1963 oil dipstick question

[Edward McComas]

A recent discussion has prompted me to ask the owners of 63 Corvettes with original engines to look at their oil dipsticks and answer the following:

What is the horsepower rating of your engine?

Is the handle end of the dipstick chrome or painted?

What letter is stamped on the dipstick? Most often seen are B, M, or W.

The real question is whether a chrome handle dipstick would EVER have the letter W stamped on it. Also, would a painted handle dipstick EVER have the letter M stamped on it.

All replies greatfully appreciated.

[John D.]

Re: 1963 oil dipstick question

Ed, This past year there were a ton of posts on these dipsticks. I believe it was JL who called the handle the "hilt". Up to the hilt as the saying goes. My Feb63 FI engine has a chrome handle. The dipstick part has an embossed "M" on. More important is the deeply embossed words at the bottom of the dipstick. Going from the bottom up it has: Add / Full / Engine oil. Deeply embossed so the back side is readible in reverse. Slashes are verticle-not tilted. Typical GM replacements and repros are lightly stamped and do not contain engine oil. Typical repros tend to have longer chrome hilts also. (handles)
I do believe that the first time these handles were sold as repros they were actually over the counter replacements. Since you did not get any replies I sent in my two cents worth. This dipstick is judged at the big shows for sure. Had a hard time finding this one. Car had a Chev replacment for an eon. Watched judges at the Auburn show this past year check every 63-64 dipstick and only one had the "real deal". Check the posts for the correct lengths. Michael Hanson, Joe Lucia and others covered this subject in depth. Lots of measurements and part numbers. Let me know how long the chrome handle should be. Need the height of it. Don't know if mine is correct or not. Got a ding at the last show because there was a scratch on the chrome. This morning when I pulled it out thought the scratch wasn't there. Strange. John

[Edward McComas]

Re: 1963 oil dipstick question

Thanks John, this is what I was looking for.

What I really asking is:

1. Has anyone ever seen a chrome handle version with a W on it?

2. Has anyone ever seen a painted handle version with an M on it?

I'm wondering if the M denotes a chrome handle, and the W denotes a painted handle?

[John D.]

Re: 1963 oil dipstick question

Edward, Sorry I didn't read your post closely enough. Can't answer your complete question. Don't even know for sure is the handle on a '63 is supposed to have a B on it. Know that the unplated part or the actual dipstick is supposed to have a M or W. My chrome one has an M. At the Marlborough show a friend told me that he didn't think a real '63 dipstick would have any letters stamped at all on the chrome handle. But most of the replacements and the repros have a B on them. Found out that the dipstick on the show cars is treated just like the Atwoood hood supports. Little known about either part. Problem today Edward is that the cars you look at in general are full of service replacement parts. Getting harder to get answers to a question like you posted. Michael Hanson were are you on this one. John

[Duke W.]

Re: 1963 oil dipstick question

340 HP - March production - chromed handle, stamped "B" - original owner, original dipstick.

Duke

[John D.]

Re: 1963 oil dipstick question

Duke, Thanks for the imput on the "B" on the handle. All the ones I have seen have the "B". My original one (that I bought) has is on the handle also. John

[Duke W.]

Re: 1963 oil dipstick question

I expect the stamped letter is a vendor code. I could also be a "part code", but being as how the SHP/FI oil level gage is visually quite different from base/300HP, there wasn't a real need for a part ID code.

Duke

[Chuck G.]

Re: 1963 oil dipstick question

I'm the one that stared it again. I put an ad in the "Parts For Sale/Wanted" section of the Corvette Forum about a month ago. The thread developed a life of its' own.

Eventually, bought what I believe to be a correct a dipstick from Jack Humphrey off of EBAY. It's the "hydraulic lifter" version, as it doesn't have the chrome handle.

Seems to be LOTS of controversy/confusion. M, W, B, "ENGINE OIL" or not. Drives you nuts.

Here's the link.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1490093 Chuck