Hello, I'm new to the Club and this is my First Post. I have recently Picked up a 69 Convert and it appers to be a Radio and Heater Delete Car. It shows some promise of being an L-88. The Car has been Customised in the early 80's and not driven since. My question is how do I tell this is an original Heater Delete Car? As the Car was Customised and no attempt was made to be original I don't know why they would remove the Heater just for the Fun of it. The Firewall has no Cut out where the Heater Core Should be but it dose have the Hole for the Fan Motor. The Firewall has been Painted and could cover up Body Work but a Magnet dosn't find any Sheet Metal Work. Anybody have a Heater Delete Car out there? I can't find a Picture of one in any Book. What should be in the Heater Control Cutout in the Console?   Thanx.....Richard.....

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My Car...PIC 1     PIC 2

A "heater delete" car would still have the ventalation system, just not a heater core, and the associated plumbing.
There are several things that were unique to the L88 cars, such as the H/D brakes, M22 trans, transistor ign., no shroud, dist.,etc. With a little time, & detective work, you can find out for sure!!

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

It might be a little tough on a heavily modified car. Also look for the 7 leaf rear spring, high rpm tach, larger diameter front sway bar 15/16ths I think. Cast caps on the half shafts at the pumpkin are usually overlokked.

The 400 automatic could be had in 69 only, but there were only 17 of 116 with it.

Other than the absence of the heater core, what else are you seeing that could make it an L 88? We're all on the edges of our seats with this one!

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Assuming that the original motor is out of the car............

If you can, try to move the rubber boot around the gas neck and try to see if the build sheet is still on the driver's side of the gas tank.

If it's there, you'll have your proof.

 

Good luck,

Anthony

I owned two L88's.  I bought a 68 and 69 new. I also bought a 69 ZL1 new which I still have.  There was no heater delete after the 1967 model year thanks to government regs. The regulation required that the cars had a defroster, hence a heater.  There was a radio delete in 68 and 69.

John 73

Glad you caught that, John!! Looks like someone just removed the core somewhere down the line on Richard's car. Could still be an L88 tho? Maybe? Hope so!!!!

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

Thanx for the info on this one, sorry its taken a bit for a reply I didn't know that there would be this much interest. Sounds like everybody would like to here more about the Car so here it is: Its a 69 Convert that looks to be Hard Top only, Its Radio Delete and has the Plate in the Dash and there is no Antenna Cable. The Hole for the Antenna is there and has been covered over but I saw a Picture of a L 88 Car and thats how that one was to. The Console has the L 88 Tag on it and its just as beat up as the rest of the Interior. It has the right Tach. The Car has an L 88 Engine in it. F-41 Rear Spring.The car has the Big Block Fuel Line with return indicating its a 400-430-435HP  This all Sounds good but from here things go down hill in a Hurry. The Car hasn't any original Running Gear. The Body is a March and the Block is a June. It has the second design 074 Heads. The Fuel Tank has been replaced and No I havn't looked to see if someone transfered the Tank Sticker. I doubt it. M 21 Trans and its not the Vin Serial Number. Same for the Rear End. The Car has aftermarket Sway Bars front and Rear. No it dose not have the J-56 Brakes up front but once again the Calipers are not original and are Stainless Sleaved Core exchanges. The Radiator and the Support are not original and are not L 88.  I have considerd Building Restoring a Cloned L 88 or ZL-1 for Years however I'd prefer doing a '70 ZL\1 or what ever it was suposed to be called. If I go ahead and restore this Car as a Cloned L 88 thats OK I just don't want to allways wonder if its a real one that I'm Cloning. As a Clone this Car is a Very Good Start as it hasn't any Rust and someone has allready had the Body off the Frame and Painted it, besides its allready got the L 88. Who ever did all this Work did it at least 20 Years ago and there was no attempt to Keep it Stock.More like a Full Blown Custom from one end to another that has never been driven since. Wich makes one wonder why go to the trouble of removing the Heater Core and Radio just to have a Custom Car with less Options.  Were L 88's built in Batch's on certain Dates as were the  63 Zo6's ?  Do we know for sure that there were no Heater Delete Cars in 69? Do all 69 Big Block Cars use the same Radiator Support or do L 88's use there own as do 68's. Any more L 88 only idems that I'm not looking for? Thanx Much...Richard...

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My Car...PIC 1     PIC 2

Richard, I would suggest you go to the NCRS Discussion forum, set up a profile for yourself, and post a few questions to the guys there about the legitimacy of your '69. There are many L88 owners there, for all three years, that can give you more concrete answers about the L88s. You do not have to be a member of NCRS to join in there.



Not that I would advocate some-one going to another forum than C3VR, but I do visit there every now and then, and some of the stuff is really interesting, and informative! Besides...inquiring minds want to know!

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Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    
My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

I may have to recheck, but the return fuel line is not 435. My car was pretty much all there when I bought it years ago, tank sticker and all. Just one fuel line, no return line. Mine's a 435.

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 Yes I had it backwards,as per the "Corvette Restoration Guide" Page 64 all Cars except L 88,L 89,L71,or ZL/1 have two Fuel Lines.....Richard....

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My Car...PIC 1     PIC 2

Which is yours then? If you have both lines, it's a small block car.

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Well my Car has Two Fuel Lines indicating that it had the 390 HP Big Block if any Big Block at all. However once again the Fuel Lines don't look the Age of the Car indicating they have been Changed, remember this Body was off the Frame some Twenty + Years ago and most likely was replaced then. In an Era when correct Parts were hard to come by and nobody cared what Fuel Line a Custom Car Had. If I was to Guess what Life this Car has Had I'd say that it was a Low Option Car that was Road Raced from New and they Broke most every Driveline Part along the way. Interesting every Driveline Part is a 69 Corvette just not from this Car! Somewhere along the Line the Car was Retiered from racing and somebody made a Custom Street Car out of what was left. I'd say in between many Motor Changes in the early Life of this car is when the Heater Deleted it self. Richard....

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My Car...PIC 1     PIC 2