positively identifying an L88 engine?

**futura57** · 08-19-06, 08:19 AM

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** · 08-19-06, 08:32 AM

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** · 08-19-06, 08:39 AM

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-...QQcmdZViewItem

**67HEAVEN** · 08-19-06, 08:50 AM

#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** · 08-19-06, 08:55 AM

See this page........ http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/...8/l88prod.html

**67HEAVEN** · 08-19-06, 09:00 AM

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** · 08-19-06, 09:11 AM

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** · 08-19-06, 09:14 AM

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

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

**futura57** · 08-19-06, 06:46 PM

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** · 08-19-06, 07:14 PM

Stick around and let us know what you do.

**67HEAVEN** · 08-19-06, 08:00 PM

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

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**67HEAVEN** · 08-19-06, 08:01 PM

**bossvette** · 08-19-06, 08:15 PM

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?