1968 L36 427/390hp, 4 spd, #matching, owned 22 yrs, 54K mi., 10K mi. on engine rebuild, never hit, never off rust free frame, excellent body fit, orig. owner painted '69 Daytona Yellow, orig. '68 Safari Yellow, original interior, SS brakes, AM/FM, PB, PW, speed warning, well maintained correct with OEM and NOS, too much to list, needs nothing. See Aug 95 VETTE magazine. I am the third owner and purchased this L36, 427 cu. in. / 390 hp, T-Top coupe in March of 1988. It is a number matching car, Trim code STD, Paint Code 984 (68 Safari Yellow), Time Code L13 (Dec. 13 build). I purchased this car with 44, 517 miles showing on the odometer from a gentleman in Greensburg, PA. I was living in PA at the time. He told me he was the second owner and had purchased the car some 10 years earlier. The documentation he had was limited to the original owner manual and his maintenance service record from March, 1979, reflecting 38,308 miles. The car currently has 53, 426 miles on the odometer. The car was repainted 69 Daytona Yellow (also Paint Code 984) by the original owner according to the second owner. The paint is not national show quality with a slight (2) sag under the drivers mirror, a scratch in the driver side T-Top and some dust specks in it, but as you can see from the pictures it is in very respectable condition for a 30+ year old paint job. The car has options; A01 Soft Ray Tinted Glass, A31 Electric Power Windows, G81 Positraction, J50 Power Brakes, K66 Transistor Ignition System, L36 390hp/427CI engine, M20 4 speed, U15 Speed Warning Indicator, U69 AM-FM Radio. It is the original interior and the carpet is consequently faded. The original owner installed chrome speakers in the door panels which look nice and I have kept these original door panels. There were also headphone jacks installed in both the forward console trim and I replaced these console trim pieces. He also installed a grill in the passenger side rear glove box lid for what purpose, I do not know. Perhaps he had a radio or 8-track in there. I have an OEM replacement glove box lid to replace it with the correct carpet and 1958 copyright jacking instructions, tire pressure, and positraction labels which I purchased at Carlisle. I just never got around to install it. Other than the paint and speakers, the only other items that I know are not correct for this car are the modern fuel line clamps which I installed (I have the correct one) and the S.S. brakes which I installed. The car has side louver trim which appears to have the correct factory mounting hardware, turbofin wheel covers typical of a 69 (on correct 68 only, 7 inch steel rallye wheels), and a non functioning seat belt warning light in the center console (this was a 69 item). All of these items are consistent with a late build 68. After owning the car for approximately 1 month, 44,680 miles, while attempting to tune it to factory timing advance setting, I determined that the car had weak compression in the #3 hole. I took the car to a local race shop, Automotive Excellence, in Beaver Falls, PA. Upon further examination, it was determined that the #3 piston was blown, with a section of the metal missing between the rings. A previous owner had simply reinstalled new rings on the piston as a repair. The head gasket had been replaced and the engine had been operated that way. The lobes were also rounded off on the cam. The engine was pulled and a complete rebuild undertaken. This included oil pump, Competition Cam camshaft, cam bearings, lifters, timing chain and gears, TRW forged pistons (0.30 over), rockers, balls, crank and rod reconditioning, crank bearings, head reconditioning, new valves. The water pump was replaced with a rebuilt unit, but I have the original pump. The clutch set was also replaced, flywheel turned, throw-out bearing. Receipts available. In addition, the carburetor has been professionally refurbished by the Carburetor Shop in Ontario, California. It was a stage 2 rebuild with enlarged primary jets (have originals). The original starter motor has been rebuilt. The radiator has been recored retaining the original tanks. In 1993, 49,875 miles, I burnt an exhaust valve and took the car to have the heads redone again. The burnt exhaust valve guide and seat were beyond repair. I purchased an OEM cylinder head of the correct 68 casting date, new in the box. I also have the original head. Additionally, while sitting for the valve job, the original right rear brake hose from the frame to trailing arm collapsed, causing the brake caliper to hang up and overheat. I had the right rear wheel bearing, stub axle, and hub assembly replaced by the local GM dealer. In 1996, it developed a lifter tap at 51,578 miles. This time, I pulled the head myself, hand honed the lifter races, and had the head checked out by a local shop in Charleston, WV (1 valve guide and 2 new valves were all that was needed). It has been trouble free since. Receipts are available for all this work. Additional miscellaneous work I have done to the car with new OEM or NOS parts where available and some reproductions (all receipts are available): Rear brake hoses and trailing arm lines, S.S. brake calipers, new brake pads, Front sway bar link bolts and bushings, Intermediate exhaust pipes Mufflers, Fuel pump and filter, Upper and lower radiator, water pump bypass, and heater hoses, Door glass seals, Windshield washer pump, Windshield wiper motor (rebuilt unit have original), Wiper actuator boot, Front right wheel bearing, Front right tie rod end, Exhaust manifold heat valve, 4 Delco Shock absorbers, PCV hose, Forward Console Trim, Antenna, Radiator and Heater Hose clamps, Braided plug wires, Transistor ignition module (have original), Ignition coil, Wiper switch, Fuel pump and filter, Reverse lock out lever, Power brake vacuum hose, (5) Firestone F70-15 Redline Wide Oval Supersport tires. 54,000 miles. Colors from the owner. Built date is L13. January 11, 2010. |