1997 Camaro SS 30th Anniversary SLP Edition (LT4)

 

Summary

Rare SLP Edition: Only a tiny number of 1997 Camaro SS 30th Anniversary models received the LT4 upgrade.

330 HP LT4: SLP installed the Corvette-derived 5.7-liter LT4, rated at 330 horsepower.

Classic Looks: Arctic White paint and Hugger Orange stripes paid tribute to the 1969 Indy 500 Pace Car.

Serious Performance: A T56 six-speed, performance exhaust, Bilstein suspension, and Torsen differential helped these Camaros run 0-60 in 4.9 seconds and the quarter-mile in 13.3 seconds.

Rare Collector: The LT4 SLP cars are easy to confuse with regular 30th Anniversary SS models, making proper identification important.

Anniversary Editions are always fun. Special stripes, badges, and performance upgrades find their way onto a limited number of stock versions of a vehicle to celebrate a special year.

Although anniversary editions usually see minor changes, that wasn't the case when it came to the 1997 Camaro SS 30th Anniversary SLP Edition. All of the 30th Anniversary Camaros (RS, Z/28, and SS) received an eye-popping color scheme and 30th Anniversary badges placed throughout the interior, but a few SS Camaros (100 in the U.S., six in Canada, and two prototypes) got much more than just a few minor upgrades and a cool-looking color scheme. Those few special Camaro SS models received a stout LT4 5.7-liter engine installed by SLP.

Where Did The Color Scheme for the Anniversary Edition Camaro Come From?

The color scheme is a throwback to the 1969 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Camaro. Just like in '69, the '97 30th Anniversary Camaro was painted Arctic White and accompanied by a set of Hugger Orange racing stripes that graced the hood, decklid, and roof of all the 1997 Anniversary Editions, unless it was a convertible.

The All-Important 330 HP Badge

They all may have looked the same and had the same embroidered badges on the seats and floor mats, but only a select few got to wear the all-important 330-hp badge indicating an LT4 under the hood.

Almost all of the Anniversary Editions came with stock engines that matched their trim package, except for those few lucky SS Camaros that got to take the trip to SLP Engineering after they rolled off the assembly line.

SLP Engineering was able to get its hands on extra leftover LT4 motors that were used in the 1996 Corvette Grand Sport a year earlier. Before SLP bolted these LT4 motors into the Camaros, they broke each engine down and had them balanced and blueprinted.

On paper, the LT4 was documented to produce 330 horsepower at 5,800 RPM and reached its maximum torque at 4,500 RPM. But many car enthusiasts and automotive professionals believe this 10.8:1-compression motor was definitely underrated.

More SLP Camaro Upgrades

The 1997 Camaro SS with the SLP LT4 upgrade also received a Borg-Warner T56 six-speed manual transmission, a performance exhaust, a lightweight driveshaft, Bilstein sport suspension (optional level III Bilstein suspension package), and a Torsen limited-slip differential. 

All those extras were good to get you from 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds and down the quarter-mile in 13.3 seconds. 

With the explosion of technology in the auto industry, that may not seem so amazing in this generation, but back in 1997, that was the fastest production American sports car on the market. There were no American sports cars at that time that could be bought from a dealer that went that fast.

Identifying a 1997 Camaro SS 30th Anniversary LT-4 SLP Edition

So how do you tell if what you're looking at—or what you own—is one of these rare 30th Anniversary SLP LT4 SS Camaros? Regular SS 30th Anniversary Camaros are commonly mistaken for these very rare SLP Editions, and that's because they're easy to pass off as one.

All of the SLP LT4 Editions rolled off the line and out of the factory as LT1 Camaros before being shipped off for the special treatment. That means even SLP LT4 SS Camaros will still indicate that they are LT1 Camaro SS models in the VIN.

First, to either begin or end the discussion of whether it is a true SS or not, look at the trim options. If it's anything other than a white SS hardtop with Hugger Orange stripes, your SS is not an SS LT4 SLP Limited Edition.

There are a few places on the Camaro that will definitely give you the information you want if it wasn't removed post-SLP treatment. Right above the rear bumper, on the opposite side of the SS emblem, a special-edition 330-hp badge will let you know if it's an LT4 SLP, but these can be easily applied to regular SS Camaros.

To get to the bottom of your research, you want to look inside the driver's-side door and/or inside the glove box to find the RPO code. This should indicate if it has been in the hands of the SLP engineers. But if you're still not sure what you're looking at, you can always call SLP Engineering. They are sure to have records of which Camaros they got their hands on.

If you do have a true LT4 SS 30th Anniversary Camaro in your sights, you're looking at a true collectible. These cars will eventually sell on the Barrett-Jackson block like the COPO Camaros do right now. They're good-looking, powerful, rare, and fun to drive.

Happy Hunting!

 

The 1956 Corvette "The Real McCoy" That Saved The Brand

Summary

Corvette Almost Died: By 1955, Corvette sales had fallen to just 700 units, putting its future in serious doubt.

Duntov Steps In: Zora Arkus Duntov helped transform the Corvette with a stronger chassis and a focus on performance.

The Real McCoy: Project Corvette #6901 became a heavily modified prototype built to prove what the Vette could really do.

Racing Success: The Corvette set a 150.58-mph flying-mile record and later won its class at the 12 Hours of Sebring.

Corvette Takes Off: The racing success and Chevrolet's marketing helped boost sales, with 1957 production nearly doubling from 1956.

Just about anybody in the world who knows a little about cars knows that the Corvette was the first American sports car and is now one of the most popular, fastest, and most recognizable American sports cars to date. But what a lot of people may not know is that this was not always true. In fact, by 1955, the Corvette almost saw its extinction.

Rumors about the move to drop the Corvette flooded out of Chevrolet's top offices, with very sad sales numbers to back up what seemed to be a good idea. Their competition, the two-seater Ford Thunderbird, sold an astonishing 16,000 units in 1955. The Corvette? A depressing 700 units.

Unfortunately for Ford, the same car that was taking so many sales away from the Corvette would actually be the inspiration for keeping the Corvette in the product lineup. The idea behind keeping the Vette and spending more money on a car that was obviously tanking was pushed by a few Chevrolet bigwigs, including former Corvette chief engineer Dave McLellan.

McLellan released a statement concurring that if the Ford Thunderbird was doing so well, there was obviously a market for a two-seater sports car. With a solid change for the better and the right amount of marketing, the Corvette should be able to become a moneymaker.

In an ironic twist, the very car that Corvette planned to piggyback off of—the Ford Thunderbird—had already made future plans to market the car differently by doing away with the two-seater style and making it a four-seater touring car. That left the American sports car market wide open for Chevrolet and its Corvette.

"The Real McCoy"

As wide open as the market was, the Corvette needed some changes for success, ideally in the form of performance and a new body style. When Zora Arkus Duntov took the reins as Corvette Chief Engineer, he was ready to make those changes, but he knew first that the chassis had to be redesigned to handle any horsepower upgrades.

Once engineers updated and strengthened the chassis, Chevrolet engineers went performance and horsepower hunting. First, they ditched the boring and heavy two-speed Powerglide transmission and replaced it with an upgraded four-speed. They also took the original 265-cu.-in. motor and bored it out to a 307 that sported dual Carter carbs and a now-famous "Duntov High-Performance Cam."

Other upgrades were also included on the Real McCoy, like a very rare set of Halibrand magnesium knock-off wheels, special heavy-duty brakes with cooling scoops, heavy-duty shocks and sway bars, an upgraded high-capacity fuel tank, and more—all newly implemented to help achieve the Corvette performance desired.

After all of those upgrades, top engineers slapped a new SR Prototype body on what was now known as Project Corvette #6901. The engineers called it "The Real McCoy" and decided it was ready to head to the racetrack.

Daytona Speedway Record

The first stop for the "Real McCoy" was the Daytona Speed Week for a two-way flying mile. This is where the Corvette would make its first milestone. At the time, the record for the Corvette class was 127 mph. With Duntov as the driver, the 255-horsepower Corvette sped to an average speed of 150.58 mph to crush the record.

This was an extremely significant record because it occurred just weeks before the New York Motorama, where the Corvette would be on display to many potential buyers, most of whom had already heard the news of the record-breaking performance.

12-Hour Sebring Race

A few months after Daytona, the groundbreaking Corvette made its way to the famous 12-Hour Sebring Race. This race was designed only for the toughest of the tough—the fastest of the fast. Only cars like Jaguars, Bentleys, and Aston Martins graced the racetracks for these events.

But with a chance to prove that the Corvette had changed and deserved respect alongside the other powerful sports cars, Chevrolet did not shy away. Instead, they joined in on the action.

Race car drivers John Fitch and Walter Hansgen were brought on board to take on the challenging race. When the green flag dropped, the race was on. But early in the race, the Corvette experienced mechanical problems, so much so that they didn't think it would finish.

In the end, not only did the Real McCoy Corvette finish, but it also finished first in its class and ninth overall. This was an incredible accomplishment, especially considering 60 cars entered the event, but only 24 crossed the finish line.

With another huge milestone under Corvette's belt, Chevrolet exploited it by printing ads like "A Tough, Road-Gripping Torpedo On Wheels" and "The Most Remarkable Car Made In America Today."

Those ads were meant to send a message: Corvette had finally arrived as a force in international sports car racing, and they proudly called this particular Vette "The Real McCoy."

Between all of its accomplishments and Chevrolet's ad campaigns, the '56 Corvette sold 3,467 units, and in '57, they nearly doubled that with 6,339 sold.

One of the main reasons the Corvette saw such selling success was that if Chevrolet raced the Vette in its respective class at the 12-Hour Sebring race, every part that was changed or modified for the race had to be documented and later made available to the public. This process made potential buyers very excited about being able to buy a Corvette and beef it up to run and look just like "The Real McCoy."

Auctioned Away For $2.3 Million

In any event, if it weren't for the #6901 '56 PJ Prototype "Real McCoy" Corvette, and possibly the success of the Thunderbird, Chevrolet may have never gone forward with the Corvette. And the automobile industry would definitely not be the same today.