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How to value a legit complete date-coded 1969 ZL-1 engine?

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Old Jul 31, 2013 | 10:56 PM
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Default How to value a legit complete date-coded 1969 ZL-1 engine?

Not a basket case or non-runner or missing parts or incorrect parts example. The real deal.

Is there even a projectable market $$ value for one?
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Old Jul 31, 2013 | 11:10 PM
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lets see some pics and were did you find it?
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Old Jul 31, 2013 | 11:18 PM
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Date coded engine...where's the car? Is it a date coded piece part replacement from GM piece parts? I once, in 1974, built a L88 engine from GM piece parts. Except for the cylinder heads, I don't think it would be that valuable today. The L88 had a cast iron block. For your engine, if it's the real deal, its really valuable..

Last edited by 68/70Vette; Jul 31, 2013 at 11:56 PM.
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Old Aug 1, 2013 | 05:45 AM
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That engine is worth (to you) exactly what you are willing to pay for it--and not one penny more.

What it's worth to someone else is irrelevant.
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Old Aug 1, 2013 | 08:54 AM
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legit like out of a car? or legit like over the counter?
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Old Aug 1, 2013 | 01:44 PM
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Whether its out of a vehicle or from the parts counter, it doesn't make any difference...unless you own the actual car it came out of.
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Old Aug 1, 2013 | 02:53 PM
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Originally Posted by WYD OPN
Not a basket case or non-runner or missing parts or incorrect parts example. The real deal.

Is there even a projectable market $$ value for one?
Do you have one? I'll give you $20.00 for it.

Seriously, without knowing all the details about the engine, it's darn near impossible to accurately attempt to put a value on it.

To answer the question in part, yes, there is a market for it... It is a very small market though.

Regards,

Stan Falenski
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Old Aug 1, 2013 | 03:02 PM
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If it was an original motor and the car is still around and you found the motor, could be worth a TON, also be worth a decent amount for those "cloning" a car or someone who wanted a motor for their car in case their motor got destroyed, but again it would never be an "original" motor for a Corvette unless came from a Corvette and you found the car.
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Old Aug 1, 2013 | 06:51 PM
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$39,995

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1967-1968-1969-Camaro-427-ZL-1-Engine-complete-/330906522429?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4d0b90d33d&vxp=mtr
I was thinking around $30k
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Old Aug 1, 2013 | 10:09 PM
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HA!! That's a good one. Well, anyone can ask 'anything' for something they post on eBay. Getting it is something altogether different. But, you'll never get it if you don't try.
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Old Aug 1, 2013 | 10:27 PM
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It's not worth even scrap value. Ship it to me and I'll make sure it's properly disposed of!
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Old Aug 2, 2013 | 12:28 AM
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Humm....A Camaro motor I'm sure, only 69 made(plus the 2 vettes) so 71...I'd say ask or pay as much as you want, but I'd play the Camaro boys, It's way easier to make a ZL1 Camaro than Corvette. FWIW 25 to 28k is in the ball park I would think.

Last edited by whitehause; Aug 2, 2013 at 12:32 AM.
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Old Aug 5, 2013 | 05:00 AM
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Sorry for my brief absence offline and neglect of my own thread. It was unanticipated.

Thanks for the responses. There are two ZL-1 engines that I'm trying to pry loose from someone who has owned them for a very long time. One is allegedly one of the supposed 5 others shipped from Tonawanda to St. Louis. The other is out of a Camaro ZL-1 that had an untimely demise.

Based on the reissued ZL-1s a few years ago at $20,000, my thoughts were in the $30,000 range. With a reluctant buyer, that number could be a good bit higher.

Ultimately, I'm trying to determine the cost of building a tribute or resto-mod from a L36-based '69 that's complete and clean, but sans drivetrain. And to compare that cost with the white/red stripe clone that was already built not long ago.
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Old Aug 5, 2013 | 08:27 AM
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Originally Posted by WYD OPN
...There are two ZL-1 engines that I'm trying to pry loose from someone who has owned them for a very long time. One is allegedly one of the supposed 5 others shipped from Tonawanda to St. Louis...
Keep an eye on that. To my knowledge, there is no confirmation where these five went. How does the owner know when no one else seems to?

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Old Aug 5, 2013 | 09:34 AM
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Without lots of photos and affidavits from 'way back when', it would be difficult to convince folks to cough-up $30K for what is likely a clone engine.
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Old Aug 5, 2013 | 11:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Easy Mike
Keep an eye on that. To my knowledge, there is no confirmation where these five went. How does the owner know when no one else seems to?

Just another part of the quandry about these engines, I suppose. He's a multiple owner of both 9560 and 9561 COPOs. He doesn't attempt to adamantly represent the engines as such. He basically says the same thing himself.

I'm not even at the point of any sort of documentation yet. I'm just trying to value the engines so I can make an offer that will get his attention enough to consider providing more information.
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Old Aug 5, 2013 | 11:44 AM
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Originally Posted by 7T1vette
Without lots of photos and affidavits from 'way back when', it would be difficult to convince folks to cough-up $30K for what is likely a clone engine.
He's not trying to convince anyone of anything, though he has previously mentioned having supporting documentation of some kind. This is a very reluctant seller. He doesn't want to even talk about selling the engines.

The premise for my value question automatically presumes I would verify documentation of authenticity before dropping any cash. But these aren't even for sale. The first step is contingent valuation for me to make an offer he might listen to.
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To How to value a legit complete date-coded 1969 ZL-1 engine?

Old Aug 13, 2013 | 11:59 PM
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My information indicates there were a total of 94 ZL-1 engines coded for Corvette usage from the Tonawanda plant; 80 coded for use with manual transmissions and 14 coded for pairing with automatics.

(Along with 90 ZL-1 engines coded for Camaros, including the 69 production COPO 9560s; and a best estimate of 52 Can Am ZL-1 blocks.)

Anyone want to elaborate?

Last edited by L88-M40-900-407; Aug 14, 2013 at 01:25 AM.
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Old Aug 14, 2013 | 06:46 AM
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Don't say the guys name, but is he from PA. If so, I saw with my own eyes 2 COPA Camaros in his garage. I traded parts with him 20 years ago, he wanted a set of Rally's and I needed a BBC alternator bracket.
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Old Aug 14, 2013 | 08:11 AM
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Ask if the crank is a 6223 or a 7115 casting.
I've seen a website with dozens of photos of an engine built with all NOS components. Heartbeatcity sounds familiar. I'll keep looking.

This may be it: http://www.heartbeatcitycamaro.com/s...-T0318MN-1969/

Only 25,000 for this one. I wonder why.

Here is the website I found. All the photos are gone and it's heartbeatcity.net rather than heartbeatcitycamaro.com

http://www.heartbeatcity.net/forsale...ssram-ZL1.html

Last edited by AOS_L79; Aug 14, 2013 at 08:28 AM. Reason: more info
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