chazde3

That's the goal. I have to get that idea past my mom which shouldn't be too bad. Right now all the corvette stud will be held onto until we know what all we will need. Don't wanna sell something then realize we needed it lol. There's also a caddy in the basement as well as a mud bogger my dad built that went in the pictures. Soooooo much stuff.

razman

uhhhh, the sign towards the end of the pics mentions an L88 427/430hp engine or car....if that is accurate, and that car or engine is still around, you have something very valuable. perhaps the engine that is in the 68 roadster (charlies toy) is not a 454 at all, but an L88 427. you need to bone up on some corvette car/parts knowledge. don't sell anything til you do. JMO....sorry about your dad...looking around his "stuff" tells me he was a pretty cool dude. Rick

chazde3

Yeah he was a pretty cool guy. I really wish I had been more into cars when he was around and healthy. I really started getting into them in the last year and he really had no desire to do any work on them anymore. This restoration will make him proud though.

Oh and consensus is that my buddy may have looked at the engine too quick and assumed it was a 454. We are gonna take a look at the block on Friday to verify what engine it really is. I really think it is gonna turn out to be the L88. If it is I'm pretty positive that it isn't the original engine that went with the car but I'm not sure how to tell. I'm gonna see if I can get the Vin and do some research. I'm also assuming that if it is the L88 you guys are gonna tell me to leave it in and not drop the compression ratio lol.

razman

yes, check all the engine numbers, and VIN# of the car.....and then post the numbers (the engine has 3 important number areas, engine stamp pad on right front of engine, engine casting # on left rear of motor about where bell housing mounts up, and engine casting date, which should be on lower right of engine block, (under exhaust manifold)

if you post the numbers we can help you sort it out, if engine is L88, it is valuable, if it matches the car, it is VERY VALUABLE! or perhaps it matches another car or pieces of cars that he has stored away! let us know, very cool! Rick

bkvette3

So sorry to hear about the loss of your dad. He was definitely one cool car guy. Do him proud with the restoration of his '68. Keep the paint scheme as a tribute to him. Would love to walk thru that garage full of C3 parts. BK3

chazde3

So thinking back to when I had the hood open the air filter was a part of the hood. Looking around I see that was a feature of the L88. Almost every 454 bb that I have seen has the air filter bolted on the engine. Is this a good sign that I have an L88? I will know for sure hopefully soon.

F22

Yep, get a small flashlight out and a pad of paper and go on and look. Razman already gave you the locations to look (easy) and then write it down and let us know. We'll help you decode what you find. The VIN is right there on the windshield post. The engine stamp pad on the right front is the easiest to get. It's right in front of the valve cover. The other two, you might need a small mirror. We're looking forward to hearing from you when you do get it!

682XLR8

Sorry to hear about your Dad chaz...my Dad passed on last May so I know how you feel, he was a Michigan Vette owner also(Flint area)

Good looking 68 there....I agree with the previous posters with keeping the racing theme on the 68 as a tribute to Dad...he'd have really appreciated it

Lots of us 68 owner here, any questions, just ask

Easy Mike

There were no 454 68 Corvettes. 427 was all you could get. There is a pad on the block at the front of the right head. There should be two stampings on the pad; one to identify the engine; the second is the VIN derivitive of the car the engine was originally installed in. Jot down both stampings.

chazde3

So I got out to take another look at the '68s engine again. Snapped up some pictures of the interior and the engine.










And lastly, the all important engine pad.


So I couldn't find anything stamped onto the pad at the front right. Not sure if there is so much gunk and rust built up that I cant read it or whats going on with it. I took some wd40 and a rag and tried to wipe up the pad but still couldnt find anything. Looks like we wont know the engine for sure till I can get it into the garage and torn apart lol.

BOSTONCAMARO

also pop a valve cover...get the head numbers...that old steering wheel cleaned up may be worth 100 to 300 depending...not that thisis a priority

chazde3

Yeah I got a little laugh out of the steering wheel from an Oldsmobile. My buddy asked if my dad was a bigger guy because the Olds wheel was probably a smaller diameter than the original. Good news is that I have seen some old Corvette steering wheels around so I should have a replacement.

And speaking of good news. From what I see I am not really concerned about the birdcage. Both lower windshield corners look pretty good. Some surface rust but no major pitting or holes. I pulled back some on the interior near the top corners and I didn't see any signs of rust.

chazde3

So I was browsing my files at work and found the cad file of the plaque I made for my Dad's funeral and thought I would share. I made four of these plaques in total. One for my mom, my sister, my grandma and myself. Ignore all the dots along the spline lines.

razman

very cool....Rick

chazde3

Wow it's been awhile since I have been on here. Unfortunately no progress was made last year on getting this going. Last year was a crazy trip. Shortly after my last post my Grandma on my Mom's side passed away, I bought my first house in June, got married in July and my Dad's Mom passed away a couple months after. Now that all of that has come and passed, it should be much easier to find the time to get out to my Mom's to get this project started. I really can't wait to get this old girl running again.

Oh and going through my Grandma's stuff I found picture negatives of my Dad and I'm assuming his first wife posing next to the '68 and some of my grand parents posing in front of it. And some of him racing around his sand buggies before he got the vette. Can't wait to get some prints made from them.

doorgunner

I just found your thread....your dad and I are the same age (are/with you always)...my dad's been gone 10 years.

It takes time to "get moving again"....especially after more family tragedies.

My Harley is still waiting to have the engine re-installed....and my recently acquired '68 hardtop is slowly being rebuilt to D.D status.

So.....keep us posted.....take your time with his belongings/legacy!

parkerracing

Sorry about your Dad, but you are working toward a fitting and lasting tribute to him. Before you do much physical work, do your homework. Check for log books and find out who your dad raced with. In your area there are 3 probable groups (SCCA, NCCC and Mid West Council). There are probably some people still active who new your dad and the car. IF that was originally a 427/435 roadster and has spent all of its life as a racer, you have something truly special (even if the original block is out of the car, check the garage. It doesn't look like your dad threw out much).

IMO, you would want to restore it EXACTLY as your Dad had it. If you want to race it, the only upgrades you should make are for safety. Get that thing in the air and take pictures of the underside. Photo document every INCH of this car and keep a record of everything you do. While I'm sad for the circumstances, I'm excited about your opportunity.

chazde3

He was a member of the Capital City Corvette Club so he raced with the NCCC. I already contacted the CCCC but there are only a couple members left that remember my Dad. They did mention that he was President of the CCCC for awhile in the 70's. I'm not sure what the original engine in the car was unfortunately. There is definitely a good chance that it is sitting in the garage, it maybe the engine in the drag car project. I've definitely got hundreds of hours worth of sorting and figuring out what parts are.

I'm still mostly torn as to whether rebuild the L88 for this car or to put in something easier on the wallet gas wise. I know there is some nostalgia keeping it dead on the same as he had it but it was also slated as only a race car. Personally I'd love to do some road trips in the car and race fuel isnt real readily available.

1wicked55

The car does have the correct tach and oil gauge to be a true 430 or 435 hp car.

I think your a lucky guy to have such a cool car left to you.

If you have the vin researched they can tell you what dealer sold the car. The dealer records might still be available and you will know exactly what the car came with from the factory.

I was looking in one of the pics.
It looks like you have a close ratio Muncie a tunnel ram and possibly a factory aluminum intake.

Good luck with your Vette

blunblk68

if nothing else rebuild the 427 leave it on a stand and drop a more mild 454 or such into it.
if you sold off a !/4 of those parts in the garage you could pay for the build easily!!! luv the old racer look good luck with your project and get that thing inside and dried out!!!!!
i built my 74 custom with that 70`s racer corvette look, its cars like your dads that inspired my build!!!!