Volume IX, Issue 4, Page 38

Here is the stroked 409 turned 427 hiding under the first
cowl induction air cleaner. The air came from a cowl and
firewall that was free of any heater and core parts.
Hank and his grandson show why it takes two people to remove the air cleaner. Between it covering dual quads and using cowl induction, it’s a big one.

ADVERTISEMENT
Another bit of nostalgia about this particular Z was that it was one of the first to be built and delivered to Chevy racers. In all, there were three batches of ‘63 Z-11s shipped before GM pulled the plug on all “official” factory-sponsored racing and stopped making them in early ‘63. The reason was the government was looking at GM as a monopoly and there was talk about breaking up their car brands and selling them off. In an effort to be as low key as possible, GM killed all the racing programs including the Z-11’s sister, the NASCAR 427 Mystery engine ’63 Impala.


Here is better look of the 409 block stroked to 427 with two piece aluminum intake and special valve covers to clear the guide plates. And yes, that fan shroud is aluminum, too.

The Z-11 package was more than the oft-mentioned aluminum fenders, hood and bumpers, though. There were also aluminum bumper and grille brackets, front splash shield and fan shroud to help lighten up the car. (If you see photos of the Z’s in action back then, odds are the bumpers and fenders were bent – it didn’t take much. The last of the parts were stamped from heavier gauge aluminum.) It was also built without any sound deadener, radio or heater and even the seats received a lightening of sorts by eliminating every other spring wire.