Body Build Date Versus Engine Assembly Date

[Ed M.]

I am going to look at a '68 435 car tomorrow. The car is documented with the tank sheet and owner history. All of the date codes line up except the body build date. The block is #3916321, cast III7 (Sept 11 67) the front pad is TO921IR (sept 21 67 435 manual) and the VIN is 2312. The car also has original trans and rear dated sept 7 67. But the body build date is B18 (Sept 18).

According to the VIN, this car should have been built in mid-October. When was the build date tag attached to the body versus the VIN riveted to the winshield pillar post? Could the car have been damaged on line and then returned?

Both the 68-68 Judging Manual (second edition) and the NCRS Spec Guide list the letter B as Sept. So, I'm confused. Is this thing real? Did the plant have a lot of bodies on hand in the beginning of the run?

What would you do if you saw this configuration on the judging field?

Thanks for the input.

Ed McGee

[GDaina]

All is not kosher. my friend.....

Something is wrong with your picture, my build date on trim tag is C2?, my production # is 220?, my block casting is August, 67. Question marks indicate lapse of memory for days in question.

[GDaina]

All is not kosher. my friend.....

Something is wrong with your picture, my build date on trim tag is C2?, my production # is 220?, my block casting is August, 67. Question marks indicate lapse of memory for days in question.

[John Rohe]

Re: Body Build Date Versus Engine Assembly Date

Ed,

I know that on mid-year cars an A.O.Smith-bodied car may have the body build date close to or after the engine casting/stamped dates - but not off by any extreme amount of time.

However, I don't know if A.O.Smith supplied bodies for 1968, or (if so) if this particular car indicates that it has an A.O.Smith body.

I'm sure you'll get many responses more informative than mine, but keep digging for information before you take the plunge. Good luck. John R.

[John Rohe]

Re: Body Build Date Versus Engine Assembly Date

Ed,

I know that on mid-year cars an A.O.Smith-bodied car may have the body build date close to or after the engine casting/stamped dates - but not off by any extreme amount of time.

However, I don't know if A.O.Smith supplied bodies for 1968, or (if so) if this particular car indicates that it has an A.O.Smith body.

I'm sure you'll get many responses more informative than mine, but keep digging for information before you take the plunge. Good luck. John R.

[Al Grenning]

Re: Body Build Date Versus Engine Assembly Date

Ed:

Thanks for posting the interesting information about the 68 427/435 car.

To provide light on your question let's make the assumption that the Corvette in question is an original driveline, documented (Corvette Order Copy) example. Further, the VIN on this 68 indicates car 2312. According to the records 2312 has a final assembly date of October 18th, 1967. However, the trim tag on the car has a date of September 18th, 1967. It is stamped "B18". According to everything published that date indicates September 18th - a paradox! Not really! The clue here is the same date for each month. What happened is that the the set-up operator for trim tags simply used the character "B" instead of the character "C". A mistake!! Did those kind of things happen? Yes regularly!

The following errors have been documented: coupes with convertible VINS, convertibles with coupe VINS, VINS with too many characters, VINS with too few characters, tags installed upside down, trim tags with the incorrect date code, and trim tags seemingly with the incorrect color code. Interestingly, a trim tag with an incorrect "Interior Trim Exception Control Letter" has yet to turn up.

Of course, there is a possibility that this is a made up example and in the process an inappropriate trim tag was installed. However, knowing your experience and knowledge in the hobby that circumstance can be discarded!! Thanks again for bringing it to the discussion site.

Because Corvettes of the period were hand assembled it's the individual quirks in each - that makes them all so interesting. Those quirks include factory mistakes.

Al Grenning

[Al Grenning]

Re: Body Build Date Versus Engine Assembly Date

Ed:

Thanks for posting the interesting information about the 68 427/435 car.

To provide light on your question let's make the assumption that the Corvette in question is an original driveline, documented (Corvette Order Copy) example. Further, the VIN on this 68 indicates car 2312. According to the records 2312 has a final assembly date of October 18th, 1967. However, the trim tag on the car has a date of September 18th, 1967. It is stamped "B18". According to everything published that date indicates September 18th - a paradox! Not really! The clue here is the same date for each month. What happened is that the the set-up operator for trim tags simply used the character "B" instead of the character "C". A mistake!! Did those kind of things happen? Yes regularly!

The following errors have been documented: coupes with convertible VINS, convertibles with coupe VINS, VINS with too many characters, VINS with too few characters, tags installed upside down, trim tags with the incorrect date code, and trim tags seemingly with the incorrect color code. Interestingly, a trim tag with an incorrect "Interior Trim Exception Control Letter" has yet to turn up.

Of course, there is a possibility that this is a made up example and in the process an inappropriate trim tag was installed. However, knowing your experience and knowledge in the hobby that circumstance can be discarded!! Thanks again for bringing it to the discussion site.

Because Corvettes of the period were hand assembled it's the individual quirks in each - that makes them all so interesting. Those quirks include factory mistakes.

Al Grenning