V8-Powered, RWD Chevrolet Lumina Z34 Is One Impressive Build: Track Time Tuesday Presented by the All-New Nitto Recon Grappler™ A/T
Person that built this amazing Chevrolet Lumina righted all the wrongs we dislike about the original.
For the most part, the Chevrolet Lumina is one of the more forgettable Bow Tie models produced in recent history. Sure, they used to be everywhere, including NASCAR, but the humble Lumina has since been relegated mostly to junkyard status in recent years, and that includes the higher-performance Z34 version. However, if GM had built a V8-powered, rear-wheel-drive like this example that was recently up for sale at Collecting Cars, the Lumina might have left a more permanent mark on enthusiasts.
The Chevrolet Lumina Z34 originally came GM’s LQ1 V6, which produced 210 horsepower when equipped with the five-speed Getrag 284 manual transmission, or 200 ponies when paired with an automatic. That power flowed to the front wheels, and the Z34 also featured an FE3 sport suspension package, dual exhaust, and numerous external styling enhancements. Performance was fine for the era, with a 7.2-second 0-60 and 15.0-second quarter-mile.
This Lumina Z34 rights all of those wrongs, however. For starters, it rides on a rear-wheel-drive 1988 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS chassis with a 9-inch Ford rear end and a custom four-link rear suspension. It has plenty of juice to deliver to the rear wheels as well, thanks to a built 408 cubic-inch small block under the hood, which features a forged steel crank, H-beam rods, 9.75:1 pistons, aluminum heads, a custom ground hydraulic flat tappet camshaft, and a custom aluminum radiator with dual electric fans.
The Bow Tie mill is backed up by a 700R4 automatic transmission and breathes through HPC coated headers and a split exhaust with cutouts in the event that you really want to wake up the neighborhood. The seller has also installed a fuel cell in the trunk, and mini tubs out back make room for larger rubber to help put all that newly instilled power to the ground.
While the interior retains most of its stock components, including the cushy seats, it’s also been fortified for track use. There’s a full roll cage enveloping the driver that’s certified to run as quick as 8.50, but no heat or air conditioning. The digital dash still works like a charm, and there are power windows at least, along with a stereo system driven by a 400-watt amp if you get tired of listening to the intoxicating noises coming from the exhaust.
We can’t really say there was ever a time in our lives when we coveted a Chevy Lumina, but this gorgeous Z34 has truly changed our minds. And if GM had sold them like this from the factory (without the roll cage and fuel cell of course), the model’s fate might have been a little different, too.
Photos: Collecting Cars
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