Off the showroom floor, the new Camaro ZL1 will accelerate quicker, stop shorter and carry more speed into corners than any production Camaro we can think of, including the legendary 1969 Camaro ZL1. It comes with a full factory warranty, too, at a price that’s tens of thousands of dollars less than building a comparable car yourself.
What the new Camaro lacks, however, is vintage cool. If you wanted the authenticity of an original Camaro with the performance of a modern one, you could build yourself a Pro Touring car, assuming that money was no object. Enter Mark Stielow, a GM engineer and Pro Touring icon who’s constructed numerous Pro Touring vintage Camaros. Stielow’s latest effort, called the Red Devil, boasts over 750 horsepower from a supercharged LS9 V-8, and comes with a modern suspension (that still retains the car’s live axle), racing-spec brakes and amenities such as an audio system and air conditioning.
Could a heavily-modified 1969 Camaro run with Chevrolet’s latest big dog, the Camaro ZL1, around Michigan’s Ginger Man Raceway? That was the question posed by Hot Rod magazine, who recently hired Stielow to drive both cars for the comparison. The Red Devil puts down over 170 more horsepower while hauling less mass around, but the ZL1 has a wider track and the advantage of performance-focused stability control. Stielow helped develop the ZL1, so he’s on intimate terms with both cars, and a data logging system is used to make sure he’s not sandbagging in either Camaro.
Which is faster? Check out the video below for the answer.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
