Duntov's 1968 L-88 test cars

[Art A.]

Re: Duntov's 1968 L-88 test cars

The testing on Engineering vehicles was done under TWOs ( Test Work Order).

Tom -

I spent several years at Chevrolet Engineering in the late 60's, and hit the Experimental Shop, Motor Room, Dyno Cells, Test Car Garage, and Design Mock-Up Room just about every day. Any similarity between most of the Experimental, Test, and Press cars in those days and any production cars or engines was purely coincidental; those cars and engines were built (and re-built many times) at Chevrolet Engineering, not at assembly plants, with many experimental and outside-purchased parts that never saw a part number for evaluation and test, and many of the cars didn't even have VIN numbers.

They were born from Design Work Orders and Build Work Orders, and many were further redesigned, altered, and rebuilt at the Proving Grounds as part of the test schedules. Anything and everything could have been done to them from week to week, and only the original internal paperwork and DWO/BWO supplements can tell those stories. There was virtually no connection between any of those activities and the world of daily design and production; trying to connect them 40 years later isn't going to happen.

Some of that stuff made it out the back door, and most didn't; today's regulatory and certification environment didn't exist back in the 60's.

[Thomas P.]

Re: Duntov's 1968 L-88 test cars

Joe,Art,

Your replies are most appreciated. As for the headlight panels,these were metal (aluminum?) panels, painted body color,that,after removal of the factory headlight assemblies,were fastened in place to seal the headlight opening. I would think the only reason to use these panels would be to save weight off the front end. I thought that maybe these panels were available to people using the cars competively then. As far as Test Work Orders(TWO's) is there any way to determine if a vehicle was involved with one one these? Did G.M keep a record of the vehicles this would apply to?

[Loren L.]

Re: Duntov's 1968 L-88 test cars

I wonder if there isn't something BASICALLY wrong with your scenario - that being sale to the press. First, it's a PR flop, because any stories involving GM would be tainted from that time on; second, how do you choose which member of the "press" gets the car and, third, WHY?
Tell us the source of basic theme - it sounds like one of the variations of "______joined the ______, right after placing his order for a ____, which finally arrived the day he was shipping out to _____. _____ was killed by an enemy flyswatter and his ____ never went out to the garage again until ______, the paper boy, threw the paper through the building window and discovered ____. He was able to buy the car for a week's free papers.".

[Art A.]

Re: Duntov's 1968 L-88 test cars

Tom, yes GM kept WO records, but they were strictly internal and MOST of the time did NOT identify the vehicles VIN number. The WO system did have an index however the headings were very general and also did not identify the vehicle. If you were an engineer working on a project under a WO you knew and kept track of the WO numbers and vehicles involved and those records were not retained as part of the WO system. So finding a specific vehicle

[Thomas P.]

Re: Duntov's 1968 L-88 test cars

Art,Loren

Art, thanks for the information. I will do some searching to see if I can find any such numbers. In the 29 years the car has been in my family (gave it to my oldest son few years ago) I have not done anything to the car other than replace the carb ( carb on car when aquired by 2nd owner was 3418 not the 4054(?) it should have been). I have never even dropped the tank although I have promised another member I'll try to do so this weekend. Maybe this will help solve the mystery. Now to Loren...I don't know that I'm interpreting your "smack" accurately but I'll try to reply to what I think you are trying to insinuate. What I've been attempting to do is answer some 40 year old questions that originated with the 2nd owner when he aquired it in Mar.1970. Although I've owned a number of corvettes , I really didn't know much about them. The informaton supplied by the members has been most appreciated.

[James G.]

Re: Duntov's 1968 L-88 test cars

Joe mentions "It was Clippinger Chevrolet in Covina, CA that did it for a customer that had his heart set on a 1969 LT-1."

I talk to BOB WINGATE monthly, who was the Performance Special Salesman at Clippinger at the time. If more info is needed, I can hook you up.

Also, GIB HUFFSTADER was the GM Engineer in charge of much of the L-88 program and cars. I have his number as well. He is not a computer guy, so no email.

I was gone from 6-14 thru 6-30, so sorry for the late post, but happy to help if I can.

[Thomas P.]

Re: Duntov's 1968 L-88 test cars

Jim

Thanks for the help. Another member had mentioned Gib Huffstader as being the best source of information about the L-88 program. If you are able to,it would be most appreciated if you could contact him and see if he had any knowledge about this car or be interested in discussing it. Not knowing him,I would think he might not have patience with all the questions that L-88 owner's would bother him with. I see Jim that you like corvette race cars. Have you ever seen one where a scatter shield sits inside the car attached to the transmission tunnel and cowl?

[James G.]

Re: Duntov's 1968 L-88 test cars

Call me Tom at 909-794-7905, and I will try and help you with what I know......and people contacts. You must remember, these L-88's were race cars, and the first thing touched was the engine and driveline to make them faster.

Dick Guldstrand has a lot of history also of these cars and time period. After all, he prepared the 68 L-88's for Jim Garner, and was very close to the racing program with the Penske 66 Daytona car (L-88 powered) he raced with Winterstein and Moore Feb 66, and the Grand Sport #001, also L-88 powered that he and Dr. Dick Thompson raced at Sebring March 66. I know him well and he is always happy to share what he can remember.