ThorpesCorvettes

I would just like to share a little more history on the recent record breaking 1967 Marlboro Maroon L88 made famous by Rob Robinson of Portland, Oregon.


Every Corvette deserves an honest back story and who better to share than the person who restored this beauty of a car. One of my personal favorites.

With the help of Dave Burroughs, I bought this car for 70k in the spring of 1987. She was all mine, and I couldnt wait to put my hands on her once I got this beauty back to the shop here near St. Louis, Mo.

Here she is sitting in front of my 1967 Lynndale Blue L-88, marked on the hood in dust is JULY 14th, 1987. What an awesome photo!


Recent publications have mentioned the originality of this car, and as the restorer and previous owner, I can definitely vouch for all of it; minus the original engine. Anyone that knows Corvettes (big blocks in particular) knows they did not last. This car however does not have the original motor as previously stated in articles across the internet. The motor was thrown to the side by famous driver of this 11 second L-88, Rob Robinson. This motor is buried in Portland, Oregon under a new building, forever lost!

After this cars complete restoration and appearance at the Bloomington Gold Earthquake of 1988, I pushed it to its limits, burned the tires, slammed the gears, and put miles on this car just cruising the midwest.
I even blew out second gear racing a great friend of mine in his 65 396!

Corvette Fever decided to do an article on this car in February of 1996, with detailed information on owner history, 11 second times recorded by Rob Robinson, and a full and documented restoration process.






In Oct, 1997 I decided to sell the car to Buddy Herrin, where the car stayed until its recent record breaking sale. Buddy had asked me to spray the car at nearly 100 ft lbs in the original Marlboro Maroon without clear to try and match a factory paint job, which is unheard of and ridiculously unrealistic. The car needed a repaint anyways so I decided to go with my customers wishes.

I took the car to Waco, Texas at the NCRS meet where the car received a top flight and other awards.

Here I am(left) with Buddy(right) and the car, Oct. 1997.


Recent Publications have also noted that I never finished the car, and had sold a project to Buddy in which the Naber Brothers finished. The car looks pretty done to me in the Corvette Fever article, and especially on the judging field in Waco, Texas. The Naber Brothers (who do great work) added clear to the car after Buddy realized what a terrible decision he made to have me spray the car without clear at a high pressure.

Of the 50+ L-88's my team and I have restored, this is one of the most special and will always hold a great place in my heart. One hell of an example of the 20 built, and with such extensive history.

Ill never forget burning the tires up, and the loud roar of that L-88 engine.

Keith Carlson

Interesting history and photos and thank you for sharing!!

Bluestripe67

So this car sold for $3. something million without it's factory installed original engine. I guess somebody at the auction missed something.

ThorpesCorvettes

The buyer, a personal friend of mine, called me beforehand to talk about the restoration. We were up front with him about it.

RJ1

Tim a great history lesson!! Did you sell the other 67 L-88 you had back in 1987? You had 2 of the 20 67 L-88's.
How many of the 50 L-88's you restored still had their original short blocks?

ThorpesCorvettes

All Three of my L88's are gone. My 69 open chamber car may be for private sale soon.

As for the engines...I'd say 70 percent of all big blocks are missing they're original motors. Including the L88's. Many of the L88's were raced, so most of them have held a non original motor longer than they had the original itself. a shame, but by no means a rarity.

firstgear

Thank you for sharing! I would have never guessed that that basket case with NOM would have so.d for so much in 1987.....never in my wildest imagination!

Thank you again!

Bluestripe67

This expose on L-88 Corvettes is just amazing. It's all you ever wanted to know and maybe more. Knowing that one of the L-88 Vettes listed just sold for $3.8 million and did not have it's original engine, but a replacement one. In this particular case I would consider the replacement engine to be exactly like, including the stamping on the block pad to be just like the original engine. What does this say for the belief we all have subscribed to about the value of the car with the original engine vs a replacement engine? Is this new sales mark going to elevate the value of any other known L-88 cars with replacement engines. If so, then all other Vettes L-79, L-71, etc and don't forget the L-89 (16 produced) with replacement engines could be worthy of elevated values. This may be the economic injection the hobby needs, but it may also put some cars out of reach of the common man and more in the direction of collectors, Hendricks and Pratt come to mind. Lets see how it all floats. Keep up the great work, we are all loving this hobby! Dennis

jimgessner

Thanks Tim. I have 19 of the original 20 vin numbers thanks to DREW PAPSUN in Mass. This list is dated 11/91, so I am sure new information has been discovered about these magical cars.

Comments here question values about replacement engines. Many of these cars were race cars, and also have replacement bodies and frames. However, their ''history'' and provenance adds to the value. One of these cars sold for only 1/3 of this last sale price of your car, which at the time was a new high figure. Now I understand what a good deal it was.

I wonder what the value is now of a good documented 67 L-89? Only 16 of those models were made. Remember the L-89 was a 427/435hp car, but with aluminum heads.

BoeingDriver

I know of a 67 L89 with 7 pieces of original documentation originally sold by Yenko Chevrolet...

ThorpesCorvettes

I would say that Jim Gessner hit the nail on the head. Most of these were race cars, and do indeed have replacement engines and frames. Its common knowledge that the Tony DeLorenzo (best example) and this L-88 were non original motor cars. Tony blew his motor up, Rob Robinson blew this one up...thats part of racing! Its the history behind the cars that make them what they are. Typically you will see that anything with race history (validated) will always bring more money. The Tony DeLorenzo L-88 went for 1.25, and I would be curious to see what that went for today. That was one of the first "high-dollar'' purchases made, and they have steadily increased, including those without race history.

Many cars as of late are being brought to question as if they are "real" or not, some of the most popular and most recognizable cars.

People in my line of work should be held accountable for their restorations, providing photos and other history of the cars.

example: If you take a fender from an L-88, slap it on a different car, and call it an L-88....you dont have an L-88.

That being said, as a buyer you should know what you are buying and ask for the proof. Typically you want to give someone the benefit of the doubt that what they say they have is indeed what they have...

You can never be too careful. I believe thats why I got that phone call from the current owner of this L-88 before the auction started.


I hope to get this car back before Bloomington next year to help freshen up some things! Of course, will provide full updates and more up close and personal photos of this beauty. Fingers crossed everyone!


Tim Thorpe

jimgessner

I BELIEVE THAT IS THE OLD DON LAKE CAR FROM KANSAS. THIS IS ALL FROM MEMORY, SO CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG, BUT I KNOW THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE AND WATCHED THIS ALL COME TOGETHER BACK IN THE 80'S.

RESTORED BY ROBERT AUXIER IN PHOENIX WHO FOUND A BLANK PAD ENGINE IN AN OLD EXCALIBER. BOB SOLD THE ENGINE TO DON, WHO CAME BACK AND HAD BOB RESTORE THE CAR. THE PAPERWORK HAD BEEN FOUND AND DON CHASED THE CAR DOWN THRU MANY OWNERS AND BOUGHT IT, THEN STARTED THE PROCESS TO RESTORE.

IN THE EARLY 70'S BROOKS STEPHENS MADE THE EXCALIBER AND WAS HAVING TROUBLE SELLING THEM. JIM JEFFORDS (CORVETTE RACER FROM WISCONSIN AND PALM DESERT) KNEW BROOKS WELL AND TOLD HIM THE CAR NEEDS SOME ''POWER''. SO BROOKS ASKED HIM, ''HELP ME FIX IT''. JIM USED HIS CHEVROLET RACE CONNECTIONS AND FOUND 20 L-89 COMPLETE 1967 ENGINES, WITH ONLY THE ASSEMBLY DATE AND ''IU'' SUFFIX IN A CHEVROLET WAREHOUSE. THE REST IS HISTORY. TRUE STORY !!!

kenba

And now we know the rest of the story. THANKS JIM Hope you are doing well.
KEN

ThorpesCorvettes

My best guess is that these would go for 500-6 depending on docs.

65 Hardnoks

I remember that black '67 L88. Stumbled upon it in Nortonville Kansas at a shop called Country Corvette. It was in their 2 car lobby at the time.
Story was that they restored the car and the owner took it back to Kentucky. The owner took the car to a car show and some Azzhat pulled up next to it and opened the door into the L88's door. The L88 owner shipped the car back to Nortonville to have the little door ding repaired.

Wow, you walk into a place out in the middle of nowhere and you run into something like that!

Edit: This was 1990 or 1991. Can't remember which.

TCracingCA

ThorpesCorvettes

its amazing what you find and where you find it!

Bluestripe67

Maybe I should post up my L-89's in similar fashion. Thanks to you guys the treasure door is open. Please open it all the way. Dennis

BoeingDriver

The silver 67 L89 ended up in a Philadelphia courtroom battle. The original owner still lives in the same house with the same phone number from 1967.

Jim's memory is right on. I'm uncertain who Don sold the car to and who the owners were between Don and Ed Blaise in Salt Lake.

jimgessner

EVERYONE SAYS ''WRITE THE BOOK !! Hell, it would make a good movie now