photos by: Livernois Motorsports
A ZL1 Goes Under the Knife to Achieve Supercar Excellence
With so much emphasis on the latest incarnation of Camaro, secondhand 5th-generation cars are hitting dealer’s lots in record numbers. While the 6th-generation car is arguably better in just about every aspect, that leaves secondhand Camaro buyers at an advantage.
The level of performance and potential that one can find within a 5th-gen Camaro ZL1 is second-to-none. With 580 hp on tap as delivered from Chevrolet, the factory-boosted LSA powerplant helps make the previous generation ZL1 one of the best performance bargains going right now.
However, even 580 hp feels “slow” after a while, so when it’s time to turn up the wick, there are plenty of options available. One avenue worth pursuing in particular is Livernois Motorsports. Although establishing their performance roots in the late-model Ford arena, they have branched out to specialize in late-model GM owners — and in a big way!
In fact, during our last visit to the Livernois Motorsports facility in Livernois, Michigan, there were clearly more GM vehicles in their shop than anything else — including quite a few LSA-powered beasts in attendance. Every car that comes into Livernois is tagged, baseline tested and a complete, start to finish plan is drawn up from the beginning with the car’s owner.
There’s no willy-nilly modifications being thrown at the car, no up-selling and no disappointments. What you order is what you get, typically exceeding expectations. So check out what you get if you were to drop off your 2012-2015 Camaro ZL1 at Livernois Motorsports.
In order to turn run of the mill LSA into a fire-breathing Stage 2 car from Livernois, the engine is torn down to a short block, removing the blower, heads, camshaft, timing cover, timing gear, etc. Only the rotating assembly remains in place from General Motors.
Livernois reassembles the boosted GEN-IV powerplant, with Stage 2 ported heads and 2C-HL camshaft, complete with LS9 head gaskets. Also part of the recipe, is an LS7 timing gear, ARP cam bolts, Livernois head studs and upgraded pushrods. Livernois’ billet aluminum rocker arm bases go into every Stage 2 package as well, which increases the cross sectional area for added resistance to flex & distortion. They also improve the strength and more stability to your valve train.
There are little details that get addressed along the way; including a Livernois brand EvenFlo thermostat, an upgraded Livernois heat exchanger and a replacement supercharger discharge gasket gets added to the mix. Royal Purple‘s Purple Ice gets poured to the intercooler as well, to help with heat soak and cooler operating temperatures.
Livernois installs a smaller blower pulley of their own design, a 2.55-inch piece that increases the boost and works in unison with a solid coupler (the OE plastic piece is faulty), an INB balancer, oversized idler pulley and a 9.55-inch lower idler pulley. The tensioner is also modified for more travel.
The Stage 2 LSA ohs topped off with a Roto-Fab cold-air induction kit, MSD 8.5mm wires, NGK TR6 plugs, 90mm throttle body and a set of Injector Dynamics 1300cc squirters. The fuel system is also upgraded with a Fore fuel system and a GM Flex Fuel sensor. The 6.2L powerplant expels the spent fumes with a set of Stainless Works long-tube headers with Chevrolet Performance header gaskets and off-road connection pipes. Naturally a fresh oil change and filter goes into every Livernoius build, too.
The fruits of the Livernois labor has definitely paid off! The results? How does 782 hp and 719 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels grab you? With nearly 800 hp to the tires, a magnetic suspension and an incredible braking system from the OE, the 5th-gen ZL1 is a great car in its stock format, but with the expertise of Livernois Motorsports, you can certainly take your ZL1 to a whole ‘nother level!
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.
