Is there a certain digit in the vin that indicates the the car was a original L69 speed car in 1983? Also are these / will these cars ever be collectable because that option ?? Thanks

 

Count eight numbers/letters over. Vin "G" is the L69 (vin "H" the LG4). Collectable? Doubtful, but others may disagree.

JamesC

 

Not so fast. In 83, the L69 was vin "7". 84-up it's "G".
In 1982, "7" was crossfire, in 1983, crossfire became "S".
I've only verified this once or twice in person, but it's also listed that way in the white book.

L69 cars are cool... They're the maximum effort with a carb that GM made in our platform. From the dual snorkle intake to the decent gear ratios, for the time period they meant business. Compared to a CFI car I'd consider them more desirable.

 

Interesting fact, one I was completely unaware of.

JamesC

 

It's enough to screw with your head when you're squinting through a dirty windshield at a dirty, rusty VIN tag trying to determine if it's worth going inside and asking the greaseball that owns the lot to show you the car.

 

I disagree. I think a working LU5 Crossfire car is more desirable from a collectors standpoint, but only time will tell on that one. L69 cars are more common and were available for longer.

 

Sorry, but I'm respectfully going to agree with Drew on this one. While it's true that more L69s were built than Crossfires (in Camaros, 58,000 versus 44,000) that's not a huge discrepancy and neither is particularly rare. TPI cars are far more common than Crossfires, too, but I doubt anyone would argue that a Crossfire is more desirable than a TPI.

A general rule of thumb in collector cars is that, all else being relatively equal, the higher-horsepower car is always more desirable/collectable. The exceptions to this might be special edition cars ('82 Pace Car, '83 DT500) that were never available with L69.

The Crossfire cars got dogged with a reputation for disappointing performance (deserved or not) from day one, and I see this continuing to affect the market for the early Third-Gens. In comparison, the L69s were a revelation when they came out and were much better received from the press and the public. In the case of CFI vs. L69, I think lower production does not equal more collectible.

JMO!

 

I've seen a lot of third gens over the years and I've yet to see a Camaro with Crossfire Injection. You may be right on the collectors value of them, but I don't see L69's being all that collectible either. I think 350TPI cars will rule the day when it comes to that. Save for special edition cars.

 

Firehawks, TTAs, 350TPI, 305TPI 5spd, L69, everything else.
That's the hierarchy I follow. It's all about performance. The more performance or performance potential, the more attractive to potential buyers (collectors included). CFI has the lowest performance potential of ANY of the V8's offered. It has as much chance of being collectible as the 4cyl cars. Carbed cars are easily modified, potentially having MORE performance potential then 305 TPI cars.

Any random curiousity due to the unique CFI setup, goes poof the second you drive one back to back with an LG4. My first ride in a CFI Z28 was a real eye opener. All those fuel injection badges, the funny intake, the functional hood, it all meant dick when my base model Camaro with it's LG4 felt like it'd eat it for lunch. A L69 car should just tear a LU5 apart at a stop light, and that's all that matters.

 

Since we are talking 83 L69's, there were only about 3200 made during that model year, compared to about 20,000 LU5's. And, since a 5-speed wasn't available with the crossfire, I think the 83 L69 beats the crossfire in both performance and rarity, although the fuel injection does have a bit of a cool factor. Of course, I am biased, as I still have my 83 L69 that I ordered from the factory.

 

DREW.............Thats a GOOD one ! I am still snickering !!!!!!!!!!!

 

I think both L69 and LU5 cars are cool. Before I bought my '83 CFI, I was also negotiating to buy an '83 L69.

LU5's get alot of ribbing, both deserved and undeserved. I will say that it takes alittle extra homework to get a CFI to run well. Thank goodness for the internet!! So much good info if you want to educate yourself on the ins and outs of Crossfire. When I bought my '83 it felt like it had 90 horsepower and generally ran like crap. More than 50% throttle too quickly, would usually kill the motor. Now, it purrs like a kitten and will easily break loose the tires - even with it's 2.93 rear end. It's satisfying (to me anyways), to take such a maligned induction system and have it running like a top.

I know it's not for everyone, but it represents some interesting historical technology for our cars and Camaro in general. It looks cool and is different. And last but not least, has a fuctional cold air hood. Stomping on the throttle on a cool night and watching the hood flaps open, as you hear the motor take a gulp of fresh air, is worth something to me. Sure, you won't take down an LS1 with it, but that doesn't bother me.....

 

Just to add a little more support, yes, the L69's VIN code in 1983 was 7.

And rather than re-print the owner's manual, GM stuffed it with a supplement that stated a few specifics about the car, including the engine's VIN code, 7.

And here's a bit of trivia... for the engine's RPO designation, management wanted something "sexy," so L69 was suggested as a joke, for the obvious sexual connotation. Then after it received the intended laugh, the official "let's go with it" was given.

 

Yeah, true story. The complaint was that all the "sexy codes" were already taken.