69 With Replacement Block

[Kelly H.]

This is my first post and I appreciate the help and knowledge that obviously exits with NCRS members. I am a first time buyer looking for a car. I have found a 69 L71 coupe. The seller is being upfont and telling me the car has a 1969 replacment block. The car "sucked a valve spring" and the dealer replaced the block under warranty. The orginal heads, carbs, etc are still in the car. How does this scenario affect the value of the car? Could this car ever be a top flight car? Thanks for any help.

[Jack H.]

Re: 69 With Replacement Block

"How does this scenario affect the value of the car? Could this car ever be a top flight car?"

Car sure could still Top Flight! There are 4500 possible points in Flight Judging and it takes a net score of 94% to make the grade. IF, the warranty replacement block has the same casting number as the factory original AND its casting date preceeds the final assy date of the car (0-6 month interval), it qualifies for 50% percent credit. That yields a judging deduction of 175 points or a 3.8% loss (175/4500)...

If the casting date falls outside the window (0-6 months before vehicle final assy), then you lose 350 points during judging or 7.7%. That would 'appear' to make Top Flight impossible, but...

NCRS has a policy of encouraging owners to drive/use their cars. The club offers 'bonus' points for those who risk wear/tear and damage while enroute to a judging meet which can raise your base Flight score up to 10%.

So, it's possible to 'drive off' scoring deductions that result from deviation(s) in factory originality and still get that elusive Top Flight award. You might consider buying a copy of the NCRS Judging Reference Manual for your support library. It outlines all of the various awards the club offers along with details of the rules governing them. The 'bonus' I talk about here is called the Mileage Driven Credit program.

[Terry M.]

[Terry M.]

Re: 69 With Replacement Block

This is my first post and I appreciate the help and knowledge that obviously exits with NCRS members. I am a first time buyer looking for a car. I have found a 69 L71 coupe. The seller is being upfont and telling me the car has a 1969 replacment block. The car "sucked a valve spring" and the dealer replaced the block under warranty. The orginal heads, carbs, etc are still in the car. How does this scenario affect the value of the car? Could this car ever be a top flight car? Thanks for any help.

Kelly,
How much this affects the value of the car depends on what you intend to do with the car.

If you want and NCRS show car then it will greatly affect the value.

If you want a Corvette to drive the affect will be less, especially if you can negotiate a substantial reduction in price. If you intend to keep it and let your heirs deal with it, then why worry.

If you intend to sell the car in a couple of years, or sooner, you will have the same issues selling it that the current owner has.

It is always good to decide what you want to do with a car before you buy it. It can be very expensive to turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse.

[Tom S.]

Re: 69 With Replacement Block

If it were me I would keep looking.There are alot of nice original engine cars out there. This car will never be worth what one of those would be. JMHO. Tom

[Kelly H.]

Re: 69 With Replacement Block

Thanks for the replies. Trim tag is C13, Nov of 68? Replacement block is 3963512, Dec. of 1969? If so, then its a NOM. My goal is to find a car that over time could be top flight. Probably best to keep looking. Thanks again, I'm sure I will be back with more questions as my seach continues.

[Jack H.]

Re: 69 With Replacement Block

"Trim tag is C13, Nov of 68? Replacement block is 3963512, Dec. of 1969"

Situation is worse than you surmize. Body build dates (alpha code) start with the first month of production. The first month of '68 production was Sept, 67. So, a 'C13' body build code corresponds to the third month of production in this case November 13, 1967...

Therefore a block cast in December of '69 would be YEARS after the target car's original factory build date...

[Terry M.]

Re: 69 With Replacement Block

Sorry Jack -- Kelly has a 1969. As I said earlier: "A= August 1968 through Q= December 1969." C13 = October 13, 1968 for the body build.

The real problem is the date of the cylinder case is AFTER the car was built. Try as one might, there is no way to slide that into the Typical Factory Production profile

Thank you for pointing out my tabulating error. The total available points are 4500. The 10 bonus points are just that, and are not used as the divisor in the calculation of percent score. My lack of tabulating experience and knowledge was on display for all to see. Sorry about that.