1971 LT1 originality verification - need opinions
I purchased what I beleive to be a 71 lt-1 convertible approx. 2 years ago. The car had no paperwork when I purchased it. I am doing a body off restoration and am way past the value of the car in terms of $ paid for the car and spent on the restoration, so to make sure I won't lose $ I have decided to keep the car until I die - then my wife or kids can lose $ and it won't bother me much at that time. That being said I would still like to know for sure whether the car is an LT-1 so I can have it judged one day in the future. In my current restoration I am using a crate motor in order to preserve what I think is the original. I recently went on autoancestry.com and Mr. Gould has helped me locate a previous owner who has an interesting story about the car back to about 95. (Was the value difference between lt1 and non-lt1 in 95 worth the expense to fake it?) The problem is when his dad bought the car at a police auction in Vegas it was brown(I do not believe brown was an option in 1971). I have noted a few places with a dull brown paint, but assumed that was some type of primer. The trim tag says the car should be red and that is the color this guy painted it after he bought it. The transmission was missing, and his father put in a BW Super T10 from a later corvette. The center dash/gauge bezel was also missing which he replaced along with the radio(from a 74 corvette - probably same car he got the bezel from since there was no seat belt warning push button. When I purchased the car it had the following lt-1 items: matching number CGZ pad (I hope - see pics), ti amplifier (currently off the car for restoration - see pics of holes in fender), single fuel line, 2 1/2" exhaust bracket below transmission, Heavy Duty u-joint straps on driveshaft and half-shafts, 6500rpm redline tach, lt-1 style air dam on copper radiator style core support which appears to be original due to rust at bottom (car had very little rust other than small amounts of surface rust - other areas rusted were #4 body mounts and front of body mount support channel behind front passngr wheel), and an lt-1 style hood. Missing were the original carb, AIR system, and ti distributor. I've included a few pics below which I would like some opinions on, especially the rivets on the trim tag - these look too new to me, seems like they should be dirty inside or something. Also the engine has been rebuilt once - it still had the push rod guide plates on it but the solid lifters had been replaced with hydraulic. You'll notice the marks from decking the block but the gentleman who disassembled the engine for me said it looks like they may have decked it on an angle to preserve the pad. I don't know enough to know if that is even possible? The prior owner said he still has a file if he can find it, and he thinks it may contain a partial build sheet, but I'm not real hopeful due the fact that the tank sticker was a brown dirt mush when I removed the body. Anyway thats where I'm at - please make any comments or ask any questions and don't worry about sparing my feelings - it is what it is.
-
-
Re: 1971 LT1 originality verification - need opinions
Cleet,
Sure appears to me that is what you've bought. The font and pad surface where the original broach marks can be seen look correct. The triangular pattern for the TI amplifier is proper for a small block installation. Hopefully a previous owner will send you factory paperwork should he find it. -
Re: 1971 LT1 originality verification - need opinions
Thanks Warren, I'm still not sure exactly what a broach mark is - but I certainly am happy that you feel they are there and look good.Comment
-
Re: 1971 LT1 originality verification - need opinions
The engine is the "real deal". Dated Feb 3 in a Feb 22 body. Your vin number better be #10256 (last 5 digits)
Yes the block was decked, but they were smart enoght to try and save all the numbers, which they did.
The black book does not show K66 Transistor ignition after 1969. Doesn't mean they did not have it.
Now, here is the exciting part. In 1971, they made a ZR-1 SPECIAL PURPOSE LT-1 PACKAGE. It included the LT-1 engine, M22 'ROCK CRUSHER' TRANSMISSION, HEAVY DUTY POWER BRAKES (I think with duel pin calipers ala J56 STYLE FROM 1966-69) ,Special alluminum radiator, special springs front and rear, special shocks, special front and rear stabilizer bars, and also METAL FAN SHROUD.
The cars could not be ordered with power windows, rear window defogger, air conditioning, power steering, delux wheel covers, alarm system, and NO RADIO. So if your car has any of these options, then it WAS NOT a ZR-1.
ONLY 8, YES EIGHT, ZR-1 CARS WERE BUILT. AND HOW MANY WERE RED, BLACK CONVERTIBLES.
That is another interesting item. Trim code 403 is BLACK LEATHER for a 1970 Corvette. 402 was the 1971 tag code for the same black leather.
Do me a favor, and look at the bottom of the differential and tell me what the codes are. With the car in the air, you will see the rectangle brace with 4 bolts on the bottom of the differential. Just in front of that bracket on the casting of the diff itself, there will be letter and date codes that are hard to read, but if you get it clean they will appear. Those differential numbers will help.
Also with effort, we can identify the springs. These items are never changed unless they break, or the car is raced.
ZR-1's were Zora's last effort for a solid lifter small block to road race and have fun. And the owners who have the few that are out there will welcome you with open arms.
You may have found the motherload of Corvette rarety here.Last edited by James G.; May 2, 2009, 05:19 PM.Over 80 Corvettes of fun ! Love Rochester Fuel Injection 57-65 cars. Love CORVETTE RACE CARS
Co-Founder REGISTRY OF CORVETTE RACE CARS.COMComment
-
Re: 1971 LT1 originality verification - need opinions
A clarification on ZR1 suffix codes:
CGZ was the suffix for the "Standard" LT1 in '71. CGY was the ZR1 suffix used that year. In '72 they used CKZ to denote ZR1.
Sounds (and looks) like this car was a "standard" LT1. An awesome car regardless!Comment
-
Re: 1971 LT1 originality verification - need opinions
Jim--
LT-1 was CGZ, ZR-1 was CGY.
All 70 and 71's had TI ignition--
This could very well be aN LT-1, but I don't see it being a ZR-1.
MikeComment
-
Re: 1971 LT1 originality verification - need opinions
Thanks for the vote of confidence guys - i feel better about the lt-1 part but still a little rattled about the brown paint - does anyone have any thoughts on the trim tag? i'm fixing to go out and see if i can find any paint below the brown??? i did notice a different shade of red with a lot of orange peel under the door sills.Comment
-
Over 80 Corvettes of fun ! Love Rochester Fuel Injection 57-65 cars. Love CORVETTE RACE CARS
Co-Founder REGISTRY OF CORVETTE RACE CARS.COMComment
-
Re: 1971 LT1 originality verification - need opinions
The only brown paint i could find was close to the trim tag where the dash would have protected prior paint jobs and underneath the rocker arms. It was very sloppy under the rocker arms so i chipped a few layers back and found some type of metallic red or maroon w/ flakes below the brown, then a layer of metallic silver w/ flakes below that, obviously neither were orig color options. I also bent the trim tag back and noticed that the top layer of red (2005) was behind the tag which means my suspicions about the rivets were well founded. Now the question is whether or not the trim tag is real?Comment
-
Re: 1971 LT1 originality verification - need opinions
cleet, see if you could peek under the trim tag for the color. you can just slightly pry a bit, If the tag was never removed the real color will be there.Comment
Comment