Trim and Vin mistakes

[Rick S.]

Re: Trim and Vin mistakes

Andy,
Yes typos did occur on the trim tags, I have one on my car(1967) with the color off by one digit, reads 984 but should read 983. I have the POP, build sheet, letter and photos from original owner showing that the car was built as Goodwood Green not Sunfire Yellow. Al Grenning has used my car in his seminars as an example that typos did occur.
Rick

[Chris E.]

Re: Trim and Vin mistakes

And here's the trim tag on my 67 convertible (note the 66 on the tag).

[Loren L.]

Re: Trim and Vin mistakes

Loren, in 1963 or 1964 can you honestly say that you would have checked the numbers on your just delivered 'vette to make sure that everything was correct? As I recall, back then we cared more about driving our cars than collecting them or verifying them for future judging.

The original owner of my '63 FI Coupe ordered the car in October, in January he found out it was delayed because of KO wheels, cancelled that option and took delivery in late March. As a USAF pilot paying cash, I can guarantee he paid attention.

My comment reflected on his CERTAINTY on the validity of the car - it's 40+ years old and I see nothing that indicates he knows the ownership history of the car - grow up, how can you be certain?

As part of a legal dispute on a Corvette being mis-represented, I once heard a defendant's attorney say "How in the H___ can you as the 7th owner of this GUARANTEE what it is? I wouldn't sign that guarantee as a Seller if I was the original owner!!!!".

I've been on one unpaid observer-for-buyer and found a CV tag on a CP; all I said was "Gene, let's go get breakfast.".

[Philip C.]

Re: Trim and Vin mistakes

The original owner of my '63 FI Coupe ordered the car in October, in January he found out it was delayed because of KO wheels, cancelled that option and took delivery in late March. As a USAF pilot paying cash, I can guarantee he paid attention.

My comment reflected on his CERTAINTY on the validity of the car - it's 40+ years old and I see nothing that indicates he knows the ownership history of the car - grow up, how can you be certain?

As part of a legal dispute on a Corvette being mis-represented, I once heard a defendant's attorney say "How in the H___ can you as the 7th owner of this GUARANTEE what it is? I wouldn't sign that guarantee as a Seller if I was the original owner!!!!".

I've been on one unpaid observer-for-buyer and found a CV tag on a CP; all I said was "Gene, let's go get breakfast.".

TOO bad for Gene, Trim tags dont tell the whole story, Ive got a 64 to die for! Phil 8063

[Kenneth H.]

Re: Trim and Vin mistakes

The original owner of my '63 FI Coupe ordered the car in October, in January he found out it was delayed because of KO wheels, cancelled that option and took delivery in late March. As a USAF pilot paying cash, I can guarantee he paid attention.

My comment reflected on his CERTAINTY on the validity of the car - it's 40+ years old and I see nothing that indicates he knows the ownership history of the car - grow up, how can you be certain?

As part of a legal dispute on a Corvette being mis-represented, I once heard a defendant's attorney say "How in the H___ can you as the 7th owner of this GUARANTEE what it is? I wouldn't sign that guarantee as a Seller if I was the original owner!!!!".

I've been on one unpaid observer-for-buyer and found a CV tag on a CP; all I said was "Gene, let's go get breakfast.".

Sorry, Loren, but I agree with Andy. I took your response to his comment as sarcastic, and as he is a fairly new poster, he could have been given the benefit of the doubt. I know I was when I started out. I don't want thsi fabulous site to turn into another CF where everyone snipes at one another constantly.

[Andy S.]

Re: Trim and Vin mistakes

Sorry, Loren, but I agree with Andy. I took your response to his comment as sarcastic, and as he is a fairly new poster, he could have been given the benefit of the doubt. I know I was when I started out. I don't want thsi fabulous site to turn into another CF where everyone snipes at one another constantly.

Thank you Ken.

[Dale S.]

Re: Trim and Vin mistakes

I guess I had better look at my tags. I did not look at my tags in 1971(67 SB) or my new 67 BB in 1967. I just drove the wheels off of them. I never dreamed they could be wrong. Dale

[Ray G.]

Re: Trim and Vin mistakes

Andy,
Yes typos did occur on the trim tags, I have one on my car(1967) with the color off by one digit, reads 984 but should read 983. I have the POP, build sheet, letter and photos from original owner showing that the car was built as Goodwood Green not Sunfire Yellow. Al Grenning has used my car in his seminars as an example that typos did occur.
Rick

Hello;
Think I got a "Shortage / Error" claim.
None of my Corvette came with a beautiful woman.
Ray

[Stuart F.]

Re: Trim and Vin mistakes

Having ordered and taken delivery of my 63 (original owner), I tend to side with the "give me the keys and let me be on my way to enjoy this car" crowd. The thought of ever having to consider my Vette anything more than a car to own and enjoy never occurred to me then. In fact, the dealer took a little more of my time to point out that they had to restamp my delivery date as I was a week late getting back to Wisconsin on leave from the Army in New Mexico. I didn't think much about it at the time as OK, thank you very much, and good bye! Years later, I find I have a conversation piece. Big deal.

Still, along the way (45+ years) some things have changed on my car without my even knowing about it. I have had a number of things stolen from my car while it was in for service and/or repairs, including substitution of my 3461S AFB with a 3720SA. I didn't discover that for about 3 years. They stole my fan clutch, master cylinder, starter, and windshield wiper motor under the assumed blank check repair scheme, i.e. "Oh, by the way, we did this or that because we thought they looked bad" and "Sorry, but the old parts already went out with the trash". Most of these things happened while my car was in the shop of a trusted friend after I hit a deer in 1992. The job that was supposed to take one month lasted 3 months and the car was flat bed delivered to me in the middle of the winter, and I didn't hardly look at it for several more months. I had a family too so that car was not the center of my life for all those years.

So, lots of things can happen - even to an originally owned Vette.

Stu Fox

[Mike M.]

Re: Trim and Vin mistakes

When I buy a new car the dealer gives me the keys and I drive off. I have never looked at the vin to make sure it matches, i've never checked against the build sheet or anything else. Its the correct color the options I ordered are on the car. That what matters to me. In 1965 when people were picking up there corvettes they were doing the same thing. It came the correct color with the correct options on it. If red and black were ordered they wouldn't look under the dash and this tag says my car should be yellow with grey interior. Nobody back then even knew what the numbers on that tag ment or cared.
When I bought my 65 in 1980 all that was checked was the vin was run by local police to make sure it wasn't stolen and it had the correct numbers on the block. Color combo was wrong as the car had been repainted. But it could have been stamped a convert by mistake and I would never have known. At that time I didn't care i was buying a car to drive and have fun with not a trailer queen.
Now everybody is looking at the tags, times have chaged because of the dollar value of these cars and people trying to make money bye forging documents.
I'm with Andy people did not care what was on the tags and did not look at them till these cars became worth something.

[Terry M.]

Re: Trim and Vin mistakes

When I bought my 1970, I don't think too many people knew about numbers and trim tags -- I sure didn't. Wasn't until the mid-1970s, when some groups of Corvette owners became interested in these kinds of things.
I haven't even looked at the SPID label on my 2008 yet, and I have had it for a year and a half. I watched them build it, and that was enough for me.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Trim and Vin mistakes

I haven't even looked at the SPID label on my 2008 yet, and I have had it for a year and a half. I watched them build it, and that was enough for me.

Same here, though I missed the build.
Just happened to look under the back of mine yesterday and saw some hand-written notes on the rear suspension. Someday I might even get a picture of them.

Patrick

[Andy S.]

Re: Trim and Vin mistakes

I really appreciate the support of all members who took the time to reply to my enquiry about "Trim and Vin mistakes". It makes me allot more confident about the car. I guess my car would qualify for inclusion into the second edition of the trim and vin book. I'd be happy to send Mr. Grenning some pictures.

Has anyone thought about doing a live internet streaming video of this presentation? ("Imperfection From The Get-Go") at the Bloomington GoldSchool)?

PS: could there be someone out there in Corvette-land driving a 1964 convertible with (923AA paint), and (491DE trim)...wearing coupe tags? in and around Vin # 11699*?

Cheers!

Now that I have figured out how to add pics... here you go. I'll post my photos of the tags.

Allot of folks have written and have been very supportive, and I thank them very much!

[Andy S.]

Re: Trim and Vin mistakes

Al and I are presenting a new 90-minute class on this very subject ("Imperfection From The Get-Go") at the Bloomington GoldSchool on Thursday, June 25th covering aberrations on documentation, trim tags, and pad stamps. Should be a fun session!

Is there any chance of this presentation being video taped? and shared?

[Wayne M.]

Re: Trim and Vin mistakes

.... A lot of folks have written and have been very supportive, and I thank them very much!

Andy -- your pics show remarkable consistency on the tags; those St.Louis farm boys really had convertibles on their mind on the 1st of May.

The "DE" trim color suffix; the "867" in both the VIN and Trim tags; the S-body number jives with the VIN, etc. Not just an "oops" moment of a single keystroke mistake here or there.

The "DE" is for convertible with red & white vinyl interior, with NO automatic transmission or power windows. Per the Grenning/Sinor trim tag book (and Noland's Vol 2), this suffix applied to cars produced up to March 25th 1964.

After that date, [and your car definitely is] if your interior is (was) red & white vinyl, it should have a suffix starting with "Q" if intended for a convertible [ie. to be consistent with all other data on both tags]. Second suffix letter would depend on whether car has air, auto, radio, in various combinations. At least this is what the books call for; don't know if the '64 judging manual agrees, though.

Very interesting.