COPO cars vs smog era
 

I just wanted to make a comment to all those who said Chevrolet had put in different engines that weren't on the standard option list and used for examples the big block specials done in the late '60 and early '70s.

Before the 'govmnt started mandating emission laws, Chevrolet used to have what they called "COPO" Corporate Office Purchase Orders - a mechanism where dealers could special-order big engines and such. Some dealers like Don Yenko Chevrolet used the COPO mechanism to order specials like 427s in Camaros.

Chevy offered the 396 in Camaros, but not the 427s. Since the engines were physically the same, a 427 would fit right in with no special modifications. So it was fairly simple to substitute a 427 in a car that could be had with a 396. By the same token, you could not order a 427 in a Vega, it just wasn't something that Chevy built, COPO or not.

Fast forward a few years to when emission laws were enacted. Big Brother said that to sell a car you had to certify it with a particular engine/transmission combination. If you changed either the engine or transmission, you had to certify it all over again (which, btw, is the reason automakers don't offer the large variety of engine/transmission combination like they did in pre-smog days). That ended the days of the COPO engine swaps.

So it's just not possible that Chevrolet had "left over engines" and put them in a car in 1981 - that would be a HUGE violation of Federal law and comparing it to a pre-smog COPO car is like comparing apple (the fruit) to Apple (the computer company). They sound the same but are vastly different in reality. (and don't say it's OK because they were certified in 1980, emission laws change every year, so you can't put an engine certified in '80 in an '81. And even if the engine was certified in a 1981 Camaro, you still couldn't put it in a 'vette unless it was certified in that car with a particular transmission).

I beg to differ. I happen to own an 81 and it is highly collectable. According to NADA, a website, AND an old guy at the local dealrship my vette has a 6 in the 9th number in the vin. That means it came FROM THE FACTORY with a secret note under the heater core with a map where Jimmy Hoffa is burried. Also, according to the 3rd and 4th digit, B and S, my 81 had the optional seat ignition feature that lights my pants on fire when ever I claim it is a factory L-82.

BTW i have the original window sticker to prove it but my scanner is broken so you will just have to take my word for it.

THERE WERE NO, NONE, ZERO 81s with an L-82. Doesnt matter what Aunt martha or the guy on Craigslist says. Chevy simply did not make them.

:iagree:

The thread that just won't die...................:crazy:

1981 L82 Vette
 

I am a proud owner of 1981 L82 Corvette, White with Red interior. I bought the car from the original owner and the car numbers matched with documented 39k original perfect miles even the tires are originally installed from the factory. All originally purchased documentation comes with the car and the owner assured that the car is equipped with an optional L82 engine

Mike Ward asked twice for pictures of the engine stamp pad and no one who said they had a L82 block posted one. Can you post a pic your pad?

It is located in FRONT of the block on the passenger side beneath the valve cover. Will look like this:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...fce7928133.jpg

any pictures ? Not a non believer just interested in seeing one.

OP L82Corvette
a check to help establish what motor your 1981 L81 has
Crank your motor and let it run Just 10 seconds after you see you oil pressure come up and then shut it off.
Then pull a valve cover
Then Put a dial indicator on both an intake and then exhaust retainer when they're at their highest (valve closed)... make Certain it's exactly perpendicular to retainer ... set it so it can drop a half inch & still read accurate.
Then put a wrench on motor and slowly roll it over while watching the retainer you have your indicator. Watch until retainer Stops dropping.

If either retainer reads more than .430" difference from high(closed) to low (open) ... I'll buy

Just wondering if the original poster ever bought the l81 or l82 whatever it was back in march of 2008 when this post first started?

L82 in a 81 Corvette
 

Well I have one it is the 8th to the last car built out of St. Louis. I have owned it since November 1981.
The car has been NCRS top flight. presently has 19,870 miles.
It is all OEM still. Even the battery it will not start the car. but for judging it rocks .
How I found out it was and L82 or not your base L81 was by these things. First off took it too NCCC drags entered stock class. It runs 14:23 too 14:30 1/4 miles consistent. no 1980 or other 81 -'s or 82 cross TB close to that time. So a red flag they inspected it. The Block Vin matches the Car however it has 9.2.1 Compression when tested . It has never been taken apart. So NCCC and NCRS are on the theory official none released with a L82 however but feel perhaps two things happen. The car might have been originally been a pilot / press car tweaked . But the L82 like stated would not be worth certifying or even trying perhaps as they new it would not meet emissions. Then the car sat then tagged to dump it as they closed the plant to fill last orders. Or as one posted they scrapped parts together to complete last cars. Now after 2 years I paid it off the Car title says under mileage unknown. it had near 300 miles on it when I got so thats a bit fishy . Every car I ever bought new prior to this one or after had something like 2/ 20 miles on it. Note car also have a AM/FM Delco Cassette player that was used in Cadillacs . NCRS Checked the numbers. The radio says Delco on the face but with a slightly different fader for the speakers, unless you a judge and seen a few you would never now I did not till it was 12 years old . Car also has performance Axle G92 & Z51 options. NCRS last I checked they had 6 others similar they came across
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...85cd833052.jpg

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...34900b0b66.jpg
F51

thats a 78 pace car L82 stamping

mine is 348 ZBD then car vin

not true check NCRS a few early production have them . the estimate 26

Can you please post a picture of your engine stamp?

ZBD is a 1980 L82 4-speed engine. I s'pose it's plausible that with nothing to lose, St. Louis put it in a car rather than scrap it, but the engine must have been sitting there for months at that point. You said your car was extremely late production, not early production, right?

Does it have a CCC controlled carb and distributor? L-82 will not have that....and if it did there would be no programming for an L-82 for drivibilty and/or emissions.
Does it have screw in studs and guidplates? L-82 had this. Harder to see will be the forged pistons and crank with 4 bolt main.......all L-82's had these features as well regardless of year.

Jebby

Sounds to me like his assumption is all based on track times. I don't see how he can say it's an L-82 without tearing more into the engine.
But I will admit it's strange. Just not proof of life.....

I have been waiting 12 years for someone to post a picture of the stamp pad, but none yet. Hopefully you will post and wondering about the 2 letter code on the emissions sticker in the engine compartment..

Back in 69-72 there were blocks that had M tags to denote samples, ie M27, M34, M58, etc. Any tags like this on your block?

Thanks :thumbs:

Yes. Damn funny that those "owners" have NEVER posted ANY engine stampings pictures. Why not? Maybe because when they went to take pictures they realized they were wrong?
Who knows? One of life's great mysteries or another urban myth? Anyway this has gotten boring since 2008 when this thead started.

The L-82 was last offered in 1980. I have one made during the last 2 weeks of production so that one is just about the end of it. The L-82 was not emissions compliant for 1981 so GM could not offer it for sale. If they built and sold any in late 81 they would be in violation of Federal emissions laws so I would be very skeptical about any claims to the contrary. A very expensive mistake and if it was caught,somebody would surely be out of a job.

If you have NCRS judging sheets we would all like to see them. Engine suffix and block cast date codes would also be nice to see. Without that, this is just another fairy tale.

....Back in the day a friend of mine ordered a new 1981 Corvette that came thru with an L-82 engine....ordered thru Dave White Chevy in Sylvania Ohio. Not 3 months later he rec's a call from the dealer that they had a customer that would like to purchase the car from them at a "Premium Price"....nuff said...they sold the guy the car.

I have an 84 C4 and had read that GM used forged TRW pistons in some models after 1980. It also said that some 84 and 85 C4 engines came with the trw pistons. Never gave it much thought until I pulled the heads and sure enough they are the "trough" style with the trw part number on them....I just recall part of the number which is 624. I am the 3rd owner and the engine had never been apart. It is a 2 bolt block. Go figure!