The Chevy L88 427: A Mechanical Marvel Unleashed on the Streets
Vložit
- čas přidán 4. 02. 2024
- Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @chrisvscars
In the pantheon of high-performance engines, few occupy a throne as lofty as the 1967 Chevy L88 427. Nestled beneath the hoods of select C2 and C3 Corvettes, this wasn't just an engine; it was a snarling, fire-breathing monster that blurred the lines between production car and track-dominating beast.
#L88 #427 #V8
There was also a ZL1 which was an L88 made of aluminum so it weighed less than the 327.
I got this block in my MC can’t wait to see what it does 12:5:1 compression 632 lift comp cam just added disc brakes front and back
My 71 Roadster has the L-48, which make it a very nice driver. Bought it in 74.
A nice engine, glad some people still have them. 👍💪✌
Great video thanks ❤❤❤
While we get past various accents, intricate information laid around the globe
1970 Corvette LS 6 oval open chamber heads "second design" smoked the 1967 "first design" closed chamber head L88. Then there was the few second design aluminum oval open chamber head 427/435 hp in the very last production cars in 1969. Otherwise these were 427 ci LS6 cars instead of the 1970 LS6 454 engine. Same internals with exception of a 3.76 stroke crankshaft of the L88 instead of the 4.00 inch stroke crankshaft of the LS6. They made only a handful of LS6 Corvettes and only a couple of the ZL1 Corvettes which sell for millions of dollars today if you are lucky to find someone willing to part with these "HOLLY GRAIL VETTES".
The LS6 was basically just the 454 version of the L72 427 but with aluminum heads, they were not more powerful than any L88s. The L72 was rated at 450 hp in the '66 Corvettes, then it was derated to 425 because chevy liked to lie about hp ratings for insurance purposes because they still had the highest ratings on average compared to Fords, mopars and the other GM divisions. Then from '67 to '69 that engine was given 3 2bbl carbs (and the optional L89 aluminum heads), it was rated at 435hp and the RPO changed to L71. The LS6 was the continuation of that, rated at 450 hp in Chevelles, (it was going to be rated at 460 in Corvettes that year) so the real output was probably around 475, which, if I remember right, is usually what stock LS6s dyno at with headers. Yes, the L88s were only rated at 430hp, but that was obviously a lie since they had higher compression, bigger cams, and the rpm they were rated at was only around 4,000 rpm or so while the engines made power all the way up to 7,000 rpm. Stock '67/'68 L88s with closed chamber heads have been dynoed at 480 - 520 hp... more than any stock LS6. Open chamber L88s do put out a bit more, around 550 hp, but they also have slightly bigger cams. Closed chamber heads vs. open chamber heads made very little difference, although open chambers tend to run a bit cooler combustion temps, which does help some. The only reason they revised the heads to use an open chamber design in '69 is the same reason they changed a lot of other heads to open chamber designs at the time... to pass emissions regulations. Closed chamber heads make a lot of NOX (smog)... open chambers reduce NOX emissions... again, due to lower combustion temps. The LS6 heads had slightly revised ports to better suit the larger displacement of the 454, but again, that still didn't result in them being more powerful than L88s of any vintage... though they were close, especially with tuned headers installed.
Anyway, there were actually plans to make a 454 version of the L88 in 1970... a high compression, purpose built race engine... that would have been given RPO LS7. Allegedly, that's why the LS6 wasn't offered in Corvettes until 1971. There was even a plan to make some aluminum block 454s to carry on what was started with the ZL1, which was going to have RPO code ZL2, but they didn't bother to make them or the LS7 because they couldn't get them to pass emissions standards, and therefore wouldn't have been able to sell any to homologate them for racing. I even read an article a while back that showed plans for continuing the use of 3x2bbl carbs on Corvette 454s in 1970 (RPOs LJ2 and LJ4... I think), but again, they couldn't make them pass the upcoming emission regulations, so they only built a few prototypes for testing... basically just LS5s and LS6s with three deuces... which would have been totally unnecessary since Holley was already making 4bbls that were plenty large enough, but it would have been cool if they did it one more year.
American cars - as an American, I approve of this. 👍
you approve of another gm lie.. great....
But those high compression, solid-lifter Z-11, L-88, ZL-1, LS-6 actually sucked on the street as a 'daily' driver. Had to run high octane leaded, which was expensive and getting harder to find. They got hot in traffic. Cops loved writing tickets for loud exhaust noise.
The LS6s were the most "streetable" of the lot, but only because the Z11, L88 and ZL1 were all purpose built race engines that weren't supposed to be driven on the street. There were so few made because they were only supposed to by sold to racing teams. The LS6 was available to everyone who could afford the insurance... it was basically the 454 version of the L72.
As good as it was, a Shelby 427 Cobra would walk all over it, and that was proven many times on the race course and in the record books.
They're both great engines. The big advantage the Cobra had was that it weighed about 800 pounds less than a Corvette. Shelby originally wanted to use Chevrolet engines and transmissions in the Cobras but Chevrolet refused to sell to him because they didn't want competition for Corvette sales. If Chevrolet would have sold engines and transmissions to Shelby, there would have never been Shelby Mustangs.
Engine to engine the L-88 would smash the Fords 427. Maybe won against production corvettes against factory backed race cobras.. By the way, the corvette has racked up the most domestic wins over-all and world wide. That is in the record books as well.
The Ford side oiler 427s are great engines, but they did NOT "walk all over" L88s. Look at the recorded race results... L88 Corvettes and 427 Cobras each won their share of races while competing with each other. L88s beat 427 Cobras regularly, and 427 Cobras beat L88s regularly.
Ultimate muscle is a 426 Hemi !!!!!