Late-model Mopars are all the rage these days, especially if it’s Hellcat-motivated. It’s no surprise; impressive power right out of the box, and endless aftermarket support for even more performance. But the more crafty enthusiast knows that horsepower isn’t everything; curb weight, tunability, and selecting the correct tuner and parts can make the most out of any car. The ability to carve a corner is also a plus. Some would argue, that despite the 50+ horsepower deficit from the factory, the ZL1 Camaro is a better-balanced car.
This particular 2019 ZL1 1LE is built to be a street-worthy machine, that can be driven anywhere, raced anywhere, and can be counted on as a daily driver. Oh, and it makes almost an additional 500 horsepower to the rear tires over stock. On the outset. it looks to be a pretty standard ZL1. Underneath, where it matters, is a totally different story.
Florida High Performance, helmed by one Erik Bentley, has popped the hood, rolled up their sleeves, and set out fabricating an LT4-powered vehicle that will meet all of the car owner’s goals, A Late Model Engines 416 cubic-inch short block and CNC-ported heads, are at the core of this build. With more boost, E85, and methanol added into the recipe, a stock short block just wouldn’t do.
But this Camaro isn’t relying on the stock supercharger; it’s showing up to the party with a Magnuson 2650 blower. With the help of a 3.25 upper, and 9.5 lower, pulleys from GripTec, the Z produces 17.5-lbs of boost — set purposely to that level to achieve the power and fuel requirements that both the car’s owner, and Erik wanted to dial-in. A RotoFab Big Gulp cold-air intake, and a Katech 103mm throttle body smoothes out the airflow.
Inside the block, sits an LT4 custom grind bumpstick from Cam Motion. For fueling, the stock LT4 pump and injectors remain, pumping E50 into the cylinders. An AlkyControl dual nozzle meth kit and a DSX Tuning auxiliary (no port injection) went into the mix, as well.
The end result? Is a 6th-gen Camaro that generates a total of 1009 rear-wheel horsepower, 942-lb ft of twist to the rear wheels. But this isn’t an unmanageable vehicle; it’s a car that’s docile under normal throttle conditions, but can rocket to triple-digit speeds in minimal time, with minimal effort. Erik also takes us for a spin in the car, just to prove it’s drivability and attitude. Enjoy!
Rick Seitz is the owner and founder of GMEFI Magazine, and has a true love and passion for all vehicles. When he isn’t tuning, testing, or competing with the brand’s current crop of project vehicles, he’s busy tinkering and planning the next modifications for his own cars.
