Chevrolet Camaro 1967 – Test Driving the 502 Big-Block

A modern Chevrolet ZZ502 crate engine promises factory-fresh reliability with big-block torque, but does it actually suit the personality of a 1967 Camaro? This test drive puts the numbers to work, from a hydraulic roller cam tuned for low-end torque to a Holley 870 carburetor and forged internals built to take daily abuse. Find out why this combination has become a go-to swap for first-gen Camaro resto-mods.

This beast is powered by a ZZ502 Big-block crate engine, that’s pushing out 502 HP and 567 Lb-Ft of Torque.
Who else loves this amazing machine?

Cramming a modern 502-cubic-inch crate engine into a first-generation Camaro sounds simple on paper, but the moment the driver cracks the throttle, the car tells a very different story. This isn’t the numbers-matching 396 or 427 the Camaro left the factory with in 1967, it’s a purpose-built modern big-block designed to make old-school torque feel new again. Chevrolet engineered the ZZ502 decades after this Camaro rolled off the line, yet it slots into the same engine bay like it was always meant to be there. The question is whether a crate engine built for street cruisers and resto-mods can actually live up to the aggressive stance of a ’67 Camaro. One test drive answers it fast.

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What Makes the ZZ502 Different From a Factory Big-Block

Chevrolet’s ZZ502 Deluxe crate engine is built around a forged crankshaft, forged connecting rods, and forged aluminum pistons inside a cast-iron four-bolt-main block, topped with aluminum oval-port cylinder heads for strong airflow. Compression sits at 9.6:1, and the hydraulic roller camshaft is tuned specifically for low-rpm torque, with output topping 500 lb-ft by roughly 2,500 rpm and staying there until about 5,000 rpm. The Deluxe package arrives essentially complete, from an HEI distributor and plug wires to a water pump, starter, and an aluminum intake wearing a Holley 870-cfm four-barrel, meaning most of the guesswork of a big-block build has already been engineered out.

Why Big-Block Swaps Remain a First-Gen Camaro Favorite

The first-generation Camaro was Chevrolet’s answer to the Mustang, launched with inline-six and small-block V8 options before the big-block RS/SS 396 arrived mid-year to raise the stakes. Decades later, dropping a modern crate big-block like the ZZ502 into that same chassis has become a favorite move in the resto-mod and pro-touring community, since it delivers factory-style big-block attitude with modern parts availability and none of the wear-and-tear risk of an original numbers-matching engine. It’s a way to keep the classic look of a ’67 Camaro while making sure the car underneath is built to be driven hard, not just displayed.

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