I have long suspected the LT1 in my '94 coupe (with automatic) might not be the original engine because of some strange electrical splicings, among other things. So as shown in my 1994 Factory Service Manual I removed the ignition coil module for access to the number pad, cleaned the pad but found only "V0204ZWA" which confirmed I had the correct engine for my '94 automatic but the VIN derivative series that would indicate if the engine was original to the car was not on the pad. Apparently if the VIN derivative series was originally on the pad someone removed it and thus I assume I do not have the original engine. If the numbers were removed who and why and when, I don't know; I guess it just adds to the Corvette mystique. But, in the meantime, fortunately its a strong running engine.

Then someone with friends who are NCRS judges showed them a picture of my number pad and they said the number pad appeared unaltered and my second set of numbers was probably on the driver's side rear block just below where the cylinder head mounts. But after spending literally hours searching that location plus near the oil filter and on the the driver's side of the bell housing (other suggested locations), I'm still striking out.

So I'm asking any '94 LT1 owner out there who might know where the VIN derivative series is to give me a clue. Many, many thanks in advance!

John

my 92 book is different enough to make me say, "I donno."

And the answer is - thanks to an amazing YouTube video (see the last C4 go down the line at Bowling Green at [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YII-h21xJvw&eurl=http://forums.corvetteforum.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=1566770806[/url]) which pointed me toward where to look - I found the engine VIN and it is the original engine.

John

Quote:

Is having the original engine good?

-- Joe

I'm not sure what you mean by your question but here are some personal thoughts.

My '94 coupe wasn't bought to be a garage queen but to be a daily driver and as such gets driven some unusual places in town most folks would never think of taking a Corvette. But driving it is what it's all about for me and my 2000+ mile trip to the Corvette Museum in June is typical.

If a full restoration and NCRS judging had been my goal original components would have been highly desirable or even necessary. But that's not why I wanted to know if I my engine were the original. Rather what lead to my inquiry was 14 years of "black hole history" that had resulted in what to me, as a car enthusiast and 40 year tinkerer, were inexplicable wiring and other "repairs" that just didn't make sense unless, perhaps, the original engine and other components had been inartfully replaced. And since I now have learned the engine is the original I have to keep scratching my head and trying to answer why things were done as they were.

On the other hand I'm one for whom the words "replacement engine" doesn't mean an immediate red flag. My other current daily driver is a 2000 Mazda Protege that dynoed with 98HP pre-tinker. But after installing a Garrett T3 (and lots of other stuff), depending on the state of tune, it's 2+ times that. So in some ways it's not surprising that the original engine with no hardened parts whatsoever failed at 10k miles but the replacement, bought used and then checked but not blue-printed by the installer, has been chugging away for another 90k miles.

So "original" for my purposes is a fact to consider but not the final answer. Hope this in some way addresses your question.