Watch a 5th generation Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 lay down some monster numbers on the rollers.
The 5th generation Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 was powered by a supercharged 6.2L LSA V8 which offered 580 horsepower and 556lb-ft of torque at the crankshaft. Reports from around the internet suggest that a stock 5g Camaro ZL1 makes around 520 horsepower at the rear wheels. So in stock form, the previous ZL1 “lost” about 10% of its power with the manual transmission.
This week’s Dyno Blast video features a 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 with a list of modifications to help make considerably more power. The owner has added a Rotofab cold air intake, new upper and lower pulleys, a 360 Customs ported LSA supercharger housing, American Racing 2 inch headers with full Magnaflow exhaust, a Texas Speed camshaft, larger fuel injectors, a beefier fuel system with flex fuel capabilities from Fore Innovations, methanol injection and an aftermarket torque converter. As you can see, this long list of aftermarket goodies allows this Camaro ZL1 to make far more power than a stock LSA-powered Chevy muscle car.
The video is short and sweet, showing the bright red Camaro ZL1 working through the gears before making the long, hard pull. In the end, this Chevrolet muscle car lays down 753 horsepower at the rear wheels. That is an improvement of roughly 230 horsepower at the wheels. Using a 15% drivetrain loss ratio, that 753 WHP would translate to roughly 890 horsepower at the crankshaft.
So, by changing the pulleys, the fuel system, the camshaft, the ported blower housing, the cold air intake, meth injection and a new torque convertor – this 2013 Camaro ZL1 gained more than 300 horsepower at the crankshaft.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
