1969 L71 Info Needed
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,594
Likes: 959
From: Palm Harbor not far from Sebring Florida
St. Jude Donor '11
Oldtimer
1969 L71 Info Needed
I am not up on the C3's as much as I would like to be, but I do have a question that I am hoping someone will be able to help me with.
I ran into a gentleman that has a 1969 L71. His story is it was a factory race car for SCCA. It has large flares in the rear, that according to this person came in the car from the factory for owner installation. Now it supposedly has an M22 and it is possible, but with 116 L88 produced and only 101 M22's, I would think that they ended up in the L88's.
I have done a lot of searching on the internet as well as different Corvette publication I have and all I find that refers to factory SCCA cars were the L88's.
I ran into a gentleman that has a 1969 L71. His story is it was a factory race car for SCCA. It has large flares in the rear, that according to this person came in the car from the factory for owner installation. Now it supposedly has an M22 and it is possible, but with 116 L88 produced and only 101 M22's, I would think that they ended up in the L88's.
I have done a lot of searching on the internet as well as different Corvette publication I have and all I find that refers to factory SCCA cars were the L88's.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,100
Likes: 12
From: Frederick Maryland
I guess anything's possible...and the guy could truly believe the story he's telling. It could be what he was told or a defective memory.
If the car has an M22, it could have been retrofitted, it could be the standard M21. The car could have run in SCCA but privately and not part of a factory effort. The fender flares could have been added at a later date or by a private team.
Without documentation, there's really no way of confirming his story. I would agree that factory prepped cars would have been L88's, not L71's.
Even if the numbers on his car match (not likely on a race car), without documentation to back it up, I would consider his car nothing more than a modified '69 Corvette...a clone or near-clone of a team racer.
If the car has an M22, it could have been retrofitted, it could be the standard M21. The car could have run in SCCA but privately and not part of a factory effort. The fender flares could have been added at a later date or by a private team.
Without documentation, there's really no way of confirming his story. I would agree that factory prepped cars would have been L88's, not L71's.
Even if the numbers on his car match (not likely on a race car), without documentation to back it up, I would consider his car nothing more than a modified '69 Corvette...a clone or near-clone of a team racer.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,438
Likes: 41
From: Raleigh NC
St. Jude Donor '13-'14
I guess anything's possible...and the guy could truly believe the story he's telling. It could be what he was told or a defective memory.
If the car has an M22, it could have been retrofitted, it could be the standard M21. The car could have run in SCCA but privately and not part of a factory effort. The fender flares could have been added at a later date or by a private team.
Without documentation, there's really no way of confirming his story. I would agree that factory prepped cars would have been L88's, not L71's.
Even if the numbers on his car match (not likely on a race car), without documentation to back it up, I would consider his car nothing more than a modified '69 Corvette...a clone or near-clone of a team racer.
If the car has an M22, it could have been retrofitted, it could be the standard M21. The car could have run in SCCA but privately and not part of a factory effort. The fender flares could have been added at a later date or by a private team.
Without documentation, there's really no way of confirming his story. I would agree that factory prepped cars would have been L88's, not L71's.
Even if the numbers on his car match (not likely on a race car), without documentation to back it up, I would consider his car nothing more than a modified '69 Corvette...a clone or near-clone of a team racer.
Ghost stories do not make a car worth anymore than they are in their present condition. If he has no paperwork to back up any of this, I'd walk away unless you are truly interested in the car's current condition.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,663
Likes: 3,118
From: Shamong, NJ
There were no Corvette factory race cars, in the late 60's/early 70's. There were favored teams (such as the Owens Corning and Greenwood cars), that got some "backdoor" parts and engineering help, but that was about it.
Additionally, the L-88 (and the ZL-1) was the engine developed, and intended for racing. The tri-power engines weren't considered as race, or ultimate performance engines, by Duntov or anyone else in engineering. The tri-powers were developed for the sales department, as a marketing tool. Engineering wouldn't have chosen the L-71, as the basis for a race car.
I don't recall if multipal carburetion, was even allowed in the AP (A Production), the SCCA class that big block Corvettes competed in in 69. Even if it was allowed, I don't know that it would have any real advantage over a single 4 bbl, on a road race engine.
The large ZL-1 flares were developed by Duntov, and Chevrolet engineering, for road racing. They originally carried a GM part number, and could be ordered direct through Chevrolet, but it wasn't long before the after market was making them too.
The gentleman's 69, may be an old Corvette race car. The flares could certainly be genuine GM pieces. It may have even started life as an L-71, but I don't believe that it was ever some sort of factory SCCA race car.
Additionally, the L-88 (and the ZL-1) was the engine developed, and intended for racing. The tri-power engines weren't considered as race, or ultimate performance engines, by Duntov or anyone else in engineering. The tri-powers were developed for the sales department, as a marketing tool. Engineering wouldn't have chosen the L-71, as the basis for a race car.
I don't recall if multipal carburetion, was even allowed in the AP (A Production), the SCCA class that big block Corvettes competed in in 69. Even if it was allowed, I don't know that it would have any real advantage over a single 4 bbl, on a road race engine.
The large ZL-1 flares were developed by Duntov, and Chevrolet engineering, for road racing. They originally carried a GM part number, and could be ordered direct through Chevrolet, but it wasn't long before the after market was making them too.
The gentleman's 69, may be an old Corvette race car. The flares could certainly be genuine GM pieces. It may have even started life as an L-71, but I don't believe that it was ever some sort of factory SCCA race car.
