Was in a GM dealer in my area at the parts dept.

There it was like a beam of light shinning from the heavens on it. The limited number ZL1 Ram Jet. 8O I have read about it, but not seen one up until now.

My dream motor is the 502/502 Ram Jet in my '70 anyway...but this! This is just not fair!! :-(

I felt like I was in a Ferrari dealership and I didn't want to ask the price of it. You know...If you have to ask how much you can't afford it! Well I can't afford it. Hell I can't afford the standard 502. I have seen prices of these limited number motors going for just over 20 grand!! They were only asking just over 16 grand for this one. :cry: Wow what a deal! :cry:

I got to touch and pet it for a while but I was not wearing a bib and was afraid they might kick me out for drooling on it so I left.

One bad ass over priced looking motor!...now if I can only get those lotto numbers in the right order! :?

And to think, I think it was back in 69', the original ZL1 motor was like a $3000 option in a Corvette, and we thought that was a lot of money back then. $16,000 is a steal isn't it? I've been seeing them advertised for $21,000. Aluminum...I gotta start saving those beer cans, they're going to make a great retirement fund for me.

I remember that well...gee I also remember buying 101 octane gas for about 20 cents a gallon, and a pair of Levis would only set you back 6 bucks. :?

I read about it in the new Super Chevy...it's supposedly derived from the original tooling of the ZL-1 427 (they "found" the original casts??), but it's really a 454....not a bad looking motor, but I'm not a crate motor fan...give me the real thing!

And what would be the real thing? A motor with no warranty and mismatched to boot? The crate motors have warranty and are a matched set of components. there's no guess work in them. They have the right combination. I have built engines and had them built by others. I have never been as pleased with an engine as I am my ram Jet 502, and it's a crate motor too. 502 HP, 502 CI, 565 ft.lbs. of torque and if driven right, I get 19.4 mpg with the a/c on. All this in a 31 year old vehicle. give me a crate motoe anyday.....you keep the real thing............. :P

Yep...an older ZL-1 rebuilt with care by a professional locally (I just happen to know of one) would be preferrable to me. I bought and installed a 330hp Vortec in an MCSS we used to own...wasn't happy in the least with it warranty or no. I won't do it again. That doesn't mean you are wrong for putting a crate in your car...as long as your happy, that's cool....I tried it an the end result wasn't what I expected for the giant outlay of cash I spent on the motor and other new parts to go into the engine bay.

The newest motor in the driveway now is a 355 that came with my 78 Elky (it was a 350 then of course)...going on 75,000 miles on a rebuild...just completed a trip to Hot Springs at 80 mph both ways (a little over 1000 miles including the around town site-seeing) without so much as a hickup.

I'm not a fan of computerized motors, 4 speed trannies (I've owned three and they all sucked) or much anything else new stuffed into a classic. No offense to anyone who does this, just not my cup 'o' tea. I had the fortune of driving a ZL-1 equipped Camaro in 1975 and an LS-7 motor Z/28 in 1977. To me that's where it's at.

Not many will agree with me but that's immaterial. I take exception to GM "diggin" up old (and highly respected) RPO numbers to market their new motors (like naming a small block an LS-6 or a 454 a ZL-1).

I wasn't trying to piss anyone off...just stating an opinion. I know it's not a popular one, but it's mine and I'm keepin' it. :D

You didn't piss me off....You are entitled to your opinion, just like everyone else. I have a crate motor and it's the best engine I have ever owned by far. I removed my numbers matching 454 from my elky and replaced it with a crate. There was nothing wrong with the 454, I just always wanted the Ram jet 502. It's way better than I imagined. It has lots more HP and torque than the 454. It has no oxygen sensor nor any thing to do with the tranny. It's more fuel efficient than a lot of new cars. If driven right, which is hard to do, it will get 19.4 mpg with the a/c on. Thats not bad for a 31 year old vehicle which weighs 4400 lbs. with a driver and full tank of gas. Give me a fuel injected, computer controlled, high horse power, high torque, fuel efficient crate motor any day. By far better than a carbed (sic) gas guzzling rebuild that will go south much sooner than it should for the money it cost to build one. I dare to say that a crate with virgin components will outlast any rebuild. Thats my honest opinion......... 8)

Well, I wish you all the luck with it. I never experienced any engine problems with mine, just didn't perform like a 330 hp motor should (especially since I opted for the roller valvetrain and timing chain). The Elky with it's 325 ponies and stock manifolds (3.08 posi) spanked it hard in a heads up race. The MCSS had headers and a 3.73 posi rear axle.

Give me the old tech rebuilt the right way...like mine...anyday.

8O Wow...a ZL1 Ram Jet?! Man it sucks being poor. :(

Give me a fuel injected, computer controlled, high horse power, high torque, fuel efficient crate motor any day 8) Gimme one, oh please someone give me one! Oh, and could you make that a Big Block while your at it?