67 L89 aluminium heads

[Alan D.]

I have an 67 L89 Vette with aluminium heads.
The engine build date is January 10th 1976 yet the aluminium heads fitted to this engine were cast on 20th April 1967 & February 14th 1967, being some time after the engine build date. Is this possible that these are the original heads fitted to this car or are they more likely to be non original heads obtained at a later date?

[Joe R.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

I have an 67 L89 Vette with aluminium heads.
The engine build date is January 10th 1976 yet the aluminium heads fitted to this engine were cast on 20th April 1967 & February 14th 1967, being some time after the engine build date. Is this possible that these are the original heads fitted to this car or are they more likely to be non original heads obtained at a later date?

Alan,

Did you mean to say that the engine build date was 1/10/67? I think the heads have been replaced.

Joe

[Alan D.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Sorry for typing error. Yes, build date was 10th January 1967. I had heard that GM somtimes did unusual things with these rare heads but it does sound fishy.

[Steven B.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

What is the assembly date of the car?

[Wayne M.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

I have an 67 L89 Vette ......
The engine build date is January 10th 1976 yet the aluminium heads fitted to this engine were cast on 20th April 1967 & February 14th 1967 ....

Alan -- per Chevrolet documents, the L89 option was not released for dealer ordering until March 16th 1967. (Chevrolet-Mailgram and Denver Zone Distribution Newsletter) -- reprinted in Vette Vues Magazine, Oct '92.

Out of curiosity, does your February "392" aluminum head have NO provision for the temperature sender, and does your later April head have the hole, or the boss for tapping the hole ? Per Roger Gibson article in Corvette Restorer, Summer 1991.

[John H.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

I have an 67 L89 Vette with aluminium heads.
The engine build date is January 10th 1976 (1967) yet the aluminium heads fitted to this engine were cast on 20th April 1967 & February 14th 1967, being some time after the engine build date. Is this possible that these are the original heads fitted to this car or are they more likely to be non original heads obtained at a later date?

Alan -

Those heads aren't original to that engine.

[Alan D.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

car's sequencial number is 11181 which indicates that assembly commenced during January 67

[Alan D.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Hi Wayne, Thats interesting as it would then appear to be more likely that the heads for the L89 were made later. Possibly the engine was assembled in the normal manner and then the heads changed at a later date. When the engine block was cast on 31st October 1966 it was however, already then intended for aluminium heads as it has the "IU" suffix

I cannot tell if the temperature boss is present as at this stage I only have photos of the heads from the top and photos of the build dates. The car is presently on the water enroute to Australia where I reside so I cannot simply go and have a look......Thanks

[Alan D.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Why do you say that John? Cheers
Alan

[Gary C.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

I think you will find a 67 with that sequence number would have left the factory in Feb and the car would have been on the assembly line but a couple of work days. By this point in production the production rate was really ramped up and components are typically dated pretty tightly about that time frame, but whose to say how that might or might not apply to such a low volume engine like the L89. Obviously heads dated after the car was produced could not have been installed during the factory assembly.

[Alan D.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Hi Gary, my sequencial number was 11181 so it would seem as if the car build was commenced Feb 67. I agree that with such a low production of this engine things probably did not go like clockwork...Cheers, Alan

[Rich P.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Alan,

your best case senario is the heads were replaced under warentee. What do you have for documentation?? And how bout some details on the car!!! L-89's are quite rare and most are well known.

Rich

[Jean C.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Alan,
I just gotta ask. Is your '67 represented to be one of the 16 cars produced in that model year with the L89 option?
Best regards,

[Alan D.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Alan,

your best case senario is the heads were replaced under warentee. What do you have for documentation?? And how bout some details on the car!!! L-89's are quite rare and most are well known.

Rich

Hi Rich, I am new to this? I have checked the numbers and and have also had Auto Appraisal Group check the car out for me before they shipped it to me in Australia. The numbers seem to match all the way down the line but I do not have any documentation to confirm anything. The engine build date has a legitiamate "IU" suffix which indicates L89. AAG suggested that with these ally heads being so rare that their could be many strange reasons for the dates of the heads being out of sinc. What other details on the car can I send you.

Cheers

Alan

[Alan D.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Hi Charlie, Yes it was represented to be a L89 with only 16 being made.