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1988 CORVETTE

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By 1988, Chevrolet produced approximately 900,000 Corvettes in the 35 years since America's sports car bowed in 1953.

  • Little changed in Corvette's appearance this year, except for restyled six-slot wheels.
  • Optional 17-inch wheels looked similar to the standard 16-inch wheels, but held massive P275/4OZR-17 Goodyear Eagle GT tires.
  • Suspension modifications were intended to improve control during hard braking, while brake components were toughened, including the use of thicker rotors.
  • Under the hood, the standard 350-cid (5.7-liter) V-8 could breathe more easily with a pair of modified aluminum cylinder heads.
  • Performance also got a boost via a new camshaft, though horsepower only rose by five.
  • Both a convertible and a hatchback coupe were offered.
  • Corvettes colors were
    • Silver Metallic
    • Medium Blue Metallic
    • Dark Blue Metallic
    • Yellow
    • White
    • Black
    • Dark Red Metallic
    • Bright Red
    • Gray Metallic
    • Charcoal Metallic.
  • The only standard two-tone combination was White and Black.
  • Interior trims came in Blue; Black; Gray; Red; Saddle; and White.
  • A removable body-color roof panel for hatchbacks or body-color convertible top was standard, along with cloth-upholstered seats.

V.I.N. NUMBERS

  • The serial number [Vehicle Identification Number -- VIN] was stamped on a plate on the inner vertical surface of the left windshield pillar visible through the windshield.
  • The Coupe serial numbers ranged from 1G1YY21*2J5100001 to 1G1YY21*2H5122789
  • The Convertible serial numbers ranged from 1G1YY31*2J5100001 to 1G1YY31*2H5122789
Position Character Description
1 1 US built
2 G General Motors product
3 1 Chevrolet Motor Division vehicle
4 Y Type of restraint system
5 Y Corvette car line series
6 2 or 3 Body style number
  • 2 = Two door hatchback style 07, 08, 77, or 87
  • 3 = Two door convertible style 67
7 1 or 2 1=Manual seat belts
2=Automatic seat belts
8 8 5.7-liter Tuned-Port-Injection Chevrolet or GM of Canada V8
9 ? A check digit that calculates the characters in the serial number and gives it a single digit code and can be used to verify that the serial number is legitimate
10 J The model year where 1988
11 5 Bowling Green, KY
12-17 100001 and up production sequence for coupes and convertibles
  • Corvette engines have the last six digits of the VIN stamped on the block just ahead of the cylinder head on the right-hand side combined with a three-letter engine code suffix
  • Also cast into the top rear of the block is a four-symbol code indicating when the engine was built
    • The first letter of the date code shows the month the block was cast
    • The one or two numbers shows the month
    • The last digit shows the year
  • Engine suffixes:
Code Engine Horsepower Compression Transmission Fuel Supply Extra features
ZMA L98 350-cid 240/245-hp V-8 9.5:1 THM automatic tuned port injection  
ZMD L98 350-cid 240/245-hp V-8 9.5:1 THM automatic tuned port injection engine oil cooler
ZMC L98 350-cid 240/245-hp V-8 9.5:1 manual tuned port injection engine oil cooler
  • The 1988 Corvette exterior colors were:
    • 13 = Silver Metallic
    • 20 = Medium Blue Metallic
    • 28 = Dark Blue Metallic
    • 35 = Yellow
    • 40 = White
    • 41 = Black
    • 74 = Dark Red Metallic
    • 81 = Bright Red
    • 90 = Gray Metallic
    • 96 = Charcoal Metallic
    • 40/41 = Black and White
  • Upholstery Codes
Color Cloth Upholstery Leather Upholstery
Black 19C 192
Saddle 60C 602
White   113
Blue   212
Red   732
Gray   902

IDENTIFICATION

Model Model No. Body/Style No. Body Type Factory Price Shipping Weight Production Total
Coupe 1Y Y07
2-dr. Hatch Coupe - 2 passenger

2-dr. Hatch Coupe - 2 passenger

 $29,480 3229 15,382
Convertible 1Y Y67
2-dr. Convertible - 2 passenger

2-dr. Convertible - 2 passenger

 $34,820 3299 7,407

ENGINE

Feature Standard Engine (RPO L98)
Type V-8, 90-degree Overhead valve
Block Cast iron block and aluminum cylinder head
Displacement 350 cid (5.7 liters)
Bore & Stroke 4.00" x 3.48"
Compression ratio 9.5:1
Brake horsepower 240 @ 4000 (245-hp for hatchbacks using 3.07:1 rear axle due to use of low-restriction mufflers with this option combination only)
Torque 345 lb-ft @ 3200
Main bearing five
Valve lifters hydraulic
Fuel supply Tuned-port induction (TPI) system

TRANSMISSION

  • Automatic Transmission
    • Four-speed Turbo Hydra-Matic (TMH 700-R4)
    • floor-mounted gear shifter
    • gear ratios
      • 1st = 3.06:1
      • 2nd = 1.63:1
      • 3rd = 1.00:1
      • 4th = 0.70:1
      • Rev = 2.29:1
    • Final drive ratio: 2.59:1 or 3.07:1
  • Manual Transmission
    • Four-speed manual with overdrive
    • floor-mounted gear shifter
    • gear ratios
      • 1st = 2.88:1
      • 2nd = 1.91:1
      • 3rd = 1.33:1
      • 4th = 1.00:1
      • overdrive = 0.67:1
      • Rev = 2.78:1
    • Final drive ratio: 3.07:1

CHASSIS

Feature Coupe Convertible
Wheelbase96.2 inches (2.443 m)
Overall length176.5 inches (4.483 m)
Overall width71.0 inches (1.803 m)
Overall height 46.4 inches (1.179 m)  
Front tread59.6 inches (1.514 m)
Rear tread60.4 inches (1.534 m)
Standard Wheel size16 x 8.5 inches
Standard TiresP255/50ZR-16 Goodyear Eagle GT (Z-rated)
Steeringrack and pinion (power assisted)
Front suspensionSingle fiberglass composite monoleaf transverse spring with unequal-length aluminum control arms and stabilizer bar
Rear suspensionFully independent five-link system with transverse fiberglass single-leaf springs, aluminum upper/lower trailing links and strut-rod tie-rod assembly
BrakesFour-wheel power disc
Body constructionUnibody with partial front frame
Fuel tank20 US Gal (16.7 Imp Gal) (76 liters)

OPTIONS

RPO AC1 Power passenger seat $240
RPO AC3 Power driver seat $240
RPO AQ9 Leather sports seats $1,025
RPO AR9 Base leather seats $400
RPO B2K Callaway Twin Turbo installed by Callaway Engineering $25,895
RPO B4P Radiator boost fan $75
RPO C2L Dual removable roof panels for coupe $915
RPO 24S Removable roof panels with blue tint for coupe $615
RPO 64S Removable roof panels with bronze tint for coupe $615
RPO C68 Electronic air conditioning control $150
RPO DL8 Twin remote heated mirrors for convertible $35
RPO D74 Illuminated driver vanity mirror $58
RPO FG3 Delco-Bilstein shock absorbers $189
RPO G92 Performance axle ratio 3.07:1 $22
RPO KC4 Engine oil cooler $110
RPO MM4 Four-speed manual transmission no-cost option
RPO NNS California emissions requirements $99
RPO UL5 Radio delete $297 credit
RPO UU8 Delco-Bose stereo system $773
RPO V01 Heavy-duty radiator $40
RPO Z01 35th Anniversary Special Edition package for hatchback $4,795
RPO Z51 Performance handling package for hatchback $1,295
RPO Z52 Sport handling package $970
RPO Z6A Rear window and side mirror defoggers for coupe $165

HISTORICAL NOTES

1988 Corvette Notes

  • Introduced: October 1, 1987.
  • Model-year production: 22,789.
  • Calendar-year production: 22,878.
  • Model-year sales by U.S.
  • dealers: 25,425.
  • A $25,895 Callaway Twin-Turbo engine package could be ordered through specific Chevrolet dealers as RPO B2K.
  • Cars that received this package were sent from Bowling Green, Kentucky, to the Callaway factory in Old Lyme, Connecticut, to receive engine modifications and other upgrades.
  • The 1988 Callaways had 382 hp and 562 lbs.-ft. of torque.
  • Callaway modified a Chevrolet truck-type Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission as a $6,500 option for Callaways.
  • Chevrolet also built 56 Corvette race cars for use in the Sports Car Club of America's (SCCA) Corvette Challenge racing series.
  • These "street-legal" track cars alt had stock engines specially built at the Flint, Michigan, engine plant.
  • They were matched for power and sealed to insure that all of the cars were as identical as possible in a technical sense.
  • Protofab, an aftermarket race-car builder in Wixom, Michigan, installed race-car modifications and roll bars.
  • For 1988 Callaway Twin-Turbo Corvettes a different engine-coding system was used.
  • Callaway engines were stamped with the first two symbols indicating model year, followed by three symbols indicating order in the Callaway production sequence, followed by four symbols matching the last four digits of the Chevrolet VIN.
  • The production figures include a total of 2,050 special 35th Anniversary Edition Corvette hatchback coupes, each with a specific build sequence number and special badges.
  • This option listed for $4,795.
  • The 35th Anniversary Edition Corvettes featured a custom two-tone paint scheme consisting of a white body color, painted White wheels and Black roof bow with transparent black roof panels.
  • The white scheme was carried out through the interior trim, which included 35th Anniversary badges embroidered on the seat backs.

PHOTOS

1988 Corvette

1988 Corvette

1988 Corvette

1988 Corvette

1988 Corvette

1988 Corvette