Runar

I have just bought a 1981 corvette with VIN number 1G1AY8768B5107XXX. The seller say that the car have a L82 motor. How can I see the different between L48 and L82 from the VIN number ?

nate99

If it is the factory engine from an '81, it is technically a L81 engine, no others were available.

It is, however, not really much different from a L48, I don't think, unless the cam grind is a little different.

Crash80

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/spec...1/81specs.html

I believe the L-81 was the only engine for that year. There was no L-82 or L-48.

Runar

How can I read from the VIN number what`s motor the car have ?

Crash80

Well, if you were talking about a car that had engine options, like in an 80 model, you would look for a number like in this link:

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/c3/1980/80id.html

In the 80 it is the 5th character that tells you what you have, H=305 (California only), 8=L48, 6=L-82.

The 8th character will be a 6, which equals L-81 in the 1981 model. The 1981 is also when they went with a 17 digit vin as opposed to a 13 digit in previous years.

http://corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/c3/1981/81id.html

The links I have put up will tell you all of that info and then some. You can research any year there and see what was available on these cars through the years.

L88Plus

L81 was the only engine available, also the only year that the engine matched the designation. The L81 was only available in the 'vette.

snoopykissedlucy

Here's my 1981 VIN..............yes, numbers matching......yes, now I'm just showing off:-)

Spuco_77

Not sure on 81 yr, but 5th digit in vin sould be an X

gbvette62

"X" was only used in 75 & 76 as the fifth digit, and only for the L-82. 75-76s with the L-48 would have an "L" for the fifth digit.

From 72-80, VIN numbers were made up of 13 digits and the 5th digit indicated the engine. Starting in 1981, the VIN was changed to a 17 digit number and the 8th digit became the engine identifier, "6" for the L-81 on all 81s.

The only engine in 81 was the L-81, which was sort of a hybrid of L-48 and some L-82 parts.

Spuco_77

I own a 77 L82 # matching w/ 4 speed and 5th digit has an X which i have read is for an L82.
78 5th digit H = L82
80 5th digit 6= L82
81 8th digit 6= L82

c3corvettes

Maybe the PO dropped an L-82 into your 1981 from an '80. Could happen.

Mike Ward

As others have said, there were no L48 or L82 in 1981 Corvettes, only the L81. Give us the information off the engine stamp pad and to see if it's the original engine.

Crash80

I think you meant to say 1981 model. The 1980 had engine options.

Mike Ward

Ooops, you're right. I'll correct my post. Not enough coffee yet.:o