro SS350. And I know why. Because you could get alittle extra trim and some extra power for not too much money. A simple formula that worked well.

All versions of the Camaro SS were cool, and added to the great variety in Camaro's line-up.

Sure, I wish I still had my SS...but the moniker that gives me goosebumps to this day is Z/28.

 

Yes, it certainly does.

 

You would be incorrect in that assumption. A 375 horse 396 was no more race prepped than its 325 horse bretheren. You would need to curve the distributor, plop on the headers, go buy the cheaters, re-jet the carb, re-arc the leaf springs on the passenger side, install slapper bars, the list goes on and on. That was the 60's, man. No offense, I know you weren't there, just trying to clear the air a little...

And by the way, I'm not shooting a line of ****, my car is still mine, in the garage. I'm not talking about my barber's uncle's neighbor's sister's car.

 

I am not the one who used the term race prepped. I was just left to assume race prepped meant the highest powered available motor. Race prepped engines seldom make only 375hp out of 396CID, even in the 60s.

Actual race prepped 302 versus actual race prepped 396, no contest.

 

You are correct, the 302 killed them.