1969 396 Indy Pace car,L78,M22.

[yountto]

I am sure there is only one real L78 pace car from the Cobleskill area,but i never heard of a may dated replacement block with it????[i do know alot of the nos parts got sold separately] ... Dennis was the name of the person who had it for sale ...this car is an 03D,but you probably made a typo as there are no 03C norwood cars ive been told...12 years or so ago i knew of the car but never pursued it...i have to believe its the same car??Im sure you also can verify the original M22 was with it[along with all the other authentic bb and L78 parts] if it truly is the same car we are talking about...

[Unreal]

Yountto, You are probably right about the build date....I was going from memory and I am getting old. The May block I was referring to was not in the car, it was in the back of an old school bus.

The car had front drums (probably changed out for racing), no console, power steering, and a radio. No other options that I can remember. It might have had a tach, but can't remember. I didn't know about the center fuel gage thing at the time.

It did have a numbers matching M22, 3.73 posi, deep groove ps pulley, and correct single fuel line.

[yountto]

Thank You to all who have emailed and/or posted info here on the L78 Pace car.Im amazed at how much information[to the exact detail] was retained on a car that was for sale almost 10 years ago. Can anyone supply estimated production figures of factory L78 Pace cars,and further L78 with M22 combination??

[Kurt S]

Last I heard (via the pacer registry), 20 L78 pacers are known to still exist.

[yountto]

20 would sound quite high to me[if registered also means authenticated]...... Is there any burden of proof that is required to register a car in that registry?Or can one simply say they have an L78 and get it registered?...I was told CRG has 2 L89s and 8 L78s registered[im also unaware of their authenticity requirements to list a car] ..I assume this is not the same registry??

[Kurt S]

I'm not aware of the pacer registry's burden of proof requirement. But they have more pacers than CRG does.

The CRG database is not a registry and never wants to be one. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[yountto]

Im quite sure the "registry" you are referring to[and there are a few ] has no limits to what can be "registered",just send the info in and you are registered[im surprised there is not 200 L78s this being the case]..Id be VERY surprised if there is another AUTHENTIC[key word] L78 M22 Pace car out there,not solely because i have one for sale.[the 2 known L89s werent even m22 cars]. Not to say there werent any others made,but all the individuals who have emailed have said they have never seen or known of another equivalent ....and they know a heck of alot more on these cars than i do....

[Jeff H]

I remember an L78/4 speed Pace Car at Summer Carlisle at least 15 years ago. I asked the guy what he was asking for the car and he said 75. It was pretty rough and the engine had leaks and drips all over. My dad looked at me and said "7500 is too much for that car". The guy looked at us and said "$75,000". My dad cracked up and so did every one else that was looking at it. I was in college so I didn't have any money and it didn't matter to me. Any chance that's the car you're talking about?

[yountto]

Maybe he knew something back then, or maybe he was crazy....either way,Im asking less money than he did 15 years ago!!! Very unlikely they are the same car,mine doesnt leak oil!!

[Kurt S]

To be honest, if you don't know what the requirements of the pacer registry are, how can you put it down?
The one I'm referring to is kept by the former ICC.

Yes, there definitely were L78 pacers made. And an M22 was a lot money and not many cars got one. Other than than, 'Colonel, I know nothing!'.