Rozyiiwin

I was wondering if anyone could tell me how to tell if my 68 corvette is a l71 or a l89

Faster Rat

In 1968, as far as the engine goes....

an L71 engine had iron heads, painted orange
an L89 engine had aluminum heads, unpainted

Does your car have the original engine? If the engine plant suffix code on the left side of the engine stamp pad (block protruding in front of passenger head) is "IR" then it is an L71 engine. If the suffix code is "IU" then it is an L89 engine. If the VIN derivative on the right of the engine stamp pad contains the same numbers that are in your VIN, then you have a matching numbers engine. That still might not mean your car has the original engine, or that the car was originally an L71 or and L89. Evidently you do not have any original paperwork.

Rozyiiwin

Thanks, we don't have the original motr it was stripped out before purchased. Is their anything on the body or frame that would say?

PuddleJumper

Vin number would tell, maybe the serial number maybe

Rozyiiwin

How would you tell by the vin?

PuddleJumper

do a vin serch thing like you would for any other vin, or call the NCRS or that natial museum

Faster Rat

If the original motor is gone, then the car is now a NOM car...no different than any other NOM car. Without documentation, you cannot even prove that it was originally a big block car.

Rozyiiwin

K thanks

Solid LT1

Single fuel line from tank to pump. K-66 transistor ignition amp in front of radiator support on driver's side or 3 holes where the amp used to reside, tach redline of 6500RPM.

Faster Rat

Signs of possibly having originally been either an L71 or L89 435 BB car. Interesting, good for garage conversation over beers, but so what?
Not worth anything to the next buyer, unless one were to find a correct replacement engine, restamp the pad, even come up with some phony documentation and try to pass the entire car off as being something that it is not. That could be done with a base motor rolling chassis.

vettehardt

Who said anything about trying to pass anything off as what it is not? The OP never did. Maybee he just wants to find out the history of his car. Like knowing what it came with from the factory. Maybee he doesn't care what the resale value of the car is and just wants to enjoy it with something close to what it left the factory with. Sorry but I just hate it when people start bashing someone for something that was never said or even implied. What makes you automatically think he is dishonest?

To the OP, sorry I can't help you.

Rozyiiwin

Im just trying to find out the history of my car Im not goin to make phony accusations thank you for the help

Gale Banks 80'

The Tank Sticker is what You want. A build Sheet was attached starting in 67 on top of the Gas Tank. Slim Chance its still there in readable condition. A second one was also in the Car but this one could be anywhere. In a Frame Rail, Door Panel, Under the Carpet, Under the Dash are all known locations. Because the Aluminum Heads were so popular and so many sold over Parts counter there are a lot to be had today. So a L-89 is easy to make and everybody knows it so Paperwork is a must. (just like every other rare option)

Solid LT1

There are shipping records in this world for C2/3 Vettes maybe someday when the guy in possession of them releases them, all of us "lesser children" will be better off. I'm kind of glad my wife's 70 LT-1 roadster was misssing documentation, I know it is still a LEGITIMATE LT-1 car and I was able to buld it into a great cruising Vette (Jeep box steering clears the 6qt oil pan and Tremec TKO-600 makes for nice highway cruising.)

Don't think there are records around? I have a friend with a 100+ car GM computer printout from the 71 model year with many LS-6 builds on it, I have seen this sheet myself, and one of those LS-6 ZR-2 option cars was sold at auction last year for over $200K. He is still hunting down these cars, I have first rights to a 71 ZR-1 find when he locates one, that will be my NCRS car when it's found (just what I need another full blown resto project, hope it's not full of chicken crap when he finds it.).

Faster Rat

Sorry but I just hate it when someone reads more into what was said. I never accused the OP of contemplating anything dishonest. I was making a point about the lengths some people (not the OP) go to in order to create special cars. Nothing wrong with being curious as to what the car used to be. Today it is neither an L71 or L89. It is a 1968 without a motor and no documentation. Trying to restore the entire car to as close to as originally built would be a noble pursuit, but very foolish from an economic standpoint.

7T1vette

What the OP does with his car is his business. You don't need to pontificate about the perils of making an "illegal" car. If he wants to rebuild it to original condition, more power to him. If/when he asks how to restamp the replacement block to original numbers, THEN you can go off on him....

Easy Mike

There is nothing in a 68 VIN to determine any options. The L-71 was an optional engine. L-89 was the option code for aluminum heads for the big block. Without original documentation for your 68, you will never know conclusively whether the car was a big block or whether the original owner ordered the L-89 heads.

Since the L71 and the L-89 were options, the entire options package could have been added to the car by a previous owner at any point in the past.

Can you contact the original owner? Have you contacted the person you bought the car from to determine whether he/she might have any original documentation for your car?

The car shipper information mentioned is being released to NCRS members beginning October 1. http://www.ncrs.org/delivery.html This information may not be the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow since it does not contain build information. It is the original dealers name, dealer code, and the date the Corvette was supposed to have been shipped to the dealer. A good many of these Chevrolet dealerships may have gone out of business years ago. For folks who have no documentation about their Corvettes, the information to be made available might provide a beginning point for a documents search. For folks who already have original documentation beyond the dealer name, the info won't help much.

You have two choices: attempt to locate original documentation (probably not easy), or drive and enjoy the car as it is (easy).



SOLID: Don't fret over the ZR-1; eight were built and all seventeen are known to exist.