L88 Performance numbers fact or wild imagination

[Walter F.]

In this months Corvette restorer and article appears about a found L88 engine. The writer claims that the few L88 cars that were sold and put into racing events were able to clock 11 second quarter miles. Looking over past car stats of that era, i find the Ford 427 SC Cobra and 426 Hemi at least a second or two slower then the supposed posted times of the L88 Corvette. Are those numbers by the writer a stretch or a reality?

[Michael F.]

Re: L88 Performance numbers fact or wild imagination

had a friend back in the day (1971) that put a L88 cam into a 66 427/425 car and with headers, 4.10 gears, m-21 and 9" slicks ran 11.50s at a drag strip in central Arkansas.

[Larry M.]

Re: L88 Performance numbers fact or wild imagination

had a friend back in the day (1971) that put a L88 cam into a 66 427/425 car and with headers, 4.10 gears, m-21 and 9" slicks ran 11.50s at a drag strip in central Arkansas.

Agree. The L88 motor needed headers, a 4.11 or lower rear gear, and better tires/slicks to do these 1/4 mile times. A good driver/shifter was also a bonus.

Larry

FWIW: I believe Ken Miles drove a 427 Cobra to 0-100-0 mph in under 14 seconds at one of the racetracks. I still have that article and sales promotion in my files. A check of the article shows 13.2 seconds.

[Steve B.]

Re: L88 Performance numbers fact or wild imagination

The L88 Corvettes were the kings of performance during the muscle car era. As Larry stated an L88 with open headers and slicks would easily run in the 11s. In the pure stock drags, L88 Corvettes have been dominating since the event was created.

[Michael F.]

Re: L88 Performance numbers fact or wild imagination

are headers allowed in pure stock?

[Gene M.]

Re: L88 Performance numbers fact or wild imagination

The pure stocks they show in Muscle Car Mag. are using original exhaust manifolds and reproduction tires. The times they turn seem to be much faster than the in the day recordings were. The engine internals are questionable in my mind.

[Paul D.]

Re: L88 Performance numbers fact or wild imagination

No question about it, internals are NOT stock! I read an article once concerning a sanctioning body called "FAST" which I think stood for "Factory APPEARING, Stock Tire" and it stated all sorts of mods to the engines and things done to the "stock" tires to allow you to lift the left front when launching on F70-15 rear tires. Lots of custom work including porting out the factory exhaust manifolds. Very expensive to field a competitive car and I think at the time, a light blue L/88 was reigning king.

[Peter M.]

Re: L88 Performance numbers fact or wild imagination

I was at the drag strip back in the day when a nearly new 1969 L-88 showed up. The guy was the performance division manager of the local Chevy dealer and he decided to run it down the track during time trials. Everybody was up to the fence to see this thing make a pass, unfortunately he ended up against one of the new 3 cylinder 500cc 2 stroke Kawasaki motorcycles. I don't remember the times but it wasn't even close. The L-88 was as delivered, stock tires, exhaust, etc.

[Gene M.]

Re: L88 Performance numbers fact or wild imagination

No question about it, internals are NOT stock! I read an article once concerning a sanctioning body called "FAST" which I think stood for "Factory APPEARING, Stock Tire" and it stated all sorts of mods to the engines and things done to the "stock" tires to allow you to lift the left front when launching on F70-15 rear tires. Lots of custom work including porting out the factory exhaust manifolds. Very expensive to field a competitive car and I think at the time, a light blue L/88 was reigning king.

Yes, there are a couple L88's and couple Hemi's that seem to be out class the rest os the field. I thought there was another class other than the "FAST" cars that was real stock engines. Maybe I'm all wet. After all what racers call stock and our (NCRS) call stock are different animals.

[Bill M.]

Re: L88 Performance numbers fact or wild imagination

I thought there was another class other than the "FAST" cars that was real stock engines.

There is: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race run at Stanton, MI.

[Steve B.]

Re: L88 Performance numbers fact or wild imagination

There is: Pure Stock Muscle Car Drag Race run at Stanton, MI.

Exactly, this is what I was referring to. L88s have dominated that class for years.

[Gene M.]

Re: L88 Performance numbers fact or wild imagination

Exactly, this is what I was referring to. L88s have dominated that class for years.

Was there an L88 Camaro in the field that was real fast too?

[Bill M.]

Re: L88 Performance numbers fact or wild imagination

Was there an L88 Camaro in the field that was real fast too?

No; not a pure stock car. But the ZL1 Camaros are very competitive with the L-88 Corvettes.

[Gene M.]

Re: L88 Performance numbers fact or wild imagination

No; not a pure stock car. But the ZL1 Camaros are very competitive with the L-88 Corvettes.

Yes, now that you mention the ZL1, I recall something about it in Muscle Car Magazine