Chevrolet Usa Corvette Stingray L88 1967
The most powerful Corvette of them all was the L88 built from 1967 to 1969 with only 216 being built.
What set this car apart was a comprehensive racing package that included the big block V8 with solid-lifters and Can-Am-spec cylinder heads. This was the same unit that powered the red, white and blue Sunray DX racer to a class victory at the 1967 12 Hours of Sebring and was later offered in a factory road car straight from the St. Louis, Missouri assembly line.
1967 was the final year for the C2 generation. The 1967 model featured restyled fender vents, less ornamentation, and back-up lamps which were on the inboard in 1966 were now rectangular and centrally located. The first use of all four taillights in red started in 1961 and was continued thru the C-2 line-up except for the 1966. The 1967 and subsequent models continuing on all Corvettes since. 1967 had the first L88 engine option which was rated at 430 bhp (320 kW), but unofficial estimates place the actual output at 560 bhp (420 kW) or more. Only twenty such engines were installed at the factory. From 1967 (to 1969), the Holley triple two-barrel carburetor, or Tri-Power, was available on the 427 L89 (a $368 option, on top of the cost for the high-performance 427).
The brainchild of Zora Arkus-Duntov, director of GM’s performance division, the 1967 L88 Corvette was powered by a highly modified version of Chevy’s 427-cubic-inch V-8. Although the factory-claimed horsepower was 435, real power output was likely somewhere between 540 and 580, enough to allow a “stock” L88 to run the quarter-mile in the mid-to-high 11-second range. The L88 could be ordered only with certain options such as a performance suspension, Positraction differential, and upgraded brakes, while other features such as a radio and A/C were not available.
Since the car was to be built in limited numbers, Arkus-Duntov wanted as many of them as possible to end up on racetracks. As such, GM tried to discourage individuals from buying the L88 (the car’s extremely conservative power rating was a ploy designed to turn off the casual consumer), instead focusing on racing teams. The L88 stayed in production until 1969 with a total of 216 produced.
As an option code on the 1967 to 1969 models, L88 was an almost secret offering. Chevrolet actively discouraged L88 orders from dealerships and the public. Just what was all the fuss about? The L88 was capable of 171 mph at Le Mans and sported more than 500 horsepower. It was developed for the track and never intended as a boulevard cruiser.
1968 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray L88 Coupe
The L88 was first offered to teams such as Sunray DX Motorsports who contested Corvettes in events such as the Sebring and Daytona. Packed with factory competition hardware, the L88 package was an ordering option that made the Corvette a pure race car. Only 20 cars were made in 1967, largely for racing, but nearly 200 L88s were ordered on the C3 platform.
At the heart of the L88 package was a 427 similar only in block casting to the big-block engine first offered in 1966. After two years of development, almost every other component was reconsidered for power and racing endurance. The engines were all built at the Tonawanda, New York plant and featured the CanAm-spec aluminum heads with 2.19-inch intake and 1.84-inch exhaust valves.
At almost half the price of the L88 engine, the L71 officially appeared to offer the same performance at a marked discount. However, GM was fudging the numbers to keep the L88s off the road, making the L88 essentially the hidden, more potent, option. The L88 even donned a warning sticker on the center console that emphasized only racing fuel was adequate for the large valves and radical timing. While the L71 and L88 shared the same displacement, L88’s took the big-block theme a step further by adding a strengthened crankshaft, 12.5:1 pistons, solid lifter, cold air induction and a 850 CFM dual feed Holley carburetor.
As with any racing car, the L88 left out the fan shroud, choke and often, the heating system. With its exhaust removed, and running on racing fuel, the L88 was capable of 600 horsepower which was more than enough to take class victory at the 1967 Sebring 12 Hours. On the road, and far above GM’s 435 bhp figure, the L88 can claim anywhere from 550 to 570 horsepower in production trim.
1968 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray L88 Coupe
The L88 included much more than just an engine upgrade. Mandatory factory upgrades included a Muncie M22 Rock Crusher or M20 Hydramatic Transmission, power-assisted heavy duty brakes, an F41 heavy duty suspension with new coil springs and dampers, G81 positraction differential and a special cowl induction hood. Furthermore, interior options such as air conditioning, a heater/defroster system and a radio were were not available. After all was said and done the the L88 doubled the price of a standard Corvette.
L88s were produced from 1967 to 1969 and during the transition from the C2 Stringray to the C3 body style. As a limited series of around 200 cars, the L88 was sold in both coupe and convertible form. The rarest cars are 20 1967 L88 Corvettes. Due to stringent emissions standards, the L88 was forced to be canceled in 1969.