Rarety of the LT-5

[efnfast]

Is the LT-5 the rarest production engine ever in a Chevy?
We'll start with that and see where the discussion goes.

[BigJohn]

No!

[We Gone]

Most exotic yes

[Kevin]

No. Not even close. But it is the only vette specific engine

[efnfast]

Couple of no's, but no specifics. I was questioning modern engines, not stuff in the 20's or whenever when they only built 6 cars a year.

[WVZR-1]

There were something less than 3500 total Cosworth Vega builds that were released and sold. Those were '75 & '76 MY builds.

[BigJohn]

1969 ZL1, 1970 LS6 & L88!

[efnfast]

Are these just examples of existing engines made with different materials. Isn't an L88 an aluminum 427?

[Mystic ZR-1]

1969 ZL1, 1970 LS6 & L88!

Big Block... blah blah blah
You could get a Big Block in a school bus or dump truck!
:-D
How about the Chevrolet Series D 288 cu in overhead valve
V8 of 1917?

[BigJohn]

Big Blocks big torque!
Better than a V6 huffer!

[BigJohn]

Are these just examples of existing engines made with different materials. Isn't an L88 an aluminum 427?

No!

[Jagdpanzer]

L88 had aluminum heads and iron block
ZL1 was all aluminum
Both BB based engine designs though

[Vette73]

69 ZL-1....I think it was an all aluminum block..

I believe only two were made....The L-88 was an aluminum head
427 underrated at 435 horse....With headers it was more like 560 horse but needed 105 octane due to the 12:5 compression ratio....

[Vette73]

Sorry Jagdpenzer did not see your post before I wrote mine..:)

[edram454]

zl1 was all aluminum big block engine... in about 2 corvettes and 59 camaros in 1969. L88 was aluminum head big block only in corvettes from 1967 thru 1969... maybe a couple of hundred total.... ls6 was big block 454 with aluminum heads in chevelles 1970 and in corvettes 1971... there were many more of these because lots of chevelles had them in 1970. LT5 was only corvette specific. Not found in any other chevrolet. The LT5 is the most exotic by far.

ed ramos #3028

[efnfast]

So, so far these other engines are existing designs with different materials. The LT5 is unique with no interchangeable parts.

[Jagdpanzer]

Excecpt for rear crankshaft seal and connecting rod bearings which are SBC common

[Bob Eyres]

Great question,but there are probably many more arcane variations not mentioned yet.
How about the 1963- Z11? The dual quad 427 engine built on the architecture of the "W block" 409.

You'll always get an argument about whether a particular engine is unique, or just an updated version of an existing unit.

BTW, I believe the L-88 was rated at 430, not 435hp.

[cvette98pacecar]

It is amazing that everyone missed to two tall deck motors. 366 and 396 tall deck big blocks. 10.2" deck height.

[WARP TEN]

Depends on what your definition of is is, as a former president once said.

As a specific car model with its own special engine, the ZR-1 is one of the rarest, certainly in its later years. I believe that during its production cycle is was the highest horsepower and highest priced car GM sold. In its last three years the ZR-1 accounted for around 2% or less of annual Corvette production. The later C6 ZR1 had similar production numbers, only they actually sold more of them each year than our 448 except for 2012 when they sold only 404. There are no other double overhead cam production Corvette engines and I believe no other Corvette models with exclusive (wide) body work. --Bob

[BigJohn]

There have been many GM four cam engines; some even from the 60's!

[Blue Flame Restorations]

Difference between exotic and rare. L88 and ZL-1 are rare, in terms of production numbers...but not exotic. LT5 is somewhat exotic but as John says, four cam motors have been around for quite awhile.

The LT5 is one of them most beautiful motors ever to grace a Chevrolet, IMO.

[Fully Vetted]

Not sure of the production numbers since they didn't break them out but in 1995 Chevy finally got the Quad 4 engine and started putting them in the Z24 Cavalier. The Quad 4 engine was the first wholly domestic regular production DOHC four-cylinder engine designed and built by GM. While Olds, Pontiac and Buick had been using them since '88 Chevy didn't get it until '95.

[Fully Vetted]

There was also a very rare 427 Mk II engine available for a very short time in the 1963 Impala SS. Production is said to be as low as 18 units.