'72 LT-1 air coupe #'s verification

[Chris Baird]

Prior to starting a restoration of my '72 LT-1 air coupe (red/red), should I have a Vette specialist verify my #'s are correct? I know they are (have POP, original title, bought from original owner, know a bunch about these cars, and I have the tank sticker I removed from the tank myself) but don't want to make any mistakes before I start work on the car since this one's fairly unique. Overall, I want to avoid anyone questioning the authenticity of the car once it's restored. Thanks, Chris Baird

[Dave S.]

Re: '72 LT-1 air coupe #'s verification

Chris,
The only factory documentation you really have is the tank sticker which is excellent if it is intact. The warranty book/protect-o-plate is reproduceable so it is not absolute documentation. Does the tank sticker have the VIN number on it??? I believe the 72 VIN will identify that the car is an LT-1 but I don't believe it will verify the A/C option.

[Chris Baird]

Re: '72 LT-1 air coupe #'s verification

Dave,
Since the sticker was on the tank for 29 years before I removed it, I can't read the lower part on the front side. However, if I flip it over to the back I can see the last 6 digits of the VIN mirror imaged on the back where the black carbon part was stamped onto another piece of paper. The numbers are not extremely clear, but are easily readable. This is the only piece of documentation I know of that clearly shows it's the real thing, but everything is as it should be (heavier springs on front with the part # still on them, wide ratio tranny, 3.55 rear, etc) and I know it's correct. I just want some type of verification since it seems to me there are many more LT-1 air cars out there than were supposedly built. I've heard people talk about finding a second tank sticker under the dash; is that common? Chris

[Gary C.]

Re: '72 LT-1 air coupe #'s verification

Chris

Sounds like you have a wonderful and desirable car. You have factory documents and a short prior owner list. I value original paper as much as anyone, but how much do you really need to prove a car is not "made up".

Can not see how having someone "verify" the car is of any benefit. Most any one will provide an opinion and that is all you will have in the end, someones opinion.

While POP are reproduced well, I think there are some out there that would be able to examine your POP and tell it is original.

No one enjoys having their car's heritage questioned, but the facts are that people are people, and some say too much some time. This will be true no matter how many "specialist" you enlist. Take those times and words (probably from strangers that know less than you) for what they are worth!

You have a great car in teriffic colors. Hope I am able to see the finished restoration some day. The are many very knowledgable folks here, some of them will be very helpful with your 72 LT-1.

[Chris Baird]

Re: '72 LT-1 air coupe #'s verification

Thanks for the advice Gary. I'm fairly new at this and didn't want to make a mistake before I start pulling apart the car. I know the POP is the original one, but I don't think the POP says if it has air or not. Is there something I'm missing on the POP that tells if it had air conditioning? Chris

[Dave S.]

Re: '72 LT-1 air coupe #'s verification

Chris,
Seems that you have one of the "crown jewels" of documentation if you have a real tank sticker w/ the VIN in readable condition. I aggree that the POP can be verified to be original but the skeptic can always challenge that due to the reproduction possibility. I found a Corvette Order Copy in the dash between the speedo and the tach on my 71 LT-1 but my 70 had no such thing. Seems like you have a great car and well documented. Good Luck w/ it and hope to see it on the NCRS circut some day.

[Gary C.]

Re: '72 LT-1 air coupe #'s verification

Not aware that C60 is on the POP. While anything can be done, Duplicating a factory A/C car from a non A/C car would be difficult. Document your car as best you can before you start taking it apart. Most of the new corvette builders prefer to make 67 435's, so you should be ok.

Is your car a coupe or convertible?

[Chris Baird]

Re: '72 LT-1 air coupe #'s verification

It's a coupe with 85K miles needing a complete restoration, but all the key parts are original and I believe it's one of the first air LT-1s made. It's also never been wrecked, but it has some rust under the driver's side door bottom about midway back right near where it's glued to the fiberglass (not sure what I'll do about this but I don't want to put a different door on it since it has the VIN decal still attached). I move around so much (in the military) I haven't done a whole lot with it yet. I'm just doing some initial planning and want to have all my ducks lined up before I start. Once I figure out my next assignment and start work on the car I may look for an NCRS "advisor" to help me out. Chris

[Patrick H.]

Re: '72 LT-1 air coupe #'s verification

Chris,

Highly consider attending as many NCRS and/or Corvette events as you can first. Look at every 72 you can find, and compare details to yours. I looked and took notes for two years before I ever touched my 71.

Take pictures. Take more pictures. Take so many that you wear out your digital camera. They will be invaluable.

Trust your car. What you see is LIKELY correct. The judging manual and/or advice of others MAY be incorrect regarding YOUR car. Don't ask how I know this.

Patrick

[Dave McDufford]

I agree take many high quality pictures

Chris,

I agree with Patrick about taking pictures. If your 71 is very original you cannot take too many pictures. I have a digital camera and portable computer in my workshop and have taken almost 1800 pictures of my 65 since I started about a year and a half ago. If it is original, the photo documentation is invaluable.

I use the highest resolution (2 meg on my camera) and camera tripod when possible. I will turn the flash off if possible to get better color. I often go back to the pictures to see what was where and what color it was. Also what I want to see is often in the corner of a picture - I might have taken a picture of the master cylinder but what I want to see is 12" below it. With a high resolution picture and good software I can zoom in, enhance it and see the area clearly. I use Paint Shop Pro and write the pictures off to CD's on a regular basis. If I enhance or modify a picture I save it under a different name and keep the original.

I took a couple of hundred pictures before I started and was taking a couple of dozen a day during disassembly. The only cost (other than the camera and computer) are batteries - and they are cheap. I also am taking pictues of the parts as I rebuilt them - it is fun to look back over what I have done.

My 2 cents.

Dave

[Patrick H.]

Re: I agree take many high quality pictures

I bought "Monster" brand rechargeable batteries, and they work very well. Keeps the battery cost and hassle down, and they have more power than anything else I found.

The money I spent on the camera is cheap compared to the mistakes I'd make without it. I used my Canon AE-1 when I did my 71 in 1996, and still have stacks of pictures of my car and others. I now have a CD full of pics of my unrestored Bowtie candidate 72 that i took with my diginal camera.

Patrick

[John H.]

Re: '72 LT-1 air coupe #'s verification

Chris, I am original owner 72 coupe base 350. NCRS 2nd flight, all original
including paint. I met a 72 CVRT. LT-1 AIR owner last year, summer 2002.
He was at the corvette show Gulfport MS. Coliseum. I am sorry I don't have
his name, however car is grey/silver exterior with black interior and black top.
You might be able contact the Jackson Mississippi Corvette Club who may know of
the owner. The car has very low mileage, about 12,000. He was from the Jackson MS.area.

Suggestion: 1. Join NCRS, buy judging books 72, asembly manuals.
2. Attend NCRS flight judging show.
3. Join local NCRS CLUB. The people are really first class, acros the board.
4. NEVER paint any part of the under carriage of your car, NEVER.
5. Need help, Big John at happyappy@peoplepc.com

Save The Wave

[Billy Olson]

Re: '72 LT-1 air coupe #'s verification

John,

I own a '72 LT-1 with a CRT engine code - original and numbers matching. Are you referring to a a CRT engine when you say CVRT? I've had some correspondence with Terry M. of the NCRS and it may be that the CRT engine is unique. I want to start restoring my car but wanted to find out more about it first. I just recently signed up on this site (best I've seen for history/restoration info) and have started back up on my car/project. It's a great driver but could benefit from a restoration. Thanks.

Billy

[John H.]

Re: '72 LT-1 air coupe #'s verification

Billy, I misspelled the word corvette as CVRT. It has nothing to do with the
correct engine code. However someone on the discussion board can probably
give you the correct engine code for your car. I cannot look it up at the
moment because my judging manuals are in Mobile with my car that is getting
repaired due to a previous shop fire. I should have the car back in Louisiana
sometime in November. My car is not a LT1. It is a base 350.
Good luck on restoring your car. It sounds like a nice corvette.
Big John