Original 63 SHP Oil Dipstick question

[Tracy C.]

I know this subject has been discussed at great lenghts here before because I've stored the discussions on my hard drive. I've been on the hunt for a correct original for some time now and finally just decided to buy an original base engine stick because it was availible.

I plan to chrome plate the handle and have a question regarding the amount of plating that should be present. The pictures previously posted aren't completely clear.

We know the stick is comprized of a handle and a stick that are riveted together. Is the entire handle portion plated (seems most logical) or merely the portion of the handle and cap that is exposed when installed in the retaining tube?

thanks,
tc

[Rick A.]

Re: Original 63 SHP Oil Dipstick question

Tracy,

The description of the shaft, or blade, is FULL, ADD, ENGINE OIL and an M or W close to where the blade and handle are riveted together

The handle finish would depend on your time of build. All 63's, including FI, used black painted handles until somewhere around the 3000 VIN range. From that point forward, the 340/360 HP was chrome.

The hat, or seal on a 63, is unique to 63. It's a metal washer with a slightly rolled outer edge with a felt seal underneath.

Hope this helps. Rick

[Tracy C.]

Re: Original 63 SHP Oil Dipstick question

Agree with your description. Specifically I'm looking for the answer to how far the chrome appears on the handle.

If the entire handle is chrome on a mid - late SHP application, I would need to drill out the rivets to remove the blade to chrome the handle. If the handle is only chromed down to (and including) the hat, then maybe there is no need to separate the 2 pieces.

Just hoping some owners of orignal dip sticks could take a look and verify.

thanks,
tc

[Chuck G.]

Re: Original 63 SHP Oil Dipstick question

Tracy.

NO expert here, but from what I've seen, the entire handle is/was plated, then the shaft was riveted to the handle.

I had several handles plated a few years ago and made up some dipsticks for some friends.

Here's a question:

On the handles, where it curls (where your finger goes through to pull it out)....

is the end squared off or does it come to a point?

I've seen both ways...squared off and pointed.

Chuck

[John D.]

Re: Original 63 SHP Oil Dipstick question

Chuck, Tracy & Rick, Contradiction here on the dipstick info Dr. Chuck.
My original 63 dipstick handle is NOT entirely chrome plated. The chrome stops at the beveled chrome washer.
The over the counter replacement had the entire handle (hilt) chrome plated.
The repro has the entire handle chrome plated. The repro and the over the counter sticks had a B stamped on the handle. Original 63's had no B and were not chromed entirely.
THe end of the stick comes to a point.
Tracy go into the archives and type in Michael Hanson as he showed a ton of pics and info on these sticks. So did Joe Lucia, etc.
Back to the chrome handle. It should NOT have the letter B on it.(judges do you hear that?) Long ago I said that the repro being sold by certain catalogs was not in fact a repro but a dipstick that was readily available from Chevrolet.
One strange thing about my dipstick or let me say one detail I have forgotten is the location of the letter M on it. My letter m is stamped about an inch or so from the rivet holding the handle on.
Getting technical guys the handle is called the hilt. Term comes from days of old when describing the parts of a sword.
P.S. Most judges are not aware of the info on these dipsticks. Not their fault though as so many of us are just used to seeing the repro. Dipsticks are an art in themselves.
P.P.S. If you use a base engine dipstick in lieu of the original your oil level may be off a tad. The 64HHP dipstick is about the same as the 63HHP except in lieu of the chrome washer it has a rubber cupped one and the length is a tad different. You can fake a 64 out though and use it on a 63 just by changing the rubber washer to a chrome one that you stole from a repro. Don't forget there is a piece of felt under the chrome washer. John D.

[Loren L.]

More variables

Everyone is describing the flat handled, chromed hilt, that is 24" long from the top of curled chrome to the tip?
The one I have in my hand. the curl ends in a point; the "lid" for the felt washer (9/16" diameter) IF it were ever chromed is now bare metal; if I go to the end of the hilt (where the two rivets are) and measure, the last 1" is also bare metal (rusty); there is no "B", "M", "W" or any other single letter anywhere; "ADD : :FULL ENGINE OIL" are all STAMPED into the stick so that the letters are visible on the reverse.
I recall that Paragon was once selling a reproduction that did NOT have the stamped letters; didn't like it when you returned them either.

[Harry Sadlock]

Re: More variables

Pictures, can we get pictures?

Thanks

[Tracy C.]

Re: More variables

Harry,

I can post a series of pictures for the one I have. Measurments as follows:

Overall length = 24 5/16"
Top of the hilt to the Top of the seal washer = 2 3/8"
Top of the seal washer to the FULL mark = 19 3/4"
Top of the seal washer to the ADD mark = 20 1/2"

Note that there is approx 1/8 of slop in the verical placement of the seal washer. These measurments were taken from the top side of the washer with it as high as the retaining bumps would allow.

All of the markings are embossed and visible from both sides of the stick.

tc

[Tracy C.]

Mark measuments *NM*

[Tracy C.]

W mark *NM*

[Tracy C.]

W mark back side *NM*

[Tracy C.]

Embossed fill marks *NM*

[Tracy C.]

Embossed fill marks back side *NM*

[Harry Sadlock]

Re: W mark back side

Tracy, I'm assuming the 19 3/4 and the 20 1/2 is from the FULL and ADD marks to the small bump that is just above the cap. If it is, my dipstick is exactly the same as the one you pictured except, at the end of the curved top, the end comes to a point. Yours appears flat across.

Was there more that one supplier and that is why the top is different?

Harry

[Tracy C.]

Re: Original 63 SHP Oil Dipstick question

Thank John,

The whole reason I brought the question up is because this SHP 64 Dip Stick has a chrome handle, but the chrome does NOT appear to go below the seal.

Just wandered if the 63s were the same.

This really seems like it would complicate the manufacturing, but maybe they had a sleeve mask to cover every thing below the seal while in the chrome tank.

tc