autoevolution
 

Twin-Turbo Camaro ZL1 Drag Races Fox Body Mustang, Gets Severely Punished

In factory form, a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is one hell of a machine, as it can easily deliver 11s quarter-mile passes. Well, certain owners might regard that number as an, um, decent starting point, and it is precisely what happened with this example, which has been thoroughly massaged and now roams free on American drag strips.
Twin-Turbo Camaro ZL1 Drag Races Fox Body Mustang 7 photos
Photo: Drag Racing and Car Stuff/YouTube
Twin-Turbo Camaro ZL1 Drag Races Fox Body MustangTwin-Turbo Camaro ZL1 Drag Races Fox Body MustangTwin-Turbo Camaro ZL1 Drag Races Fox Body MustangTwin-Turbo Camaro ZL1 Drag Races Fox Body MustangTwin-Turbo Camaro ZL1 Drag Races Fox Body MustangTwin-Turbo Camaro ZL1 Drag Races Fox Body Mustang
The 6.2-liter supercharged V8 that came from the factory and delivered a massive 650 hp is no longer present, being replaced by an LME 390 ci (6.39-liter) unit. The new V8 works with a pair of turbochargers (these are 68/71 billet units), among others, so it pushes the car well into four-digit output territory (over 1,400 hp is a reasonable expectation).

Justin Keith, the owner of the Chevy, wanted nothing short of a drag racing animal, which is why the whole setup is savage, from the TH400 tranny to the Weld beadlock rear wheels shod in Mickey Thompson ET Street Radial Pro rubber—these tires are not street-legal.

As a result of all the work, the Camaro ZL1 can now deliver mid-8s passes, so this driver doesn't have to worry about coming across the brand-spanking new Tesla Model S Plaid with its low-9s attitude.

And when the machine recently hit the US 131 Motorsports Park in Michigan for the Street Car Takeover event, it managed to grab some sweet wins. For instance, the Chevy one-upped what appears to be a 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass with a Procharger while keeping the audience on its toes (i.e., the two were separated by just 0.02s).

Then again, you can't win them all, as a battle against a Fox Body Mustang that had also sold its soul to the turbo devil came to show.

We have little data about this hatchback model, but its uber-thin competition seats, roll cage and custom wheels/tires are there for a reason, while the quarter-mile time of the Ford speaks for itself.

And while this Blue Oval-dominated run awaits you at the 4:40 point of the clip below (lens tip to Drag Racing and Car Stuff), those other races also involve a Turbo Pontiac Trans Am. So yes, it was a forced-induction party.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Andrei Tutu
Andrei Tutu profile photo

In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories