Strange Car here '74 Vette

[TopDown94]

Ok....I just got this car, and it appears to be a pretty strange package here. Here is the details. The dats plate on the car console says 350 cubic inches/270HP/ 8.5:1 Compression. It does NOT have power brakes, power windows or locks. It appears to only have power steering, air conditioning and a radio. Anyone ever seen this before, the technical data in the books does not list this engine HP. Could this have been a car special ordered this way? It has a cloth insert interior, and still has the orginal Astro Ventilation door glass in it. It did not come with catylytic converters. Can anyone help me here with why this car is set up this way and why? The data plate information is orginal, by the way.

Riko

 

[Chick]

74 here

What is the engine code???

I think someone stuck that .....350 cubic inches/270HP/ 8.5:1 Compression....there.

There were no cats on the 74.

You had to order pwr. brakes, windows and locks.

You had to order Deluxe interior "it was in leather".

There was no cloth interior option.

You got a car I think that has been toyed with.

 

[DDLS3]

74 vette

tx74vette,

The L82 engine option was available on the 74 and is listed as 350 CID at 250 hp. The L82 big block option was also available as 454 CID at 270 hp. Both engines were available according to Haynes. Definately the engine code will tell the story.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Riko

The 350 was rated as 270 hp in '71. Someone has put the wrong data sticker on your console or put on a used console trim plate from a '71. As Chick said '75 was the first year for cats. All of the things you mentioned are options. I had 2 without power brakes. Not all that uncommon.

Tom

 

[Solid62]

L-82

We own a 74 L-82 and I can tell you the console plate should say 9.0:1 compression.

Also, I believe the plate should list torque. not horsepower as the Insurance Industry was starting to really put the screws to folks' rates for the horsepower ratings.

I will doublecheck tonight to be sure about the torque ratings.

You could have a late 74/early 75 if it has cats on it. Especially if it was a Californication car.

Lastly, is it a splittail? The two piece rear bumper cover was a 74 only wrong turn taken by the GM Engineers. A 75 has those cute little rubber baby buggy bumpers sticking out of the rear cover.

Rick

 

[TopDown94]

It does not have the rubber bumpers on the rear, but the data plate clearly states 350 CID/270hp.8.5:1 compression, the console mathes perfectly and is in Oxblood red, the only year i have found that interior color offered is 74 on. The car was in a mild accident, i found a fiberglass patch on the driver front fender, but no other damage is apparrant....ie frame or otherwise. Could the car have been special ordered this way, as there is no power options...but does have A/C and power steering...no power brakes ect....and it does have cloth seats, that certainly apppear to be orginal.

Riko

 

[Solid62]

285 ftlbs

My data plate say 285 ftlbs of Torque. The data plate you have matches the specs for the 1971 350 (according to my vete books) but there wasn't an L-82 option then, just the rpo for the motor.

This was the same specs. Now aftermrket dataplates are available and it is possible you have a car that needed either a new plate or console (theft?)

So check the engine boss on the front right side of the engine. The last three letters will tell you what engine it is.

A 1971 350/270/8.5:1 will be code CJL if it came with an Man tranny and CGT if it came with Auto.

What is the engine code?

1977 vette had a cloth option (the seats look almost exactly the same for these years...) Again, perhaps you had an interior theft or an interior overhaul (We just completed our interior overhaul last summer)


Another clue is the door planels. Are they Deluxe or standards? Deluxe came with carpet trim along the bottom of the panel and leather seats. Standard had no trim and the seats WOULD HAVE BEEN vinyl.

Rick and Donna

 

[Solid62]

STRANGE

BTW, our Paint and trim code plate on the pillar says:

A23 (August 23rd, 1973 assembly)
Trim 406 56L Paint.

Now according to the books.... There is no such thing as 56L for a paint code.. It should be a 900 series number such as 910 or 948.

To add to this ... Our Car is Black. No black was aailable for several years. SOOO> A repaint, but the Paint code? I have no idea?
Perhaps a line worker was hitting the flask a bit too much that day?

In 1975 the Bright Yellow code is 56, but what is the L for?

The mystery continues

rick

 

[Jack]

'71 350ci engine code

I'm not gonna swear if it's fact, but I've seen a resource (Vette Idaho specs on-line) that shows engine code CJK as an ADDITIONAL id for 1971 Corvette 350 ci/270hp/automatic ... that's in addition to the CGT auto & CJL manual.

BTW, my '71 has the CJK ...

Jack's '71 CPE VIN: 194371S116547

RF engine Pad Stamped C11S116547_________V0323CJK

(BTW, this block has not been decked, and does bear factory-type broach marks and such a low-power motor isn't a viable candidate for expensive repro-broaching.)

Block casting number is 3970010 and date code C 17 1 (MAR 17 1971).

Heads and intake #'s & dates also seem to fall into the mix nicely.

I note "The Corvette Black Book 1953 -1978" does NOT include the CJK for '71.

I did phone GM for a Restoration Package. It hasn't arrived yet. When it does, maybe it'll help clarify this for me.

But who can say for certain if my CJK is original to car ... or correct for year? I think it is, but won't swear to it.
JACK:gap

 

[Jack]

L for Lacquer?

Rick:
Could the L in 56L mean lacquer? I don't know.

Riko:
Have you specified it has the "split-tail" two-piece rear urethane/fiberglass bumper? Have you specified the VIN? Have you specified if it has/has not ANY chrome bumper(s)?
JACK:gap

 

[Jack]

L means "low-gloss" ???

Rick:
Could the L in 56L mean low gloss? Again, I don't know.
JACK:gap

 

[Solid62]

GGOD STUFF!

Jack, since your VIN matches the block number, everything SHOULD be in order. Folks do try and restamp blocks, :nono but the newer the car is (or less rare) the less likely that is to happen.


You are lucky you have a survivor. Our 62 is not so lucky

Rickster

 

[Solid62]

L is for LOW

I think the L is more likely to designate "Low Resale Value"
:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L:L

Rick

 

[TopDown94]

OK...here is some additional information i got off the car. the engine is stamped V0820CLA 3970010 I dont know where the date code is. the pillar plate says Chevrolet A31 trim 425 74L paint. the VIN number is 1Z37J4s401268. Any help would be appreciated.





Riko

:W:

 

[DDLS3]

tx74vette,

I believe that the J which is the 5th digit in the vin code indicates that your vette came from the factory with a L48, 350 cid engine. You can get more info on your car by clicking on the specifications section of the CAC and then highlighting the year 1974. Rob has compiled a list of options, colors, trim, etc., including the interpretation of the vin code. Hope this helps......

 

[Solid62]

WELL...

Riko
According to your trim/paint codes, your car is Medium Red Metallic,.
Is this right?

Also, the CLA means 350/ 195 horse 8.5:1 with Automatic tranny, does this jive???


Looks like that Chevy dropped the 9 from the paint codes and added an L to the end. This works for our car also as it was originally Bright Yellow (found the paint on the inside of the door...)


our VIN is 1Z37T4s400630

Number 630 during the production. Riko, yours is almost a brother as they were built just days apart (August 23rd to your August 31st) and yours is number 1268 in production.


Donna