Exhibit 32.1

                                  CERTIFICATION

I, Dean L. Cash,  Chief  Executive  Officer  of ATEL  Financial  Services,  LLC,
Managing  Member of ATEL  Capital  Equipment  Fund  VIII,  LLC (the  "Company"),
certify,  pursuant to Section 906 of the  Sarbanes-Oxley  Act of 2002, 18 U.S.C.
Section 1350, that:

1. The Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q of the Company for the quarter ended March
31, 2004 (the "Report") fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m); and

2. The  information  contained in the Report  fairly  presents,  in all material
respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

Date:        5/11/2004



/s/ Dean L. Cash
- --------------------------
Dean L. Cash
President and Chief Executive
Officer of Managing Member


A signed  original of this  written  statement  required by Section 906 has been
provided to the Company and will be retained by the Company and furnished to the
Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.