Not Your Average Drag Race – 1969 Chevy COPO Camaro ZL-1 vs. 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda

We’ve seen quite a few iconic muscle cars hit the drag strip in these dedicated events, but this one’s a little different. That’s because it brings together two of the rarest and most coveted vehicles from the golden muscle car era: the Chevrolet COPO Camaro ZL-1 and the Plymouth Hemi Cuda. And they’re not exactly stock either.

The ZL-1 is the rarest of two COPO Camaros that Chevrolet offered in 1969. Fitted with a race-spec 7.0-liter aluminum V8, the ZL-1 hit the road with 430 horsepower and 450 pound-feet (610 Nm) of torque, both underrated figures, a common practice back in the day.

However, this ZL-1 isn’t exactly stock. The race you’re about to see is of the Factory Appearing Stock Tire (FAST) variety, which restricts the car to a stock appearance from the outside while allowing certain upgrades to the engine, fuel system, and rear axle. The Camaro’s engine now displaces 8.8 liters and sends a whopping 700 horsepower to the rear wheels.

The same goes for the 1971 Hemi Cuda that goes against this Camaro. The original 7.0-liter Hemi V8, rated at 425 horsepower and 490 pound-feet (664 Nm) of twist from the factory, has been upgraded and cranks out a massive 1,000 horses.

These cars are obviously stupid fast when compared to their original counterparts. You’ll notice that as soon as they charge off the line. The output is somewhat surprising, too, as the less powerful Camaro runs a bit faster. The COPO crosses the line in 9.66 seconds at 142.95 mph (230.05 kph). The Cuda follows just a few inches behind with a 9.79-second ET at 143.04 mph (230.20 kph).

To get a better idea of how much faster these cars are thanks to their upgraded drivetrains, both were tested to 13-second quarter-mile runs when they originally introduced. Stock appearance and four seconds quicker down the strip?

Source: Youtube/Cars And Zebras

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