Help! Engine L5 or L6

[Robnsdad]

I have a vin number but can't find whether it's an L5 or L6 454 big block 71 corvette. Where can I find out?

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

There's no engine info in the VIN of a '71. You will have to rely on the info stamped on the engine itself. What's on the pad in front of the right side cylinder head?

 

[Robnsdad]

L5 or L6

The engine has 2 sets of numbers one over the other. THE TOP NUMBER IS t0827cph AND THE BOTTOM NUMBER IS c115101955

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

The T0825CPH means that the engine was assembled at the Tonawanda NY engine plant on August 27 as an LS5. The second set of digits is called the VIN derivative and should match the last seven digits of the car's VIN. The '5' in 5101955 is actually an 'S', for St.Louis where the car was assembled.

 

[Robnsdad]

L5 or L6

Thank you for the information. I thought if it had a 4 bbl. it was an L6 which this has. Big price difference if ever I wanted to sell it.:cry

 

[Hib Halverson]

Both the LS5 and the LS6 has four-barrel carburetors but the LS6 was a high-performane engine and the LS5 was a low-performance engine.

If your car originally came with an LS6, it would be worth plenty.

No such luck, eh?