Hard Top Plastic Window Date Code

[Joe C.]

I have a midyear hardtop, but don't know what year it's from. The headliner is soft, so that tells me it's not a 1965 headliner. I'm getting ready to restore the top, and don't know whether or not it's worth the trouble to wet sand and polish the rear plexiglass. This top will go onto a May, 1965 Corvette.

Question: Do all midyear plexiglass windows have the same rules (ie: location(s)) for the date stamps? The 1965 rules state that the month alpha code is placed in the upper right and year alpha code is placed in the lower left. The codes on my old plastic are placed together, and both in the lower right, after "AS4". It is unintelligible, and I'll take a picture if that might help. I have no access to it for now.

What do the 1966 and 1967 TIM&JG state re: placement/location of the alpha codes?

Thanks in advance.

[Wayne M.]

Re: Hard Top Plastic Window Date Code

I have a midyear hardtop, but don't know what year it's from. The headliner is soft, so that tells me it's not a 1965 headliner. I'm getting ready to restore the top, and don't know whether or not it's worth the trouble to wet sand and polish the rear plexiglass. This top will go onto a May, 1965 Corvette.

Question: Do all midyear plexiglass windows have the same rules (ie: location(s)) for the date stamps? The 1965 rules state that the month alpha code is placed in the upper right and year alpha code is placed in the lower left. The codes on my old plastic are placed together, and both in the lower right, after "AS4". It is unintelligible, and I'll take a picture if that might help. I have no access to it for now......

Check our my pic in post #3 of this hardtop thread from a week ago.
https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...89848&uid=3761
It has the soft vinyl headliner, so I guess that means 1966 or 1967 MY, if not replaced by previous owners.

Checking the '65 TIM&JG, date code table (pg. 59), the E in lower left (year) and the E in the upper right (month) translates to May of 1965, except that it doesn't have the "crosshatched patterned fiberboard" headliner of 1965.

But, IIRC, the month and year locations changed places in 1966+. I hope someone will check their '66/67 guides to confirm or deny. And depending on the starting month "A" being August or September, this could result in trouble using the rear plexiglas for/from a '65.

[Doug L.]

Re: Hard Top Plastic Window Date Code

Hi Joe,
I have the original hardtop for my December 1963 built 1964 model year car. The '63 / '64 JG says the plexiglass rear window for both years has "AS-4 "M" "Y" on the outside surface of the lower left corner of the plexiglass. My rear window is in storage while I work on restoring the rest of the car but I'm pretty sure I checked and confirmed this when I disassembled it.

The Noland Adams book (page 213) indicates that in 1963 there was a notch in the lower edge of the hardtop above the rear edge of the door. He says it was on all 1963s and 1964s but I think he is incorrect about the '64 hard tops. His book shows photos of 1964 convertibles with hardtops installed that lack this notch. I assume your top does not have the notch which would eliminate the 1963 top. The JG does not mention the notch.

Adam's also says there should be an upper and lower reinforcement in the center of the rear window SS trim, a sort of triangular tab with a "button" type screw if the top is mid-1963 trough 1964, and with the upper bracket only on early 1963 tops. Mine has the reinforcement top and bottom.

My headliner is "soft". The backing of the cross-hatched visible surface seems to be similar in texture to fiberglass insulation batts, and is approximately 1/4" thick.
Doug

[Doug L.]

Re: Hard Top Plastic Window Date Code

Just went into the storage area and confirmed, mine has in the lower left (driver's side) corner: "AS-4" on one line and below that "12-63".

[Gerard F.]

Re: Hard Top Plastic Window Date Code

I have a midyear hardtop, but don't know what year it's from. The headliner is soft, so that tells me it's not a 1965 headliner. I'm getting ready to restore the top, and don't know whether or not it's worth the trouble to wet sand and polish the rear plexiglass. This top will go onto a May, 1965 Corvette.

Question: Do all midyear plexiglass windows have the same rules (ie: location(s)) for the date stamps? The 1965 rules state that the month alpha code is placed in the upper right and year alpha code is placed in the lower left. The codes on my old plastic are placed together, and both in the lower right, after "AS4". It is unintelligible, and I'll take a picture if that might help. I have no access to it for now.

What do the 1966 and 1967 TIM&JG state re: placement/location of the alpha codes?

Thanks in advance.

Joe,

The 67 Guide says the month code is on the lower left and the year code is on the upper right (F=1966, G=1967).

If you look at it straight on, or photo it with a flash, worn codes will sometimes be invisible. But if you back light it at an angle, and photo it with no flash, you can sometimes dechipher the codes.

Here's the best I could do with my original 67 hardtop:



I think the code is F (month) and G (year) which would be June 67.
This fits my June 29, 1967 car.

[Joe C.]

Re: Hard Top Plastic Window Date Code

Here is what I have:

[Gerard F.]

Re: Hard Top Plastic Window Date Code

Here is what I have:

Joe,

The picture doesn't show

[Mike M.]

Re: Hard Top Plastic Window Date Code

Yes, my notched early '63 has "9 62".
The date stamps in the later years were often very lightly or partially impressed.
That lower left date is often hidden below the weatherstrip.
HaND

[Doug L.]

Re: Hard Top Plastic Window Date Code

Doesn't seem to be a '63 or '64. Process of elimination. Someone out there should have a '65, '66, '67 JG which will tell the format.

[Gerard F.]

Re: Hard Top Plastic Window Date Code

Here is what I have:

Joe,

Took a close look at your photo. That is definitely a G in the upper right, but it looks like a funny W before it, but can't tell from from the pic.

Maybe it is just a scratch. What would W be for a date or year code?

But G in the location would mean 67 by the 67 JG, July by the 65 JG.

Take a look at that character left of the G, it looks funny to me and not like a stamp. Then take a closer look at the lower left and see if you can discern the remnants of a character.

Dr.Watson tells me that if the lower left is an E, the hardtop is either a July 65, or a May 67. How does July fit your car?

[Joe C.]

Re: Hard Top Plastic Window Date Code

It would be helpful to get a listing, or a scan of the 1966 and 1967 codes, as I only have a 1965 book.

The top is almost certainly not original to my 1965, and the stamping is almost certainly anomalous in its placement and configuration. I believe that this top could be from a 1965, 66, or 67 Corvette, and most likely a 66-67. There is absolutely nothing in the lower left corner, and the alpha code appears to definitely be two characters appearing together.

It's a shot in the dark with the information I have, to make a judgement, or even an educated guess as to what this is.

I assumed that this would be a delightful forensic exercise for many NCRS folk, and the overwhelming response confirms that there is a huge interest in the forensics involved here.

Notice the sideways "4", in "AS4". Is this a valuable clue, or not?

What year did the padded headliner begin? 1966 or 1967? That MIGHT help narrow it down since the headliner is padded vinyl.

[Gary J.]

Re: Hard Top Plastic Window Date Code

Joe:
Ask and you shall recieve, I hope this helps.
Regards, Gary

[Wayne M.]

Re: Hard Top Plastic Window Date Code

Joe:
Ask and you shall recieve, I hope this helps.
Regards, Gary

All -- so the month and year code position did switch places after 1965,(month going from upper right to lower left, respectively) in 1966 and 1967.

[Gerard F.]

Re: Hard Top Plastic Window Date Code

[quote=Joe Ciaravino (32899);582898]It would be helpful to get a listing, or a scan of the 1966 and 1967 codes, as I only have a 1965 book.

The top is almost certainly not original to my 1965, and the stamping is almost certainly anomalous in its placement and configuration. I believe that this top could be from a 1965, 66, or 67 Corvette, and most likely a 66-67. There is absolutely nothing in the lower left corner, and the alpha code appears to definitely be two characters appearing together.

It's a shot in the dark with the information I have, to make a judgement, or even an educated guess as to what this is.

I assumed that this would be a delightful forensic exercise for many NCRS folk, and the overwhelming response confirms that there is a huge interest in the forensics involved here. [unquote]

Joe,

If you are going to strip the headliner anyway, there is one way to know for sure which year you have.

There is a date stamp on the underside of the hardtop, at least on my 67 one:



Here's a closeup:



The window stamp could be months off and closer to the assembly date of the car, as is in my case. But at least the stamp will give you the production year.

With that sideways 4, I would wonder how many beers the stamper had for lunch

[Joe C.]

Re: Hard Top Plastic Window Date Code

[quote=Gerard Fuccillo (42179);582988]

It would be helpful to get a listing, or a scan of the 1966 and 1967 codes, as I only have a 1965 book.

The top is almost certainly not original to my 1965, and the stamping is almost certainly anomalous in its placement and configuration. I believe that this top could be from a 1965, 66, or 67 Corvette, and most likely a 66-67. There is absolutely nothing in the lower left corner, and the alpha code appears to definitely be two characters appearing together.

It's a shot in the dark with the information I have, to make a judgement, or even an educated guess as to what this is.

I assumed that this would be a delightful forensic exercise for many NCRS folk, and the overwhelming response confirms that there is a huge interest in the forensics involved here. [unquote]

Joe,

If you are going to strip the headliner anyway, there is one way to know for sure which year you have.

There is a date stamp on the underside of the hardtop, at least on my 67 one:



Here's a closeup:


The window stamp could be months off and closer to the assembly date of the car, as is in my case. But at least the stamp will give you the production year.

With that sideways 4, I would wonder how many beers the stamper had for lunch

Yup. You're so right Jerry. I'll be looking for it when the time comes. I remember the last time I looked, which was 7 years ago, the price for that plexi rear window was already sky high. I think it would be more fun, and certainly more economical, to wet sand and polish the one thats on there now. I don't care about the date, really, although it would be fun to try to determine just what the hell it is.

I already have all of the raw materials necessary: wet/dry paper, buffing wheel and buffing compound cakes of white, rouge, tripoli and eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeebonyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, gimme a little kiss eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeebonyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.