Hi everybody

In january 2008 i bought a 69 L71 with th 400. I searched a long time before I fond one and know thy're rare. Does anyone here how many of those they made?

Best regards from Sweden

 

Without documentation from GM, we'll probably never know.

 

Damn few. The M40 option was added late in the model year and few probably even knew of the option. I would guess no more than a couple of dozen at best.

 

Even less with a L89, less than a handful I guess....I have only seen one....a Burgundy coupe with a beige interior...beautiful Vette

 

Yep. A nice combination.

 

My information shows 1969 had 8,161 made, with the M40 option, at a price of $221.

RPO# DESCRIPTION QUANTITY $ RETAIL
19437 Base Corvette Sport Coupe 22,129 4,781
19467 Base Corvette Convertible 16,633 4,438
n/a Genuine Leather Seats 3,729 79
A01 Soft Ray Tinted Glass, all windows 31,270 16
A31 Power Windows 9,816 63
A82 Headrests 38,762 17
A85 Custom Shoulder Belts (std with Coupe) 600 42
C07 Auxillary Hardtop (convertible only) 7,878 252
C08 Vinyl Covering (for Auxillary Hardtop) 3,266 57
C50 Rear Window Defroster 2,485 32
C60 Air Conditioning 11,859 428
F41 Special Front and Rear Suspension 1,661 36
G81 Positraction Rear Axle 36,965 46
J50 Power Brakes 16,876 42
J56 Special Heavy Duty Brakes 115 384
K05 Engine Block Heater 824 10
K66 Transistor Ignition System 5,702 81
L36 427ci, 390hp Engine 10,531 221
L46 350ci, 350hp Engine 12,846 131
L68 427ci, 400hp Engine 2,072 326
L71 427ci, 435hp Engine 2,722 437
L88 427ci, 430hp Engine 116 1,032
L89 Aluminum Cylinder Heads with L71 Engine 390 832
MA6 Heavy Duty Clutch 102 79
M20 4-Speed Manual Transmission 16,507 184
M21 4-Speed Manual Transmission, close ratio 13,741 184
M22 4-Speed Manual Transmission, close ratio, hvy dty 101 290
M40 Turbo Hydra-Matic Automatic Transmission 8,161 221
N14 Side Mount Exhaust System 4,355 147
N37 Tilt-Telescopic Steering Column 10,325 84
N40 Power Steering 22,866 105
P02 Deluxe Wheel Covers 8,073 57
PT6 F70x15 Red Stripe Tires, Nylon 5,210 31
PT7 F70x15 White Stripe Tires, Nylon 21,379 31
PU9 F70x15 White Letter Tires, Nylon 2,398 33
TJ2 Front Fender Louver Trim 11,962 21
UA6 Alarm System 12,436 26
U15 Speed Warning Indicator 3,561 11
U69 AM-FM Radio 33,871 172
U79 AM-FM Stereo Radio 4,114 278
ZL1 Special L88 (aluminum block) 2 4,718

 

Black Book lists the M40 at $290.40 with the L-71. L-88. or L-89. I've read where the unit was beefier when hung on the high horse cars than the one I have on my 327/300. Hence the cost difference.

 

It's my understanding it wasn't until the M40 was beefed up sufficiently that it could be sold with L71, L89 or L88 optional engines. That's a good reason to be an expensive option. Supposedly the numbers were few...like no more than maybe a dozen in the L88 at most.

 

I believe there were 17 auto 69 L88's.

 

I understand that the converter used for the 69 solid lifter engines was the L88 with a higher stall speed........that satisfied the necessary idle control. It made made sense to me as that's how I was coupling all my BB solid lifter engines to a T400 before GM even made that combination available to the public in the 1969 models.