1968 l89
 

Anyone have a guess how many documented cars are still around? It's hard to believe they made 272 of them and almost none are left. There was a post somewhere that number came from Tonawanda as the number of motors built. Any thoughts?

68 L89’s are probably the rarest 1st gen camaro (aside from the ZL1 followed after 68’s the 69 L89 cars) my personal opinion. I only have a handful of known cars in my data and several red flag cars. Without the block or paper you can not 100% confirm originality. CRG has it listed that 272 cars were assembled and nothing stating it includes warranty engines. Which I assumed doesn’t. Maybe Kurt, William or Bryon can comment.

Thanks, Thats about what I've come to realize. Over the last 15 years or so, going to all the big shows I have yet to see another one. Or even auctions. Several cars with aluminum heads, but not real cars. Didnt realize all those years ago mine was that rare. Trying to determine value for insurance, and possible sale.

There are very few, however IIRC two of the ones out there are convertibles. A Maroon white interior car with M22 and high way gears and the Gold conv that resided in AL for a number of years. The maroon car was bought new in the triad area of NC and the original owner is a local politician in that area.

Is the maroon one originally bought for a high school grad?

Do you have any record of a dark green 68 L89 Camaro in SE Iowa Darrell? I know a guy that supposedly has one with the original engine and he was going to have Jerry inspect when I had my COPO Camaro inspected in 2017. He saw one of Jerry's reports and was worried about him picking his car apart and changed his mind which shocked me because if I had an L89 with the original motor I'd be dying to know if it was legit or not.

Could have been, I believe the original owner was fairly young. Car was from Raleigh or Apex if not mistaken.

There is another 68 L89 (coupe) I remember a Lemans Blue RS/SS. Also from the southeast.

Yep, I have the article in super chevy on the maroon one. 06.. 07. The grads mom told him to order any car he wanted. Had a lot of options. The Lemans Blue one I know well... it's in my garage!

If your car was a MAJOR PROJECT then it could be the same car I called about maybe 5 years ago.
Here is a photo I kept, as I stated it was a major project at the time -

Yikes, no. I've owned about 15 years now. Finished resto in 2014.

Did that car have matching number engine?

If it’s Seqouia Green then yes I have it listed. But no driveline photos that I recall. Waited on current owner to feel comfortable sending photos. I list the info but just make quick notes.

Its Sequoia Green or British Racing Green. If I see it around this summer I'll try to get a picture of trim tag and engine block stamp.

As long as the owner gives the approval I’d appreciate it.

'

The Maroon 'Vert matching #'s restamp w/ questionable L89 pedigree is in this past thread w/ 05/13 Mecum link still alive...
https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=122551

A Factory Built '68 L89 w/ indisputable history and THE ORIGINAL Engine (not just #'s smoke & hokey paperwork) is something special and looking forward to hearing more about your LB car also any other examples you come up with.

If you want to try backtracking L89's or matching up any known cars, there's a few original ads for '68 L89's in the Old Newspaper ads thread including below 12/68 Chicago ad w/ L89 'Vert, click here and cruise through a few pages...
https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthre...135780&page=21

:beers:
~ Pete

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I remember reading about that convertible having questionable papers. But never heard from the car again.

I don't understand why Chevy thought that the POP would remain with the cars. I see people all day selling the owner's manuals that comes with cars and it pisses me off. Those belong to the car not to you.

did this car have a matching motor?

Are you saying people are selling the POP/manual from a cars that are in fact still around? That would piss me off too. I do see manuals that have POPs for sale, but the cars are long gone. Some guys clean out glove boxes from cars being scrapped at a junk yards and sell them. Better to save it and pass it on than have it burned up or run through a shredder.

No engine or trans said he had the pinpunched Owners manual with POP the car was sold prior to me getting a chance to go look at it.

Wow. Did you happen to know the serial number of the car. I have a complete motor that got pulled from a 68.

'

Cool!
Have you tried for NCRS Dealer Shipped to info w/ Coupe & 'Vert VIN prefixes added to engine stamping?:hmmm:
:beers:
~ Pete

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I thought you had to own the car in searching ncrs?

No

1968 L89 Camaro
 

I found and purchased a numbers matching L89 68 camaro with a m22 . Not restored just a old repaint . Known about it for 25 years but it disappeared from my area . The engine surfaced and I found the car from the vin on block . Also tracked down the original owner who ordered the car . Very excited to find such a rare car that is numbers matching.

one was just found in the UP of Mich.

1968 l89
 

That’s me !

Your kidding me, where? Details? Pics?

'

Big Congrats and looking forward to more, Coupe or 'Vert?:hmmm:
Nicely done if backtracked by Vin stamping, sounds like you actually have an Original Engine L89 car which if true, is much more valuable than most Numbers Matching cars are.
:beers:
~ Pete

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It's a great find John!

Awesome find, John. This is Jimmy, talked with you recently. We'll we know there is at least 2 known out of the 272 made!

I bought a 69 Z/28 (sans engine/trans/front seats) in the summer of 1971 from the a salvage pool. Theft recovery car.

Had the P.O.P. in the glove box. I immediately recognized the name. Guy named Cyrus Wheeler bought it new (or his dad did). Cy was about my age, but we went to different schools. I knew the car well (didn't know it was THAT car when I bought it). It was a terror on the street with cross ram.

I had no use for the POP in 71, so I pitched it. I am certain this is an all too familiar story.

Back in the late 70's/early 80's there was a guy named Ralph Greinke from Chicago who had one. Had it at the Car Craft Street Machine Nats in Indianapolis, which is where I saw it and got to know him. It interested me because I know of another one, which I eventually bought in early 1980. Friends of mine owned the car since 1972. I sold it to another friend later in 1980, and he still owns it today. NOM, short block replaced under warranty during the OO's tenure. My friend did a title search (back in the good old days when you could do such things) and spoke with the OO, who confirmed that it was a true L89 car that he bought new.

A couple pics when I owned it in early 1980...

There was a Sequoia Green 68 for sale on ebay about 12 years ago. I believe it was in Tulsa. They owner had died and his son was selling it. IIRC, the engine stamp was correct, but someone had removed the aluminum heads. I talked with the seller, but did not go see the car. He had no paperwork, and could not say for certain that it was the original motor to the car.

Is that British green?

A idiot friend spent about a year getting a Berger COPO bought off the orig. owner. Problem was it had a set of aluminum heads on it that the owner would not let go with the car as they belonged to his brother. He offered to buy his brother another set. He said no they belong on his car. Turns out his brother bought a 68 L89 new. He ended up buying both cars.

Here's the only picture I have of Ralph Greinke's 68 L89 Camaro, taken at the Car Craft Street Machine Nationals in either 1979 or 1980. Sorry for the poor picture quality.

Bill Jenkins had one. Michael Allen original soul survivor and the Super Street Cars test car were a few more back in the day. Apparently most L89s were tore up on the track and Street back then. And to make things worse is the problem with documenting the 68s without any paperwork. And that's ashame that there are probably quite a few out there that people don't know what they have.

I know this is just another "story", but a friends uncle said he had one that he bought new. He said this car had head gasket issues and after having the dealership replace them a few times, The heads were replaced with iron heads. This ended the head gasket issues and the car was later traded in for a more "family friendly" car.

Had a similar problem with mine after rebuild and a few miles, mine had a small leak. Re torked and so far so good.