pgtr

THis came up recently somewhere else and I was curious about this - if anybody knew anymore...?

The L48 was the standard base engine in the C3 from 69 to 80. In 69 thru about the mid 70s it was also an 'optional' engine in many other Chevrolet passenger cars (though never standard in others).

Somewhere in the mid 70s in other cars like Camaro, Monte Carlo etc... other engines apparently replaced it and it was phased out but continued on for several more years as the base engine in the C3. What exactly replaced it in other cars? Why? How did it compare to the L48? And when exactly did it become a C3 exclusive?

hunt4cleanair

I've never heard nor read the L48 described as a C3 exclusive...rather its the base engine for C3...nothing more! It was first used in 1973 replacing the ZQ3 and last used in 1980. In 1981 it was replaced with the L81...somewhat the first computer controlled emission motor.

Of course you may be referring to the L82...but not sure.

copter

I do believe that the L48 was also in the SS camaro when ordered with the small block.Not sure what year GM started using it maybe 69.I know my wifes 70 SS camaro has the L48 in it.

pgtr

The rudimentary definition of "exclusive" being... when it was not used or available in other Chevrolet models by default it became exclusive to the C3 Corvette. Sometime in the mid 1970s I believe no other Chevrolet passenger cars had L48 options - it was around there that it became "exclusive" to the C3. Thus my question -Not a question if IF but WHEN did it become a Corvette EXCLUSIVE?

Of course if other Chevrolets also offered the L48 thru the late 70s please share the specific information...

Sorry but no, Chevrolet regular production passenger car engines all start with an L designation. The code referenced above appeared on early order copies for the factory but it is referring to an L48 from 69 thru 72 - later the L48 code appeared on the sheets but all base standard engines in C3s from 69 thru 80 were indeed L48s. THis was all clarified in an earlier thread right here on the CF.


Actually the E4M w/ a 'modern' electronic computer was introduced to the C3 with the 1980 LG4 engine. Before that cruder electronic emissions controls existed thru C3 production history.


Nope - L48. The L82 was never an option in non-Corvettes as far as I know. The L48 ceased to be an optin in non-Corvettes starting sometime in the mid 70s (77?) - WHEN this occurred is what I'm curious about.

page62

The 2nd generation Camaro used the L82 engine

pgtr

Yep I think you're right copter. In fact I think the L48 goes back to 67 or 68. It was around as an optional engine in the Camaro and maybe other Chevrolets while the 68 C3 was still using the 327 (L75?) as it's base engine. That would make the L48 already 1 or 2 yrs old when it became the standard base engine for the C3 in 69. Dang - that would give the ol' L48 a 12 or 13 year production run!

page62 Thanks - I did not know that about the L82!

gerry72

To be real clear, there was no L48 in 1972. It was referred to simply as "Corvette base engine" with no alpha or numeric designations. Though it was the same engine used in other Chevy apps like Camaro, Nova...and designated L48 when installed in those cars.

pgtr

Uh OK sure - So I guess GM goofed when they published technical, overhaul or service literature prior to 73 and referred to your Corvette base engine as ( ) L48? Perhaps send off a letter to Helms and tell 'em they goofed and start printing retractions?

If I understand your theory - an engines designation is a function of the marketing department and its publicatoins. Beyond normal evolutionary year to year emisions etc... changes the only difference between a 69-72 C3 w/ L48 and 73-80 C3 w/ L48 is the presence of "L48" in later marketing literature.

The mere omission of "L48" in marketing literature for one model is hardly definitive - it only illustrates that perhaps the marketing department was slow to get its act together and catch up to GM powertrain or Corvette Engineering and embrace/advertise the 'L48' term for marketing purposes for the C3. Or maybe it was a deliberate decision to obscure the fact that the Corvette shared it's engine with other less expensive Chevrolets (optionally). But considering marketing literature as the authority'? - hardly the "clear" choice.

Clearly the 69-72 base engine IS an L48 and correctly, accurately and technically referred to as an L48 beit in a C3 or otherwise regardless of any marketing literature omission. But for a salesman or marketeer I guess it might prove a confusing concept.



------------------------------------

Beyond this 'persistance' that the L48 wasn't in pre 73s or cannot be referred to as an L48 socially - can anyone answer my original question? - When did L48s stop seeing duty in non-C3s in the mid 70s and become Corvette exclusive? Or did it always see duty in other Chevrolets all the way thru 1980?

TedH

If memory serves correctly, I believe it was also an option on the '81 Camaro Z28. I'd have to dig into my Hot Rod archives for the '81 Camaro announcement to verify but recall it was in the table of available engines/trans in that article... I know, I gotta get out more.

gerry72

Maybe they did. Who knows. I'm going by GM's published AMA specifications for the Corvette for 1972, not their marketing material. It is something I would understand. I also understand from experience that just because something is published doesn't equal consistency -in your or my regard.

pgtr

Thanks Ted! I did a little surfing and according to nastyz28.com I don't see an L48 RPO option for Camaros in '81. (81 V8 options included L39, LG4 and LM1 along with the Z28 package).

As best I can tell the Camaro dropped the L48 after 74 and in 75 it appears the LM1 was it's apparent replacement. I'm not very Camaro knowledgeable and don't know anything about the LM1. It's entirely possible that info is innaccurate but the site seems pretty thorough - just thought I'd share it. Since the Camaro was probably one of the more popular L48 applications - it's dropping of the L48 after 74 is why I kinda suspect that the mid 70s was the end of the L48 in non-Corvettes making it a Corvette exclusive from that point on.

But by 81 it was gone from the C3 too - probably a casualty of emissions(?).

hunt4cleanair

Well that may be Webster's definition but among the hobbyists...you're smoking something or been sucking on that emission emitting exhaust too much! No one I know has ever called an L48 "exclusive" so keep dreamin, smoking and suckin!


CF is hardly the authoritative source for Corvette assembly, documentation and originality. Threads are ancedotal and informational not documented and researched facts that contribute to the Corvette body of knowledge. There is nothing that is scientific about CF! There are individuals whose contributions are informative and extensive and than there are those that visit to learn.

And here I am looking at a 1970 Corvette Order Copy with VIN xxxcan't say with standard engine option number printed as 03ZQ3AA which indicates both the RPO and ECL. There is no hint of L48...you may wish to rewrite that booking your reading from...cause it fails the test of C3 Corvette documentation.


True...LG4 was our first ECM Corvette. And you may like to call primative mechanical emissions control "crude" electronic emission controls when first introduced but than your in an orbit of your own making. Just because their operation depended on electricity doesn't make them "electronic!" Maybe electro-mechanical works!

Finally, if your intent is to tear into a contributor's helpful response...well than try the Chevrolet Impala forum!

1FUNVET

I got an L-48

burnz27

me too

Tom73

The L48 first appeared in the Corvette in '73. It was the base engine, the standard engine that you got if you did not specify an engine. Prior to '73 the base engine was not designated as anything. The LXX codes are option codes or RPO (regular production option). The base engine is not an option. You either get the base engine or you order one of the optional (RPO) engines. For some reason they started calling the base corvette engine the L48 in '73.

Now the L48 may have been used in other cars prior to '73 and it may have been the same as the Corvette base engine but that designation was not used for the Vette prior to '73.

tom...

Matt Gruber

i have the complete specs sent to me direct from GM.
the 200 hp V8 is referred to as
Turbo-Fire V8
Standard
Base
L
that is it.
NO L48 anywhere in ~80 pages of specs for 1972

Glassbowtie77

same here.

pgtr

Does the 1972 GM AMA specification state it is not an L48 or merely omit the L48 designation?

As far as this discussion goes - the only thing that changed in 73 was the practice of more uniformly using the L designation in not just in technical/service literature but most all forms of documentation referencing Corvette base engines. THey kept right on shipping the same L48s (w/ 73 mods) from Flint to St. Louis just as they did in previous years. Only now they advertised the 'L48' more liberally with respect to Corvette context instead of just L48 Corvette references in technical/service literature.


Who knows?

I'd say four(4) years worth of technical service literature knows and doesn't mince words or argue semantics about socially acceptable usage for the L48 designation.

For that matter anybody that has torn down a 69-72 AND 73-80 Corvette base motors or is familiar with their internals also knows.

The 69-80 Corvette base motor is the L48 and that SPECIFICALLY includes 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1972 model years. It's unfortunate some insist upon making an esoteric distinction about a mere L designation omission in 'some' literature without consideration to more definitive technical/service literature or regard to actual engine components that makes an L48 what it is. All this serves little purpose beyond an unsupported presumption and confusing others such as newbies to the hobby trying to understand their early C3s and respective engines.

The same can be said of the 1968 base Corvette 327/300 being an L75.

Tom73

I can and then I cannot agree with you. The L48 was used in other Chevy as far back as '67 when they were only 327's. The base corvette engine for '68-'72 may have been an engine that was the same specs as the L48 used in other cars but it was not designated as an L48, it was just the base engine. Sematics, maybe. But the Corvette base engine was NOT designated as the L48 until '73.

In the other chevys it was an upgrade engine. They had their base engines, usualy a 6 or a v8 with 2V carb, and then they selected the RPO L48 to get the V8 with 4V.

tom...

pgtr

That's constructive. Moving on from the rhetoric...

So if the L48 was not available in any other Chevrolet passenger car from the mid 70s thru it's retirement after 1980, what shall we call it? Perhaps 'the-non-exclusive-engine-not-available-anywhere-but-Corvette'? Since exclusive doesn't cut it - please tell us what does...

The fact is that it became a Corvette exclusive somewhere in the mid 1970s because it was just that - exclusive to the Corvette around that time frame as in not available on any other vehicles. Saying it's non-exclusive in that time indicates it was available in other vehicles - For all the bluster and guff - feel free to put up an example of an L48 used in a non-Corvette after the mid 70s. Otherwise I'm merely looking for a specific date that it became exclusive or examples of Chevrolets that indicate it wasn't exclusive. I'm not looking for someone that quotes non-service material as gospel, presumes that omissions prove anything or havne't torn down L48s from various years.



And what does this have to do with the price of rice...?


Again you are in error. 03ZQ3AA "was an internal scheduling option, only used from 1969-1972, which triggered an Engineering Bill of Material detail parts listing for the Corvette version of the L48 engine" - quote from JohnZ at corvetteactioncenter.com on 09-03-04.

Further, the ZQ3 is not an engine code - Chevrolet used Ls to designate ENGINES and Zs to designate PACKAGES (which may or may not include a specific engine) as they have done for 40 some years. A base 69-72 Corvette included a ZQ3 package and that package was comprised of an L48.

If you spend time using or reviewing the early C3 Chevrolet Chassis Service Manuals or overhauling these engines it is clearly an L48 both in print and in practice. It's mere ommision in 'some' material hardly validates a claim that it was NOT an L48, does not refute it's L48 designation in others, nor the factual knowledge of how these engines were engineered. A 69-72 Corvette base engine is accurately, correctly or technically referred to as an L48 and / or 'base engine' just as any post 72.




So I correctly use the term 'exclusive, I was correct that the LG4 was earlier than your "first" example and I was correct that crude electronics used electric and mechanical functions and I'm the one in an orbit of my own making?

I would however be curious to hear how you differentiate "electronics" from 'electric/mechanical' engine codes...



It's difficult for me to see anything "helpful" about
A) accusing someone of smoking @#$@#$@# etc...
B) nitpicking the correct usage of the word 'exclusive'
C) insisting an engine was not used when plainly it was based on flimsy omissions in non-service literature.

Again my question continues to be: when specifically did the 1969-80 Corvette L48 become exclusive to the Corvette? If the question causes you undue consternation and demands that you bait - why not simply move on and leave it be? It's of interest to me and hopefully someone else more informed will help out with the information.

-----

Back to teh question at hand... I believe it was somewhere approx in the mid 1970s - but if not ...?