L89/L88 heads on EBAY, why so much?

[Bob Jenkins]

here is an sale on ebay for L88/L89 842 aluminum heads. They went for over $6k http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif why http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
glad I bought my set years ago http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayIS...929356&rd=1 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=015&sspagename=STRK%3AME WA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=250112929356&rd=1),1

[deuce-less]

perhaps the dates and the fact that they appear unmolested, coupled with the fact that they are very clean....

still a lot of bucks, maybe someone needed them pretty bad, right place at the right time etc.

have you seen what the original 499 distributors are going for? http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

[bertfam]

Interesting. This same guy bought another set of 842 heads on February 15th for 2800.00!

Auction 260085036816 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260085036816)

Ed

[deuce-less]

maybe the cheaper set of heads did not work out, or perhaps he has two projects going http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

[Hotrodpaul]

I bought a low mile virgin take off set several years ago for $2300 off ebay. When I received them they still had the factory red overspray around the spark plug holes, original valves and springs, no bead blasting, and had never been apart. Good luck on finding another set like that.

Pics:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/Hotrodpaul86/DSCN3540.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/Hotrodpaul86/DSCN3541.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/Hotrodpaul86/DSCN3647.jpg

Paul

[WILMASBOYL78]

Don't have my book handy...but aren't the 842 heads closed chamber units..???? they wouldn't be correct for ZL-1 or later L88...anyway, aluminum is sure going up in value http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

wilma

[427king]

95% of the reason for that price was the date codes,5% was the condition. And the fact they were the earlier style with clean out plugs had a bit to do with it too.

[LS6 RAT]

Tom,

Your absolutely correct. The seller mistated the application for those heads. They could be 1968 or early 1969 L88 usage, but not after June 16th 1969 production cars. Aluminum head 3946074 is the only ZL-1 head, as well as used for later 1969 L88 production and all 1971 LS6 production.

[JIM]

The ZL-1 used 074 heads with two studs in them for attachment in the lifter galley ! the last set pictured also does not have the plugs in them or one does not from the pict. There are many differences on these heads thru the years.
Jim

[jannes_z-28]

I have an old magazine from 1976 called Chevy Bible. It has a listing of High Performance Parts you could get from the local Chevy dealer. I have kept this magazine (with a lot of others) for more than thirty years now and it is still interesting to read some times. Especially the prices. In 1976 you could by #3919838 for $277.25 (bare head with guides)

http://www.protouring.se/files/chevy_bible.jpg
http://www.protouring.se/files/cbb_parts.jpg
http://www.protouring.se/files/cbb_parts2.jpg

Jan

[nuch_ss396]

Paul,

If those L/89 heads are indeed "as originally painted" - GREAT http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Do you have more detailed images of the overspray on these
L/89 heads? Did these heads also have the exhaust manifolds
intact? Were they also oversprayed? The amount of overspray
on aluminum heads has been debated for a long time. How
certain are you that they are "as originally painted"?

Steve

[Hotrodpaul]

The person that I purchased them from said he bought them from an old hot rodder that "Rat Holed" all kinds of high performance Chevy parts. Said these were on the shelf collecting dust for 30 years and were low mile take offs. When they came in, all the parts were original and no bead blasting, etc. Even the valve seats had not been touched. At the time, I had an original Chevy Orange painted bellhousing clutch cover and placed it next to the overspray and it matched exactly. You can see the outline of the Exhaust Manifolds on each head. I asked myself, why would someone paint the Manifolds and part of the head if they were building the engine from scratch? I realized, that is the way engines were built at the Tonawanda plant, painted after assembly, exhaust manifolds and all. I do have some additional pics but no exhaust manifolds.

Paul

[Paul D]

Regarding production dates for cars with open chamber 074 heads, my L88 was produced June 10 (K10 on Trim Tag)and the engine is T0309LO on the Protecto Plate. Were did you get the June 16 production date?
Paul

[LS6 RAT]

The date came from researching this, along with Tonawanda records. Your L88 is very close, we have others that have trim tags just before this date as well that utilize the 3946074 open chamber design engines.

I believe the number of L88's built with the open chamber design engines for the 1969 year is approximately 44 cars, of the 116 built for the model year. Most of course are closed chambered engine L88's.