'66 Starter brace alignment issue

[Harry S.]

Re: '66 Starter brace alignment issue

Tim, I did some checking around with other folks and the third hole in the brace is for a 64+ car. Never say Never, do you have a very late car?

Harry

[Joe L.]

Re: '66 Starter brace alignment issue

Harry, Thanks for the pictures but I am still not certain that is correct. Below is a photo of a very original 63 showing the brace and bolt. Note a hole in the brace next to where the block mounting hole is. This is what my 63 brace looks like also, and it does not narrow at the top by the block. Your top brace looks like the brace I purchased in Carlisle and it's too short. This picture is upside down but you can see what I am talking about.

Tim-----


That brace looks like it's a cast piece rather than stamped steel.

[Timothy B.]

Re: '66 Starter brace alignment issue

Harry and Joe,
The rough appearance looks to me like surface rust and what's left of paint after years, also not sure of the serial # of this car although I think it's mid 63 production. My 63 is early November built car with a brace exactly the same. Also have a 63 impala SS motor cast J162 with the same starter brace. The hole in the brace is too large and too high for the shield attachment bolt so I don't know why this hole is there, maybe other GM vehicle.
Kevin, This is a picture of the spark plug wire shield on my 63, note how it mounts vertically to the engine and the shield on your car looks different. If my shield is correct then you have found your problem as you pointed out in you earlier post.

[Bob J.]

Re: '66 Starter brace alignment issue

The original 63 starter brace only had two holes, none of the pictured braces are a 1963 Corvette brace.Bob

[Harry S.]

Re: '66 Starter brace alignment issue

Bob, the lower one has two holes. What are the differences between the one in the picture and a correct 63 as you see it.

Harry

[Bob J.]

Re: '66 Starter brace alignment issue

Harry the 63 brace doesn't taper down at one end, Bob

[Timothy B.]

Re: '66 Starter brace alignment issue

Can someone post a picture of a known original 63 starter brace and the later 64+ brace?

[Bob J.]

Re: '66 Starter brace alignment issue

This is a pic of a 64+ brace with the origie shield still attached (never removed).
Note it doesn't have a taper on one end and neither does a 63 brace.Bob

[Joe L.]

Re: '66 Starter brace alignment issue

Considering all of the slightly different configured pieces that we've seen, this C2 small block starter brace must have undergone some revisions to a single part number, most likely the 64+ GM #3851294. I can only find 2 part numbers that were ever originally used for 63-68 small blocks---the 63-only GM #3816511 and the 64-68 GM #3851294.

[Timothy B.]

Re: '66 Starter brace alignment issue

Bob, Thanks for the picture of the 64+ starter brace, is there a chance you can show a picture of the shield attachment screw? It seems from the picture that the only difference between the brace in my picture and this 64+ brace is the small hole for the attachment of the shield. What's the hole next to the block attachment hole, mine has this hole also.

[Nick M.]

Re: '66 Starter brace alignment issue

Coincidently, I have the starter out of my 63 at the moment and I'm a bit puzzled. The photos you posted show the nose piece with a hole in the end so you can see the end of the shaft. My starter has a nose that does not have the same hole. It is solid on the end of the nose. Does anyone know why my 63 has the hole and the 66 does not?

[Joe L.]

Re: '66 Starter brace alignment issue

Coincidently, I have the starter out of my 63 at the moment and I'm a bit puzzled. The photos you posted show the nose piece with a hole in the end so you can see the end of the shaft. My starter has a nose that does not have the same hole. It is solid on the end of the nose. Does anyone know why my 63 has the hole and the 66 does not?

Nick-----


I don't think we've necessarily verified that the starter pictured earlier in this thread is a 1963 unit. However, the feature that you mention does seem to vary and I don't fully know why except, of course, that different part numbers were used for this configuration nose over the years. I THINK that the original nose used for 63-67 applications did have the "open" end. Later, I think the configuration changed to the "closed" end. Do you know or have good reason to believe that the starter nose on your starter is original to the starter? Can you post a photo of it?

[Bob J.]

Re: '66 Starter brace alignment issue

Bob, Thanks for the picture of the 64+ starter brace, is there a chance you can show a picture of the shield attachment screw? It seems from the picture that the only difference between the brace in my picture and this 64+ brace is the small hole for the attachment of the shield. What's the hole next to the block attachment hole, mine has this hole also.

Tim ,I hope this is a pic of what you wanted.
Between this pic and the other pic you'll have a pretty good idea what the screw looks like.Bob

[Timothy B.]

Re: '66 Starter brace alignment issue

Bob, Thanks for the picture, that's exactly what I wanted to see.