My 69 Z/28 "building find"!

[Z28Project]

I can remember reading years ago in some magazine that a monoleaf was the way to go for drag racing.  He probably read the same article.   I don't recall what the reasoning was.

No he didn't save the original.  I'm shopping for one now.

John

[BULLITT65]

Well I am sure there enough ex-racers on here to chime in on the mono leaf idea...
Most of what i did was with a 4 link. (66 chevelle) My Mustang has leaf springs,  but it is far from a 1/4 mile car. Seems like the only cars I have seen with mono leaf Mustang or camaro, have been 6 cylinder cars.

[Z28Project]

Me too.  It's going to get switched to a 4-leaf, 12-bolt, 3.73 posi real soon!

John

[Z28Project]

Here's a video with the distributor in right.  

https://youtu.be/uP4Ta-mVv2I

Once it gets a little heat in it, she purrs like a kitten at around 1400 rpm! 

John

[KurtS]

A monoleaf spring is a superior spring design. As springs go, multileafs are a bandaid.
But the spring also locates the axle on Camaros, so it gets more complicated, hence the multileafs.

I've never seen that spring mounting design. Looks interesting, but maybe not for the street. I'd do a 12-bolt - that Dana should be worth something to someone...

[ds1]

The floater needs somthing.  Usually ladder bars to locate,   hold the rear in place.  The spring holds it up.   Also very unsafe to have a fuel cell under the car

[X66]

Cool car. Great find. I vote for leaving decals, adding the ZL2 hood and torque thrusts and enjoying this time capsule as is. Cruise around and have fun with it for awhile until you decide which way to go with it.

[BULLITT65]

Hey WTg, it sounds like it runs pretty smooth. I think popping in a much and a 12 bolt, ought to get you road worthy pretty quick. I do agree DS1 I would probably want to go with a different fuel cell, or back to a stock tank.

(BTW love the shop with the lifts. Can't wait till I get to that point)

[Z28Project]

Thanks for the feedback guys!

I am going to stay with the theme.  As long as the engine is somewhat streetable I might as well enjoy it for a while.  It's 12:1 compression but we do have a Sunoco in town with a 110 leaded pump!

Maybe ladder bars are what was needed to pull the rearend together.  Just a very odd setup to me.

I have parts ordered.  I'm going with a Muncie, 3.73 12-bolt, 4-leaf springs, new original style gas tank, etc.

I'm going to leave the stickers on and probably add the same style of Welds to the back, with some beefy tires.  A tunnel ram with a couple of 600 Holleys may find their way on here too!

John

[Z28Project]

Just found this in the bottom of a box of stuff that came with the car.



I've also made contact with a guy that knows the car pretty well from the past.  He told me who bought it new, and has a lot of details about the car.  I'm going to meet with him whenever he's available for a sit down.  He said the original engine was removed in 1971.  It sounds like it's been a race car most of its life.  That probably explains the very good condition of the floor pans, sheet metal, etc.

John

[BULLITT65]

Well keep making connections, you never know what guys may have held onto what parts, or docs, etc...

Some vintage drag strip pics would be cool

[ds1]

If you are going to change rears and pit a 12 bolt in, just bolt the rear in like the factory did.    I ran ladder bar and  floaters on the 68 camaro I had.  You can leave the springs in.  Will be a nice softer ride than multi leaf springs.     I raced and teched  cars fir NHRA and IHRA.    My guess is if there are no other mounts in the back, someone started to upgrade and did not finish the job.    The 67 I just bought was in the process of and upgrade in the late 70's and never got finished.   

[Daytona Z]

I had a 69Z back in the 90's that was an old bracket car out of PA. It was setup with a Dana 60 and used SureGrip mono leaf springs w/ track bars. That diff would plant the rear around 10 feet into a hard street launch and worked really well with a 500hp small block.

Love the car and like that you are sticking with the Day II theme. Looks like you guys are having fun with it.

[Z28Project]

Thanks, that sounds similar to this setup.  I don't understand it enough to try and make it work, so I'm going with a 12 bolt with 3.73 gears.  I don't think I would have liked to 5.86's anyway.

Parts are piling up!  I'm starting with a new flywheel and working my way back.

John

[Z28Project]

Transformation is underway!

New Flywheel, clutch, bellhousing, Muncie, and Hookers are in.  Rearend will take around 3 weeks to get, so I've been straightening out the dash wiring.  LOTS of cuts to disable warning lights, alternator, etc.  I want all of that stuff working like intended.



John