20mercury

Question please for the historians:

I got a 1968 327 350hp "HT" project last summer and it came with PS and PB.

Since "HT" is supposed to be "4sp, spec.cam, Qjet", I am thinking this might have been an owner add on, although it does look to have been an original install. I thought you had to get the "HP" to get PS and PB?

In any event, I believe I will go back with the PB only and likely install manual steering, but I was curious as to what options a buyer could have gotten in '68 with the "HT" engine.

Much thanks for any insights!

Tiger Joe

I have a 68 L79 as well.


I believe the difference between HT and HP was air conditioning.


I have a 68 L79 with no air, but PS and PB and I am fairly certain my engine is code HT

AeroDog

My 68 came from the factory with 327/350hp, four speed, power brakes but no power steering. It's a restomod now with power steering. Wish I had left it manual.

Rescue Rogers

my L79 /HT came with PS no PB.I added the power brakes and kept the power steering

calwldlife

my 68 came
PS PB A/C 4 speed @3.90 axle
Removable hardtop, suspension
327/350hp solid lifters
sorry i was not knowledgeable about HT
or other corvette stuff.
hard enough to learn about 68 only parts.

7T1vette

Power steering and brakes were available as options for all '68 Corvettes. ALL "HT" engines were configured for power steering AND A/C, so when PB & A/C were ordered with SB engine and manual trans, the HT engine was installed. Power brakes could have been ordered with the HT engine, also.

20mercury

Much Thanks for all of the feedback!!! And this is good to know, sounds like you could have ordered any PB PS combination desired for a 68 327 350hp HT.

20mercury

Agree, I kinda of like manual steering. Had a 68 327 with PS and a 68 454 wo/PS. No issue with the 454 for me (but no parallel parking either, LOL's) and maybe direct and simpler, no damp hoses, 1 less belt and no drips, ha, old school!

7T1vette

Manual steering wasn't too bad when the car had original bias ply tires (narrow compared to modern wide tires). But with wide tires, it would be very hard to turn the wheel from a dead stop.

Rescue Rogers

I had a GTO with 50 series tires and a 455 under the hood back in the 80's, that was a hassle to do anything while stopped.

ed427vette

The HP code engine is a 300hp engine, not a 350hp.

There is only one code for the 350hp and that is HT.

You could order any option with your 350hp engine EXCEPT an automatic transmission and F41 suspension.

Here is a picture of an original 1968 Corvette order form.

20mercury

Much Thanks and way Cool! I did not think you could get a/c with a HT. Great Info! Thanks again!

Tiger Joe

There was very recently quite a debate about the HP code

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...gine-code.html

Seems to be some confusion whether it’s 300 or 350 hp

M A Fry

The black book says
'HP: 327ci, 350hp, mt, ac, ps',
'HT: 327ci, 350hp, mt'
Hope this helps.

ed427vette

The black book is incorrect

7T1vette

I suspect the HP engine was 300 hp; the 350 hp engine could wind to nearly 6000 rpm and I doubt the Chevy engineers would want to marry that with A/C.

20mercury

Yep, saw the other thread, that was interesting!

Different views out there on this from different sources.

Does anybody have anything published or documented by GM connecting the L79 350hp option to the HT and HP engine codes, or connected only to the HT engine code? In other words, what sources were used by the authors of these various aftermarket documents to come up with the horsepower rating of the HP engine code?? How do they know?

ed427vette

All you have to do is look at known documented original cars.

ed427vette

You could get it. Its on the order form. You just couldn't get the M40.

7T1vette

According to that order sheet, you could. Resulting warranty data may have been why '69-70 cars with LT-1 engines could not order A/C. I'll bet the dealerships changed a lot of A/C belts on the 350hp engines. (Not sure how many of those would have ordered A/C.)