Hello,

We had some email correspondence several months back about L89's. I briefly mentioned that I had a '68 L89 and that I was considering selling it.

For what it's worth, I may be considering selling two L89 cars - the red convertible '68 and a red convertible '69. If a buyer wanted both cars, I would make quite a deal - maybe 75K for both.

The '68 is the car I got from Roy, completely original and unrestored with 17,500 miles, and every award there is.

The '69 needs complete restoration because the original owner let it sit in the weather for years. It has actual mileage of only 37,000 and I am the 2nd owner. The entire drivetrain is original and the engine rebuild will be very simple and relatively low- priced due to the low miles - there is not even a ring ridge at the tops of the cylinders. The car is quite rare
because it has the TH400 high performance automatic transmission (only 45 L89's were made with this trans). It is rare enough that it does deserve restoration, although it will not be a cheap project overall.

Both cars have both tops, and every option. Tons of paperwork, history and documentation comes with each car. The '68 still has the original off-road exhaust, which is extremely rare to find still on a car. There are several differences between the original exhaust systems and the over the counter. If you have any interest please let me know. I will describe both cars to
the best of my ability. I can also send pictures of both cars.

EO

Geoffrey,

The '69 - where to start... this note may get kind of long, with some details. If after reading it you have not been scared off, I can provide even more details. I prefer to paint an accurate picture, rather than gloss over things - the last thing I would want is for a guy to actually come look at the '69 and claim I had misrepresented it.

It will need everything, including some windshield frame repair for rust. I guess this is not uncommon on Shark convertibles no matter what environment they were in (leaky roofs, badly designed drainage, etc.). I even went so
far as to talk to Nabors Brothers about this and they say they do it all the time.

The car was sold in LA (at Harry Mann - which tends to make it more desirable) and driven there until the early 70's. Then the guy moved back to New York state, which is where the car sat in the weather. It did sit out, but he told me it was not driven in the winters, so I think the frame does NOT have salt damage, but it does have surface exposure rust from sitting out. Actually, I am pretty sure he never drove the car again after 1976 because he told me he stopped driving it in '76 for two reasons - expensive low octane gas, and it needed brake work. Well, it appears he
started the brake work and never finished - a rear caliper is missing from the car, so he could not have driven it.

Anyway, the crucial frame area in front of the rear wheels has surface rust, but not cancer, if you know what I mean. However, the entire car has surface rust on metal areas b/c it sat out.

Bottom line is that when you do a car, you pretty much repair or replace everything anyway. You would not need to replace the frame, but you would need to have the windshield frame repaired (cut out and weld in some new
sections).
The engine rebuild should be cake.
The trans should be gone through by an expert on automatics.
Same for the rear-end.
Brake and fuel systems would have to be new.
Soft top frame needs resto and a new top.
The hard top is almost perfect - it is the item that sat in his garage - it is a vinyl covered hard top.
The dash and door panels actually look quite good - you might be able to use them.
Body needs lots of prep work before paint and probably a new left rear quarter (someone did a poor repair there).
The intake and carbs should go out for restoration.
The spare tire is the original and looks brand new.

Honestly, when I talked to Nabors, they said they have done lots of cars just like it and it probably needs 20K in parts and 20K in labor (this was probably two years ago). I think most full restos all end up costing about the same price b/c you end up repairing and/or replacing everything anyway.

I think it would require 40K minimum to have it restored.

In the end you would have a pretty desirable car - a red convertible L89 automatic with deluxe interior, PW, PS, PB, speed warning indicator, F41 suspension, 3.36 posi - every option except sidepipes - he ordered sidepipes but the car was built before they had them in production.

The block stamp pad - the block was decked during a dealer warranty repair about 1970 - all that I could read on the pad was the "W" of the rare LW suffix (auto, L89). I did the acid treatment to "raise" the numbers, and was able to eventually see about 3/4 of all the pad characters. I have some photo evidence of the process, but it was hard to see with bare eyes and the photos are even harder to see. Bottom line - I wrote down what I saw, and the stamp pad will need "restoration" - new broach marks and restamp. There was lots of discussion about me doing the acid process on the Discussion Board a year or two ago when I did it (you could probably search the early archives and find some of those threads - key word acid or pad etc.). Roy knows that I did it, and the results. I even consulted him about whether I
should restore the pad or leave it like it is.

There is no doubt in my mind that it is the original block, and I have a signed, notarized letter from the original owner stating that, and attesting to the dealer repair in 1970 (I have lots of interesting info about that too). I planned on having the pad restored with the exact characters recovered during the acid treatment.

I can give you lots more detail if I haven't scared you off - I don't want to misrepresent it - it is a HUGE, expensive project - probably only for the guy who knows what the end-state can be and who appreciates the desirability and rarity of the car. It is NOT a money-making car - you would have more in it than you could probably sell it for. You would have to want to own the car to justify taking it on.

The '68:

Right now I am stainless sleeving the original calipers - the car sat so much there are a few things it needs - it has low miles and has simply been stored most of it's life. I am having the original calipers sleeved, but not cosmetically restored, by an expert. I ironed out a timing issue on the car and it times well now, but it still has a bit of a "miss" which will need to be ironed out. The carbs could use kits (but I would not have them restored or refinished). I honestly think it has sat too much and needs some TLC.

I suggested that the price for the two cars would be 75K - that is based on;

60K for the '68 (less than I have in it)
15K for the '69 (I paid 20K - yes, I probably paid a bit much for it).

Anyway, at 75 for both, I am out more than 10K...

The way I look at it - the TWO cars could make a really great pair in a collection, because, how cool would it be to have two red convertible L89's, - one a 4 speed with a black soft top, and the other an automatic with a
white soft top? Pretty cool...

Here are a few pics of the '69. Let me know if you would like to hear more...

I may eventually get around to joining VetteHeads, now that I am home again after a 6 month work relocation assignment.

EO

Geoffrey,

The '69 has not run since about 1976. I never drove it when I got it. I knew how big a job it was going to be, going in. I did pay too much. I had a grand plan to do the restoration myself, and now may not take it on - I am older, wiser, and my back hurts more often these days. Will most likely try to sell it. Hope I don't have to "sell it for parts" (that is also too much work listing things etc.). I started some disassembly - I pulled the engine and disassembled it - that is why I know the rebuild will be straightforward. I started a slight bit of interior disassembly. I restored all 5 of the original rally wheels (sandblasted, primed, painted). That is about it as far as disassembly. To register it? Well, that would
probably take almost as much as restoration - body needs to come off frame, major mechanical rebuild of components, etc.

When I got the '68 from Roy I thought it would be perfect and need nothing. The problem with a car like that is even if it is just sitting (or maybe especially if it is sitting) some items deteriorate and need attention. Evidently Roy has enough cars that he did not mind that the '68 just sat. When I first drove it it ran pretty badly. Thus my looking into timing it
and tuning it up. I don't want a car if it does not run right. Anyway, I have started down the road of getting it back into top running condition. Hopefully it won't need much. The reason I am doing the brakes is this - I got on it pretty hard once, and had to put on the brakes pretty hard, and felt the seal go. Age, the high braking pressure, etc. So I am doing the brakes.

I will be honest - I have more cars than space, and I am contemplating an addition on my house, so I will pursue selling both L89's. I may consign them with a dealer even.

If you have any interest in both, I would do the best deal with you I could short of losing my total investment. I already have it in my head that I will be taking some loss to sell them both.

Here are the options on the '68;
· Rally Red
· Leather Black Trim
· Power Windows
· Aluminum Cylinder Heads
· Power Brakes
· AM/FM Stereo Radio
· Tinted Glass
· Deluxe Shoulder Belts
· Telescopic Steering
· Speed Warning Indicator
· Transistor Ignition
· Special Offroad Exhaust
· Special Performance Suspension
· Auxiliary Hardtop
· Power steering
· Positract Rear Axle 3.70:1
· 435HP Engine
· 4 Speed Close Ratio Transmission

Here are the options on the '69;
· Rally Red
· Leather Black Trim
· Power Windows
· Aluminum Cylinder Heads
· Power Brakes
· AM/FM Stereo Radio
· Tinted Glass
· Deluxe Shoulder Belts
· Speed Warning Indicator
· Transistor Ignition
· Special Offroad Exhaust (sidepipes were ordered but weren't in production - the original exhaust system is gone - will need complete setup)
· Special Performance Suspension
· Auxiliary Hardtop (vinyl covered hardtop - original owner bought this top a year or two after he got the car - not dated to the car - perfect condition)
· Power steering
· Positract Rear Axle 3.36:1
· 435HP Engine
· TH400 Automatic Transmission (automatics with this engine were high performance - high RPM shift points and high stall speed special torque converter

I will be inquiring with a dealer this week about selling/trading/consigning both cars. Please let me know if you still have interest.

Attached are two photos of the '68 - one is from a calendar it was featured in, the other is while it was on display for a year in the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green.

EO

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