NEED HELP to verify my Vette

[ARIONE]

Hey Everyone,

I have aquired a 1969 Corvette. I am very green to Corvette and really dont have any idea where to start to look for infomation, etc on what I have, production numbers etc. Below is all the information I have found on the car during my walk-around.

4 speed trans. There is a metal plate just behind the shifter (nside the car) that reads ZL1 427. The car has black side pipes.

VIN: 194379S733608

Chrome plate on drivers side door compartment hinge reads
#027
Trim 421
Paint 972


Head Casting #3946074 (Located middle top of head) Front Top of Head #916 B

Tranny # 3925660 (Located Passenger Side of Tranny) US Patent # 3088336 General Motors Corp
Back of Tranny (Vertical) P9H10A

Front engine block 399289 or 3899289 ( I need to verify with metal brush)
Front engine block reads T1017XCH
Right side rear engine block 125-78 Rt.
Drivers side rear engine block GM 10 T CONV
Alternator: Delco model 63

There is no carb, however the intake reads Edelbrock TM2R again no idea is stock?

It does have aluminum heads with snowflake stamping. I pulled the valve cover and it has roller rockers which I dont know if stock or not?

The rear diff does not appear to be stock. How can I find number to verify diff ?

No radio, no power steering, no power brakes, T Tops.

That is what I have to share ...... please any help or direction would be greatly appreciated. I do have a complete photo album of the car that I can send to you r email if you want to see pics. Just send me your email address and I'll send them over.

Thanks again and I look forward to your response.

 

[ARIONE]

Here are the pictures of the car. Click the link below to see them. Let me know what you think. I am pulling my hairout trying to figure it all out.

http://s126.photobucket.com/albums/p103/ARIONEVETTE/

Thanks

 

[Nut]

Arione.... I do not being you have a factory ZL1. there were only 2 built and both are verified and are in collectors hands. (See link). Someone might have made a ZL1 (clone) as the engine was available back then.

I'm sure others will chime in soon.

....... nut

http://www.autofacts.ca/classics/FAPC/ZL1Corvette.htm

 

[ARIONE]

Thanks for the info. I am going to try and locate the build sheet on the car. If there is no build sheet how can I find out what this was originally from factory?

 

[jdp6000]

Arione.... I do not being you have a factory ZL1. there were only 2 built and both are verified and are in collectors hands. (See link). Someone might have made a ZL1 (clone) as the engine was available back then.

I'm sure others will chime in soon.

....... nut

http://www.autofacts.ca/classics/FAPC/ZL1Corvette.htm

Wouldn't that be a kick in the a$$....collector has a fake and this one is real??? Its a big block....6500 rpm readline.....I don't know????

Jim

 

[jdp6000]

Thats the right number for aluminum heads 3946074: 427ci, 430hp (aluminum heads)

399289 could be V8 454 1973-1979
3899289 could be a 1971 454

jIM

 

[jdp6000]

I don't see a 3899 followed by 289 Only a Casting # 3999289 Casting Dates: K-1-72, F-8-73, J-30-73, K-23-73. 1972-1974 454 Engine Blocks (High-Nickel Thick-Wall - best quality production engine block Chevrolet ever produced)

Your 399289 even comes back as a valid number.

No point in chasing around wrong info...double check your engine number and I'll see what I can come up with.

BTW the transmission is correct for that year but it came in few cars...camaro included.

Jim

 

[Nut]

Wouldn't that be a kick in the a$$....collector has a fake and this one is real??? Its a big block....6500 rpm readline.....I don't know????

Jim

Well I know one of the two "known" ZL1's is fully documented to the max. The other I hear isn't; but has a lot of owner "provenance" associated with it to at least make believers out of the NCRS.

The engines/tranny's were available separately so it's not out of the question that someone started building themsleves a "ZL-1" after the fact.

........ nut

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Front engine block 399289 or 3899289 ( I need to verify with metal brush)
Front engine block reads T1017XCH

The 289 casting number was used in '72 and up Corvettes, as well as many other GM products.

You sure about the 'XCH' machine code on the front of the block? might be worth while double checking. Most 3 character codes (other than those that start with a 'C') were either marine or truck use, but I show no code that starts with an 'X'.

The T1017 means that the engine was built in the Tonawanda NY engine plant on October 17th.

 

[ARIONE]

Thanks everyone so far for your input.

I am going to double check the number on the front block, I am almost certain that it reads T1017XCH / rear 399289. Some made mention that is a 78 454 2 bolt main truck block ???????

The heads that are on the car, 435 HP Aluminum head 3946074 I assume if the block checks out to be the above these heads bolt on fine and if so any idea on HP with that configuration???

The car does have the 6500 rpm redline tach. Was this an over the counter item? Someone mentioned that this might have started off as a 435HP L88 car since it has the 6500 tach. Someone else stated by the way the fuel lines (to clear smog pump) looked like a 427/435 set up?

So with that all of that said, I am going to drop tank this weekend and hope there is a build sheet. If I cant find build sheet on car does anyone know of any websites that I could order one based off the VIN. I have done this with Fords and I was not sure if option with Chevy.

THANKS AGAIN .... any idea how I can start sending you all some beers over the internet ????

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

If I cant find build sheet on car does anyone know of any websites that I could order one based off the VIN. I have done this with Fords and I was not sure if option with Chevy.

THANKS AGAIN .... any idea how I can start sending you all some beers over the internet ????

Build sheets are not available for cars prior to '77 unfortunately. Cars before '72 don't have any info built inot the VIN except whether it's a coupe or convertible.

Beers? We got your beers

 

[jdp6000]

A 399289 is V8 454 1973-1979. Where I checked does not say if its a 2 bolt or 4 bolt. One place said this block is the same for a 427 and 454. What distiquishes them is the internals (piston and crank).

I can't find any reference to T1017XCH.

Jim

 

[red70vette]

The 454 was an often used truck block so it could be out of a Chev or GMC pick up. If it is a vette block it should have a code on the stamp pad which is located in front of the passenger side valve cover.

The code should have a series of letters and numbers which indicate the engine,Carb, and transmission combo followed by the last 6 or 7 digits of the vin#

 

[ARIONE]

so based off of 399289 it can be either a 427 or 454 2 or 4 bolt ? And the only way to distiquish is by piston and crank?

I am going to take another look on the pass side by valve cover.

 

[JohnZ]

That fuel line setup was only used with Q-Jet carbs, which were only used with the hydraulic-lifter engines - the solid-lifter engines used Holleys. Car has likely had many different engines in it. Does it have a rear sway bar? Caps with bolts or U-bolts and nuts on the diff yokes for the inner half-shaft U-joints? What are the numbers on the bottom of the diff casting?

 

[ARIONE]

I agree with you on the car having multiple engines, I just need to figure out what is in there right now. I will be dropping the tank later this week so I will check the diff numbers and check for sway bar.

Caps with bolts or you bolts I assume you mean on the diff ???

 

[jdp6000]

I would ignore the 427 assumption. Its something I read that was posted on another forum. All indications are its definitley a 454 block.

You can check this yourself. punch in those numbers in google and do a search. I'll give you an example key in 399289 and "engine block" on the search line. The key is the quotations....everytime you put something in quotation on the google search line it looks for that exact phrase.

Jim

 

[JohnZ]

I agree with you on the car having multiple engines, I just need to figure out what is in there right now. I will be dropping the tank later this week so I will check the diff numbers and check for sway bar.

Caps with bolts or you bolts I assume you mean on the diff ???

One of the signs of an original BB car is steel caps with bolts on the diff yokes; SB's just used ordinary U-bolts and nuts like you find on the driveshaft. BB setup shown below.

 

[ARIONE]

Hey all a few more questions:

How I can identify the trans as a M22 Rock Crusher? Someone who looked at the car said that was what is under the car.
Numbers I found on the trans are the following:

3925660 located on pass side
US Patent 3088336 General Motors Corp
Back of tranny reads Vertical P9H10A

The L89 aluminum heads that were produced did these heads come with the L71 427 435 HP motor?

Any idea what the heads and tranny(if M22 Rock Crusher) are worth?

Any input would be GREAT !!!!!

 

[JohnZ]

Back of tranny reads Vertical P9H10A

The L89 aluminum heads that were produced did these heads come with the L71 427 435 HP motor?

P9H10A says it's a '69 model year Muncie M20, assembled on June 10th; it's not a "rock-crusher".

The L-71's had iron heads - only L88/ZL-1 used the 3946074 aluminum heads (and the '71 LS-6), and thousands of them were sold over-the-counter. The L89 used 3919842 heads, which were also sold over-the-counter.