This queston probably has been asked before, when did GM start/stop notching 63 hard tops? Let me share with you folks what I have run across. Car number 16503 with a 11-62 rear window in third owners hands is not notched. Car number 17899 with a 11-62 rear window is still in the original owners hands has a notched hard top. Third car is car number 17812 with a 72 replacement rear window and ownership is unkown but doesn't have a notched hard top. Thanks
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Re: Notched 63 Hard Top
Keith, here is what I submitted as a revision to the 63/64 JG.
Harry
Fourth Edition
1963-1964 Corvette Technical Information Manual & Judging Guide
Auxiliary Hardtop, Option C07 (if equipped)
Current Text, pages 41 and 42:
1963 models, after approximately VIN 5,000 and 1964 models until approximately VIN 15,000 have a notch cut in the bottom of the hardtop to give greater clearance above the door. For Judging purposes, those models can be identified by the raised areas in the outer door panel where the door handle is attached. A redesigned outer door panel was introduced in 1964 at approximately VIN 15,000 which eliminates the interference problem with the hardtop. Models with door that do not have the raised area at the door handle should not have a notch in the hardtop.
Revised Text Proposed:
The Auxiliary Hardtop for 1963-1964 models had three distinct designs.
Design One: At the startup of 1963 production the auxiliary hardtop had a notch cut in the bottom, each side, to give greater clearance above the door. This design was present until approximately March 1963.
Design Two: For cars built in approximately April, May and June 1963 the notch in the auxiliary hardtop is not present.
Design three: For cars built approximately near the end of June 1963 until the end of 1963 production and all 1964 production the notch in the auxiliary hardtop is not present and rear window reinforcing brackets are present at the upper center and lower center of the rear Plexiglas. -
Re: Notched 63 Hard Top
My 63, 15099, does NOT have a notch in the top. I bought it from the original owner who lives about 3 miles away from me. He said it was on the car since new and other than one paint job, nothing has been done to it.
BoyanComment
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Re: Notched 63 Hard Top
Here are the dates from my analysis...Harry
The date is the date in the glass. Sorry about the alignment, I can't fix that.
Date Notch Braces
9 62 yes no
9 62 yes no
9 62 yes no
9 62 yes no
9 62 yes no
9 62 yes no
12 62 yes no
yes
2 63 yes no
4 63 no no
4 63 yes no
4 63 no no
5 63 no no
July week 2 no yes
10 63 no yes
no
12 63 no yesComment
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Re: Notched 63 Hard Top
Harry,
Thanks for your response and if you don't mind sharing your phone number with me I would like to visit with you about this. If you don't want to put your phone number out on the discussion board my email address is kmajure@bellsouth.net.
Thanks,
KeithComment
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Re: Notched 63 Hard Top
Boyan,
Thanks, it kind of fits 16053.
Keith MajureComment
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Re: Notched 63 Hard Top
Keith, I'm away on business til 10/21. Please send me an email after that time.
HarryComment
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Re: Notched 63 Hard Top
What can put a wrench literally speaking into the above is that a lot of the dealers installed hardtops and or removed them as a money making scheme.
I can remember the dealership where Clem and I hung out an eon ago having a room full of midyear.etc. hardtops all lined up. I mean these were mostly new ones or new looking. Trying to say so early in the AM that it was entirely possible for a new car that was on display in the showroom to have a dealer installed hardtop that didn't exactly match the production date of the vehicle.
This same dealer did the same thing with knockoff's and other excessories. Played games at our expense. I remember buying a new 66 BB from the showroom floor on a whim as it was love at first sight. Red/black convertible wih side exhaust,KO's. Anyhow I have told this story before but to repeat once again the spare was a steel rim. Do the math and figure out how someone was making bucks playing with the parts such as hardtops, rims, etc. So just because you bought the car new from the dealer doesn't necessarily mean it's the real deal as far as originality goes. JDComment
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Re: Notched 63 Hard Top
John,
Thanks for your input. KeithComment
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Re: Notched 63 Hard Top
Keith, Don't go by what I say on the hardtop thing as I don't know much about them except for what I read here and there. I see a lot of reference to the hardtop stuff on VH's. More than on the DB here for some reason. I do know that Auto-Tec and the Glassworks are both in my area and know there stuff on the hardtops. Father and son each having their own business. I don't know if they really know the time frame on the various changes as I never asked them but I imagine that they do as that's all they have ever done. Both advertise in "The Driveline". On the other hand ask your team leader for his imput on your questions. JDComment
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Re: Notched 63 Hard Top
John, thanks but your thought or idea on how dealers swapped things around was a very very good point. As time goes by we loose sight of what dealers may have done. Harry Sadlock has responded and gave me some pointers on where to look for the job number on the hard top and see if it matches with the body job number. If so what I have is what I will go with no matter what the judging manual says. Are you still doing fuel units? ThanksComment
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