EXHIBIT 1.1





                                  $150,000,000
                      ATEL CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FUND VIII, LLC

        15,000,000 Limited Liability Company Member Units at $10 per Unit


                                  Best Efforts
                                SELLING AGREEMENT


                                 _________, 199_


ATEL Securities Corporation
235 Pine Street, 6th Floor
San Francisco, California  94104
 as Dealer-Manager for the
 above-described Units

Gentlemen:

ATEL Financial Corporation ("ATEL" or the "Manager") as Manager and on behalf of
ATEL Capital  Equipment Fund VIII, LLC, a California  limited  liability company
(the "Fund") pursuant to the Limited Liability Company Operating  Agreement (the
"Operating  Agreement") set forth as Exhibit B to the Prospectus (as hereinafter
defined), hereby confirms its agreement with you as follows:

l.Description  of Units.  Subject to the terms hereof the Fund proposes to issue
and to offer  for sale an  aggregate  of  15,000,000  of its  limited  liability
company member units (the  "Units"),  at a price of $10 per Unit through you and
those licensed brokers, if any, designated by you.

2.Representations,  Warranties and  Agreements of the Fund and the Manager.  The
Fund and the Manager, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to, and agree
with, you as follows:

(a) The Fund has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission
(the "Commission") a Registration  Statement and amendments thereto, on Form S-l
(File No. 333-_____) covering the registration of the Units under the Securities
Act  of  1933  (the  "Securities  Act"),   including  the  related   preliminary
prospectus.  Such preliminary  prospectus bears, and any amended prospectus will
bear, the legend required by the rules and  regulations of the Commission  under
the Securities Act (the "Rules and Regulations").  Such Registration  Statement,
as amended, at the time it becomes effective,  and the final prospectus included
therein,  are herein  respectively  called the "Registration  Statement" and the
"Prospectus."


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(b) The  Registration  Statement  and the  Prospectus,  and  all  amendments  or
supplements thereto, will contain all statements which are required to be stated
therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations, and
neither the  Registration  Statement  nor the  Prospectus,  nor any amendment or
supplement thereto, will contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
any  material  fact  required  to be stated  therein  or  necessary  to make the
statements therein not misleading.  In this connection,  it is understood by the
Fund and the Manager that Rule  2810(b)(3)  of the Conduct Rules of the National
Association  of Securities  Dealers,  Inc.  requires that you determine that all
material  facts  relating to the subject  offering are adequately and accurately
disclosed to  prospective  subscribers  and provide a basis for  evaluating  the
offering,  and the Fund and the Manager  therefore  specifically  represent  and
warrant that:

(i) all items of compensation  payable to them and their affiliates are and will
be set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Management Compensation";

(ii) all types of equipment to be acquired by the Fund are and will be described
in the Prospectus under the caption "Investment  Objectives and Policies - Types
of  Equipment"  or in a supplement  to be included  inside the back cover of the
Prospectus;

(iii) all material tax aspects are and will be set forth in the Prospectus under
the captions "Income Tax Consequences" and "Risk Factors";

(iv) the financial position and business  experience of the Manager and of those
affiliates  of the Manager who are of relevance to the subject  offering are and
will be accurately and adequately reflected in the Prospectus under the captions
"Management" and "Prior Performance Summary";

(v) all  material  conflicts  of interest  and risk  factors are and will be set
forth in the  Prospectus  under the captions  "Conflicts  of Interest" and "Risk
Factors"; and

(vi) all pertinent  facts  relating to the liquidity  and  marketability  of the
Units  are and will be set forth in the  Prospectus  under  the  captions  "Risk
Factors -  Limited  Transferability  of Units"  and  "Summary  of the  Operating
Agreement - Transferability of Units."

(c) The  accountants  who have certified or shall certify the audited  financial
statements  filed  and  to  be  filed  with  the  Commission  as  parts  of  the
Registration  Statement  and  the  Prospectus  are  independent  accountants  as
required by the Act and the Rules and Regulations.


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(d)  The  financial  statements  filed  with  and as  part  of the  Registration
Statement present fairly the respective financial positions of the Fund and ATEL
as of the  date of such  financial  statements,  in  conformity  with  generally
accepted  accounting  principles  applied on a consistent  basis  throughout the
period involved.

(e) Except as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus,  since the respective dates as of which  information is given in the
Registration  Statement  and the  Prospectus,  there  has not been any  material
adverse change in the condition,  financial or otherwise,  of the Manager or the
Fund; and except as set forth in or contemplated by the  Registration  Statement
and the Prospectus, neither the Manager nor the Fund have incurred any liability
or  obligation  or  entered  into  any  transaction  since  the date as of which
information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, otherwise
than in the  ordinary  course of  business,  which is material to the  financial
condition of the Manager or the Fund.

(f) The Units conform to the description  thereof contained in the Prospectus in
all material respects.

(g) Neither the issuance nor the sale of the Units,  nor the consummation of any
other of the transactions herein contemplated,  nor the fulfillment of the terms
hereof,  will conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute a default under
the terms of any indenture,  or other material  agreement or instrument to which
the Manager or the Fund are, or will be, a party or are, or will be, bound,  or,
to the best of the knowledge of the Manager, any order or regulation  applicable
to the Manager or the Fund of any court, regulatory body,  administrative agency
or governmental body having  jurisdiction over the Manager or the Fund or any of
their respective assets or operations.

(h) The Units, when issued, will be duly authorized,  validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable.

(i) The Fund has been duly formed  pursuant to the California Act (as defined in
the Operating  Agreement) and is validly existing as a limited liability company
in good standing  under the laws of the State of California  with full power and
authority to own properties  (or interests  therein) and conduct its business as
described in the  Prospectus.  The Fund is qualified to do business as a limited
liability  company  or  similar  entity  offering  limited  liability  in  those
jurisdictions  where such qualification is necessary to assure limited liability
for the members. The Manager has been duly incorporated, is validly existing and
in good standing,  under the laws of the State of California with full power and
authority to act as Manager of the Fund and conduct its business as described in
the Prospectus.


                                        3





(j) The person or persons who have signed this  Selling  Agreement  on behalf of
the Fund  and the  Manager  are duly  authorized  so to sign,  and this  Selling
Agreement has been duly  executed and delivered by, and is the valid,  legal and
binding  agreement of, the Fund and the Manager,  enforceable in accordance with
its terms.

3.  Representations  and  Warranties  of the Dealer  Manager.  You represent and
warrant to and agree with the Fund as follows:

(a) You are a member in good standing of the National  Association of Securities
Dealers,  Inc.,  and will maintain such  membership  throughout the term of this
Agreement.

(b) You will comply with all federal laws  pertaining to the sale of securities,
the laws of the  jurisdictions  in  which  you sell the  Units,  the  Rules  and
Regulations  of the Commission  and the  Constitution,  By-Laws and Rules of the
National  Association of Securities Dealers,  Inc.,  specifically  including and
Rule 15c2-4 under the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as  interpreted in NASD
Notice to Members 84-64 (which  requires that during the escrow period checks be
transmitted by you to the escrow agent as soon as practicable,  but in any event
by noon of the second business day following receipt by you).

(c) You  will  make no  sale  of the  Units  unless  such  sale is  preceded  or
accompanied by the Prospectus.

(d) You will assist the Fund in qualifying  the Units for sale under the laws of
the State of California and such other  jurisdictions  as the Dealer Manager and
the Manager shall mutually agree.

(e) You will (i) diligently make inquiries as required by law of all prospective
investors in order to ascertain  whether a purchase of Units is suitable for the
investors  and (ii) inform each  prospective  investor  of all  pertinent  facts
relating to the liquidity and  marketability of the Units during the term of the
investment. In recommending a purchase, sale or exchange of the Units you shall:

(1) have  reasonable  grounds to believe,  on the basis of information  obtained
from the participant  concerning his investment  objectives,  other instruments,
financial situation and needs, and any other information known by you, that:

(i) the participant is or will be in a financial position  appropriate to enable
him to realize to a significant extent the benefits described in the Prospectus;

(ii) the participant has a fair market net worth sufficient to sustain the risks
inherent in the program, including loss of

                                        4





investment and lack of liquidity; and

(iii)  the program is otherwise suitable for the participant; and

(2) maintain in your files for at least six years documents disclosing the basis
upon which the determination of suitability was reached as to each participant.

(f) All  Subscription  Agreements  shall be promptly  transmitted to the Fund in
accordance with instructions set forth in the Subscription  Agreements,  and all
funds  received  by you with  respect  to any  Subscription  Agreement  shall be
promptly  transmitted  to the Fund , provided,  however,  that pending sale of a
minimum of 120,000 Units, all subscription  checks shall be made payable to, and
all Subscription  Agreements and funds shall be promptly  transmitted by you to,
such  bank as may be  selected  to act as  escrow  agent  for the Fund . As used
herein, the term "promptly transmitted" shall have the meaning set forth in Rule
15c2-4 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

(g) You will maintain copies of all Subscription  Agreements in your records for
the longer of the periods  prescribed by either (i) Rule 17a-4 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 or (ii) applicable state blue sky laws.

(h) You will execute no transaction  in a  discretionary  account  without prior
written approval of the transaction by the investor.

4. Sale of Units.  On the basis of the  representations  and  warranties  herein
contained,  but subject to the terms and conditions  herein set forth, you agree
to sell the Units on a "best  efforts"  basis,  as agent  for the Fund.  You are
authorized  to enlist other  members of the National  Association  of Securities
Dealers, Inc. ("Soliciting Dealers"), acceptable to the Fund, to sell the Units.
As  compensation  for these  services,  the Fund  agrees  that it will pay you a
selling commission in an amount equal to 9.5% of the offering price of the Units
sold  pursuant  to the terms of this  Agreement,  from  which you may  reallow a
dealer  commission of up to 8% of such offering price.  You will pay wholesaling
compensation  to your personnel out of the selling  commissions you will receive
hereunder.  You will  reimburse the Manager for overhead  costs  advanced by the
Manager,  including  salaries and other costs of persons involved in wholesaling
activities.  All of such costs will be reimbursed out of wholesaling commissions
and expense  reimbursements  received by you from the Fund. The Fund may, in the
Manager's  sole  discretion,  reimburse  expenses and compensate you and certain
Soliciting  Dealers for wholesaling  activities in connection with the offering,
provided that the aggregate amount of such reimbursements and compensation, when
added to all other selling  compensation  paid in connection  with the offering,
does not

                                        5





exceed a total equal to 10% of the Gross Proceeds,  plus an additional  one-half
of 1% as provided in the following sentence. The Fund may, in the Manager's sole
discretion, reimburse the Soliciting Dealers for their bona fide and accountable
expenses for due diligence  purposes,  in an amount not to exceed one-half of l%
of the offering price of the Units sold pursuant to this Agreement.  In addition
to the selling  compensation  described above, the Fund may establish a non-cash
sales  incentive  program as described in the  Prospectus,  subject to the prior
review and approval of the NASD and compliance  with all  applicable  NASD rules
and procedures.

Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  however,  it is understood and agreed that the
Manager has reserved the right to accept or reject any  subscriptions  for Units
as set forth in the Prospectus and no selling  commission will be payable to you
or any of the Soliciting  Dealers with respect to the tender of any Subscription
Agreement which is rejected by you or the Manager as aforesaid.  Furthermore, no
subscription will be deemed binding until at least five days following  delivery
of a Prospectus.

The Fund further agrees that it will pay the foregoing  selling  commission with
respect to the purchase price of each of the Units upon the Manager's acceptance
of the order for such Units;  provided,  however,  that none of such commissions
will be  payable or paid  until  release to the Fund from the escrow  account in
which they are to be deposited of proceeds from  subscriptions  for a minimum of
120,000 Units.

It is  understood  and  agreed  that you may,  in your  discretion,  rebate to a
purchaser of Units the selling commissions  otherwise payable in connection with
any  investment  in  Units by you,  the  Manager,  a  Soliciting  Dealer  or any
Affiliate or employee of any of the  foregoing or certain  clients of registered
investment  advisors,  as more  specifically  described in the Prospectus  under
"Plan of Distribution - Investments by Certain Persons." Any such rebate to you,
the  Manager,  a Soliciting  Dealer or any  Affiliate or employee of such person
will only be made if and to the extent that any  Soliciting  Dealer  which would
otherwise be entitled to a selling  commission on any such transaction agrees to
such rebate.

5.  Certain  Covenants  of the Fund and the  Manager.  The Fund and the  Manager
covenant and agree with you as follows:

(a) The Fund will not at any time file or make any  amendment or  supplement  to
the Registration  Statement or Prospectus of which you shall not have previously
been  advised and  furnished a copy,  or to which you or any  Soliciting  Dealer
shall object in writing.

(b) The Fund will advise you and each Soliciting Dealer immediately, and confirm
the advice in writing, (i) when the

                                        6





Registration  Statement shall have become  effective with the  Commission,  (ii)
when any  post-effective  amendment  to the  Registration  Statement  shall have
become effective,  or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus
shall have been filed,  (iii) of any request of the  Commission for amendment or
supplementation  of the  Registration  Statement or Prospectus or for additional
information,  and (iv) of the  issuance  by the  Commission  of any  stop  order
suspending  the  effectiveness  of the  Registration  Statement  or of any order
preventing  or  suspending  the  use of any  preliminary  prospectus,  or of the
suspension  of the  qualification  of the  Units  for  offering  or  sale in any
jurisdiction,  or of the  institution of any  proceedings for any such purposes.
The Fund will use its best  efforts to  prevent  the  issuance  of any such stop
order or of any order preventing or suspending such use and to obtain as soon as
possible the lifting thereof, if issued.

(c) The Fund will deliver to you and each Soliciting Dealer without charge,  and
when requested, such number of copies of the preliminary and amended preliminary
prospectus,  and the Prospectus (as  supplemented or amended,  if the Fund shall
have made any  supplements  or  amendments  to the  Prospectus)  as you and each
Soliciting Dealer may reasonably request.

(d) The Fund will comply to the best of its ability with the  Securities Act and
the  Rules  and  Regulations  so as to permit  the  continuance  of sales of and
dealings in the Units under the Securities Act. If at any time when a prospectus
is  required  to be  delivered  under the  Securities  Act,  an event shall have
occurred  as a result  of  which it is  necessary  to  amend or  supplement  the
Prospectus in order to make the  statements  therein not untrue or misleading or
to make the Prospectus  comply with the Securities Act, the Fund will notify you
and each Soliciting Dealer promptly thereof and will furnish to you an amendment
or  supplement  which  will  correct  such  statement  in  accordance  with  the
requirements of Section l0 of the Securities Act.

(e) The Fund will use its best  efforts to qualify  the Units for sale under the
laws of the State of California and such other  jurisdictions as the Manager and
you shall  mutually  agree and will comply to the best of its ability  with such
laws so as to  permit  the  continuance  of sales of and  dealings  in the Units
thereunder.

(f) The Fund will furnish to you and each  Soliciting  Dealer with copies of all
such documents,  reports and information as shall be of general interest and are
furnished by the Fund to investors in the Units generally.

(g) The  Fund and the  Manager  will pay and bear  all  costs  and  expenses  in
connection  with  the  preparation,  printing  and  filing  of the  Registration
Statement, preliminary and amended

                                        7





preliminary  prospectus and  Prospectus  and amendments or supplements  thereto,
including fees of legal counsel for the Fund , the qualifying of the Units under
the laws of certain  jurisdictions as aforesaid,  including filing fees and fees
and disbursements of counsel in connection therewith, and the cost of furnishing
to  you  and  the  Soliciting  Dealers  copies  of the  Registration  Statement,
preliminary  and  amended  preliminary   prospectus  and  Prospectus  as  herein
provided.

6.  Conditions  to Dealer  Manager's  Obligations.  Within a period of five days
after the effective date of the Prospectus (the "Effective  Date"),  there shall
be furnished to you the following:

(a) The favorable  opinion of Derenthal &  Dannhauser,  counsel for the Fund and
the Manager,  dated the Effective  Date, in form and substance  satisfactory  to
your legal counsel, to the effect that:

(i) The  Registration  Statement has become  effective  under the Securities Act
and, to the best of the knowledge of such counsel,  no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the  Registration  Statement has been issued and no proceedings
for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or are  contemplated  under
the Securities Act.

(ii)  The  Registration  Statement,  the  Prospectus,   and  each  amendment  or
supplement  thereto  (except  for the  financial  statements,  as to which  such
counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with
the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations.

(iii) Such counsel have  participated  in the  preparation  of the  Registration
Statement and Prospectus and no facts have come to the attention of such counsel
to lead them to believe that either the Registration Statement or the Prospectus
or any such amendment or supplement (except for the financial statements,  as to
which such counsel need express no opinion)  contains any untrue  statement of a
material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

(iv)  The  description  in the  Registration  Statement  and  Prospectus  of the
contracts  and  other  documents  therein  described  are  accurate  and  fairly
represent the information required to be shown.

(v)  Such  counsel  do not  know of any  statutes  or  regulations  or  legal or
governmental  proceedings  required to be described in the Prospectus  which are
not  described  as  required,  nor of any  contract or  documents of a character
required to be described in the  Registration  Statement or the Prospectus or to
be filed as exhibits to the  Registration  Statement which are not described and
filed as required.

                                        8





(vi) This  Agreement has been duly  executed and  delivered by the Manager;  and
(upon  the  assumption  that  the  Registration   Statement  complies  with  the
Securities  Act) this Agreement is a valid and binding  agreement of the Manager
in accordance with its terms.

(b) A  certificate,  dated the  Effective  Date,  signed by the Manager,  to the
effect that: (i) the  representations and warranties of the Fund and the Manager
contained  in  this  Agreement  are  correct;  and  (ii)  the  signers  of  said
certificate  have  carefully   examined  the  Registration   Statement  and  the
Prospectus,  and in their opinion (A) neither the Registration Statement nor the
Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto contains any untrue statement
of a material  fact or omits to state any  material  fact  required to be stated
therein or  necessary to make the  statements  therein not  misleading,  and (B)
there are no material  legal or  governmental  proceedings  to which the Fund or
Manager  are a party or of which the  business  or assets of the Fund or Manager
are the subject  which are not disclosed in the  Registration  Statement and the
Prospectus.

(c) A letter  addressed  to you from Ernst & Young  dated not  earlier  than the
business day immediately preceding the Effective Date, stating that:

(i) With respect to the Fund , they are "independent public accountants" as such
term is defined in the  Securities Act and the Rules and  Regulations,  and they
were not employed by the Fund on a contingent basis and they (and their partners
and associates  individually)  do not,  either at the time of the preparation of
financial  statements  reported  upon by them or at any  time  thereafter,  have
substantial  interest in the Fund or any of its parents (as such term is defined
in Rule  405(n) of the  Commission)  or have any  connection  with the Fund as a
promoter, underwriter, voting trustee, director, officer, partner or employee.

(ii) In their opinion,  the balance sheets of the Fund and ATEL reported upon by
them and included in the Registration  Statement comply in all material respects
with all of the accounting  requirements contained in the Securities Act and the
Rules and Regulations with respect to Registration Statements on Form S-1.

(iii) On the basis of a reading of the  audited  balance  sheets of the Fund and
ATEL included in the  Registration  Statement and upon  inquiries of officers of
the Fund  responsible  for financial and accounting  matters and other specified
procedures,  nothing has come to their  attention  which  caused them to believe
that (a) said  balance  sheets:  (x) do not  comply  as to form in all  material
respects with the  applicable  requirements  of the Securities Act and the Rules
and Regulations with respect to Registration  Statements on Form S-1 and (y) are
not fairly presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
applied

                                        9





on a consistent  basis; or (b) as of the date of the latest available  unaudited
interim  balance  sheets  prepared by the Fund or ATEL,  there was any  material
change from the amounts shown in the balance sheets  included in the Prospectus,
except in all instances for changes or decreases which the Prospectus  discloses
have occurred or may occur.

(iv) On the basis of inquiries of officers of the Fund responsible for financial
and accounting matters and such other procedures as they have deemed adequate in
connection  with said opinion,  nothing has come to their attention which caused
them to believe  that at a specific  date  within  five days of the date of such
letter there was any material  change from  amounts  shown on the balance  sheet
included in the  Prospectus  except in all  instances  for changes or  decreases
which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur.

7.  Indemnification.

(a) The Manager shall indemnify and hold you and any Soliciting Dealers harmless
against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several:

(i) to  which  you  or any  Soliciting  Dealer  may  become  subject  under  the
Securities Act, the various State securities laws or otherwise,  insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon any untrue  statement  or alleged  untrue  statement of any
material fact  contained in the  Registration  Statement,  the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement  thereto or in any sales literature  furnished by us, or
arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein
a  material  fact  required  to be  stated  therein  or  necessary  to make  the
statements therein not misleading; or

(ii) to  which  you or any  Soliciting  Dealer  may  become  subject  due to the
misrepresentation  by the Fund or the  Manager or its agents  (other than you or
any  Soliciting  Dealer) of material  facts in  connection  with the sale of the
Units, unless the misrepresentation of such material facts was the direct result
of misleading  information  provided to the Fund or the Manager or its agents by
you; or

(iii) to which you or any  Soliciting  Dealer may become  subject as a result of
any breach by the Fund or the Manager of the  representations,  warranties,  and
covenants contained herein.

The Manager will reimburse you and any Soliciting Dealers for any legal or other
expenses  reasonably  incurred in connection with investigating or defending any
such loss, claim, damage or liability (or actions in respect thereof); provided,
however, that the Manager shall not be liable in any such case to the

                                       10





extent that any such loss, claim,  damage or liability arises out of or is based
upon an untrue  statement  or alleged  untrue  statement  or omission or alleged
omission made in the Registration Statement,  the Prospectus,  or such amendment
or  supplement  or in any sales  literature,  in reliance upon and in conformity
with  written  information   furnished  to  the  Fund  or  the  Manager  by  you
specifically for use in the preparation thereof.  This indemnity agreement shall
be in addition to any  liabilities  which the Fund or the Manager may  otherwise
have in connection with this offering.

The  foregoing  indemnity  agreement  shall  extend  upon  the  same  terms  and
conditions  to, and shall  inure to the benefit of,  each  person,  if any,  who
controls you or any Soliciting Dealer within the meaning of the Securities Act.

(b) You  agree and each  Soliciting  Dealer  will  agree to  indemnify  and hold
harmless  the Fund and the  Manager  against  any  losses,  claims,  damages  or
liabilities,  joint or  several,  to which the Fund or the  Manager  may  become
subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise,  insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon any untrue  statement or alleged  untrue  statement  of any  material  fact
contained in the  Registration  Statement,  the Prospectus,  or any amendment or
supplement thereto or in any sales literature, or arise out of or are based upon
the omission or the alleged  omission to state  therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
in each case to the extent,  but only to the extent,  that such untrue statement
or alleged  untrue  statement  or omission or alleged  omission  was made in the
Registration  Statement,  the Prospectus,  or such amendment or supplement or in
any  sales  literature,   in  reliance  upon  and  in  conformity  with  written
information furnished to the Fund or the Managers by you specifically for use in
the  preparation  thereof;  and will  reimburse the Fund and the Manager for any
legal or other expenses  reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or
defending  any such  loss,  claim,  damage or  liability  (or  action in respect
thereof). This indemnity agreement shall be in addition to any liabilities which
you or any  Soliciting  Dealer  may  otherwise  have  in  connection  with  this
offering.

The  foregoing  indemnity  agreement  shall  extend  upon  the  same  terms  and
conditions  to, and shall  inure to the benefit of,  each  person,  if any,  who
controls the Fund or the Manager within the meaning of the Securities Act.

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party of notice of the commencement
of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to
be made against the indemnifying  party under  subparagraphs (a) and (b) of this
Paragraph  7,  notify the  indemnifying  party in  writing  of the  commencement
thereof;

                                       11





but the omission so to notify the  indemnifying  party shall not relieve it from
any liability  which it may have to any  indemnified  party otherwise than under
such  subparagraph.  In case  any such  action  shall be  brought  against  such
indemnified   party,  and  it  shall  notify  the  indemnifying   party  of  the
commencement  thereof,  the indemnifying  party shall be entitled to participate
in, and, to the extent that it shall wish,  jointly with any other  indemnifying
party,   similarly  notified,  to  assume  the  defense  thereof,  with  counsel
satisfactory  to such  indemnifying  and  indemnified  parties,  and  after  the
indemnified  party shall have received  notice from the agreed upon counsel that
the  defense  has been so  assumed,  in the  event  that the  indemnified  party
nonetheless  elects to  participate  in the  defense of any such  action for any
reason other than the presence of a conflict of interest, the indemnifying party
shall not be responsible for any legal or other expenses  subsequently  incurred
by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof.

8.  Non-Circumvention.  Neither  the  Manager,  the  Fund , nor  any  affiliates
thereof,  will (a) notify or actively  solicit any Soliciting  Dealer's  clients
with respect to any further transactions, or (b) release the name and/or account
information for any of any Soliciting Dealer's clients to any other party unless
required by court order, an authorized  governmental or self-regulatory  entity,
or by the Operating  Agreement to do so. For purposes of this paragraph  "notify
or solicit" shall not be deemed to include any direct and unassisted  contact by
a  broker-dealer  other than the Manager,  the Dealer  Manager or the Fund . The
provisions  of this  section  shall  survive  any  termination  of this  Selling
Agreement.

9. Termination.  This Agreement shall automatically be terminated,  and the Fund
shall have no liability for the payment of any commissions or fees hereunder, in
the event of the  failure  of you and the  Soliciting  Dealers  to sell at least
120,000 of the Units prior to the termination of the offering by the Manager.

10.  Applicable  Law. This Agreement  shall be construed in accordance  with the
laws of the State of California.

11. Notices. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, (a) whenever notice
is required by the  provisions of this  Agreement to be given to the Fund or the
Manager,  such notice shall be in writing  addressed to the Fund or the Manager,
or both,  as the case may be, at 235 Pine  Street,  6th  Floor,  San  Francisco,
California  94104 and (b) whenever  notice is required by the provisions of this
Agreement  to be given to the Dealer  Manager or the  Soliciting  Dealers,  such
notice shall be in writing  addressed to you at 235 Pine Street,  6th Floor, San
Francisco, California 94104.

12.  Benefit.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to

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the benefit of the respective successors and assigns of the
parties hereto.

If the foregoing correctly sets forth your understanding,  please so indicate in
the  space  provided  below  for  that  purpose,  whereupon  this  letter  shall
constitute a binding agreement between us.

                                  Very truly yours,

                                  ATEL CAPITAL EQUIPMENT FUND VIII, LLC,
                                  a California limited liability company

                                  By:  ATEL Financial Corporation,
                                          a California corporation,
                                          Manager


                                          By: ____________________________


Accepted this ______ day of __________, 199_:

ATEL SECURITIES CORPORATION,
a California corporation, Dealer Manager


By: __________________________



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