When I had my first Corvette, the current one is my second, it was called a 65 stingray coupe. Then they added this "C#". Well that really helps an old guy like me. Now you guys are installing newer engines and you call them some "L#". So I'm still lost. Is there somewhere that explains those designations?

Same problem with my 72 Porsche 911. When they started coming up with 991, 993 I got lost.

Truth is I'm just an old car guy, 65 Corvette, 72 Porsche 911 and 93 Classic Mini Cooper.

 

Kent,
See if this doesn't help answer your questions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...Eight-cylinder

 

One of the recent posts referred to an L76, what's that?

 

That is an original option order code for the engine and if my memory serves me I think it is a 427 code but don't remember for what year or h.p.

I am wrong above it is a 327/340h.p. in a 1963

 

Its an engine code
some will post that instead of 300hp 327 for instance
the latest few gens are impossible to read, seems every other post starts with abbreviations of paint color, vin # options etc is super annoying
I dont care just ask the question for chrissakes. Guess some just gotta feel special?

welcome to the "get off my lawn club"

 

Yeah keep it simple for us old guys!

 

Please note my updated answer above.

 

Solid lifter, special high performance small block Chevy engine. They used the L76 designation for the 1963 327/340 HP and also for the 1964-65 327/365 HP engines.

Hope this helps.

Larry

 

I hate to say that ALL follow this format, but....

L series numbers designate engine options

M series numbers designate transmission options.

 

CORRECT!

As some of these codes were used in other years to designate something else, read on.

To the person that asked the question about the L76 code or any others for that matter there are many sites that you can find this info. This link is a good one as it has specs for all the older models.
http://www.vettefacts.com/C2/C2Main.aspx

To the poster that mentioned that the M as the trans sales codes that did not begin until 1963 prior to that they just used numeric codes.

 

Kent,
Did you investigate the link I posted in post #2? It will answer all your questions including the one you're asking:

L46
Years: 1969-1970

The L46 became an optional engine for the 1969 Chevrolet Corvette. It was a higher performance version of the base 350 cu in V8 with casting number 186 2.02 in/1.60 in valve heads and had an 11:1 compression ratio (high octane gas must be used) and produced 350 hp (260 kW).[8] It was also available in 1970. 4bbl Quadrajet carburetor and L46 hydraulic cam, dome piston (+0.16 cu in (2.6 cc)), 186 heads, and a four-bolt block.

 

Looks like there are differences between the different sites, e.g., engine suffix codes for a 1966 on the vettefacts site doesn't agree with the GM Heritage Center archive information. I haven't looked at the forum FAQ. The base engine (300 hp) with manual trans is suffix HE in the GM literature and I must have missed the HE code in the vettefacts as it says HH.

I see no L## for the base 300 hp engine as they were not an option, so I guess they are not worth talking about. Can't use the suffix, as that confuses me also.

Don't want to spend the time typing out 300 hp as we are all being trained to text on the cell phones. LOL, 4u, etc., etc., etc.

Bottom line, I don't care what they call it, I am very happy with the base mouse motor. If any one wants to send me their base motor, I will store it under my bench with the other three 327s that I have no clue what they are as they don't have the L## on them.

You are not alone KOLSEN911. The only option left is to drive it and enjoy it.

Ron

 

Don't forget the modern "L" engines. LS 1,etc. I've been on other forums where everybody abbreviated everything to the point that nothing made any sense to me.

 

There you go, next is the LS series. I really have no idea what engine those are either. Again, age, I grew up with 283, 327, 396, 427, then they went to CC and I couldn't compare my Porsche engine because I didn't know the conversion. Since I've had the Porsche for 20 years I've got that figured out but now getting back into the Chevy engines I'm lost again.

Not that it make any difference since my engine is a 57 Chrysler 392. Even that gets complicated, like this weekend when I'm looking for an oil filter and then points for a Mallory twin point distributor.

 

Let's see if this download attaches......

 

I too have a Chrysler Hemi just not in a vette. It's in a 48 Plymouth business coupe. when you first posted pics of your Hemi vette i sent pics to some buddies with the comment "best of both worlds!"

 

That just about covers it all.

 

The "L" listing is not unique to any engine year as used multiple times. The "old" designation is clearer. But is you are at Starbucks, drinking you latte, you use the "L" designation. If you are at the local track, it's a 327/350 HP.

 

Here again it depends on what year car you are talking about. In 1966 the 300 h.p. 327 became the standard engine. The L codes we are speaking of here are sales codes used by dealerships to order the cars with the regular production options (RPO) numbers by. So beginning in 1966 there would be no L oe sales code for it as it was not and OPTION, it was standard. From 1962-1965 the 250 h.p. 327 was standard so in those years the 300 h.p. has an L code because an OPTION.

You will not find an L designation on the engine itself as these were SALES designations. The numbers you find on the engines themselves are PRODUCTION numbers used in the manufacturing process to keep track of what the base casting would eventually become. This too can be confusing as you might think that any base 327 casting could potentially become a Corvette engine from 1962-1967 but that is not the case. because Corvettes only used engines from the Flint plant with very rare exceptions. After the initial 327 block was cast with it's casting number and date the engine waited to be designated for a certain car ORDER that it had been determined what engine it was to receive and then the waiting bare casting was built to those spec and stamped with the date of assembly and a suffix code that tells you what h.p. it is and depending on the year, what some other combination of equipment it had. At this same time the engine was stamped with a partial V.I.N. from 1960 on.

So to recap, you will find no L code on the engines themselves. Those codes will only be found on original paper work such as window stickers, build sheets, etc.

 

Ron according to GTOguy's attachment, this would be the,

L75 : 327 CU. IN. ENGINE – 300HP

Good luck... GUSTO