rusty76

Would anyone care to provide their input about the car with this VIN. I decoded it myself and arrived at a conclusion but someone else disagreed with my conclusion. I'd appreciate comments from the folks here that are undoubtedly more knowledgeable than I.

1Z37X7S418290

Thanks.

BKarol

Looks like a 77 L82:

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/...1977/77id.html

Rky Mtn C6

1Z = Chevy Corvette
37 = Coupe
X = L82
7 = Last digit of model year (1977)
S = St. Louis
418290 Build sequence number

http://corvettec3.ca/vin.htm

rusty76

That's what I thought. The guy selling it told me it's an L48, I told him I thought it was an L82 and he kinda snarkled (that's a technical term) at me. I've only seen it in pictures. It's really rough but the body lines and gaps are remarkably good. Interior's trashed but he said the frame is rust free and that the car was in a garage for 25 years. The car is 2 states away or I'd have looked at it already.

Care to comment on what a '77 L82 4spd would be worth as I described above?

rusty76

Thanks. I've figured out most of the options by looking at the pictures I have of it.

Easy Mike

It may well be an L-48 if the engine has been replaced. The engine code in the VIN only applies to what it left St. Louis with.

Alan 71

Hi 76,
"It's really rough"
When a Corvette gets to the point that it can be described as "really rough" it doesn't have much value.
This is because it will take lots of time and expertise, and at least some outlay of cash, to make it a car again.
It sounds like you'll supply the labor but will still need to come up with cash along the way.
I'd LIKE to say he should give you the car and $1000 to get you started, but he probably won't do that.
So maybe $1500?
With the minimal info and no pictures it could be more or less than that…. but not much more.
Regards,
Alan

Here's the location of the stamps 7T1 mentions in the next post.

7T1vette

Ask him to provide the engine code numbers (on the right cylinder head-front) from the stamp pad. An L-82 w/auto should have CLF in the code along with the last digits of the S/N. An L-82 w/manual should have CLD in the code.

rusty76

Interesting. So in the car world non-matching #s functionally changes the VIN. The gov'ment doesn't care about matching #s but to the folks to whom it matters in the community it is sacrosanct? (Hey look, I remembered a big word)

rusty76

LOL, I understand Alan. Yes I will supply the labor. If I succeed in finding a C3 with a solid frame and body the only thing I wouldn't tackle would be rebuilding a short block, meaning machine work, can't do it, I possess neither the expertise nor the tools.

I'd even enjoy assembling the heads if I had a spring compressor. One of my memories from my teens is standing at my dad's work bench using his hand cranked valve lapper, lapping valves. I'll never forget the sound of that lapper and the valves rotating as the compound cuts the seats. To me there was something immensely satisfying about lapping valves, guess I always had issues.

Anyway, if I take the plunge into the corvette swamp, I KNOW I'll never get my money back out of whatever I end up with. I'm definitely NOT in it to make money or even break even. It's the same with my shovelhead, not a money making endeavor. I'm going into this with my eyes open, chanting "You're an idiot, you're an idiot, you're an idiot . . . ."

Easy Mike

Not at all. Nothing changes the factory assigned VIN. You posted the seller told you the car was an L-48. Engine code in the VIN indicates it was originally an L-82. Either the seller does not know what he/she has, or he/she is telling the truth and the engine has been swapped.

Have you looked at the codes stamped on the pad?

rusty76

The only way I'd contact him again is if I decided to look at the car. Since the car is 2 states away I doubt I'll ever see it in person. For the reasons we already know it's not worth having a service inspect the car and I'd also have to have it shipped. Given that the guy wants too much for it the car will likely sit till it rusts into the ground which is a shame if it actually has good steel.

rusty76

I told him that by the VIN it's an L82. That's when he, a dealer, told me it's not, it's an L48, maybe that was a tacit admission of an engine swap. He then told me that if it was an L82 he'd be asking $7-8K for it as is. That's when I decided that if he was going to be so obstinate OR dishonest, I wasn't going to try to convince him otherwise nor was I going to ask him to check the block tag. The price he was asking for it believing it to be an L48 was already over the top. The only way buying this car would make sense, even if it's a #s matching L82 and you wanted to do a total restore, is if you could walk onto the lot with some cash and a trailer and haggle him down for it as an L48, assuming he was being honest that the car has a 'clean' (his words) frame and birdcage. I've learned enough here already to know that as an L48 the car isn't worth anything. If it's a #s matching L82 I have no idea of it's value 'cause I'm an idiot newb.

7T1vette

If you are interested in the car...whether it has an L-82 or L-48, don't take anything the seller says personally. It's just business. He has something that he thinks you may want. He wants to sell it, but doesn't want to 'play his hand' too quickly.

There is nothing wrong with calling the guy and asking him if he can record the engine stamp pad info and e-mail that info to you. He either will...or he won't. If he won't, then you can call it a day on that car. If he will, you will get more info and know more about the car. That means you can make a better decision as to whether it will work for you or not.

Worth a try...