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No mention of original documentation or finding a build sheet. It appears to be a restored car - kind of strange a guy with 40 Corvettes would not know what he had considering the aluminum heads and chrome valve covers. Maybe more to the story than they are publishing right now.
I don't mean to disparage the car with my comment but it just seems like a very odd story. Beautiful car though - I love 67 Marlboro Maroon convertibles (is that correct name for 67?).
This L89, 1 of 16 ever made, is in the hallowed company of the L88s and the 1970 Hemi Cuda convertibles...this is muscle car royalty at its best AND this L89 just shows up out of nowhere...owned by an affluent and rather prolific 67 corvette collector?
So unlike the L88s and the 1970 Hemi Cuda Convertibles there is no registry that shows where the 16 L89s are located or thought to be located?
The engine block may be original, but anyone can change heads since they are not number matching to the block/car. Dennis
I look closely at those three engine compartment pics, and see orange paint (overspray) on top of the exhaust manifolds, where they bolt to the head. Now I'm far from being an expert, but this is what you would expect on cast iron heads on Tonawanda engines. Could be rust, but for the level of detailing elsewhere, I can't imagine the restorer would leave rusty manifolds.
That is, unless the plant sprayed the engine with cast iron heads, then replaced them with the aluminum's .
As far as the dates go, option L89 was released for dealer ordering on March 17th (the heads alone were also able to be ordered, starting on this date).
There is a survey of known L89's out there, but the name escapes me; maybe he'll join in.
For a car built late in the 3rd week of June to have a block cast 11 weeks earlier, and assembled 6 weeks after that (5 weeks prior to installation on the assembly line) seems to me to be a bit of a stretch .
I look closely at those three engine compartment pics, and see orange paint (overspray) on top of the exhaust manifolds, where they bolt to the head. Now I'm far from being an expert, but this is what you would expect on cast iron heads on Tonawanda engines. Could be rust, but for the level of detailing elsewhere, I can't imagine the restorer would leave rusty manifolds.
That is, unless the plant sprayed the engine with cast iron heads, then replaced them with the aluminum's .
Picture is a little blurry when blown up but I think you're right - the manifolds look like they have some paint of them. Pretty sure I'm not seeing the block below the heads. If it is paint on the manifolds that would seem to be a pretty big mistake in trying to represent it as an original L89. Possibly they recognized the engine stamp represented an L89 but it had steel heads on it and they replaced them with an aluminum set.
Pop those valve covers and let's see the head casting dates!
Casting dates on BB aluminum heads (at least in C1-C2 era) were on the underside, on an intake runner. So you'd have to remove the intake manifold, and get a mirror.
Here's the dates on my set of "842" [early '68 castings].
Casting dates on BB aluminum heads (at least in C1-C2 era) were on the underside, on an intake runner. So you'd have to remove the intake manifold, and get a mirror.
Here's the dates on my set of "842" [early '68 castings].
Excellent bit of information - not many people have had opportunity to see the location of those casting dates firsthand.
Much easier to access dates from run-of-the-mill 461's like my December '62 built '63:
For a car built late in the 3rd week of June to have a block cast 11 weeks earlier, and assembled 6 weeks after that (5 weeks prior to installation on the assembly line) seems to me to be a bit of a stretch .
I agree, that is a long time between cast, assemble and install.
I would never pay a lot of money for a rare car just because of the characters on the engine stamp pad. It's too easy to fake.
And if someone does pay big money today, he will have the same problem trying to sell it and get his money back in the future.
Roy said, absent any real paperwork to document this IU coded engine he was not going to confirm or deny its authenticity. I simply refuse to be the guy to make that decision. I did see the engine suffix and the heads not much else to say, might be real might not, I could not tell. I gave the auction house all the dates and casting numbers, that's it.
Last edited by rsinor; 01-23-2016 at 12:36 AM.
Reason: spelling
Without it's original coded engine and or factory documentation, there is no way to know with 100% certainty that this car is in fact one of the original 16 67 L89s produced.
Exactly! Personally I'm not sure I've ever seen a real 67 L89 engine machine code and VIN together on a real pad. So again I pass no opinion.
If there's no documentation, I wonder what Roy found that makes it clear that it's an L89 and not a clone of some sort?
With 5000 plus 435s left of 3000 plus built, is it possible someone would clone A l89? Takes more than one mans opinion to document one like this.
Nothing beats real paper work. 66racer
anyone notice the parking brake without the chrome on the handle?1967
cars built after jan 1967 had chrome on the parking brake handle ,the earlier ones before january didn't have the chrome on the handle . L89 were not built until march 16th or 17th 1967 for dealer orders. Why is the handle not chrome???
anyone notice the parking brake without the chrome on the handle?1967
cars built after jan 1967 had chrome on the parking brake handle ,the earlier ones before january didn't have the chrome on the handle . L89 were not built until march 16th or 17th 1967 for dealer orders. Why is the handle not chrome???
Your statement my not be correct. My original '67 built Oct '66 has the chrome around the tip. I am the second owner and know the history. Dennis
Bluestripe 67 you may be right I just did some research since you brought it to my attention and what I read was after vin# starting at 6000 had the chrome on parking brake. Anyone else have any info on the parking brake when they went to the chrome handle?For years I always thought it was changed in jan 1967
Just found a silver 67 435 hp car on ebay last 4 of the vin#6901 it has no chrome on the handle so whatever I read today stating after vin # 6000 had chrome who knows the real answer. As I said i thought it was after jan 1967 .Does anyone have any other info regarding the handle?
...As I said i thought it was after jan 1967 .Does anyone have any other info regarding the handle?
The NCRS 1967 Judging Guide (5th edition) says "In early production (through approximately VIN #6000 +/-), the parking brake handle is solid black. A production change from the solid black handle to one with a chrome cap and chrome side bands begins to appear later in production. Examples of both designs can appear throughout the model year."
FWIW my car, an April build, has a chrome handle. NCRS is saying they would judge either version as correct for all 67's
01-21-2016, 07:21 PM
Maybe more to the story than they are publishing right now.
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Dennis
