69' BOSS 302 VS Camaro Z28

[PWMAN]

Since they are both 302's I would like to know which would win in a race assuming same drivers and 4 speeds.
I know they are both rated at 290 HP.
IMO the Boss 302 would win. It just has to make more power than the chevy 302. The boss 302 has cleveland heads with HUGE (2.23/1.71)canted valves and gigantic ports. Chevy's 302 is just plain old 2.02/1.60 valves, not sure about the ports I assume better than most other SBC's.
I would like to know specs on these cars, like curb weights and gear ratios kind of stuff. Both were solid cams and 780 CFM holleys.

[-The Stig-]

Well, I personally thing the '69 Z28 would of been the better contender of the two. In '69 the Mustang got a tad bigger and about 150lbs heavier.

The Z28 was rumored to have in the ballpark area of 360-400hp in reality. They weren't popular cause people thought they were slow, but you just had to shift them at like 7000rpm.

I'm not sure about the Ford version, I think it'd be a interesting race to say the least.


My money is on the Z28 though.

[fastchevylover]

my money is on the z28 as well the boss was a "performance" engine but it still not on the same basis with the z28 engine. the z28 engine was oneof chevys major things! i have never heard of a boss mustang beating a z28 stock. my buddy has an i think its a 71 but don't hold me ot that z28 and one of the guys a tschool has a 66 boss 302 and they race out of the student parking lot ive been with him and the z28 steps out on the mustang every time. i don't know if the 302 is just beat or what but his z28 is stock.

[PWMAN]

Originally Posted by fastchevylover

my money is on the z28 as well the boss was a "performance" engine but it still not on the same basis with the z28 engine. the z28 engine was oneof chevys major things! i have never heard of a boss mustang beating a z28 stock. my buddy has an i think its a 71 but don't hold me ot that z28 and one of the guys a tschool has a 66 boss 302 and they race out of the student parking lot ive been with him and the z28 steps out on the mustang every time. i don't know if the 302 is just beat or what but his z28 is stock.

Well first of all the BOSS 302 was the second fastest mustang in the 60's right along side of the BOSS 429, so it's Fords major thing too.
Secondly there was no such thing as a boss 302 in 66. The 302 wasn't put in Mustangs until 67.5. Most 68's had the 302. So the 302 in that mustang isn't original. And the other thing is that 71 Z28 does not have a DZ302 like the 69 Z28 does. Totally different comparison. BTW a true 69 Z28 would annihilate that 71 Z28, and so would a 69 BOSS 302 Mustang.

[PWMAN]

Originally Posted by RedNeck383

The Z28 was rumored to have in the ballpark area of 360-400hp in reality.

So was the BOSS 302.

Does anybody know what the curb weights are on these cars? I would really like to know.

[-The Stig-]

Originally Posted by PWMAN

BTW a true 69 Z28 would annihilate that 71 Z28, and so would a 69 BOSS 302 Mustang.

Well, I'm not so sure a '69 Z28 could totally whoop on a '71 Z28. Especially from a dig, I think the '71 has the advantage from a stop cause it's got the 350. But top end pull, i'll admit the '69 Z28 would probably walk on by.

But I can almost guarantee that the '71 Z28 would be quicker through the lights of the 1320ft sprint than the '69 Z28. The '69s were hard to launch cause of the 302's high power band. It's very similar to the Honda S2000 below 4000rpm they act like slugs from a stop. Reason why you don't see many 1st gen Z28s cause people thought there were slow due to the fact they couldn't launch them right.

The Mustangs had the same problem, on paper they looked pretty impressive but on the street they're dependance of high revs made them difficult to launch.

[PWMAN]

I can't get the attachment thing to work. oh well

[Musclecarclub]

Both of these cars were tough to launch - especially the Z28. Most drivers on the street just wouldn't shift at 7000 rpm like you were supposed to.

[CrzyMR2T]

so whats the curb weight on these cars? which one handled better? which one had the better potential for handling? which car do you guys think looks better?

[Musclecarclub]

Stylingwise, I have always preferred the Camaro over the Mustang, but looks are very subjective. Either one is a good looking muscle car.

[PWMAN]

Originally Posted by Musclecarclub

Either one is a good looking muscle car.

I agree.

Anyone else?

[Twyzz]

I think the boss 302 had about 395 hp. My vote goes to the boss, Mustangs may not be the fastest cars from the 60's but they sure were the most beautiful in my own opioion.

[fatninja19]

didn't the 69 z28 dominate trans am racing??

[PWMAN]

Originally Posted by fatninja19

didn't the 69 z28 dominate trans am racing??

Read the last paragraph to this article I found in one of my books. In 68' the Z28 dominated, but in 69(when the boss came out) they were less dominent in the Trans am racing. The Boss only won 4 out of 12 races, with the Z28 winning the other 8. From 66-70 ford won in 66, 67, and 70. Chevy won in 68-69, dominent in 68 and still winning in 69 but not so dominent.
http://files.automotiveforums.com/ga...sort=1&cat=503

[hoser795]

Anyone familiar with the Z-28 Can Am pacakge? It was a cross ram intake with 2 4-barrel carbs, high compression angle plug heads, factory headers and a chambered exhaust.
Only about 220 cars were sold with this very rare option package that wasnt listed in any of the official documentation, and was technically sold as a dealer installed option package from the parts counter.
Modern day dyno tests of Z/28s show the "base" ones to make around 375-400hp and the Can-Am equiped cars make about 460hp. Smokey Yunick supposedly created 6 expirimental Z's with hemi-style heads and some other goodies that were putting out over 500hp from the DZ302 motor.
In short, I think a Z would totally smoke a Boss 302.
The cars also had Muncie M-21 transmissions, "The Rock Crusher," with square cut gears and such, built for racing, and hard shifts. In fact, these transmissions were so tough, using clutch was more or less optional.
I also happen to know someone who owned a Can-Am equipped 69 Z and said the Boss was no competition. They said that the car was so powerful you could run it up to 8,000rpm in first (and you were doing almost 50mph) and yank it back into second, and the car would jump almost a full lane sideway from the toruqe if you werent careful.
I honestly cant verify this story (I wasnt even alive in 1969) but its from someone I trust.
I think the real downfall of the Z was the fact that it was a small displacement, high-revving motor in a time when people only understood cubes and low-end torque. Its funny now how my generation is building all these 4 cylinder screamers. I guess the DZ302 was just a motor 30 years ahead of its time. Imagine what could be done now a-days to a 302 with deep-breating 4 valve heads, fuel injection, and all those other goodies? Think a 9000rpm 240hp Honda 2 liter in the S2000 is impressive? Imagine a 9000rpm 600hp Chevy 5 liter. I wish someone would bring back the real Z....