2004 MONTE CARLO SS
From the July 2004 issue of Car and Driver.
Jeff Gordon drives one. So do Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson. Heck, even Dale Earnhardt Jr. slaps his No. 8 on one. We’re talking about the Chevy Monte Carlo–specifically, the NASCAR race car, Little E.’s winning ride at this year’s Daytona 500, not to mention the most victorious nameplate in NASCAR history. With accolades like that, there’s no arguing the M.C.’s racing success.
2017 CAMARO ZL1
Copied from https://www.hotrod.com/features/chevy-camaro-zl1-history/
Few automotive legends live up to their mythology, but the Chevy Camaro ZL1 is one that does. Conceived as a lightweight racing engine for the Can-Am road racing series (Group 7), the original 427ci ZL1 engine was never intended for production vehicles. But Chevrolet’s motorsports engineers never counted on an enterprising and forward-thinking Illinois dealer named Fred Gibb. He used Chevrolet’s COPO (Central Office Production Order) special-order system to produce the legendary Camaro ZL1.
Nearly a half-century later, the alphanumeric moniker ZL1 is synonymous with ultimate-performance Camaros. The introduction of the sixth-gen ZL1 Camaro, and the later ZL1/1LE, takes performance to its highest plateau with a supercharged engine putting out 650 horsepower and a suite of driver control technologies that make it a triple-threat modern muscle car adept on the street, dragstrip, and road course.
As for the ZL1 tag, well it’s just an RPO code from GM—you know how the General loves their Z-coded tags, such as the ZR1, Z71, Z28, and so on.
1957 CORVETTE ROADSTER
Copied from 1957 Corvette Facts
As in 1956, though Corvette marketing still called the car a “Roadster”even though it was now a full convertible. Occupants were sealed from the outside elements by roll up windows and a true fold away convertible top. Of Course, the big news was the new V-8’s 283 CID and the availability of the 283 horsepower fuel-injected V-8. Second in the big news department was the availability of the 4-speed all synchromesh manual transmission.
Among the standard features were dual exhaust, all-vinyl bucket seats, three-spoke competition style steering wheel, carpeting, outside rear view mirror, electric clock and tachometer. The Corvette was now available in seven colors: Onyx Black; Polo White; Aztec Copper; Artie Blue; Cascade Green; Venetian Red or Silver . White, silver, and beige were optional color choices for the cove.
It should be noted that Zora Duntov’s influence was fully felt with the ’57 model. Aggressive power plants, special “Cold Air” Intake, racing suspension and brakes, were all available to Corvette owners by checking the order blank. Engine choices went from three to five – and two “Competition” engines were offered, one with two 4-barrel carburetors and one with Fuel Injection. The Fuel Injection version reached the magical “One HP per Cubic Inch” that all auto manufacturers coveted.
2014 CORVETTE STINGRAY
Corvette has done it again. Faced with increasing value and technology from the competition, GM had some serious challenges with the C7. When revealed to the world on January 13, 2013, it was clear that the 2014 Corvette represented a significant step forward for the Corvette marque as well as GM.
The Corvette faithful most certainly got what they’ve wanted for the past 60 years: a front engine V8 sending massive amounts of horsepower to the rear wheels. The cabin is strictly two-seater and the exterior has the ability to raise adrenaline levels and, as in the case of previous Corvette generations, set new style standards.
COPIED FROM Corvette C7 Stingray: New Standards in Design, Performance and Technology; The Perfect Corvette?
1950 BELAIR
While few styling updates differentiated the 1950 Chevy from the previous model year, there was one very notable new body style released, the Bel Air two-door hardtop. The style was originally referred to as a “hardtop convertible” because the design gave the look of a convertible with its top raised and windows lowered. What differentiated the hardtop from other closed Chevrolets was the hardtop’s B-pillar (middle post on non-station wagon bodies) terminated at the window sills rather than continue all the way up to the roof. Indeed, the lower body, windshield and side glass of the convertible was used in the design of the hardtop. Those who attended the first postwar all-GM auto show dubbed “Transportation Unlimited,” held in New York City and Detroit in early 1949, received a sneak preview of the Chevrolet hardtop in prototype form (it was based on the 1949 Chevrolet). Cadillac and Buick put their versions into production that same year.
COPIED FROM Car of the Week: 1950 Chevrolet Bel Air – Old Cars Weekly