Protecto plate rear end code

[Michael S.]

I just recently got a 65 convertible. The car has had one titled owner since 1965. The original owner's manual and protecto plate came with it. It's a red with red and white interior, 365HP. Everything seems to look right but the rear differential numbers are confusing. The trim tag info is:

Paint: 900UU
Trim: 443BA
Body: S1036
Style: 65 467
Date: D24

The protecto info is :

443 U 194675S103074
F1119HL H
WO1111AP L P1123

The actual number on the rear housing is AO 9 24 64. These numbers make sense and it does appear the current rear end is a 3.70 rear end and the date seems to be within the appropriate range, but the protecto plate rear diff number date is more consistent with the other dates but the WO prefix is odd. Anyone out there ever see a number like WO1111AP. Except for the sequence of numbers it would seem to indicate a 4.11 differential and again, the 1111 date is consistent. I have heard, unconfirmed a this point that the car was bought as a matched pair, conv and coupe, by a doctor in Mass and that this car bought for his wife, was "given" back to the dealership witin a few months as being too much for his wife (no ps or pb). A wild guess may have been that a dealer changed rear ratio, may have been a dealer solution before taking the car back (conjecture at this point). This could make some logical sense, but confriming that the protecto plate number is a legit number would be the first step. Also, there appears to be no context in the ownership of this car that would indicate any motivation for a repro protecto plate.

thanks (sorry about the length),

Mike

[Jim D.]

Re: Protecto plate rear end code

Sorry I can't help. The info. on my POP "AM0329W" is what is stamped on my rear end.

[Page C.]

Re: Protecto plate rear end code

Hi Michael,
Sounds like you have found a really nice car. Will try and help on the rear end code. There should only be 7 spaces for the code. Yours has 8 spaces( one too many and probably a typo for the O ). Early 1965 POP seem to start with the W (source) as the first space were later 1965 have the source as the last or 7th space. I think what you should have is a W1111AP. This would be Nov 11 with a 4:11 ratio. The L in the tenth space is for the production month which is November.
Regards,
Page Campbell

[Michael S.]

Re: Protecto plate rear end code

Page,
Thank you, that makes sense and tends to lend a little more credibility to my hypothesis about the disposition of the original rear differential based on the anecdotal information I have on the "return" of the vehicle. The protecto plate booklet does seem to indicate a reissue to the owner of record for 45 years, with a hand written note "dat del 6/19/65" (sic). This titled owner died at 79 years of age and it was noted in his obituary that "He loved his 1965 Corvette". He could have replaced the rear differential but the car was his daily driver for many years and "numbers matching" appeared to mean nothing to him. So his putting in a 9/24/64 rear end could have happened, but his coincidentally finding a correct date range rear for the car makes less sense than that same rear end (9/24/64) being a logical date range for available repalcement rear ends to the dealer in early 1965 (conjecture again). The car is a far cry from flight judging status but is a real nice driver with a neat history so far.

thanks again,
Mike

[Michael S.]

Re: Protecto plate rear end code

Just an update. I received the 45 year owner's original purchase agreement from a family member. The agreement dated 9-11-1965 indicates it was a used vehicle and "not represented as a new car" (low mileage quick turn in by original owner ?). The agreement states 4.11 rear positraction axle, so it was the long time owner who changed it at some point, not the dealer as I hypothesized. I also got the Corvett Owner's Kit in it's Chevolet Motor Division envelope dated (November 5, 1965), including a letter from E M Estes, lapel pin, patch and plastic ID card. The letter was addessed to the owner who purchsed it in Sepember 1965 but the Plastic Corvette Owner Card, although having his Name and a Key No. it did not have the VIN sequential numbers after the raised "194675S" numbers over Serial No.

Has anyone ever seen a card without the sequential numbers before? Seems like important info.

These are not truly technical questions, so if this info is not being posted appropriately please let me know.
thanks Mike

[Wayne M.]

Re: Protecto plate rear end code

.....There should only be 7 spaces for the code. Yours has 8 spaces( one too many and probably a typo for the O ). Early 1965 POP seem to start with the W (source) as the first space were later 1965 have the source as the last or 7th space. I think what you should have is a W1111AP. This would be Nov 11 with a 4:11 ratio. The L in the tenth space is for the production month which is November.
Regards,
Page Campbell

Here's an example of what Page has described (diff assy code starting with W). Early '65 VIN 00333

[Dave S.]

Re: Protecto plate rear end code

[quote=Michael Saltzman (8377);572902]Just an update. I received the 45 year owner's original purchase agreement from a family member. The agreement dated 9-11-1965 indicates it was a used vehicle and "not represented as a new car" (low mileage quick turn in by original owner ?). The agreement states 4.11 rear positraction axle, so it was the long time owner who changed it at some point, not the dealer as I hypothesized. I also got the Corvett Owner's Kit in it's Chevolet Motor Division envelope dated (November 5, 1965), including a letter from E M Estes, lapel pin, patch and plastic ID card. The letter was addessed to the owner who purchsed it in Sepember 1965 but the Plastic Corvette Owner Card, although having his Name and a Key No. it did not have the VIN sequential numbers after the raised "194675S" numbers over Serial No.

Has anyone ever seen a card without the sequential numbers before? Seems like important info.


Mike,
I can't say I've ever seen an Owners Kit without a complete VIN stapped but I have seen many kits that had VIN's from different year Corvettes. As I understand the owners Kit issue system it was common for 1st, 2nd and beyond owners to request Owners kits from Chevrolet. I believe Joe Pike ( Corvette news garu) would issue kits to those who requested them as a sales promo/goodwill gesture. For example I have 57 Owners (Welcome) kit with a VIN for a 1954 Corvette.
Its pretty nice to have a real Owners kit associated with your car. Your search is paying great dividends.

These are not truly technical questions, so if this info is not being posted appropriately please let me know.

[Michael S.]

Re: Protecto plate rear end code

Dave,
The interesting issue here is the time frame of the Owner kit, November 1965 and the Key No. on the ID card that is confirmed by the code on the lock cylinder. Everything looks exactly right except that lack of sequential production number and the question would arise as to why it would not be there. The purchase agreement noted a 24 month 2 year warrantee to the purchaser in September even though the warrantee booklet (pop) has a hand written 6/19/65 delivery date written in it.

Mike

Mike

[Dave S.]

Re: Protecto plate rear end code

Dave,
The interesting issue here is the time frame of the Owner kit, November 1965 and the Key No. on the ID card that is confirmed by the code on the lock cylinder. Everything looks exactly right except that lack of sequential production number and the question would arise as to why it would not be there. The purchase agreement noted a 24 month 2 year warrantee to the purchaser in September even though the warrantee booklet (pop) has a hand written 6/19/65 delivery date written in it.

Mike

Mike

Mike,
It could be that the September buyer bought the car and the Corvette News/Owners Kit stub had been removed from the front of the owners manual. The september buyer may have notified Chevrolet and they sent him a Owners kit. They may not have had the VIN with the request so they just sent it without.

[Michael S.]

Re: Protecto plate rear end code

Mike,
It could be that the September buyer bought the car and the Corvette News/Owners Kit stub had been removed from the front of the owners manual. The september buyer may have notified Chevrolet and they sent him a Owners kit. They may not have had the VIN with the request so they just sent it without.

Makes sense

Mike