L30/M20 UPDATE...

By Rich Fields, Camaro Research Group

RPO 's L30/M20

This web article on the L30/M20 has made it into print in the US Camaro Club magazine, "Camaro Enthusiast"; released in the November/December 1997 issue. Unfortunately, there were some significant typesetting problems due to the translation from Word to PageMaker by the publisher, resulting in revision-marked text being wrongly reinserted into the printed draft. The Web version is not only the first release of this article, it is the most accurate, so stay tuned to this web page for updates on the saga of the L30/M20. Nevertheless,

Back issues are available to current USCC current members for $5.00 each (includes shipping) To preview back issues click on the image above.

it was nice to see it in print, and the printed version has led to two original-owner L30/M20 finds, as I'll discuss below!

It appears that early 67 model L30/M20s did not appear with a 12-bolt rear axle.

One 11E dated car has been found with the Protect-o-plate (POP) codes. While the original drivetrain on this car is no longer available, the POP indicates that the car had a 3.08 ratio (10-bolt) rear axle. However, by late January L30/M20 had a 12-bolt. How, why, and exactly when the transition from 10-bolt to a 12-bolt occurred is not yet certain.

 

Below are the web article errata to-date (no, I am not perfect).

My thanks to Jon Mello for helping me catch the first one, and to Kurt Sonen on errors 2-4. I'm certain of only one thing, that these won't be the last errors to be found in this article.

1. Jon questioned the statement in the article saying the 67 L30 starter was 1107388.

"Ooops, that was the L48 starter for 67. The 67 L30 starter should be the 1107320."

2. Kurt said, "The section where the cranks are discussed is confusing, mainly cause I think some punctuation is missing...

" This was due to a coordination error between the Word version and the web version; while the text is still a mouthful, and probably should be re-written into shorter sentences, it was intended to read as follows:"

Crankshafts in both were forged steel rather than the nodular cast-iron used in the 327ci-210HP (the L30 crankshaft was part number 3884577 in 1967 and 3914672 in 1968; L48 used part number 3892690 in1967 and 3941182 in 1968){18}, with premium aluminum-alloy steel-backed bearings, upgraded from the copper-lead or Babbitt-metal steel-backed bearings used in the low-end 327-210 engine.

3. Kurt said, "Earlier in the paragraph, when you compare the CR's, the period should be a comma. Just noticed that."

"Correct."

4. Lastly, Kurt said, "In the engine block table, there probably should be a comma between the 'un-verified' and 'Small journal crank' (the block usage was unverified, not the crank size). And there is the extra column in the table, but I kinda see why it is there."

"Correct about the comma".

"On the column, actually, the extra column should not be there; the text in the header of the third column should belong under the header of the 2nd column, and the third column should be deleted."

Thanks, guys, for finding these. If anyone else spots a real or potential problem, either typographically or technically, please let me know at re_fields@juno.com.

To-date (June 1998) we have received data on thirteen existing L30/M20s, 7 from 1967 and 6 from 1968. This does not include reports we have received on a number of other L30/M20s - however we are listing vehicles only for which we have both detailed data and evidence that the vehicle actually still exists.
Two of the most recent finds were the result of the CE printed article, and both of these are original owner vehicles with very complete documentation; one from 1967 and one from 1968!

It is interesting to note that at least three of these vehicles were represented as SS cars. Possibly because of lack of appreciation for the unusualness of the option combination, combined with a less-than-rugged transmission and a tendency to get converted into faux SS models or race cars (due to the 12-bolt rear end), the L30/M20 has typically not been found in good shape.
Only four or five of the thirteen cars found at this writing have at least two of the three original major powertrain components (engine, transmission, axle) remaining. I assign cars a powertrain originality "grade" of A-E as seen below. There is no grade inflation here; A's are extremely rare, and B's are difficult to find. However, a grade of C is nothing to disdain by these criterion, and even a D or E is not unacceptable provided there is sufficient remaining back-up documentation and/or other evidence.

(*but not unmolested)

Click on bar below to read stories from actual L30/M20 owners...