Unique identifying tell tale signs of an L-88?

[Warren F.]

I have an opportunity this weekend to purchase a '69 L-88 convertible. I have the serial # if anyone knows who has kept registries on these cars. I am no expert on L-88's, although I know most of the common things to look for. This car from what I was told and have seen pictures e-mailed to me, appears to be legitimate. As of this time I believe there is no paperwork, it was purchased about 20 yrs ago for 46K down at Pomona. This convertible has some interesting options and possibly someone will recognize it or could tell me if it is legitimate. Thanks, Warren

[Patrick H.]

Re: Unique identifying tell tale signs of an L-88?

Interesting options?
Just make sure it's not the black one with a tan interior that is a fake. It's been peddled on and off the last few years.

Patrick

[Joe L.]

Re: Unique identifying tell tale signs of an L-88?

Warren------

Very simple. For a car purported to be an L-88, it's authentic if it has INCONTROVERTABLE ORIGINAL PAPERWORK establishing its original equipment. If it doesn't have such documentation, then it's not.

[Warren F.]

Re: Unique identifying tell tale signs of an L-88?

Patrick:

Thanks for the information. This car shows tilt/tele, speeminder, side exhaust. Fathom green, but now black. Black vinyl interior.

[Warren F.]

Re: Unique identifying tell tale signs of an L-88?

Joe:

Joe, of course your logic is sound as usual. I looked long and hard for my LS-6, which has an abundance of factory and dealership paperwork. When I purchased it 5 years ago for 45K, I figured I paid for the paperwork and the car was free!

However, at the current prices of L-88 convertibles, this car is under valued for this sale by quite a bit. I would probably kick myself for passing up a chance to own a legitimate one, simply because there is no paper documentation available at this present time. I would rather have some kind of paperwork, but then I would think that the price of this car would be much higher.

If some of the L-88 owners here would like to e-mail me, I would be appreciative. Maybe they would recognize or know of this car, with the options it has.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Unique identifying tell tale signs of an L-88?

Warren,

What is the VIN approximately? Round off if you like.

Better yet, photograph the pad and post it here.

Patrick

[Drew P.]

Re: Unique identifying tell tale signs of an L-88?

Hello Warren,
I have been doing research on these Corvettes for many years. What is the engine type open or close chamber heads? What transmission M-22 or M-40?
Regards,
Drew Papsun

[mike cobine]

It always amazes me how cars have so much paper

Through the '60s and '70s, they were just cars to many owners. Granted, they were Corvettes and special to anyone with a real heartbeat, but still they were bought, sold, traded, and usually the only paper going was a title and a handful of receipts from the local dealer or parts store.

Yet 30 years later, they often have a book or two full of documentation. Doesn't that strike anyone as strange?

A friend had a '69 435 hp in '78. Real car. He bought it from his high school teacher who bought it when it was just a few months old. The teacher had changed the tripower to a four barrel because of keeping the tripower running, but he saved every part.

But the only paperwork was the title, registrations for several years, and some dealer work receipts.

Another friend bought a '64 convertible in '67. The original owner handed him a box of paperwork on the car, told him to hang on to this, it would be important. My friend thought he was a nut, almost tossed it a couple of times, but ten years later when restorations were really going, was glad he had it. Still, the orignal owner was the oddball, having saved all that original paperwork. My friend was also, in his own way, for keeping it. They were definitely in the minority.

Yet today, it seems a lot of cars have it.

[Warren F.]

Re: It always amazes me how cars have so much pape

Mike:

I agree with your examples, I also find it a bit strange, that so many cars have a lot of paperwork. Most cars I look at, whether they are cars sold by collector/dealers or private owners, when I ask is there any documentation to show that the car came the way it's being presented; I usually get the response, "oh yeah, I got a binder full". Well most of the time it's full of meaningness paper (at least to me), it's pretty rare that you get the "good paperwork" ie: window sticker, protect-o-plate/pamphlet, dealer sales invoice, 'tank sheet', etcetera.

Of course now, collectors are annoyed with all the made up paper that is showing up, however it's pretty easy to nail these forgeries, if your astute enough, I haven't had any problems yet, identifying made up documentation, however for the uninformed it could be an issue.

[Paul Reynolds]

Re: It always amazes me how cars have so much pape

Call me anal, but I have kept every piece of paperwork for every car & truck I've owned. When I sold the vehicles or traded them in, all the paper went with them. It was probably all thrown away by the new owner or car dealer at that point, but at least I provided it.

[Warren F.]

Re: It always amazes me how cars have so much pape

Paul:

Nothing wrong with that. It's those types of owners, of rare and desireable musclecars I would really like to find!

[mike cobine]

Re: It always amazes me how cars have so much pape

Agreed, I didn't want to imply there was something wrong with it. I remember my dad and others always wanting to see the paperwork on a used car as that indicated the previous owner cared about the car.

I was just pointing out though that few did keep it. Those that did were a small minority. And I think to expect a car to have it 30 and 40 years later, when most didn't at 2 years, is a bit extreme.

The problem here is like in most things related to Corvette - too much money changing hands. When that happens, things suddenly are "found".

And because of that, people are leery of paperwork, and even more leery of ones without paperwork.

[Roy B.]

Re: It always amazes me how cars have so much pape

Wait a minute!!you can get and buy ,most any part,ID tags, Trim tags, window stickers,tank stickers,add broach marks,match paint,get any paper work needed to verified any thing, then using and adding these things , you can often top flight ,Bloomington gold and get many other awards. So having a stack of paper work should be NO surprise at all.
I've seen many Corvettes having all the rare sh*t in the world on it and having all the paper work in the world too and wouldn't wont it for those Big-a-Bucks some pay , because of many NOT ALL (OK) guys (fakes-Repro's or what ever you call it out there). I look at C1 base Corvettes and C2 SB Corvettes because who would bow-gee them? there cheap , fun and still a Corvette.
Now I don't really need a chewing out by some, you play your game and I'll play mine.
I'm not talking to YOU YOU YOU OR YOU ,and I know I'm not the only one that thinks this way. This is like talking politics %50 hate you and rest????

[mike cobine]

Re: It always amazes me how cars have so much pape

I guess what amazes me more, Roy, is that so many play "the game". Or maybe it doesn't, since "the game" is really about money and not about Corvettes. Does a $175,000 big block run better and ride better than a $50,000 one?

Look at Joe Lucia as an example. He just finished is ZL1. To buy a real one is more money than all of us put together have, or maybe leaving Patrick and Geoffrey out. You could build one reasonably until the insanity of a year or two ago.

Let's use an L88. A '68 or '69 probably falls about $200 - $250,000 now or maybe more. But a NOM big block car would run you $15,000 to $25,000 depending on what it has and how nice. $6000 more and you can build your own L88 engine, or a close enough version. Add a few thousand more for other items. Basically, add $10,000 to $15,000 and have an L88 clone. Only a handful care if it is real or not. It will run better, simply because you can drive it and no one drives a real L88 anywhere today.

So why don't more play this aspect of the game? Why pay $250,000 for a car you can clone for $40,000? I guess if you'd pay $25,000 extra because of 7 or 8 stamped numbers, then this seems reasonable.

Why pay $60,000 for one with a 20 year old certificate when you can buy one that looks just like it mostly for $40,000 or less?

I guess it is like the "rare", "survivor" base engine, automatic car. Why is this rare? Of course it survived, who beat the daylights out of a base engine automatic? Oh yeah, everyone dreamed of getting one of those to drag from every stoplight in town. It was the hot ones that were run into the ground, stripped of the engines, and raced into buildings, trees, and backs of other cars, not the ones your mother bought.

[John H.]

Re: It always amazes me how cars have so much pape

The very first thing most used-car dealers did in the 60's and 70's was to throw out every single piece of paper they found in any car they bought (including the owner's manual), so the next owner had no clue who the previous owner was and couldn't "check out" the odometer mileage (which was almost universally set back in the days before gov't-required odometer statements). There wasn't much "paper" in a car that went through a used-car dealer.