A buddy of mine was sold what was supposed to be a 1969 L88 motor. He just decoded the block numbers and he says it shows up as a 454 so he thinks he got ripped off. I know a 427 is basicly a 454 with a 396 crank, but would a 1969 block's number possibly show as a 454 when looked up?

Another thing, it appears to have oval port heads. I'm pretty sure a true L88 should have had rectangular port heads, correct?

Thanks

I'm not sure about the casting numbers on the block, but poking around at www.mortec.com (http://www.mortec.com) might answer that question for you.

An L88 would definitely have rectagular port heads, not ovals.

is it a 512 code block?

If he paid the "L88 dollar" for the motor, too bad, but he might, in fact, have something better than an L88 motor for most applications. In Chevelle's L88 is a decent bracket motor only with 4.56s+ and 5000 stall. And that will run as fast as an oval motor with 4.10s!

fwiw.....

L88 would also have aluminum heads...

If you list the block numbers & date code it can easily be ID. There is a 69 427 2 or 4 bolt & a
70-76 454 2 or 4 bolt which both have castings of 3963512! It's true that the L-88 versions only came with Alum heads but it does'nt mean they have to be the ones on the motor. I've ran across a number of those motors missing heads,iron headed or with mis-matched Alums.

I have e-mailed him for the numbers. It's going into a '57 panel wagon he is having restored. I definitly has oval port heads on it judging by the picture he sent me.

The '512 block was only a mid through the end of 1969 production year as a 427 and 1970-71 production year as a 454. A true 69 L88 and later "crate L88's" will only have a 7115 crank (not a 6223 or 3856223), -804 rods and 12:1 pistons with full floating pins. There were only 20 L88's produced in 1967 (actually L82) coded IT using the 3916321 block, 80 in 1968 coded IT using either 3916321 or 3935439 blocks, and 116 in 1969 coded LO with M22 or LV with TH400. I've never heard how many if any CE coded L88's were made but I've seen many over the counter L88 short blocks using 3999289, 361959 and 14015445 blocks 4-bolt blocks.

My crate 68 L88 short block was an IT code. Unfortunately one of the 7/16s rods let loose at about 7800 rpm and the block is long gone and I don't remember the casting number.

7,800!!!!

WOW!! I bet that was a ride when she let go to say the least!!

You know, the ricers just CAN NOT even begin to be able to immagine experiencing power like that out of a BB at 7,800!!

AND I don't care if she is on the down side of the power curve!!!!!

pdq67

How to Hot Rod BBC says the L-88 was/is capable of sustained 7800 RPM!