positively identifying an L88 engine?

[futura57]

hello everyone, i am new here, i have found this site while trying to research the 1967 L88 engine. i am buying a car soon that supposedly has a 1967 L88 430HP 427 and i want to know how to tell for %100 sure that is is indeed an L88. the RPO code "IT" is for the 430HP so that would be what i need to look for right? what casting numbers do i need to look for on the block and heads? i would really appreciate any help i can get because im picking up the car monday (this was posted saturday) and i dont know much about ID'ing the different 427s.

thank you - Bob Sims
​

 

[67HEAVEN]

futura57,

#1. Welcome to the

#2. You have asked a very complex question; one that generates a lot of heat every time it's asked. For starters, you'll hear all the jokes about how there are only 200 of the original 20 '67 L-88 cars left.

I'm being paged for a late breakfast, but I'll be back.

 

[IH2LOSE]

Bob Welcome

Dont know much about L88'S except there were less then 20 made and a true L88 car is probably worth around $500,000.00 or so.

So if your any place in the 6 figure range for this car I would highley recomend contacting Kevin Mackey out of long island to inspect the car for you as he seams to know about these cars.

Here is a recent link to the NCRS web site discussing a l88 on ebay that ended up being one of the Shriner's cars

http://www.ncrs.org/forum/archive24.cgi?review=210374

If you take the time to search the NCRS website archive theres alot of information there

Good luck with your purchase

What is the vin on the car. I am pretty sure there is a small window of when these cars were built. The vin can give you an idea of when this car was built

Here is a link to the E-Bay add

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1967...oryZ6168QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[67HEAVEN]

#3. The odds of finding a factory-original 1967 L-88 or L-89 are greater than winning the lottery. Since only 20 L-88s, and 16 L-89s, were sold in 1967, and the majority have been identified and verified, I'm not sure how many (if any) are left to find.

#4. The L-88s were never intended for public purhcase, and were not included in showroom literature. As far as I know, they were sold to recognized (almost-factory-sponsored ) racers.............and they were beat on hard. Little unnecessary original items, like factory seats, seatbelts, gauges, carpet, door panels, etc. would have survived the conversion to hard-core race cars. Certainly, very, very few original blocks survived due to the purpose they were put to and the inherent weakness of the original bottom end.

#5. An original L-88 car will require a number of rare mandatory options, like J-56, M-22, etc. along with the engine. The car will have to have the rare "rear-induction" big block hood. It will also require the absence of a radio, heater/defroster.

There is so much more to tell. Good luck. I hope you win the lottery. Others will add their own thoughts and identifying numbers.

 

[67HEAVEN]

See this page........ http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/l88/l88prod.html

 

[67HEAVEN]

And, finally, if you are asking only about an engine, and not the overall car, then yes plenty of them were sold. For example, Wally Knoch bought two from a Chevy parts department way back then and dropped them end-to-end in his speedboat.

 

[futura57]

wow thanks for the fast response guys, i am sorry i should have been more specific about the car in my 1st post. heres the story, the car was originally a 1971 LS5 automatic. during the 1970s it was used as a race car and someone swapped in a 1967 L88 motor for racing purposes. the owner says the car has an L88 that has its #s matching heads with the 71 LS5 intake and carb on it, but they also have what they called a high rise 4 barrel intake that came on the 427 but they didnt like the taller hood so they switched it to the LS5 intake. i will be going to look the car over later today and i will try to get pics of the engine and the numbers on it. i will also ask about the taller hood and the other intake they have for the car to see if they are L88 parts.

 

[67HEAVEN]

Here's some engine info........

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/l88/l88engine.html

 

[futura57]

ok, i looked at the car, the car is pretty nice but the engine is no way an L88. the owner seems to actually belive that it is, but i got the numbers and they came back to be a 1968 427 replacement block and the heads are 1965 396 375HP. ther is a winters aluminium intake on it that the owner says is from a 454, so its a peiced together big block, and definatly in no way an L88. thanks for all the advice and tip on how to ID the thing, i might still get the car if it drives nice.

 

[67HEAVEN]

Stick around and let us know what you do.

 

[67HEAVEN]

Why don't we use this thread to relive another of the great L-88 stories? Okay?

=======================================================

 

[67HEAVEN]

 

[bossvette]

Bob
Did you have to unpack that magazine, or did you find it cleaning out the attic?

I read a little from that NCRS link and had a few chuckles; I wonder how many more big block cars there are running around today then were actuaqlly built, care to guess?

 

[SebringBill]

I wonder how many more big block cars there are running around today then were actuaqlly built, care to guess?

At least twice the number of original 1957 283/283 FI Corvettes!otfl

...and no, mine's not one of 'em!

 

[Viet Nam Vett]

L-88 ....Old tech...:ugh

572......New Tech..

 

[67HEAVEN]

L-88 ....Old tech...:ugh

572......New Tech..

But, to hear a real L-88 at idle is to know what goosebumps on your goosebumps looks like.

 

[JohnZ]

As an extension of this, historically the NCRS 1967 Flight judging class has been split up between SB and BB cars at Regional and National meets, with BB's judged on Thursday and SB's on Friday. This year there were so few SB cars registered vs. BB cars at the National Convention in San Antonio last month, the '67 class was split by coupes vs. convertibles rather than by engine type to balance the numbers for each day. Looks like my '67 SB convertible is getting more "rare" every year.

 

[67HEAVEN]

Looks like my '67 SB convertible is getting more "rare" every year.

You sure know how to pick 'em, John. See you soon.

 

[Tom Bryant]

:L Give it a few more decades and few people will even believe that there were any small block '67s made.

 

[motorman]

the "NEW" ZO-6 engine puts out more power and gets much better milage than the "OLD" L-88. if you want the cammed up sound put in a different roller and it will out power a L-88 all ways from sunday. the L-88 put out about 540 HP with headers and open exhaust and a new ZO-6 will do that with a closed exhaust system on pump gas where the L-88 would now need race gas. i just came back from the "woodward cruise" in a new ZO-6 and it averaged 29 MPG on the way up and a L-88 would be lucky to get 9 MPG:L