My brother-in-law challenged me to a race in his 1976 Corvette. I figured Id at least have a chance off the line, but that hed have a weight and gearing advantage after that. His car has an L-88 350, close ratio 4-speed, and posi-traction (all factory stock). My car has a 4B 350, 3-speed auto and no posi (all factory stock). My rear gears are 2.56, not sure what he has in the rear (probably something numerically higher than 3.00). Off the line, I started spinning immediately. I thought about backing out of it, but could see that he was having trouble with his carburetor cutting out. So, just to be fair (and to put on a show), I kept my foot down. Well, after about 200 feet of black rubber on the ground (not kidding), his carb finally decides to get with the program (hed somehow managed to stay about one car length behind me during the burnout) and his car jumps out ahead of me. I decide its high time to let off and get some traction, but hes about two car lengths ahead of me before I can get that all put together. So, the real race is just starting at about 45 MPH on this country road. I manage to close the gap to about one car length until 2nd gear runs out. His aerodynamics, weight, and extra gearing take it from there and he opens it up to about three car lengths by 110MPH, where we both let off. Bottom line is his car is a little bit quicker, but after seeing what a bone-stock '72 Skylark can do, he wasn't bragging about the win. He knew I could have planted him off the line without tire spin had I wanted to. Furthermore, my guess is that a simple gear change to 3.42 and some posi underneath the Buick and hed never catch back up to me within 1,320 feet, even with a good running carb.
Those kind races are just plain more fun than the ones I get involved with. We're just too fast for the street, I need another stocker to make the fooling around with average street car and ricer fun again. Thanks for sharing. Mikey
You should take it to the track on a street legal night. You would be surprised how many Corvete's you would kill. Better yet invite him to a street legal night you guys will have the time of your lives. Nice Kill:TU:
I'm a little confused because an L88 is a 427 engine and you wouldn't stand a chance. In 76 they had the L82 which is a 350 4bbl and I'm assuming that's what you meant to say. It was on the downhill side of performance engines back in the day with all ths smog stuff going on, but still at the time it was the best you could get especially in a relatively light weight car like a Corvette. I was told back then by a guy that owned (and wrecked) a 76, then bought a 77 to replace it that he believed the 76 was quite a bit faster. Soon after that, I owned an 80 and by then it was very slow almost 19 in the 1/4 but it did corner like it was on rails and made me feel sexy. I was still under 30 and it was my second Corvette, the first being a worn out 65 that I sold for $3500. LOL. Wish I had a do over on that. I've had fuel feed problems in my GS455s as well but more towards the back end of the race versus the front side. The front side is all about traction. Despite the weight factor, I've come to decide it's best to race with an almost full tank of gas so it can't slosh to the back under acceleration and get air into the gas lines. Anyway it's a good story. Any idea what your car times in the 1/4?
I am with Mike on this one,,, either that L88 is mighty sick or that is a strong 350..... or both,,,,, races on the road give better traction than on the strip,,,, mark off a measured 1320 ft. on that country rd. and rerun to see what the real story ..... I am betting that you can put such a hole shot on him that he cant catch you in a qtr....
I don't know about that Doc, the Vette has posi and the Buick doesn't. I'd think if both engines are firing okay the peg leg would usually get left behind.
I read it quickly did not notice the L-88 and assumed it said L-82. L-88's were very, very rare and very, very fast (550-575hp). They were not offered after 67-68 if I'm not mistaken. They also were a race option and not found in street cars per say, again if I'm not mistaken (I'm no vette guru). I thought I read where they came standard with side pipes and the mufflers were inside the car not in the pipes when they were delivered (yes/no). Mikey
Sourced this on the internet as I bacame curious what the facts are: "427-560 hp at birth but underrated by GM to discourage the public from ordering for street use as the L88 was purpose built for off-street use (racing) and only those in the know ordered the L88 as evidenced by the production numbers. Quantity built: 1967=20, 1968=80, 1969=116... total three year L88 production equaled a total of only 216 units. The L88 Corvette is the Holy Grail for any Corvette and/or car collector." A 1969 L88 sold at the Mecum auction five months ago for $300,000. Here's another interesting article, too large to paste in here about the first L88 produced and it's history. Lots of facts about the L88. Evidently this one bid up to $900,000 in 2002 and didn't make the reserve. http://corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/l88/l88press1.html I can't find whether or not the mufflers were not installed but it sounds logical. The cars were not built to be driven on the street anyway and the first thing a buyer would have to do is take them off so the engine would run right.
i had a buddy that had a L-88 engine in a 63 sting ray body and it was strong.... I love Buicks but I cant see any Buick 350 trouncing one on the street.... I will agree that the more power that a peg leg has the slower it is, from a standing start.... like I always say, you can have all the power in the world , but if you cant get it to the ground, it aint gonna do you any good....
The Muffler system was a set of headers that had a extended collector in them and a round muffler assembly slid up inside them and the turn down back at the front edge of the wheel well held the muffler in with screws.... and the whole thing had to have a heat guard at the door opening to keep from burning the living crap out of your leg getting in and out of the car.... and the whole thing rattled,,,, and the chrome turned blue and purple when you ran the car.... yep, seen em..... :laugh: :laugh: up close and personal.....
Paul, as I suggested that's the most logical thing and the L88 was a typo. Nevertheless, that opened up a lot of thinking back on those good old monsters. The bad thing about this thread is that it is giving me Corvette fever again. I've owned five, and one of them twice. They're great cars. The 95 ZR1 was the only one I ever bought new off the showroom floor. At 425HP with 6spd it was a hell of a car. Lots of power, a racing suspension, and tires as wide as a bowling alley. Ah, the memories. No offense to any of the Buick faithful, but in my opinion these cars really deserve their place in history of automobiles. Only time I ever got beat in the ZR1 was by some dudes in a 70 or so Camaro that taunted me, then turned on their nitros on the expressway at about a 70mph cruising speed. They took me by surprise with the nitros and by the time I shifted down to fourth or third they were way out ahead of me. I'm sure they have a great kill story about killing my ZR1. Fact is that they got me flat footed and the competence/attention of the driver has as much to do with the result than the capability of the car. We pulled off to a local 7-11 after the event, he showed me the nitros set up and we had a good laugh. I have to give him credit for having a nice sleeper, at the least.
Oops! I guess I should check in from time to time. My bad. It's an L-82. My father-in-law has a '69 Vette with an L-88 (tri-power 427), which is probably where I got the wires in my head crossed. I'm not going to try and run the '69 in my 350. :spank:
