It's Time for Some L88 Corvette Love
07-05-2016, 02:09 PM
#1
CorvetteForum Editor
Thread Starter
It's Time for Some L88 Corvette Love
If you're a Corvette enthusiast, then an L88 equipped Corvette is on your short list of cars you'd be happy to have in your garage.
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marshal135 (07-05-2016)
07-05-2016, 03:02 PM
#2
Team Owner
Member Since: Sep 2006
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Hi,
Since the L-88 exterior was defined by the air-box hood why would you chose to show the REAR of a 68????
Regards,
Alan
Since the L-88 exterior was defined by the air-box hood why would you chose to show the REAR of a 68????
Regards,
Alan
07-05-2016, 03:23 PM
#3
Le Mans Master
The L-88 Corvette was/is:
A) an Icon
B) A very good starting point for a competitive race car
C) a terrible street car (which is why it was NOT promoted better by GM)
I was privileged to race a 1969 L-88 Corvette for many years in IMSA and SCCA. In the beginning my street car, with only a roll bar, scatter shield, leaner carb jets, headers and race tires, was a competitive racer on the international stage. I was never sponsered, although I did have help from a local Chevy dealer with spare parts. There were many deficiencies in my car from the factory, the most serious of which was the destruction of an engine when a stellite valve seat losened and dropped out, causing pieces to be sucked into two cylinders and destroying both heads and two pistons. Because of the relative low cost, and support from my Chevy dealer, I was able to race in IMSA for years, in a competitive car which I could never have afforded except for the fact that it was built by Chevrolet and had a 5 year 50,000 mile warranty.
A) an Icon
B) A very good starting point for a competitive race car
C) a terrible street car (which is why it was NOT promoted better by GM)
I was privileged to race a 1969 L-88 Corvette for many years in IMSA and SCCA. In the beginning my street car, with only a roll bar, scatter shield, leaner carb jets, headers and race tires, was a competitive racer on the international stage. I was never sponsered, although I did have help from a local Chevy dealer with spare parts. There were many deficiencies in my car from the factory, the most serious of which was the destruction of an engine when a stellite valve seat losened and dropped out, causing pieces to be sucked into two cylinders and destroying both heads and two pistons. Because of the relative low cost, and support from my Chevy dealer, I was able to race in IMSA for years, in a competitive car which I could never have afforded except for the fact that it was built by Chevrolet and had a 5 year 50,000 mile warranty.
Last edited by 63Corvette; 07-05-2016 at 05:46 PM.
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sahhas (07-05-2016)
07-05-2016, 07:16 PM
#4
Race Director
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in case anyone missed it wes has a real L-88 car he is working on....
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...88-update.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...with-mine.html
Last edited by The13Bats; 07-06-2016 at 12:35 AM.
07-06-2016, 12:13 AM
#6
Melting Slicks
Garrett,
I had the pleasure of inspecting your old L-88 when the owner (at the time) was presenting the car for the NCRS American Heritage award (a regional meet in Canada if I recall correctly). It was amazing looking back through your old log books and what you accomplished... It was apparent that you had a lot of fun with that car!
Regards,
Stan Falenski
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63Corvette (07-06-2016)
07-06-2016, 10:20 AM
#7
Instructor
I'm a Corvette enthusiast. While some might make me more happy than others, I don't think there is any Corvette that I wouldn't be happy to have in my garage.
The nerve of some people.
07-06-2016, 11:51 PM
#9
they are/were amazing cars
I got to drive a 67 and a 69,and got a ride in a real race 69 and an 427 ac cobra ,in the 80's at road America-elkart lake wis,those cars must have been a real handful on the early bias ply tires,[the 69 race and cobra had radial race slicks] and they were still spinning the tires
I got to drive a 67 and a 69,and got a ride in a real race 69 and an 427 ac cobra ,in the 80's at road America-elkart lake wis,those cars must have been a real handful on the early bias ply tires,[the 69 race and cobra had radial race slicks] and they were still spinning the tires
07-07-2016, 12:59 PM
#10
Le Mans Master
Which goes to show what an incredible car Chevrolet made available for anyone smart enough to check off the right boxes on the order sheet back in the late 1960's.
Garrett,
I had the pleasure of inspecting your old L-88 when the owner (at the time) was presenting the car for the NCRS American Heritage award (a regional meet in Canada if I recall correctly). It was amazing looking back through your old log books and what you accomplished... It was apparent that you had a lot of fun with that car!
Regards,
Stan Falenski
Garrett,
I had the pleasure of inspecting your old L-88 when the owner (at the time) was presenting the car for the NCRS American Heritage award (a regional meet in Canada if I recall correctly). It was amazing looking back through your old log books and what you accomplished... It was apparent that you had a lot of fun with that car!
Regards,
Stan Falenski
Perhaps this is the Canadian meet that you referenced?
(BTW it is still with the same owner ....only #3)
Last edited by 63Corvette; 07-07-2016 at 01:00 PM.
07-07-2016, 01:35 PM
#11
Melting Slicks
Yes, it was at Fleetwood Farms. Got a bit lucky on that one... The 1968-69 team leader would normally have been the one to sign off on the car at a regional event... He couldn't make it so I was tasked with running his cars as well as mine. The American Heritage inspection and sign off on your old car was one of those... My good luck! I noticed your name right away (as you post it and the car on your signature line). I looked through all of the old photos and log books that accompanied the car... One of my easier sign offs!
You of course were the really lucky one... You got to campaign this car for many years in some pretty serious racing. Not many people can honestly say that they raced a REAL L-88 back in the day!
Regards,
Stan
