68 Build Sheet Found! Good Condition!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 166
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From: Baytown TX
68 Tank Sticker Found! Good Condition!
I bought this car from off the forum sight unseen from California. The owner was a great guy and took very good care of this car for the last 30 years. He told me what he knew about the car but none of it had documentation to back it up and was what he was told when he bought the car. The car doesn't have the original motor so it really doesn't matter but I figured id pull the tank anyways just to see if the sticker was there. The edge tore off because it was under the gas tank straps so when it came loose it must have tore it. I read on here to use one of my wifes makeup brushes to remove all the dust, hopefully she doesn't mind.
Heres some pictures of the processs.
Can anyone tell me what my car is considered? it doesn't say l88 or anything on here so does that mean its just a plain coupe? I cant figure out how to make the images bigger either... hopefully they're legible enough for yall.
Heres some pictures of the processs.
Can anyone tell me what my car is considered? it doesn't say l88 or anything on here so does that mean its just a plain coupe? I cant figure out how to make the images bigger either... hopefully they're legible enough for yall.
Last edited by GTOMike06; Dec 6, 2014 at 03:03 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,301
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From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Mike,
A nice find….. seriously too bad the original engine is gone.
The sheet lists it as a L-71, 435 hp horsepower engine with the added L-89 aluminum heads that dd saw.
Regards,
Alan
A nice find….. seriously too bad the original engine is gone.
The sheet lists it as a L-71, 435 hp horsepower engine with the added L-89 aluminum heads that dd saw.
Regards,
Alan
Last edited by Alan 71; Dec 6, 2014 at 04:42 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 166
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From: Baytown TX
So is the car considered a L71 or a L89?
Under dealer it says 539. Is there any way to find which dealer it was from?
As much as I'd like to have the original motor I can't complain to much. The PO put a ls7 454 crate motor in it and kept all the paperwork and tags that it came with so I still have a sort of special motor.
I've read to use archival paper to store it for now. I'd like to have someone clean it up and frame it. How would I go about finding somebody who's qualified to do that? It's just really dusty but I'd like someone to clean it.
Under dealer it says 539. Is there any way to find which dealer it was from?
As much as I'd like to have the original motor I can't complain to much. The PO put a ls7 454 crate motor in it and kept all the paperwork and tags that it came with so I still have a sort of special motor.
I've read to use archival paper to store it for now. I'd like to have someone clean it up and frame it. How would I go about finding somebody who's qualified to do that? It's just really dusty but I'd like someone to clean it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,236
Likes: 898
From: Myrtle Beach SC
Actually the detail on the document is pretty good, granted if attempts were made to remove it probably would destroy the data and the paper. The photos do a nice job of capturing the original power team configuration as others have documented above.
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Team Owner
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
That's a neat find. Congratulations!! 
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Huntersville NC
Actually it does matter, some would say it matters a great deal. Now that you have documentation that shows the car was an original L-89 you have the option to build a restoration engine that looks just like the original engine did.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 166
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From: Baytown TX
Are all L89 cars tri power? I might piece a motor together over time.
The story I got from the PO is that his friend bought the car in the 70s and it had a blown motor and ended up with a 454 truck motor. The guy I bought the car from bought it in 1980 and put a ls7 454 crate motor and had it repainted black and the interior done as well. I like the black better than the corvette bronze anyways and I have no plans to ever sell the car. I've loved these cars since I was a kid. My dad bought a 70 vert when I was 6 or 7 and I've been hooked ever since.
The car is rock solid. There's almost no rust at all on the frame and birdcage. It's definitely been taken care of.
I think this might be the original spare tire as well. It's definitely one of the oldest tires I've ever seen. It's a firestone nylon corded f70-15.
The story I got from the PO is that his friend bought the car in the 70s and it had a blown motor and ended up with a 454 truck motor. The guy I bought the car from bought it in 1980 and put a ls7 454 crate motor and had it repainted black and the interior done as well. I like the black better than the corvette bronze anyways and I have no plans to ever sell the car. I've loved these cars since I was a kid. My dad bought a 70 vert when I was 6 or 7 and I've been hooked ever since.
The car is rock solid. There's almost no rust at all on the frame and birdcage. It's definitely been taken care of.
I think this might be the original spare tire as well. It's definitely one of the oldest tires I've ever seen. It's a firestone nylon corded f70-15.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,301
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From: Westminster Maryland
Hi GTO,
Yes, the L-89 option was only available on the L-71 engine.
It's a lot of work to put together a 'restoration motor', but is often financially worth the time, effort, and cost.
The tire does look like an original. The tire and wheel have some value to someone interested in originality judging.
Regards,
Alan
Yes, the L-89 option was only available on the L-71 engine.
It's a lot of work to put together a 'restoration motor', but is often financially worth the time, effort, and cost.
The tire does look like an original. The tire and wheel have some value to someone interested in originality judging.
Regards,
Alan
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Crossville TN
There are only 3 reasons to go to all the trouble and expense of re-creating a replica of the original engine for your car:
1. You wish to sell the car for a LOT more than you paid for it. To do that, you will have lots of expense coming up with the correct and date-legitimate hardware to build a clone engine; and you will have to completely repaint the car the original color. And, when you sell it, you will no longer have it....but you'll have the money.
2. You wish to have the car judged by NCRS or other official organization so that you can 'crow' to everyone that it LOOKS like an original car and you have the ribbons and documentation to prove it.
3. You just like to throw money at your car.
Personally, from your post it sounds like you just want to have a great car and enjoy it. If you want to build a tri-power set for it, have at it. But, don't bother about all the date-correct stuff, as your car will not be all-original anyway. Below is a photo of a Pontiac tri-power set I recreated from eBay parts. It works great and very few folks could ever tell the difference from bone-stock. Reasonable cost---great results.
1. You wish to sell the car for a LOT more than you paid for it. To do that, you will have lots of expense coming up with the correct and date-legitimate hardware to build a clone engine; and you will have to completely repaint the car the original color. And, when you sell it, you will no longer have it....but you'll have the money.
2. You wish to have the car judged by NCRS or other official organization so that you can 'crow' to everyone that it LOOKS like an original car and you have the ribbons and documentation to prove it.
3. You just like to throw money at your car.
Personally, from your post it sounds like you just want to have a great car and enjoy it. If you want to build a tri-power set for it, have at it. But, don't bother about all the date-correct stuff, as your car will not be all-original anyway. Below is a photo of a Pontiac tri-power set I recreated from eBay parts. It works great and very few folks could ever tell the difference from bone-stock. Reasonable cost---great results.
Last edited by 7T1vette; Dec 7, 2014 at 06:02 PM.
Team Owner
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From: chicago
do not hack that car,build a period correct engine,just keep looking for parts,,everybody restoring or just fixing-up their cars,should join ''NCRS''-national corvette restoration society,it really helped me get things right on my 69 427/400hp tripower conv,and make sure I had original parts that came with my car
Team Owner
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran