67 L89 aluminium heads

[Ridge K.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Hello Alan,

Interesting car you have coming to you. I own a marina blue L68 '67 myself.

Here's a listing of '67 big block production numbers that most of my fellow '67 friends seem to agree as accurate:

L36 427ci 390hp Engine 3,832
L68 427ci 400hp Engine 2,101
L71 427ci 435hp Engine 3,754
L79 327ci 350hp Engine 6,375
L88 427ci 430hp Engine 20
L89 Aluminum Cylinder Heads For L71 16

as you can see, the rare L89 aluminum head option is listed as 16 units.
I'm sure your have some more excellent tips coming in. Ridge

[Alan D.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Thanks Ridge
Cheers

Alan

[Robert G.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

My notes show that car being listed on ebay around 8 October 2009 as a 427/435. I may have written it down wrong, but I also probably would have made a note of someone claiming it to be an l89. I also don't have any photos of it, so either there weren't any shown that were of any value in determining what the car was, or the photos were watermarked and could not be saved. I hope you got a real one and I recorded the information wrong.

[John H.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Why do you say that John? Cheers
Alan

Alan -

Because those heads weren't cast until well after the engine was built and shipped to St. Louis on January 10th. The car was built on February 17th (give or take a day or two).

[Tom M.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Why do you say that John? Cheers
Alan

Alan, It could be that the original owner wanted the L89 heads on his 435 after he bought the car new ? and had the dealer install them as a up-grade for him ??

As John said The L89 heads you have didn't come on that car as new , No chance.
regards Tom

[Alan D.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Tom, I dont think that would have worked because the engine build number has the "IU" suffix which is only for L89 aluminium head motors. Cheers

Alan

[Joe L.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Tom, I dont think that would have worked because the engine build number has the "IU" suffix which is only for L89 aluminium head motors. Cheers

Alan

Alan------


Yes, the engine suffix code indicates that the engine was originally an L-89. So, I see only two possibilities:

1) BOTH cylinder heads were replaced within a relatively short period of time after the car was delivered. This could have been up to about a year, or so, since heads drawn out of SERVICE inventory within that period could have had the dates you've found on yours;

2) The "IU" stamping is not original or legitimate.

I consider scenario (1) to be highly unlikely. Even if a cylinder head had failed, there is no way that the dealer would have replaced BOTH heads. The possibility that both heads would have failed in connection with an engine failure that did not destroy the bottom end and/or the block is HIGHLY unlikely.

With a car like this, documentation is EVERYTHING. Even if all the numbers "line up", documentation is still EVERYTHING. And, in this case, all the numbers do not "line up".

[Michael F.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Alan, hope someone didn't sting you. How do you know the "IU" is real and not a restamp? Best of luck to you on this.

[Tom M.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Alan, hope someone didn't sting you. How do you know the "IU" is real and not a restamp? Best of luck to you on this.

Paper work, Owner history , paper work OWNER HISTORY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You need BOTH on a high dollar car

[Jean C.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Do we have an approximation of how many of the original 16 (a Corvette Black Book number) '67 L89's reported to have been built are accounted for?

How many of the original 20 '67 L88's as reported built in the Corvette Black Book are known to survive?

I refer to documented original cars, so the usual "150 of each" is not a good answer.
Best regards,

[James G.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Since 1985 Drew Papsun, and many others have tried to document the twenty 1967 L-88's and sixteen L-89'S.

My list OF L-89's has 12 vin numbers of the 16 original cars. The first car is vin #101xx, the last is vin #229xx. I am sorry to say vin #11181 does NOT appear on the list.
Now that does not mean your car is not a L-89. It just means that it has never been identified as a L-89 over the years.

As said above, DOCUMENTATION is most important. And ownership history needs to be researched to authenticate.

These cars all were produced with a MSO (Manfacture certificate of orgin) which is the real birth certificate and then had a build slip on the gas tank (tank sticker), a window sticker (and the dealer got copies of same) a shipper invoice for the trucking company, a Warrantee booklet or Protecto Plate for the dealer to provide service warantee work when the car was new.

Hopefully, you have these documents. If not, the "AUTO APPRAISAL GROUP" , whoever they are, did you a big time dis-service recomending this car as a L-89.

[Steven B.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Alan, can you post pics of the stamping and broach marks and any documentation, including documentation why the appraiser(s) say it came with al. heads? Have you pulled carpet and looked in other areas for any docs., etc.?

Good Luck!

Steve

[Alan D.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

Alan, can you post pics of the stamping and broach marks and any documentation, including documentation why the appraiser(s) say it came with al. heads? Have you pulled carpet and looked in other areas for any docs., etc.?

Good Luck!

Steve

Hi Steve
I Dont have the car as yet. It is being shipped to me here in Australia.
I have some relevant pics but dont seem to be able to attach them to this message.

[Alan D.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

049-1967_corvette build date_072.jpg
Hi Steven
I think I have managed to download the photos. In case they are not clear the vin # is 1943775S111181, engine build date is T0110IU and the number in the top left hand corner of the trim tag is G17.049-1967_corvette build date_072.jpg

1967 corvette 086 trim tag2.jpg

DSC_0224 corvette build date3.JPG

DSC_0201 vin number .JPG

[Robert G.]

Re: 67 L89 aluminium heads

The date on the engine pad fits in with what you would expect, according to my database . The body number also lines up perfectly as does the G17 date. I will leave it up to the experts to comment on the engine pad surface.