MasterDave

A new friend of mine says he has an original L88 engine in a bag in his garage. I'm going over there soon to try to talk him out of it if it is indeed real. How to check is what I'd like to know and what it might be worth. Thanks guys.

Mike Ward

Casting numbers, casting dates, stamp pad info.

Nowhere Man

Mike I thought all Chevy BB crate engines are L88's.

Dr L-88

4 bolt mains....................for sure
aluminum heads...............for sure
8 inch balancer................for sure
12.5 to 1 pistons..............for sure
IT, LO, LV, MG, ME, or MR on front pad

Value depends on how complete and how original it is.....................but more importantly, does it have a legitimate Corvette VIN and is that particular car still around?

For starters

Bowlerdude

Of course if it was purchased over the counter (and many were) it won't have a vin number stamped on the pad.

emccomas

That got me thinking...lots of over the counter engines were stamped CExxxxxxx on the front pad. Would an over the counter L-88 also be stamped with a CE number?

rsinor

Ed, I don't believe it would be stamped CE unless it was a warranty replacement. Complete over the counter L88 engines carried the machine code date sequence and suffix just like a production engine less of course as mentioned earlier the VIN derivative, at least that is my understanding.

AZDoug

Just about any, if not all, over the counter motors were stamped CE, I bought one back in 1976. It was short block with cam and cam drive chain.

Doug

tuxnharley

The LT-1 crate motor I bought in 1971 (long block) was stamped with a CE prefix on the pad.

emccomas

OK, so I got two slightly differing answers here, but maybe they are not that different.

I have personally seen "Over The Counter (OTC)" short block assemblies with CE stamps. I have also seen OTC long block assemblies with CE stamps.

I don't ever recall seeing a complete engine assembly with a CE stamp. I do recall seeing OTC complete engines with "typical" engine assembly date and suffix code stamps.

So, can we make the following "generalized" statement

(At least for late 1960s, early 1970s OTC engines)

A short or long block assembly would have a CE stamp

A complete engine assembly would have a engine assembly date and engine suffix stamp.

This sort of makes sense to me in that you don't have an L-88 unless you have all of the factory parts (complete engine assembly) that makes up an L-88. That would include intake, carb, distributor, etc.

DansYellow66

If a factory GM assembly (probably over the counter and not stamped) I would pull the pan and look for the 7/16 inch rod bolts. Otherwise, 4-bolt mains, closed chamber aluminum heads, aluminum dual plane intake with milled divider, TI distributor without vacuum advance. Part numbers are easily searched here or on Google.

Powershift

Larry

93RubyRedCoupe

I want to see pictures of it regardless of the pad stamp.....ARA

JohnZ

"CE" engines were only furnished as "short blocks" (no heads or intake) or as "fitted blocks" (block with pistons), and all they had on the pad was the "CEXXXX" stamping. Complete engine assemblies (intake to pan, as shipped to assembly plants) were only available on special order when that engine was still in production, and had the conventional engine plant machine stamp on the pad (LOTS of L-88 engines were sold OTC that way), but obviously, no VIN derivative stamp.

chevahaulic

While everyone that has owned or read about Chevrolets knows how to identify a real L-88 engine .... Here goes

1. Mine is stamped CE
2 I personally know the drag racer that ordered the engine and the dealership it came from.
3. The block numbers are visible.
4. Original owner " says it all ! "
5. I also have the heads.
6. Who ever disputes the above...... simply talks

Mike Ward

Are you saying you've got a complete pan-to-carb over the counter L88 engine and it has a CE number on the pad?

Do you have any paperwork that ties the CE number to the engine being an L88?

emccomas

John;

What about a long block assembly, short block plus heads, no intake or oil pan? CE engine or engine plant stamp?

FYI:

Way back when, 1964 time frame a friend of mine ordered a 1959 283 290 hp long block assembly. He got a 519 block with a blank pad. The heads are actually drilled on the ends for air ride suspension component mounting.

MasterDave

OK, sad news here. My wife's father just passed away and I'm out of the state of Az for awhile while we take care of this. Will get pics when I return.

Dr L-88

Condolences to your wife and family.

tuxnharley

As I said before, my LT-1 350/370 HP (1970 version) long block bought from the old Courtesy Chevrolet in San Jose California in 1971 had a CE xxxx stamping. I remember it well; installed it myself. It's been gone about 12 years now, replaced by a ZZ4.