I was out cruising around at a local hot spot and I see an old beat up firebird with a "For Sale" sign in the window. I figured why not so I call the guy over and ask what it is exactly and how much he wants. Turns out to be a 1987 Formula and it is TPI and he claims it has an L98 in it and he only wants $1000!! They guy needs money to mod his Nissan 200SX....I don't know exactly what that is but sounds like rice. The body isn't the best but I just want the motor. It is not the original motor but he started it up and took me for a ride. It sounded healthy, no smoke from burning oil, didnt sputter at all. I figure I can buy it for 1000, take the L98 and put in my L03 and sell it and get some money back from it and I have a 350. All I need to know is how to get the casting numbers and where exactly to look to make sure it is an L98 and what year it is out of. What would the casting numbers be? Is it worth 1000 for a L98 or perhaps LB9 with unknown mileage? What did the L98's run stock in the quarter, I know my L03 will only do 16's with 2.73's stock.

 

Can't anybody tell me the numbers for an L98 ?

 

The numbers on my cylinder head off my 89 Iroc were 14101083. You have to take the valve cover off. Which BTW I think that L98's ONLY had centerbolt valve covers. The L98 came out in 87 which was also the fitst year for the centerbolt valve covers. So its gotta be a cylinder head from 87-92 I am guessing. There is also supposed to be a casting number on the back of the block where it mates to the transmission stating either 5.7LG or 5.0LG. These are usually obscured by the wiring harness though. Um... other than that I can't think of anything else other than to pull the valve cover off.

 

don't know what digit it is, but it will be a 8 for 350TPI and an F for 305TPI

 

Thanks guys, I'll have to call that guy and have him give me some numbers. I'll post them on here when I get them and what it turns out to be. He seemed like a pretty straight guy, I don't think he would lie to me about the numbers but I'm deffinately gonna double check myself.

Anybody wanna buy a 1987 Formula with no rust visible, fresh paint, and an L03 with only 90,000 miles?