Quarter Mile E.T: 1967 L88 vs. 1985 L98

[Joe C.]

I remember reading an article in Car and Driver magazine, I think, some twenty years ago. It expanded on the 1985 Corvette, and the huge amount of torque that the L98 engine delivered compared to anything else produced at the time. To make it's point, the article spoke about a series of quarter mile runs pitting a 1967 L88 Corvette against a 1985 L98 Corvette. Both cars were supposedly in stock trim. In all cases, the L98 holeshotted the L88 so badly, that the L88 only overtook the L98 by a very narrow margin near the end of the runs. Notwithstanding the huge traction advantage that the 85 had, I find it hard to believe that the driver of the L88 couldn't modify his launch technique to minimize wheelspin and beat the L98 by a wider margin. Sorry, but I don't remember the ET's and trap speeds, but I do remember that they were close.

Joe

[Duke W.]

Re: Quarter Mile E.T: 1967 L88 vs. 1985 L98

With its stump pulling low end torque, lower gearing, stickier tires, and better suspension it's certainly believeable that the L-98 could hole shot the L-88 with OE bias ply tires, but the L-88 would eventually overtake, get to the line first, and be traveling faster.

Drag racing is as much about starting line traction (and driver launch skill) as it is about horsepower, especially on high powered cars that are traction limited for the amount of power they have.

IIRC the L-98 could run mid-fourteens, which wouldn't be that much slower than an OE configuration (bias ply tires, cast iron manifolds and mufflers) L-88.

The manifolds and mufflers really killed the L-88 torque curve. The extremely high overlap cam was designed for "customer added" headers and open exhaust. In fact, in addition to overall better driving character and broader torque bandwidth, I'd be willing to bet that both in OE trim, and equal driver skill a L-72/71 might be able to take a L-88. Without a proper racing exhaust system a L-88 produces barely more power than L-72/71 and much poorer low end torque.

Duke

[Chris D.]

Re: Quarter Mile E.T: 1967 L88 vs. 1985 L98

Joe,

Twenty years was a dead nuts estimate.
February '86 cover story. It was a '68 that ran 14.1 on repo Super Sport Ovals and stock manifolds. The '86 ran 14.4.