I met a guy probably 25 years ago at a car show in Georgia that had 5 of the Z16s & brought 3 of them to the car show in s large enclosed trailer. A sight to behold!!!!
my husband has toured bobs collection in the little town of warroad mn home of mavin windows he said its one of the greatest rear muscle car collections under one roof its a must see
I loved back in the day. I had a 1968 Mustang GT 390 4 speed. I built a 427 low riser and put it under the hood and had tons of fun chewing up 396 Chevys. Those 396s loved puking out connecting rods, A guy that lived down the road from us went through a half dozen 396s before he decided to swap to the Chevy 427.
I was lucky to have owned this car in the 1970's I drove to Reno once never going 100 mph. There was a foil tag on the air cleaner AC Expetimental The exhaust manifolds were casted sample This is the first Chevrolet big block car sold, as it predates the Corvette by about a month.
All of the Z-16s were made in the KC, MO plant and were originally meant for magazine people, reporters and or drag racers etc...Chevy wanted the people to show them off and get the word out for the 66 years. That prototype is neat as it has a vinyl top, which you could order extra on the car. The breather also has an actual metal badge on it, not a sticker like you would see moving forward, so if you see one at a swap meet by chance GRAB IT....That 396-375 horse package on the Z-16 was known as the L-37, which next year was known as the well-known L-78 on the 66
Video states 201 were built and this prototype is the first of the 201. Other Z16 'experts' claim the 201 number includes the 200 slated for production at Kansas City plus one convertible. If that convertible was built, that would mean 202 of these were built, not 201. GM's own production numbers show 201 Z16s built. So, was there never a convertible built, or were there, indeed, 202 total built, and GM did not include this prototype in their production figures? I assume this is the surviving prototype built at the Baltimore plant in late December?
@@brucedeerhaven I've heard that as well. GM documentation shows 201 Z16 options were built/sold. The convertible (from what I've heard) was a tan/gold unit with tan/gold interior. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, no photos of it exist - or at least have been posted online anywhere. There were also two Malibu SS cars pulled from the Baltimore assembly plant and sent to GM Engineering for evaluation of the Z16 option. One is still in existence - the trim tag shows it being a Malibu SS (red w/black vinyl top) from Baltimore in December of 1964. The survivor, from what I understand does not have the convertible frame and some of the other production changes. The second test mule was destroyed. The trim tag is shown here: chevellestuff.net/1965/chevelle/tags/65-bal-1.htm and the car itself is shown here: chevellestuff.net/1965/chevelle/gallery/gallery_z16.htm.
@@gramatr I always ‘loved’ the Z16 since I first laid eyes on it when it first came out. A friend had one & I wanted one, but my father was still paying for my 1964 Chevelle Malibu SS & said no way. And I am still ‘hooked’ on them to this day!
I met a guy probably 25 years ago at a car show in Georgia that had 5 of the Z16s & brought 3 of them to the car show in s large enclosed trailer. A sight to behold!!!!
Most excellent video and story on this prototype 1965 Chevelle Z-16. Thank you!
my husband has toured bobs collection in the little town of warroad mn home of mavin windows he said its one of the greatest rear muscle car collections under one roof its a must see
I loved back in the day. I had a 1968 Mustang GT 390 4 speed. I built a 427 low riser and put it under the hood and had tons of fun chewing up 396 Chevys. Those 396s loved puking out connecting rods, A guy that lived down the road from us went through a half dozen 396s before he decided to swap to the Chevy 427.
Z16 is my favorite car in the world period
I am from Winnipeg, my daughter and me took a little road trip to Buffalo Point Manitoba , we were so close to Warroad
I was lucky to have owned this car in the 1970's I drove to Reno once never going 100 mph. There was a foil tag on the air cleaner AC Expetimental The exhaust manifolds were casted sample This is the first Chevrolet big block car sold, as it predates the Corvette by about a month.
All of the Z-16s were made in the KC, MO plant and were originally meant for magazine people, reporters and or drag racers etc...Chevy wanted the people to show them off and get the word out for the 66 years. That prototype is neat as it has a vinyl top, which you could order extra on the car. The breather also has an actual metal badge on it, not a sticker like you would see moving forward, so if you see one at a swap meet by chance GRAB IT....That 396-375 horse package on the Z-16 was known as the L-37, which next year was known as the well-known L-78 on the 66
Was one in a field just down the street from me in the late 80s, early 90s. No motor or transmission, in rough shape.
Not sure where it ever ended up.
I had the opurtunity in the to see a slitly one that a guy hit a deer with did it fold wow
Video states 201 were built and this prototype is the first of the 201. Other Z16 'experts' claim the 201 number includes the 200 slated for production at Kansas City plus one convertible. If that convertible was built, that would mean 202 of these were built, not 201. GM's own production numbers show 201 Z16s built. So, was there never a convertible built, or were there, indeed, 202 total built, and GM did not include this prototype in their production figures? I assume this is the surviving prototype built at the Baltimore plant in late December?
I heard many times through the years that a GM executive at that time had the convertible built for him.
@@brucedeerhaven I've heard that as well. GM documentation shows 201 Z16 options were built/sold. The convertible (from what I've heard) was a tan/gold unit with tan/gold interior. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, no photos of it exist - or at least have been posted online anywhere. There were also two Malibu SS cars pulled from the Baltimore assembly plant and sent to GM Engineering for evaluation of the Z16 option. One is still in existence - the trim tag shows it being a Malibu SS (red w/black vinyl top) from Baltimore in December of 1964. The survivor, from what I understand does not have the convertible frame and some of the other production changes. The second test mule was destroyed. The trim tag is shown here: chevellestuff.net/1965/chevelle/tags/65-bal-1.htm and the car itself is shown here: chevellestuff.net/1965/chevelle/gallery/gallery_z16.htm.
@@gramatr I always ‘loved’ the Z16 since I first laid eyes on it when it first came out. A friend had one & I wanted one, but my father was still paying for my 1964 Chevelle Malibu SS & said no way. And I am still ‘hooked’ on them to this day!
What was the h.p. of sbc not fuelie in 1965? $ on this!
Didn't Bunkie order the only convertible 65 Z16? Wonder where that is now.
Never made, never seen.
The GTO wasn’t a big block car. Pontiac didn’t have a big block
***Question---What the hell would this beast be worth?***
At least 10K
At least 250K, but being the prototype Z16 I'd guess probably double that amount...
@@L72Chevelle427 $500,000 up to $1,000,000+!