How to tell if it's a real 68/69 L88?

[Greg L.]

The obvious way would be a good stamp pad or docs but if the engine is gone and there are no docs what are some of the tell tale signs to determine if the car is question is real or a fake?

If you all could post or e-mail me pics of the little quirks that would help a lot! Thanks.

[Tom H.]

Re: How to tell if it's a real 68/69 L88?

Start with the easy stuff. Then work your way to the hard stuff. Evidence that the car was radio delete would be one clue.

[Greg L.]

Re: How to tell if it's a real 68/69 L88?

Thanks Tom. The car I'm wondering about has had a radio installed at some point in it's life. Is there any way to tell if it was installed at the factory or after?
The car has the correct calipers and front caliper braces but now has manual brakes because the owner removed the booster because it wouldn't clear the valve cover of the engine that he now has in it.
The car in question also has had the radiator replaced and an "original shroud installed". If I remember right the car also has a correctly dated 4:56 diff in it too.
From pics that I have it could very well be a L71/L89/L88 with heavy duty brakes installed except that it also had a correcty stamped M22 that matches the VIN. I have sent the pic of the VIN to several people and they all say that it looks good. If they are all right about the VIN then the car is either a real L88 or the transmission has had a really good restamp job.
So you can see why I'm on the fence with this one and looking for other prove positive ways to tell a real L88 from a fake.

Any other thoughts?

[Tom H.]

Re: How to tell if it's a real 68/69 L88?

You may find some variation on the location of antenna hole. Compare the location of this car vs. a known original. I believe you may be able to see some evidence of the factory fill of the antenna hole inside the quarter. have you looked up in the antenna area. Maybe you can find some radio ground wires, or lack of that might help you to detemine if the radio in the car was factory installed.

[Tom M.]

Re: How to tell if it's a real 68/69 L88?

no return on fuel line, core support is very unique for 69 L88,also BRACKET & SEAL ,sheet metal on right side of core support is smaller too,

Tom

[Tom H.]

Re: How to tell if it's a real 68/69 L88?

Greg:

Since we don't know too many details about this car, I'd ask you some of the obvious questions.

Has the owner made the claim that this is an L88, or do you suspect it may have been ? Does it have the hood on it, the fuel warning on the console ? Any of the easy stuff present ? i know it could have been added, but at least we would have something to work with.

[Dan P.]

Re: How to tell if it's a real 68/69 L88?

Checking the antennae hole from the under side is a good way to tell if it was a radio delete car - just note it being a non-radio car does not make it an L88.

Some clues to identify a no-radio rear panel is to look on the underside to see if you can identify where the old material was gooped/slathered on. Most of the time, guys would use a putty knife to scrape-off the filler material leaving an outline in the blackout or undercoat over-spray. With the material removed, they could find the original hole, then drill a pilot hole in the correct spot. Also look under where the "slathering" would have been done - often you'll see a gob-o-goop that dripped down from the fill area. On my '70 ZR1, somebody added a factory style antennae using the above method, so the scrape marks and goop-gob are present. Note that the antennae did not have the ground plate attached either - but used factory routing through the rear bulkhead grommet for the cable.

Here's a photo of the re-drilled radio antennae hole on my car, as well as a shot from an un-drilled hole on a Pro-team owned car.





Also look at the radiator core support - the L88 supports differed from the standard big block units. Here's a link to an ebay auction for a support that has a good photo of one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Corvette-NOS-1969-L88-1970-ZR-1-1971-ZR-2-LS-6-1972-ZR1_W0QQitemZ310118748964QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?_trksid=p4506.m20.l1116#ht_500wt_1369

Finally - just curios what the date code is on the 456 posi rear? Should be: 2FC (date) W?

Looking fwd to your feedback...

[Greg L.]

Re: How to tell if it's a real 68/69 L88?

Thanks guys, I didn't realize that the L88 rad support was so different compared to the other BB cars so that's good to know. The antenna hole is interesting too because I didn't realize the hole was filled. I always assumed that the rear deck panel came without the hole and it was drilled for cars with radios...I'm learning!

Anyways the owner claims that the car is a real L88. Here are some links to the pics that I have.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e232/Lintmann/01aa_3.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e232/Lintmann/15de_3.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e232/Lintmann/23b1_3.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e232/Lintmann/2601_3.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e232/Lintmann/b560_3.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e232/Lintmann/b8ea_3.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e232/Lintmann/ca8c_3.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e232/Lintmann/BNGHWkKGrHgoOKkEEjlLmY7zeBJph-LkE8w.jpg

So what do you all think? real or not?

[Tom M.]

Re: How to tell if it's a real 68/69 L88?

Checking the antennae hole from the under side is a good way to tell if it was a radio delete car - just note it being a non-radio car does not make it an L88.

Some clues to identify a no-radio rear panel is to look on the underside to see if you can identify where the old material was gooped/slathered on. Most of the time, guys would use a putty knife to scrape-off the filler material leaving an outline in the blackout or undercoat over-spray. With the material removed, they could find the original hole, then drill a pilot hole in the correct spot. Also look under where the "slathering" would have been done - often you'll see a gob-o-goop that dripped down from the fill area. On my '70 ZR1, somebody added a factory style antennae using the above method, so the scrape marks and goop-gob are present. Note that the antennae did not have the ground plate attached either - but used factory routing through the rear bulkhead grommet for the cable.

Here's a photo of the re-drilled radio antennae hole on my car, as well as a shot from an un-drilled hole on a Pro-team owned car.





Also look at the radiator core support - the L88 supports differed from the standard big block units. Here's a link to an ebay auction for a support that has a good photo of one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Corvette-NOS-1969-L88-1970-ZR-1-1971-ZR-2-LS-6-1972-ZR1_W0QQitemZ310118748964QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?_trksid=p4506.m20.l1116#ht_500wt_1369

Finally - just curios what the date code is on the 456 posi rear? Should be: 2FC (date) W?

Looking fwd to your feedback...

Dan, the bottom picture looks like a big waste of mud,even back when GM had money, my L88 has a much smaller cleaner patch for the antenna hole, I'll take a picture, Tom

[Dan P.]

Re: How to tell if it's a real 68/69 L88?

Dan, the bottom picture looks like a big waste of mud,even back when GM had money, my L88 has a much smaller cleaner patch for the antenna hole, I'll take a picture, Tom

Tom -

I'd like to see a photo of your "patch" job for reference when I re-create the patch. Based on the smaller scraped-off area, I don't think my car had as gross of a job as the Proteam L88 pictured, but there is a good glob of filler under where they did the patch.

I've seen photos of patch jobs that look like a guy lowered some cardboard on a string or wire through the hole, then pulled it up as a backing for slathering the filler. Then the sting/wire must've been trimmed. Not sure what was the most effective/popular method. Anybody know? Photos?

Also, was there an antennae cable installed in your car? My car is a documented ZR1, but the cable looks like it could have been installed on the line. My car has the cable installed, and it's routed like the factory did it. Just curious if some non-radio cars were trimmed with antennae cables.

[Tom H.]

Re: How to tell if it's a real 68/69 L88?

Tom -

I'd like to see a photo of your "patch" job for reference when I re-create the patch. Based on the smaller scraped-off area, I don't think my car had as gross of a job as the Proteam L88 pictured, but there is a good glob of filler under where they did the patch.

I've seen photos of patch jobs that look like a guy lowered some cardboard on a string or wire through the hole, then pulled it up as a backing for slathering the filler. Then the sting/wire must've been trimmed. Not sure what was the most effective/popular method. Anybody know? Photos?

.

There is a picture of this "fill" on page 48 of MF Dobbin's book . The Fact Book of the 68 to 72 Stingray. My book is the third edition.

[Tom M.]

Re: How to tell if it's a real 68/69 L88?

There is a picture of this "fill" on page 48 of MF Dobbin's book . The Fact Book of the 68 to 72 Stingray. My book is the third edition.

Tom,
That is what my antenna fill hole looks like, same thing, also look at page 225 , it shows a top view, here is a picture of my original rear spring markings, "X" for HD suspension, and "HD" for L88 cars

[Tom H.]

Re: How to tell if it's a real 68/69 L88?

Hey Tom !

Nice well preserved markings on yours. I think I've told you before. Your car is my all time favorite Corvette. Awesome car !

[Tom M.]

Re: How to tell if it's a real 68/69 L88?

Hey Tom !

Nice well preserved markings on yours. I think I've told you before. Your car is my all time favorite Corvette. Awesome car !

Tom , Thanks for the kind words on my car, I have been collecting corvettes for 30 + years now, And have had some great cars along the way, I think i have found the best now , the color doesn't hurt
Here are the photos of my antenna filler mud job

regards Tom

[Tom M.]

Re: How to tell if it's a real 68/69 L88?

Checking the antennae hole from the under side is a good way to tell if it was a radio delete car - just note it being a non-radio car does not make it an L88.

Some clues to identify a no-radio rear panel is to look on the underside to see if you can identify where the old material was gooped/slathered on. Most of the time, guys would use a putty knife to scrape-off the filler material leaving an outline in the blackout or undercoat over-spray. With the material removed, they could find the original hole, then drill a pilot hole in the correct spot. Also look under where the "slathering" would have been done - often you'll see a gob-o-goop that dripped down from the fill area. On my '70 ZR1, somebody added a factory style antennae using the above method, so the scrape marks and goop-gob are present. Note that the antennae did not have the ground plate attached either - but used factory routing through the rear bulkhead grommet for the cable.

Here's a photo of the re-drilled radio antennae hole on my car, as well as a shot from an un-drilled hole on a Pro-team owned car.





Also look at the radiator core support - the L88 supports differed from the standard big block units. Here's a link to an ebay auction for a support that has a good photo of one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Corvette-NOS-1969-L88-1970-ZR-1-1971-ZR-2-LS-6-1972-ZR1_W0QQitemZ310118748964QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?_trksid=p4506.m20.l1116#ht_500wt_1369

Finally - just curios what the date code is on the 456 posi rear? Should be: 2FC (date) W?

Looking fwd to your feedback...

That might be a new quarter on that zr1 car ?? Also the core support is missing the new factory holes, should have 4 holes, 2 new holes for the HD radiator and hold down bracket