#CE L88 427BBC long block value

[musclcar]

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Does it have the 074 aluminum heads? If so, what date are they? My guess would be $6-7000.
James

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i'm going to get some pics emailed to me from the seller ,supposed to be about 50 pics . i was told it does have factory aluminum cylinder heads more than likely they're the #074 heads

[TimG]

It depends on the casting date and casting numbers. NCRS would welcome an engine like that in a car if the casting dates are before (six months) and the casting numbers are correct for the car. If it is an early '69 casting number, it won't work in a '67 L88, but would probably be fine in a '69 L88. If it is cast in late '69, it may be too late for most L88's, even a 1969 L88. This would impact the value. NCRS would judge the pad broach, assembly stamp, VIN stamp, casting date, and casting number. If all but the assembly stamp and VIN stamp are wrong, the car could still achieve a Top Flight easily. Bloomington, on the other hand, would not allow anything higher than a Silver. If the dates and numbers will work for a true '67, '68, or '69 L88, its value should be at least that as long as the correct components are there.

[rpoz11]

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If it is cast in late '69, it may be too late for most L88's, even a 1969 L88. This would impact the value.

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Could you explain why it would 'impact the value' in more detail?
I ask as I have one, a CE, that fits this latter suggestion...a K-4-9 date on the Block.
Wouldnt mine fit any warranty so long as it was present to be fitted into somone's vette? by the dealer?

[TimG]

Most folks want a block that has a casting date that is prior to the build date of their car. NCRS will deduct quite a few points if the car was built in October with a November cast block. With your block being cast in November of 1969, there are fewer 1969 L88's that would be eligble to handle your engine with no penalty for a block cast after the car was built.

[427king]

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If it is an early '69 casting number, it won't work in a '67 L88, but would probably be fine in a '69 L88.

[/ QUOTE ] Since the block is a CE stamp, an early 69 dated 512 would be a good match for a 67 L88 car. CE motors could have been installed 3 years after the date of the car[not the build date of the car but the sale date which could be several months after the build date in addition to the 3 year warranty period]..If ncrs accepts CE block,yet expects the date to preceed the car or allows more points when it does , they arent being realistic.

[TimG]

I don't know if their being realistic, but the criteria says that all dates should precede the build date of the car. They don't make any mention of CE blocks in judging manuals and they really don't treat a CE block any differently than a bare pad on a block. They judge five critical items pertaining to the engines; the casting number (350 points), the casting date (175 points), the broach on the stamp pad (38 points), the VIN derivative (25 points), and the engine assembly stamp (25 points). Forty five points equals one percentage point, so if your casting number is not correct for your car, you're at a Second Flight right out of the gate. It's important to know that if you put a 1969 L88 motor in a 1967 L88, your going to receive severe deductions whether it's a CE block or a block with nothing on the pad. You can argue to a judge all day long about how the original owner of the car told you that the engine was lost under warranty, you can even have paperwork to document this. The bottom line is that casting number, casting date, broach, VIN stamp, and assembly stamp are the only thing that determines the point deduction, not the CE designation, if any, on a block. It's a very easy judging process that allows for an owner of a car without an original engine to find a nearly correct engine and have a car that can Top Flight.

I owned a car with the original engine and the pad was lightly radial decked during a rebuild before I owned the car. This was a 25 point deduction in judging since all the other elements were correct. NCRS viewed this about the same as if my radio didn't work. It's important to know that if any of the five critical items are out of line at Bloomington Gold judging, the car is only eligible to receive a Silver Certificate no matter how well the car judges. They call it "Boxing" the car because these items are in a box on the judging sheets.

You're better off with a blank pad than a CE block, in my opinion.

[L34Pace]

Although CE coded GM warranty blocks are a perfectly legitimate part of the history and purchase agreement between a new owner and General Motors they are treated like any other non original block by most, if not all, top level judging ctiteria and clubed like a baby seal. To put it bluntly we hold the POP warranty book in the highest regard when authenticating a vehicle but give ZERO consideration to the contents contained in it. From an historical perspective it seems to be a disservice to the TRUE heritage of these examples fitted with GM CE warranty blocks or other components likewise covered under the original GM purchase agreement. The logic that a CE block would be better suited for judging criteria if dated prior to the vehicles build date just exemplifies the injustice. Or in my own words ignorance.

[TimG]

It's not an injustice, it just chronicle order.

[rpoz11]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If it is an early '69 casting number, it won't work in a '67 L88, but would probably be fine in a '69 L88.

[/ QUOTE ] Since the block is a CE stamp, an early 69 dated 512 would be a good match for a 67 L88 car. CE motors could have been installed 3 years after the date of the car[not the build date of the car but the sale date which could be several months after the build date in addition to the 3 year warranty period]..If ncrs accepts CE block,yet expects the date to preceed the car or allows more points when it does , they arent being realistic.

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I am in full agreement of this statement!

Wouldnt the warranty run of cores fulfill cars made, or maybe just 25% of the actual engines made.

As well, Chevrolet offering these motors as shortblocks for sale to the public at the dealership.

I would assume GM assembled warranty and public purchase units to the build of an L88 in 69 as the run was allowed prior to release.

I was just looking at it the same way Chuck does here.
I just felt that any CE block followed the release GM gave, during and after the cars were offered.

Thus my intention was of the thought my K-4-9 block followed the run made.

[TimG]

NCRS does not treat CE blocks any different than any block. The casting number must be correct for the year of the car and the casting date must be before the build date of the car to avoid a point deduction, period. If you have a '67 big block Corvette, the casting number needs to be 3904351. A 512 block would receive a 350 point deduction if it had CE stamped on it or if it had JE (435 horse L71 motor). They don't care if the motor was replaced by GM under warranty two years after the sale of the car or not. If you had a warranty motor that was replaced in a '67 Corvette six months after it was purchased and the block carried the 3904351 part number, but the casting date was three months after the build date, you receive a 175 point deduction. There is no special treatment for a CE block or a block with no stamping at all.
It's a very simple and fair set up. I'd be upset if some guy showed up with a '69 Corvette with a block dated one year after the build date of the car (CE block) and he received the same lack of deduction as my original engine '69 Corvette.