Need Search for VIN#

[John Pontarollo]

I have been searching for a 1970-72 vette for a long time I may have a handle on a vette but, all I have to date is the following: VIN # 194371S1184571 or VIN # 194371S118457 Trim Code 412 Paint 979


I would appreciate if someone can let me know the original spec data for this car so I can verify it with the owner.


Thanks for your help.


Please e-mail the data to the above address as well the following address listed below:


gioiat@gowlings.com


Thank you,


John

[Eric J.]

Re: Need Search for VIN#

John, I believe the second VIN# must be correct because the first one you listed has too many characters. The vin following the "S" in the number only has 6 digits. IE 194371S100001. Your number 194371S118457 is a 1971 Coupe. The "437" = Coupe, 4371 = 71 Coupe. Your car is probably the 18457th vette built out of 21,801. The paint code 979 = Bridgehampton Blue, of which 1,41771 Vettes were painted that color. Trim code 412 is dark blue vinyl. What other type of info are you looking for? If you have the car you can try to get the tank sticker. Eric #3,182

[John Pontarollo]

Re: Need Search for VIN#

Thanks for the info, Eric.


I was hoping to get the engine type and size assciated with this VIN# to ensure the car is original. How can I go about getting this?


Also, do you or anyone have info on the price range for such a vette based on either a small block engine or big block? Obviosuly this would be based on poor to good condition.


Thanks again,


John

[Juliet P.]

You *need* the NCRS Tech manuals!

John, I don't know of a way to go from VIN to engine type. But you can check in the other direction.. engine to VIN. The engine should be stamped with the VIN number. If the last 5 digits of the VIN number match the engine block number then it's probably the original engine. On the front driver's side you can locate the engine number. The engine number will also include a 3 character suffix code. This code will identify the engine & Hp rating and which transmission it came with. For example in 1971 CJL is the 270 Hp 350 with a 4 spd transmission. The corvette black book (you can get it through NCRS) has the basic engine block details.


After that though you'll probably want to check the heads, transmission, carb and rear end. For this you need the NCRS technical judging manual. You can actually skip the black book and go straight to the tech manual. Sounds like a scarey document with the word technical judging in it, but it's really a fabulous reference book with pictures and diagrams and tables on all the stuff in the car... interior, exterior, under the hood, suspension, body panels... It includes info on how to tell what the build date is, and from there how to check part codes and date numbers on everything else in the car and in some instances how to tell repro parts from the real McCoy. The worst part about all this is forcing yourself to stop checking stuff instead of spending 8 hours with some poor guy's vette picking it over at infinitum. You need to prioritize the high $$ items which you can check in a reasonable time.


The tech manual was the first thing I bought when I started my chrome bumper shark search last year (after joining NCRS of course). It is an invaluable resource and worth every penny and then some! When I was on the hunt, I didn't believe anybody when they told me this or that was original. I made arrangements to get the car to a shop with a lift and with manual in hand I checked all the vital components myself. It's not difficult to do, you just need to know where to look and how to decode the numbers. The tech manual will teach you how to do all that.


I hope this helps, sorry it's so long. :) ~Juliet

[Juliet P.]

For (asking) price & "book value" in

I forgot you asked for this info too.... You can also get an idea of the range of asking prices (but not necessarily condition) from:


http://www.traderonline.com/auto/index.shtml http://www.classicar.com/classifieds http://www.corvettetrader.com http://www.corvetteclassifieds.com http://www.classifieds2000.com/cgi-c...uto+Car+Search http://www.hmn.com/hemmings/htm/home.htm http://www.traderonline.com/coll/search/index.shtml


And for price guides:


http://www.kbb.com http://www.nadaguides.com http://www.d-p-g.com/CorvetteFever/e...e/epgtabl4.htm http://www.barrett-jackson.com/collector/default.htm


~Juliet