L89 Resto!!
 

Hi to all. We are finally getting back into the L89 Camaro. And has just arrived from being media blasted, During the blasting process all of the firewall codes began to show through. I am used to seeing a few codes but this thing looks like a middle school chalkboard. We want this to be a 100% accurate restoration, I will give you a short picture tour of the progress, First off the car has a great history and has alot of original pictures of it through the 70's, Sold new at Humphry Chevrolet in Wisconsin. It is a RS/SS with 4.10,s and a M21 trans, Code 55 Azure Turquise with 712 black interior, Endura, Spoilers, console w/ gauges, Blue light stereo, vinyl top, Chambered exhaust ( built 10D 1968), Much paperwork and original owner still lives at same address as when he bought new!! We thought this was one of the earliest built L89's but I have seen on this board a Convertible that was built the week prior, This is a early Norwood car and has the smaller cowl tag, Car still retains all of it's original dated components and is 100% numbers matching, Car also came with the XT wheels and dog dishes which i think is awesome, OK, The firewall before any restoration started showed the typical B T P inspection marks on each side and a large T U R partially covered by the heater box, Picture shows letters traced to show up better. I have original pic's this is just for reference

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

The car had X2 on the bulkhead in the rear seat area also that we preserved

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Can't stop there! More pictures! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/flag.gif

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

Cool pic, Carl!

What color(s) was used for the P, T, and B?

You think the TUR stands for turquoise?

I know you said the TUR was partly covered by the heater box, was the bottom of the "U" on the heater box or is there evidence that it was under the box?

Thanks,
-Sam

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

I suggest that any time you are restoring a car and you have it blasted or dipped or what have you that you and your camera should be there!! Then you can make sure that the operator of the nozzle is not going to erase these markings forever. Here is what we found on the firewall

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

many more to follow

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more

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picture of the original BTP orange stamps

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more firewall

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OK some of the codes are obvious like the M21 and the D80, The 222 and the 34 are easily readible but the others I have questions, The V37 is clear but is it a V or not? the N10 is not real clear and could be somthing else? above the V37 is a large O and K maybe https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif there is a set on the drivers lower cowl also

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

We would like to share this info with true supercar fans and hope it would not be used in a negative manner, It seems all these cars were different and alot of marks could be meaningless and random, I would like to thank all ahead of time. Any thoughts on the markings would be great!! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

Sam , I could not tell you for sure if the markings were on the box or not but I suspect that they passed under the box, Thanks

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Thank You for sharing these pix with us. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...iggthumpup.gif
Are the Aluminum Heads the originals?
If so,what are their casting dates,& what is the block casting date?

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

Hi The cylinder heads are the early 842's with the plugs on the ends. One cylinder head was replaced( this is the only replaced part!) The dates are not in front of me for the heads but they pre-dated the car by a few months unlike all other components. The block is dated I-26-8 with a pad stamp of T1005JJ stamped behind the alternator

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

Here are a couple of guesses:

2 2 2 is actually Z22, representing the RS option

N10 is dual exhaust, could the 0 0 8 represent NC8 chambered exhaust?

34 might be for N34, wood grain plastic wheel?

The V 37 looks more like 437, which could be short for 12437, V8 coupe not 6 cyl coupe 12337 ?

Or could it be a Y 37 (don't know what that would be)

Just a few guesses..
-Sam

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

Very Cool, thanks for posting.

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

All the codes remaining on the firewall, like N10, M21, Z22, Y437, D80, OU8(how about C08-vinyl top), etc. were put on by Fisher after the was assembled but before it was trimed out and primed. Fisher then painted the car and then blacked out the firewall and then added the PTB stamps just before sending the car over to the GM side of the plant. The TIIR (or TUR) was put on by GM on their side of the plant.

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

Yup, I'd say that is a Z22 for RS and That could be 437 also. The 34 is alone though, Very cool.. Thanks, I think Mark is right about the vinyl top code also. I'll dig up some more pictures

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The V 37 could be VE3 for endura bumper, also check for the number on the interior top side of the heater box in orange crayon. It may match something on the firewall..BKH https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

Interesting stuff!! You are right about having the camera to document these details. One of my L78 Novas had the letters VL78 written on the firewall. FYI...N10 is dual exhaust on a Nova don't know how that relates to Camaros. Good luck with the project.TW https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

Excellent pics, the previous interpretations make sense, and we've seen most of them on Frank & Caleb Arones C-Yellow COPO Camaro. The V37 code could possibly refer to the vinyl top (V), with the 37 indicating the color of the top?

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

Great, That make sense. I don't know why they would need N10 and 437 on a steel body, V37 for the top though would let them know that the finish on the sails only needed to be prepped so far and the trim studs for the mouldings may have been installed at the Fisher plant... I will post some more pictures tonight

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

The N10 is a necessary code to write on their as well since the body needed the extra plate welded onto the driver's side rear frame rail.

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The last vinyl top COPO we restored had CO8 very clear on the firewall...BKH

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Brian, didn't the DANA Nova have a big 'V' on the firewall as well?

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Yes, it had a large V with 65 beside it. The car is Olympic Gold with black top..BKH

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Sorry about the picture of pictures but I couldn't scan them small enough for some reason? Here is a picture of the back of the block and on the right side it had a tall JJ in white paint aand a 26 on the drivers side of the block

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

Side of block

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back of block

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The day we got the car

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One more from day we got it which I see yesterday was 5 years ago, There is a reflection on the rear quarter in the previous picture, The sheetsteel looks fine,

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Chassis and drivetrain are ready to go!!

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You got one of my Damn little dogs.................

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Last one, The engine was standard bore and crank was Std/Std. Short block was removed in 1973 in favor of a LS6 bottom end, Exhaust manifolds,smog,were removed on day 2 so were in new condition, The valve covers are temorary, I need to find a plater to do them correctly??

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

After my L-89 Convertible was dip stripped we had numerous markings show up on the stripped firewall. It was pretty suprising.

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did you notice if the markings were under the paint or on top of the paint?

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Was the bellhousing completely orange like that when you pulled it apart? They seem to be everything from 1 inch of overspray to completely painted on original cars!

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

Hi, The markings on the block were under the original paint, The bell housing was oversprayed with about 3/4 of the surface covered in orange

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

Hi Marlin, Like I said the Bellhousing was almost completely painted, I decided to paint the whole thing 4 years ago, I think maybe I would do it different today? But it is the original part as was the flywheel suprisingly, I wonder about the fact that it had the JJ on the back of the block before it was painted? I know the engines were built in Generic lots; L78's, L35's and so on. But why were these L89's seperated to a specific car and trans before it was painted?? Were they not painted at Tonowanda?? Thanks Carl

Re: L89 Resto!!
 

I'm assuming that the JJ was the engine application code? If so, it doesn't surprise me at all that it would be written on the engine under/over the orange paint.

This practice has been documented on a few Yenko Deuces, except that it's written on the sides, in yellow, and upside down. The location and color differences also do not surprise me, because your L89 engine was a Tonowanda engine for a Norwood car, and the Deuces have a Flint engine for a Willow Run car. So, I would expect some differences in the practice due to different engine & assy plants.

Additionally, we have found white 'X's on the ends of the cylinder heads, and blue paint on the head bolts. Both colors are under the orange engine paint, however, the CTB is on top of the orange.