Mid-Year Numbers?

[Kyle Zevena]

Is there a document/book out there to cross reference VIN's of 1963 -1967 Corvettes to the original engine suffix?

example: given a Midyear car without the original engine i.e 350cid how does one find out which engine suffix or casting code was originally installed in the car?

also was 1967 the first year of the "Tank sticker"?

thanks.

Kyle

[Jack H.]

Re: Mid-Year Numbers?

'67 was the first year of the 'tank sticker' or build/broadcast sheet. Cars of the era with these still intact pose a 'dead sea scroll' issue since original paper was quite cheap and teletype generated. Reading can be like an exercise in crossword puzzle interpretation and removing a real artform due to weathering/brittleness.

There is no VIN to option compliment list for the time period you ask about and VIN sequence was relatively non-intelligent (tells you coupe vs. convertible status, car was made by Chevrolet and has a V8 engine). Inferring what engine/option packages came on the car originally is an artform. It requires historical owner reseach and interpretation of 'telltale' signs (if equipped thus and so, there'd be these holes, Etc. still visible today).

If this is a new assest for you and you're interested in knowing what it was and/or restoring it, you should consider joining NCRS, building a support library, and getting active in your local NCRS chapter. We welcome you! You can join over the phone with credit car by calling NCRS membership office in Cincinnatti (513) 385-8526 and as a member you qualify for discounts on merchandise from our library.

Noland Adams' book "Complete Corvette Restoration, Vol II" is a super starting point for the questions you raise and you'll pay for your NCRS membership based on the discount you receive. Getting the shop manual, assembly instruction manual (AIM), and Judging Guide tells you about care/feeding, how the car was originally put together, and what judges look for (what's rare) in determining factory originality status.

[Jack H.]

Re: Mid-Year Numbers?

'67 was the first year of the 'tank sticker' or build/broadcast sheet. Cars of the era with these still intact pose a 'dead sea scroll' issue since original paper was quite cheap and teletype generated. Reading can be like an exercise in crossword puzzle interpretation and removing a real artform due to weathering/brittleness.

There is no VIN to option compliment list for the time period you ask about and VIN sequence was relatively non-intelligent (tells you coupe vs. convertible status, car was made by Chevrolet and has a V8 engine). Inferring what engine/option packages came on the car originally is an artform. It requires historical owner reseach and interpretation of 'telltale' signs (if equipped thus and so, there'd be these holes, Etc. still visible today).

If this is a new assest for you and you're interested in knowing what it was and/or restoring it, you should consider joining NCRS, building a support library, and getting active in your local NCRS chapter. We welcome you! You can join over the phone with credit car by calling NCRS membership office in Cincinnatti (513) 385-8526 and as a member you qualify for discounts on merchandise from our library.

Noland Adams' book "Complete Corvette Restoration, Vol II" is a super starting point for the questions you raise and you'll pay for your NCRS membership based on the discount you receive. Getting the shop manual, assembly instruction manual (AIM), and Judging Guide tells you about care/feeding, how the car was originally put together, and what judges look for (what's rare) in determining factory originality status.

[John Rohe]

Re: Mid-Year Numbers?

Kyle,

If it is a '67, if the tank sticker is still on the tank you should be able to see that the sticker is still there by sliding the rubber boot that goes around the filler neck off to the side a bit and look to the left (driver's) side. As far as I know, the tank stickers were on this side. You may not be able to read much from this position, but at least you'll know whether it is there or not.

You might get a little more help from this board if you give a few more specifics about the car, like year, transmission type (e.g. automatic), or other options on the car (that appear original). I've heard that some options are coded on the trim tag if the car has other-than a black interior, but I don't think engine code is one of them.

Unless you find prior owners (or have a '67 with a tank sticker) you'll probably never ever know for sure what motor the car originally came with. But you might be able to narrow it down to what it did NOT have.

Good luck. John R.

[John Rohe]

Re: Mid-Year Numbers?

Kyle,

If it is a '67, if the tank sticker is still on the tank you should be able to see that the sticker is still there by sliding the rubber boot that goes around the filler neck off to the side a bit and look to the left (driver's) side. As far as I know, the tank stickers were on this side. You may not be able to read much from this position, but at least you'll know whether it is there or not.

You might get a little more help from this board if you give a few more specifics about the car, like year, transmission type (e.g. automatic), or other options on the car (that appear original). I've heard that some options are coded on the trim tag if the car has other-than a black interior, but I don't think engine code is one of them.

Unless you find prior owners (or have a '67 with a tank sticker) you'll probably never ever know for sure what motor the car originally came with. But you might be able to narrow it down to what it did NOT have.

Good luck. John R.

[Bill Clupper]

Re: Mid-Year Numbers?

As the other posters have stated, there's no sure thing unless it's a '67 with the original tank sticker however if you do some digging the car itself can provide some clues from the original parts that may remain. Examples are the use of tach redlines that are engine specific, special features common to FI cars only, different oil pressure gauges for hi-horse cars (in some years) every car has a story to tell. Sometimes the story is complete, sometimes not, but a lot of clues as to the origin of a car can be pulled out of the judging manuals by looking for features commonly grouped together. It won't tell a 250 hp from a 300, but it sure will detail a 300 vs a 350hp or a 350 vs a 365 if you look closely enough.

[Bill Clupper]

Re: Mid-Year Numbers?

As the other posters have stated, there's no sure thing unless it's a '67 with the original tank sticker however if you do some digging the car itself can provide some clues from the original parts that may remain. Examples are the use of tach redlines that are engine specific, special features common to FI cars only, different oil pressure gauges for hi-horse cars (in some years) every car has a story to tell. Sometimes the story is complete, sometimes not, but a lot of clues as to the origin of a car can be pulled out of the judging manuals by looking for features commonly grouped together. It won't tell a 250 hp from a 300, but it sure will detail a 300 vs a 350hp or a 350 vs a 365 if you look closely enough.