positively identifying an L88 engine?

[67HEAVEN]

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

Yada, yada, yada. Only took 39 years and a gazillion dollars to do it.

Gimme the same money and 39 years of additional development with the big block and the Earth would turn in the opposite direction when I pop the clutch.

 

[SebringBill]

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.

John, years ago I was at a FL Chapter NCRS meet at the Miami Zoo. There were nearly a dozen 67s - all but one were bb w/ac (!) Kinda made me think that there was a big block/air conditioning delete option!

I also recall how NCRS national got miffed because the FL chapter regularly split 67s into sb/bb copues/bb convs/whatever else we could to get 'em all in!

 

[67HEAVEN]

Gimme the same money and 39 years of additional development with the big block and the Earth would turn in the opposite direction when I pop the clutch.

Actually, it's already been done, and on pump gas. ZZ572-620 h.p.

HORSEPOWER-620 at 5500

TORQUE-650 FT. Lbs at 4500

Compression Ratio- 9.6:1-Designed to run on 92 octane Pump gas


Don't make me drag out the ZZ572-720R.

 

[Tom Bryant]

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

I wonder what kind of mileage you could pull with the 572/620 with a good EFI setup on it? I'll bet it wuld be respectable; low 20s with an overdrive top gear?

Last May at the Kruse Spring Auto Fair there was a real '69 L88 for sale. I have been around my share of cammed big blocks and other cars but the L88 through the factory rear exit exhaust is a totally unique sound. Every one I have seen over the years has had the same mesmerizing effect on me. Part of that might be just knowing it's an L88. I'd love to own an original but I'd not attempt to build a copy. There are just too many better combos available today that are very streetable on pump gas.

If you are a L88 fan you may have heard of or seen the Lyndale blue car. It was the only '67 L88 built in that color and was sold at De Haven Chevrolet in Ft. Wayne IN in June of '67. My friends and I saw that car sitting in the showroom when I was car shopping. We would have missed it if not for a salesman telling us to go in and see the L88 they just got in. This car was for sale to anyone that had the bucks but Chevy did a good job of discouraging street use by making options like a heater/defroster and radio not available in '67.

Another friend rode in this car a year later when it belonged to a room mate of one of his college buddys. Today this is one of 3 original '67 L88s that still has it's factory installed engine.

Tom

 

[Viet Nam Vett]

HORSEPOWER-620 at 5500

TORQUE-650 FT. Lbs at 4500

Compression Ratio- 9.6:1-Designed to run on 92 octane Pump gas




Gas Milage........???? Who Cares About Gas Milage..:L

Lump..Ditty Lump...Ditty Lump Lump.. Ditty Lump...

 

[motorman]

Yada, yada, yada. Only took 39 years and a gazillion dollars to do it.

Gimme the same money and 39 years of additional development with the big block and the Earth would turn in the opposite direction when I pop the clutch.

back in the 70s i ran a 482 cu in BBC with aluminum heads in my pickup and it was fun dusting corvettes with 2 dirt bikes in the bed for traction BUT i could only squeeze 8/10 MPG out of it no matter how easy i drove. i sold it in 1980 to get a 4 cylincer 4 speed citation because my son and i were racing 4 hour motorcycle hare scrambles and with a trailer on the citation pulling 2 dirt bikes i could get close to 25 MPG. i even put a 500 gallon fuel tank in the ground at my home so we would have fuel to go to the races. the mrs was still driving her 454 caprice so she was not helping the cause.

 

[Gerry]

I wonder what kind of mileage you could pull with the 572/620 with a good EFI setup on it? I'll bet it wuld be respectable; low 20s with an overdrive top gear?

Last May at the Kruse Spring Auto Fair there was a real '69 L88 for sale. I have been around my share of cammed big blocks and other cars but the L88 through the factory rear exit exhaust is a totally unique sound. Every one I have seen over the years has had the same mesmerizing effect on me. Part of that might be just knowing it's an L88. I'd love to own an original but I'd not attempt to build a copy. There are just too many better combos available today that are very streetable on pump gas.

If you are a L88 fan you may have heard of or seen the Lyndale blue car. It was the only '67 L88 built in that color and was sold at De Haven Chevrolet in Ft. Wayne IN in June of '67. My friends and I saw that car sitting in the showroom when I was car shopping. We would have missed it if not for a salesman telling us to go in and see the L88 they just got in. This car was for sale to anyone that had the bucks but Chevy did a good job of discouraging street use by making options like a heater/defroster and radio not available in '67.

Another friend rode in this car a year later when it belonged to a room mate of one of his college buddys. Today this is one of 3 original '67 L88s that still has it's factory installed engine.

Tom

I don't know about the 572 but my 540 which dynoed 650 HP and 661 Ft. Lbs gets an honest 11-12 mpg in fifth gear (.64) doing 80 mph, that is if I don't punch it. It sounds a little like an L88 but with only 9.5:1 comp. That 12.5:1 comp sound just can't be duplicated. As to the new ZO6, its a great car that you need $50K worth of machines and tools to work on it when something breaks. I can take my entire car apart with a couple of screwdrivers, 1/2-9/16 box wrench and a pair of channel locks (well almost). Simple cars for simple minds is my motto and from 60 mph till I chicken out I will waste a new ZO6. And lastly our old cars don't depreciate like new ones, can you say lead balloon. OK, I am done but for me and others here our old technology is just fine.

Best regards,
Gerry

 

[Viet Nam Vett]

I don't know about the 572 but my 540 which dynoed 650 HP and 661 Ft. Lbs gets an honest 11-12 mpg in fifth gear (.64) doing 80 mph, that is if I don't punch it. It sounds a little like an L88 but with only 9.5:1 comp. That 12.5:1 comp sound just can't be duplicated. As to the new ZO6, its a great car that you need $50K worth of machines and tools to work on it when something breaks. I can take my entire car apart with a couple of screwdrivers, 1/2-9/16 box wrench and a pair of channel locks (well almost). Simple cars for simple minds is my motto and from 60 mph till I chicken out I will waste a new ZO6. And lastly our old cars don't depreciate like new ones, can you say lead balloon. OK, I am done but for me and others here our old technology is just fine.

Best regards,
Gerry

Simple cars for simple minds ..

A Man After My Own Heart...

Well said Gerry.. See you at Carlisle...

 

[Eric]

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​

Bob,
I just emailed you the contact info for someone in the NCRS that may be able to give you hand.

 

[63mako]

1967 L88

All the 67 L88 cars have not been found or identified. I was at a car show in Yorkville Il with my 63. I was talking to a guy at the show. He has a 71 vette he bought new. He was there with his son. I told him I wanted to put a big block in mine. He was a drag racer for 40 years. He told me he bought a 1967 L88 to race in 1967. Raced at oswego dragstrip. Spun a bearing in 1970 season and parked it in his garage. Bought the 1971 that fall and dropped a crate 70 LS6 in it and raced it afer that. Never rebuilt the L88 and still has it in the car in the garage. I said "do you know how much that car is worth?" He just smiled and said "Oh yeah, but it don't matter, no one knows where it is and I won't sell it anyway. He said it only had 1 seat, no heater, no radio and a circle on the door with no numbers in it when he bought it new. It was bought strictly to drag race. Don't know if he was full of s**t or not, but the 71 was awesome. He lives in Bristol IL.

 

[JohnZ]

He said it only had 1 seat, no heater, no radio and a circle on the door with no numbers in it when he bought it new. It was bought strictly to drag race. Don't know if he was full of s**t or not, but the 71 was awesome. He lives in Bristol IL.

Corvettes didn't come new with one seat and number circles on the doors; of the 20 that were built, he probably has one of the 135 remaining. :eyerole

 

[Gerry]

Corvettes didn't come new with one seat and number circles on the doors; of the 20 that were built, he probably has one of the 135 remaining. :eyerole

John,
Would that be converts and coupes total?

Best regards,
Gerry

 

[cfalson]

When I was very young and foolish I purchased an L88 over the counter from Balwin Chevy, then immediately took it to a speed shop and blueprinted the motor, changed the cam to better match a Turbo 400 with a 3000 RPM stall converter, added an open Al high rise and a 1050 CFM 3 barrel. Dropped the monster into a 67 Nova body, that was a trick, addded a 12 bolt 4.56 rear and proceeded to pop every spot weld, tear the shackle mounts and cause my underwear to have stains on them.
Do not remember how many miles to the gallon but I loved it, finally had to sell it and move on but it was the scariest ride I ever drove.
By the way the guy who bought it from me put frame connectors in, suspension work with a roll cage and he said he ended up as a 10 second car, that with some additional tuning was headed for high 9's.
That motor was and still is one of the best motors I have ever seen.

 

[Roadster Fan]

Last May at the Kruse Spring Auto Fair there was a real '69 L88 for sale. I have been around my share of cammed big blocks and other cars but the L88 through the factory rear exit exhaust is a totally unique sound. Every one I have seen over the years has had the same mesmerizing effect on me. Part of that might be just knowing it's an L88. I'd love to own an original but I'd not attempt to build a copy. There are just too many better combos available today that are very streetable on pump gas.

If you are a L88 fan you may have heard of or seen the Lyndale blue car. It was the only '67 L88 built in that color and was sold at De Haven Chevrolet in Ft. Wayne IN in June of '67. My friends and I saw that car sitting in the showroom when I was car shopping. We would have missed it if not for a salesman telling us to go in and see the L88 they just got in. This car was for sale to anyone that had the bucks but Chevy did a good job of discouraging street use by making options like a heater/defroster and radio not available in '67.

Another friend rode in this car a year later when it belonged to a room mate of one of his college buddys. Today this is one of 3 original '67 L88s that still has it's factory installed engine.

Tom

Tom....it's up for sale again on October 21st at Kruse. Assuming it's the same one I saw in the Kruse brochure I recieved last month. It's a medium blue roadster that was part of the Bob Phelps collection. Here's the listing http://www.kruse.com/auctions/retur...phelps06&AUC_BREAD=Bob Phelps Collection&YEAR=


Any idea what it might bring?

Brett

 

[Tom Bryant]

Brett,

I don't know if that's the same car or not. There are sure going to be some nice cars in that Bob Phelps Collection auction. I picked up the catalog on that one but I'll probably have to work that Saturday.

 

[Roadster Fan]

I don't know if that's the same car or not.

Doh! :duh......just noticed you were talking about a '67 L88. The one at the Kruse auction is a '69. I thought about cruising down to see what some of these beauties go for.

Brett

 

[Tom Bryant]

The one in the spring auction was a '69 that Pro Team had in their inventory.