Why so many bare steel parts on '63 chassis and driveline?

[Troy P.]

I've been restoring C1's for 43 years and have found everything, except for a few bolts, is either plated or painted by suppliers or painted via chassis blackout. But the 63-64 TIMJG calls for a lot of bare steel chassis and driveline parts. So I'm mystified by Chevy's significant change between 62 and 63...especially with the much advertised intro of IRS that prospective buyers would want to see. Would Chevy want them seeing bare metal or rusty parts?

All of the assembly line photos I can find show those parts painted.

With the connections of an insider friend, now retired, I used to get original GM blueprints for parts from the their archives. They always specified the finish in addition to the drawings, dimensions and notes. Has anyone pulled the design drawings for 63 parts to verify the finishes specified for half shafts and such?

Back in 2012 I traveled across country at my own expense to document details of every low mileage unrestored 53-55 Corvettes I could find. That included cars with 1800 and 3600 miles on them. Info and photos are in the 53-55 TIMJG. Has anyone done that to verify original finishes on 63s? I know there are super low mileage 63s out there.

[Edward J.]

Re: Why so many bare steel parts on '63 chassis and driveline?

Troy, I think that 63 was a tough year to get all the correct details because of so many changes through out the year, and the black out process differed as the year went along, production was ramped up and building so many cars each day meant each area had less time to spend. I think that Nolans C2 book gives you somewhat of an idea. He likely spent more time researching C2 cars than anyone. There are quite a few photos of 63 production, but if the photos were of pilot or early production, they changed as time marched on. The judging guides are getting better as more research finds things to change.there is I believe a new 63/64 JRM in the works, is what I hear. Joe Scafidi is a very knowledgeable team leader with more restorations on these cars than most. Finding unrestored 63’s is hard. most owners of 63 cars that are unrestored are far a few. Most are rusted.This is just my Two cents.

[Troy P.]

Re: Why so many bare steel parts on '63 chassis and driveline?

I do believe there are super low mileage 63s to examine. Some NCRS members only collect low mileage cars. That would be a good place to start. It didn't take long for me to find low mileage 53-55 cars to inspect.

When I went to document the 54 with only 1800 miles the owner had a 63 split in his 100 car collection with only 9000 miles. I looked at it briefly but 63 was not my mission back then. I think I saw that blue car sell on Bring A Trailer a year or so ago.

You raise an interesting point about the possibility chassis finishes and blackout changed during the model year. Impossible to specify in the TIMJG and judge. I have an October 62 car and it seems to me that finishes reflected in all the many factory photos should be recognized as correct for at least early 63s. Then I guess "early" is a moving target.

[Gary B.]

[Edward J.]

Re: Why so many bare steel parts on '63 chassis and driveline?

Troy, I think that finishes on 63/64 cars is a tuff call for these cars, it’s gone back and forth on just how much was painted over the years.if the car was a driver the black out did not last, if the car was garaged and in a dry climate it would survive a littler longer.change over dates was another area, so many of them in 63. So most dates were ball park with a few weeks to a month it depended on just how much was left in the boxes before the new design part came into production.I don’t know if any has documented them all. But I am sure it would make your head spin when judging. I don’t disagree there are un-restored cars for 63 there are a lot of collections out there, some owners are not involved in the NCRS. I myself always look at low mileage car when there is one. My time judging63/64 is far less than most.

[Troy P.]

Re: Why so many bare steel parts on '63 chassis and driveline?

It would be interesting to know what, if any, changes are forthcoming relative to chassis/suspension parts in the TIMJG update. I'll see Joe in Vegas for the regional in 2 weeks and learn what I can. Meanwhile my restoration is on hold. All finishes are done except for those currently called for to be bare steel.