67 L-88

[Bill M.]

Re: 67 L-88

As Phil knows i blew my chance years ago to own a Tanker. But someday before i die i will have one. I became fascinated with them in 78 when i read anticle in Vette magazine there was a picture of a kid pumping gas into a black coupe and then looking under the car to see where all of the gas was going. the writer said that tankers were worth $1200 over regular corevette price.Oh the agony of poverty.
Bill

[Patrick T.]

Re: 67 L-88

Ten years ago at Carlisle, I saw a red/black '67 L-88 that was clearly marked as a clone. It was drop dead gorgeous. It had a '68 IT engine, the correct air cleaner, etc. He wanted $70K at the time, what a bargain that would be now. PT

[Michael H.]

Re: 67 L-88

a kid pumping gas into a black coupe and then looking under the car to see where all of the gas was going.

I had the exact same experience in about 1990. Driving the 63 N03/C60 car through Tennessee, I stopped at a station and pumped about 31 gallons onto it. The guy at the register was pretty amazed and the guy behind me in line was a bit curious too.

[Bill M.]

Re: 67 L-88

in 1994 i went to proteam to look at a yellow 66 tanker it looked right but was a basket case. it was yellow with a big block out of car.phil had given me a list of what to look for. after looking at car i decided that i could not afford the 40K for car plus restoration. anyone know what happened to car?

[John H.]

Re: 67 L-88

In 1971 or so I found a '65 tanker buried in the snow in the back row of a used car lot in Sharon, Pennsylvania; kinda rough, repainted the wrong color, but it was all there, and was an L-76 with A/C, leather, and tele column.

I spent a couple of years restoring it, painted it the correct Glen Green, and sold it on its first day out at our annual Mahoning Valley Corvette Club parade and show to a guy in bib overalls with a huge roll of $100 bills. I think it was in the Denver area 10-15 years ago.

[Wayne M.]

Re: 67 L-88

in 1994 i went to proteam to look at a yellow 66 tanker it looked right but was a basket case. it was yellow with a big block out of car.phil had given me a list of what to look for. after looking at car i decided that i could not afford the 40K for car plus restoration. anyone know what happened to car?

Bill -- that may well be the car I show in the 2nd thumbnail above, at Bloomington, in 1988.

Terry M. was way out ahead on the N03 curve. This ad below is from the 1977-8 period. He always had a few in stock back then. For some reason the C2 "big tank" phenomenon never caught fire, like (say) L88s or any of the hi-horse '67s. Notice the '66 maroon / tan -- that car was stolen from a later owner and, I believe, never found -- how do you hide something like that ?

The article you refer to was in Sept/Oct issue of "Vette" (I still have it). Written by Mike Coleman, who worked for Terry, going into detail on the 36 gal inventory of T.Michaelis Corvette Supplies. So he was a promoter, even back then .

Also check '62 serial # 00001 FI car. It burned to the ground sometime later.

[Philip C.]

Re: 67 L-88

Phil------


GM had the 36 gallon tank, GM #3840345, available in SERVICE until June, 1970. At that time it was replaced, for SERVICE, by the 20 gallon tank.

It may be, though, that they had to reserve a certain number of tanks for SERVICE to honor warranty claims, crash damage, etc.

Hi Joe, the company that made the 36 gal tanks for GM made one run of them in 1962. The number I heard was between 300 to 400. They built about 250 cars 63-67.They needed service ones, they had a prolbem with leakers we heard from some of the people that had them. I know of one brand new 66 that the owner asked the dealer to remove it and install the 20 gal tank because of lost of space. Phil 8063

[Bill M.]

Re: 67 L-88

Wayne

Thanks for the info. i still have the Vette magazine with the articl as well. i stopped my subscription years ago when vette went to hot rod for me. that may very well be the car

[Joe L.]

Re: 67 L-88

Hi Joe, the company that made the 36 gal tanks for GM made one run of them in 1962. The number I heard was between 300 to 400. They built about 250 cars 63-67.They needed service ones, they had a prolbem with leakers we heard from some of the people that had them. I know of one brand new 66 that the owner asked the dealer to remove it and install the 20 gal tank because of lost of space. Phil 8063

Phil-----


That would not surprise me, at all. For a piece like this, the practicality of continuing manufacture would definitely seem very low. At the beginning, there were probably a certain number of these tanks that went into SERVICE inventory and those were likely the ones being sold until the last one went out the door in June, 1970. GM might have been prepared to have the manufacturer produce more IF the SERVICE inventory ran out before all warranty requirements or SERVICE parts availability requirements were met. However, by 1970 I think that would all have been over-and-done with.

I wonder if the tooling for the tanks survives somewhere?

[Wayne M.]

Re: 67 L-88

.... the company that made the 36 gal tanks for GM made one run of them in 1962. The number I heard was between 300 to 400. They built about 250 cars 63-67.They needed service ones, they had a prolbem with leakers we heard from some of the people that had them..

Phil -- this may be, but prior to installation over the next 4 years, they were pressure tested with a crayon date and the initials of the tester. The dates precede the car build dates by the expected period. Then there's always those 2nd design tank covers with the pointy nose (maybe they ran out of original covers before the tanks, so they ran another batch ).

....I know of one brand new 66 that the owner asked the dealer to remove it and install the 20 gal tank because of lost of space. Phil 8063

Marysville California dealer, Daoust Chevrolet. Female owner lived in Sacramento (I have her name) Car was Laguna on blue /white interior; 300 hp automatic, C60. The story is that she had it converted to regular 20 gal. before she would take delivery.

[Michael H.]

Re: 67 L-88

prior to installation over the next 4 years, they were pressure tested with a crayon date and the initials of the tester. The dates precede the car build dates by the expected period. Then there's always those 2nd design tank covers with the pointy nose (maybe they ran out of original covers before the tanks, so they ran another batch ).

Many tanks were pressure tested and ok'd by a guy named "Varga". That name appears on several tanks. I still don't know if that test was performed at the source of the tank or at the St Louis plant.
I know all tanks were tested at the St Louis plant in later years but I don't know when that process started.

The 2nd design tank cover was used for mid 66 through the end of 67 production. Supposedly, part of the change had to do with the new shoulder belt option introduced in mid 66 production.

There was also an early/1st design (and different part number) for the tank for early 63. I think the original part number/design was used for at least the first four or five months of 63 production.

[Philip C.]

Re: 67 L-88

Phil -- this may be, but prior to installation over the next 4 years, they were pressure tested with a crayon date and the initials of the tester. The dates precede the car build dates by the expected period. Then there's always those 2nd design tank covers with the pointy nose (maybe they ran out of original covers before the tanks, so they ran another batch ).




Marysville California dealer, Daoust Chevrolet. Female owner lived in Sacramento (I have her name) Car was Laguna on blue /white interior; 300 hp automatic, C60. The story is that she had it converted to regular 20 gal. before she would take delivery.

Thats the one, her name was Judy, right? Phil 8063

[Wayne M.]

Re: 67 L-88

There was a red L-88 going around a couple of years ago, it was a real late car and not a real L-88, the tank opp. was deleted around the 4,000 vin. so no L-88 cars could have a 36 gallon tank factory installed. True Richard Cohen from LICS ownes the white car, I have not seen the other, have heard stories though, Phil 8063

Phil -- Correct; her name was Judy D. (got the info from Raymond Goyenchea).

Talking about potentially fake '67 L88 tankers, take a look at my post # 9 in the following thread: (I'm too lazy to re-type)
https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...58346&uid=8199

[Gary C.]

Re: 67 L-88

Have scanned a copy of the 63 Fastener Bible which believe came from Country Corvettes. Gary....