Ferrari Mailing List: Re: Porsche 917-30 vs. Ferrari 612 vs. UOP Shadow Turbo?

[Hans E. Hansen (FList]

I used to sell aluminum big block Chevies.  Technically, the motors used
in CanAm were not ZL1.  The ZL1 was the alum motor fitted in the Corvette,
and was nothing more than an iron sleeved alloy version of the cast iron
427.  ie - the castings resembled each other and the internal parts were
the same.

The CanAm engines were available in 430, 465, 495, and I think 510
cu in.  Initially sleeved, some were available, as I understand (never
saw one...), in a sleeveless silicon etched alloy, like used in the 928
and some (many?) BMWs.  The blocks were A LOT different than
the regular big block, being gusseted, reinforced, etc., and with
different internals such as much bigger bearings, etc.  Heads were
different, and not interchangeable with the rest of the big block
lineup.

Externally, they probably were a bolt-in replacement for a regular
big block.  I say "probably", because I never saw anybody put one
in a Chevelle, for example, simply because the parts cost was Ferrari
level extravagant.  Like $20K - $25K in 1980 dollars.  I have no idea
what an assembled race-ready motor would cost, but it was
certainly north of $50K.  Still cheap by Porsche/Ferrari race car
standards, but way out of reach for the street rodder.

New Chevy pickups use a 495 cu in motor.  I've wondered, but never
bothered to look, if might be a cast iron version of the old CanAm
motor, complete with the bigger bearings and other internals of
that motor.  If done to production car specs (not race spec...), the
cost would only be marginally higher than the original big block,
but it would be much sturdier than the regular big block.  The pickup
454 was not well suited to truck use, especially in our area where
full throttle for 10 minutes at a time is needed to pull big loads
up our mountains.  The 495 seems to be holding up much better
in this application, suggesting that it might be a "civilian" version
of the old race motor.

Hans.

On 8/5/08, LS <lashdeep [at] yahoo.com> wrote:
> Does anyone have any good info on the potential of the turbo ZL1 that McLaren 
> and Shadow were developing for Can Am when the series was cancelled?
>
> I'm reading the Unfair Advantage by Mark Donohue and was intrigued at the 
> possibility of some sort of competition from the McLaren's for the almightly 
> 917-30.
>
> The Aluminum ZL1 was an impressive engine...did it have the architecture to 
> handle a 2-3 hour road race with forced induction? I'd like some info on what 
> setup some of the teams were experimenting with.
>
> BTW-What was the real power output of the 712 Can Am Ferrari? I've heard 
> 680-750bhp.
>
> LS
>
>
>
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