tank sticker

[Rainer S.]

I am thinking of buying a 1972 corvette 454 coupe, low mileage (42,000) and aclaimed to be original, except the paint. Did the 72's have a tank sticker ? I am also thinking to buy a 1972 El Camino454 big block (needs restauration). Did the El Camino's have a tank sticker ,too? Seller claims that either car has not been apart. Have not seen either car yet, but will do so soon...

rainer

[Art A.]

Re: tank sticker

72 Corvette, Yes.................72 El Camino, No

Corvette was/is the only GM vehicle that intentionally left a build sheet on or in a vehicle.

Art

[Rainer S.]

Re: tank sticker/engine stamp pad

Art,
Thats what I thought, but was not sure. You may know the answer to an additional El Camino question. (hope its OK to ask a none Corvette question)But since its related...
I know that the St.Louis Corvette assy plant stamped the partial serial number next to the engine build code on the stamp pad. But on El Camino's assembled in Van Neys (sp ?) Ca, is it possible that the serial number was missing from the stamp pad ? All other numbers and are perfect,just no ser number.
I know, that happened when deales would, on occations, replace the engine after delivery with an "over-the-counter" replacement engine. If that happened, the numbers would be way out of synch, but not on the car I am looking at.

Rainer

[Terry M.]

[Art A.]

Re: tank sticker/engine stamp pad

Terry, I specifically said "intentionally" because Corvettes were and are the only ones that had/has a directive to PUT one in the vehicle-----the others were pure and simply over looked.

Art

[Terry M.]

Re: tank sticker/engine stamp pad

I don't question that, Art. I deliberately hedged by saying "usually." Guys restoring cars produced at different facilities have a heck of a time of it because they all did things a just little differently. We don't know how lucky we are dealing with a car that for the most part was produced at one plant.

[Mark #28455]

Re: tank sticker/engine stamp pad

I have a late 1971 396 "CTB" block that was factory installed with no VIN derivative on the stamp pad.

[Warren F.]

Re: tank sticker/engine stamp pad

Rainer:

Starting after January 1, 1969 (for the model year 1969) the Van Nuys plant (VN)on the body tag started stamping the vin sequence #'s down near the oil filter boss area, this surface is somewhat rough and the numbers do not necessarily "jump out at you". This was done for Camaros, I would check this location to see if Chevelles, El Caminos followed suit.

[John H.]

Re: tank sticker/engine stamp pad

Van Nuys never built El Caminos or any other "A"-body vehicles; they only built "B"-bodies (Impala/Caprice) and Camaro/Firebird. El Caminos were built at Fremont, Baltimore, and Kansas City.

[Brian M.]

Re: tank sticker/engine stamp pad

John, Let's not forget the El Caminos built in Ole Mexico 1985, 86 & 87, and the one that I've never seen 1988.

[John H.]

Re: tank sticker/engine stamp pad

Yup, how could I forget the Ramos Arizpe plant in Saltillo; I built that plant, and the name of the hotel I lived in while doing so was the "El Camino Real"; had a phone in the bathroom, gold-plated fixtures, water you couldn't drink, and burros baying all night at the farm next door

GM bought the site real cheap without bothering to do any site checks or soil borings, and gave us the chore of building the plants (assembly and engine); we brought in a site crew to level the site, found it was all solid bedrock, and had to delay the program for 14 months while we dynamite-blasted 24/7 for over a year to level the site. Some bargain.

[Rainer S.]

Re: tank sticker/engine stamp pad

Thanks everyone. I was not aware of the fact, that they did not build El Caminos in Cal. That explains, why the build tab says: BL, that stands for baltimore, not LA. Vin number stated L for Los Angeles. Something was wrong with car, possibly,,,

Rainer