1968 L88 cars

[L88]

I Have a original complete 1968 L88 427 engine. I'm looking for a original L88 car to put it back into. Other than matching up the serial number on my engine to the original car, how can I tell if a 1968 Vette or other car, originally had a L88?

[Chevy454]

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how can I tell if a 1968 Vette or other car, originally had a L88?

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By the price tag! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Seriously, though, checking the original paperwork (tank sticker, POP, etc.) is gonna be your best bet...and since only 80 rolled off the line in '68, I'd say be ready to pony up some $$$!!!!

[JChlupsa]

Whats the Partial VIN and Engind code off the engine??

[AutoInsane]

What is the story on the engine? Any idea what happened to the original car?

[NCGuy68]

Obvious questions for starters are............

1. What makes you think its a L88?
2. Why do you believe its a 68 motor?
3. Is there a VIN sequence number stamped on the block?

Chevy built L88 cars in 67 and 69 as well.

[Vettefinderjim]

Drew Papsen, Kevin MacKay and others have been tracking all the L-88's ( 20 in 67, 80 in 68, and 116 in 69) in a L-88 Registry since the early 80's. If you want to share the numbers, these people may have the car located and can put you in touch with the owner. If so, it would be neat to get the motor back to the car. Let me know and i will give you phone numbers of the people I have mentioned.
Jim

[Motion Camaro]

<font color="blue">How many Motion cars did Joel use an L88 in?
</font>

[L88]

Hi, sorry about not replying right away. I don't know what happened to the original car, I bought the short block about 5 years ago and have slowly rounded up all of the correct dated parts to complete it. I pretty much have everything. There is no serial number that I could find on the front of the block (right in front of the head)or at the rear of the block. Maybe Chevy forgot to stamp it. The block is stamped with T0629IT (IT standing for L88). The block casting number is 3935439 with a date of E38. It is a 4 bolt main (and was originally because it has the bigger holes by the oil pump) and has high perf cast into the block as well. Any help is appreciated.

[Pantera]

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(and was originally because it has the bigger holes by the oil pump)

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Do you mean that there are two large pipe plugs in the block just above the oil filter mounting pad?

Also usually if there was not a Vin on the block then it may not be a original motor that came in a car but a over the counter replacment.

[L88]

I've got the Corvette by the numbers book. And in the engine block section they talk about 3 exterior holes above the oil filter boss. There saying that the 2 bolt main blocks front hole is 5/16", the center hole is drilled and tapped with 3/8" pipe thread, and the rear hole is 1/2" coarse thread. On a 4 bolt main block the front hole is 3/8" pipe thread, the center is 1/2" pipe thread, and the rear is 1/2" coarse thread. Thats what I meant when I said I had the bigger holes.

[L88]

If my block is a over the counter replacement, would it also be possible that this engine was originally in a Nickey, Baldwin Motion, Dick Harrell, etc ,camaro or nova?

[Pantera]

Anything is possable but highly unlikly. What you need is some kind of writen proof or something special that you can link it to as proof.

I hate to have to tell you but what you are describing is a very common usage of these motors in the Hot Rod world back then. Anybody with the extra $$$$ could buy one of these over the counter. They were put in Vett's, Camaros and Novas and just about anything else, that someone wanted to go fast. Lots to boat guys bought them also. With out a vin to a known car the likely hood of it being a speciality motor like you are asking about, is very slim to none.


Please don't let me or anyone discourage you. The guys on this site are more than willing to jump in a help you document something. Look on the bright side you still have a neat motor and you can always find something worth putting it in.

Good luck

Pantera

[dkatap]

Did the original 68 L88 cars have 427 badging on the fenders? Are there any other details to look for?
Thanks, Dennis

[Pantera]

You could spot them by the bubble hood that was different from all the other 427ci motors.

here is what one looks like on my car.

[hvychev]

Larry do you have a REAL documented L88 Vette?

[Pantera]

Alas not documented http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I bought this car from the second owner in '79 at the end of the season. It came with the original title beleave it or not. I about [censored] when he gave it to me. I had been tagged one time and was dated 1970. I thought that it was for sure a L-88 all these years. Of course the original motor was long gone but I was collecting parts to build one to put back in it someday.


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[Pantera]

The last pic was of the car at a TransAm race at Hallett where I first saw the car and a year later bought it from Mitch Lambert the second owner.

I raced it with a small block up until '85. Then I got the fever to go even faster. Back in '79 when I was running my first Vette a 63 in B/P. I was running flat out as fast as I could down the old runway of the old closed Dallas airport when something blew my doors off when it went by me like I was standing still. I had to be running at least 160 at the time, and this car was just a dot in front of me in seconds. It was a Can-AM Lola and from that moment I just had to have one.

So I found this car a old F-5000 Lola and raced it for a season. This thing was a scary POS with such a short wheelbase (88"). It dropped a valve after a season, so I sold the car to a collector. Man that thing was a POS in the handeling dept. Faster than hell on the straight but would not go fast around a corner with out comming around on you.


See pic= (Continued)

[Pantera]

After the open wheel Lola, I traded a '64 &amp; '67 vette's for a full Can-AM Lola that was made up from a used chassis that Ongias had raced when new and had all new supension and bodywork. It was pretty complete but not finished. I thought I was able to finish it up but found out that I needed to learn a lot of new skills before I could get it on the track. I worked on it for a entire year and saw that I was not going to get finished in time for the GP at Dallas.

So, I hired a guy to finish the car and entered it in the Dallas GrandPrix in '84. He just never got it totally finished in time and I was getting too busy with my new Swimming pool business to do it all myself. They canceled the series, so it is still setting in the back of my shop. It is now in white primer and ready to paint, but still needs to have the wiring finished up to be race ready.

See pic= (Continued)

[Pantera]

So when I found this site and all the great guys here I did my research on the L-88 Vette and finally located the guy listed on the Title. I was postive that the vette was a real L-88 car from the factory. When I finally got to chat with Colby Hillman the 1st car owner, he dashed my mood when he informed me that it was just a real 435hp car when he bought it new. Bummer...! I was so disapointed. I just knew it was a real L-88 but it turned out that he had ordered all the L-88 parts from Chev in 1971 and put them on it and raced it (including the motor). I have all the log books for the car and it raced a lot at Mid-Ohio near where Colby is from.

It is still a neat car. every piece of the body work will come off. and leave just the drivers compartment. I even made the doors removable with pins that replace the hinges. Makes it easier to work on.

There are collectors for old race cars just like we on here are nutty about Muscle cars. I hate it but I didn't take too many pic back then. If I could only show the ones in my head. The memories I have are so vivid. Shame I can't show them to you.

Pantera