64 Radiator Decals and Stamps

[Ralph S.]

Getting my 1964 L76 Coupe with Factory Air judged for the first time in May.

Does anyone have a picture of the correct placement of the stickers/decals and stampings on the left side of the radiator.

The Judging manual indicates that an inspection sticker, and antifreeze and coolant labels go on the left hand side of the radiator. In addition, other reference materials indicate that the Radiator Caution label and the Inspection Stamp also are on the left hand side of the radiator.

My car was a late May 64 Build.

Thanks.

[James W.]

Re: 64 Radiator Decals and Stamps

Getting my 1964 L76 Coupe with Factory Air judged for the first time in May.

Does anyone have a picture of the correct placement of the stickers/decals and stampings on the left side of the radiator.

The Judging manual indicates that an inspection sticker, and antifreeze and coolant labels go on the left hand side of the radiator. In addition, other reference materials indicate that the Radiator Caution label and the Inspection Stamp also are on the left hand side of the radiator.

My car was a late May 64 Build.

Thanks.

Ralph,

My car is a mid-January 1964 build and is L75 equipped but the placement of the coolant decal should be the same. If attached the best picture that I could find. There should be a green #3 inspection sticker on top of the radiator just above the coolant sticker and to the left or towards the drivers side of the white ink stamp also. I hope this helps you.

Regards,

James West

[Ralph S.]

Re: 64 Radiator Decals and Stamps

Jim,

Thanks. I have other documentation that indicates that the #3 inspection sticker is to the right of the white stamp. Seems to a great deal of confusion.

Appreciate the reply.

Ralph Specht

[Michael H.]

Re: 64 Radiator Decals and Stamps

Ralph,

My car is a mid-January 1964 build and is L75 equipped
James West

James,

How sure are we that 64 cars had the white ink stamp "CT" on the radiator? I know 65-67 did but......

[Ralph S.]

Re: 64 Radiator Decals and Stamps

Talked to LI Corvettes today, and they referred me to a book titled: The Vette Vues fact book of the 1963-1967 Stingray by M. F Dobbins (Author)

I purchased a decal set from them which came with a decal placement sheet. The left hand side of the radiator has the Caution label on top(front) of the car and underneath from left to right is the 16 CT stamp, and the 7 Inspection sticker.

The Caution label placement is consistent with the Judging Manual.

[Michael H.]

Re: 64 Radiator Decals and Stamps

Talked to LI Corvettes today, and they referred me to a book titled: The Vette Vues fact book of the 1963-1967 Stingray by M. F Dobbins (Author)


I purchased a decal set from them which came with a decal placement sheet. The left hand side of the radiator has the Caution label on top(front) of the car and underneath from left to right is the 16 CT stamp, and the 7 Inspection sticker.

The Caution label placement is consistent with the Judging Manual.

Ralph,

I don't think the white 16 CT was stamped on the radiator of any 63's or 64's. (maybe very late 64?)

Does anyone know of a GM photo of a brand new 63 or 64 that happens to show the white 16 CT stamp? I don't. I think I've seen several that do not show the 16 CT though.

[Alan D.]

Re: 64 Radiator Decals and Stamps

And then we have the different coolant labels, see Nolands book page 62 for example of each. A late 64 (May) would have it on the shroud like the 65's
although Noland says Mid 1964, mine is a March car and label had not been moved to fan shroud. A lot of changes happened around April of 64 so I would bet the relocation did not happen until then or later.

[Ralph S.]

Re: 64 Radiator Decals and Stamps

Still confused. I have the judging guide for 64(page 130) and it indicates that any VIN after 14500 has a coolant label "Cooling System was Protected to -20F" and it was placed on the upper side left side of the radiator and may obscure the rediator part number and assembly date.


So is the radiator placement for my car correct?

Thanks and appreciate the support. Trying to get it correct.

[Alan D.]

Re: 64 Radiator Decals and Stamps

Well according to the JG (page 130) the 16 CT is not on the radiator. Either of the Caution labels "may obscure the radiator part number and assembly date, no mention of a 16 CT. Now your car is a late, ie May, so I would expect the third design Caution label.

And yes the JG references the same location for both Caution labels. These labels are shown in Noland, page 62, and it is that book which calls out a different location for the third label as "attached to the right side of the fan shroud"

Sorry I do not have any pictures of a late 64 however have a Road & Track picture of a 65FI showing that third design label in said location, on shroud and the 16CT now appears. Anyone know what 16 CT stands for??????

I would get two of the later labels, put one on to satisfy the JG while the extra can be used later if the location gets changed.

[Michael H.]

Re: 64 Radiator Decals and Stamps

Still confused. I have the judging guide for 64(page 130) and it indicates that any VIN after 14500 has a coolant label "Cooling System was Protected to -20F" and it was placed on the upper side left side of the radiator and may obscure the rediator part number and assembly date.


So is the radiator placement for my car correct?


Thanks and appreciate the support. Trying to get it correct.

Ralph,

I was just informed that the current 63-64 JG does have the correct information on the 16CT ink stamp. There's no mention of this stamp, at all.
If the Dobbins book still refers to the 16CT stamp for 63-64, it needs to be corrected.

I think a lot more research is required for radiator labels for 63-64. I have a picture (several actually) of a new very early production 63 that clearly shows a white paper label on the left side of the radiator. I think that current thinking is that no label was used in that position for early cars?

[Bill C.]

Re: 64 Radiator Decals and Stamps

Mike;

For an early '63; if the paper tag is on the left side of the radiaor, is there also one on the surge tank? That would be two of the same labels.
I see the photos in Nolands book. But I cant see if one is on the surge tank also.
Thanks
Bill

[Michael H.]

Re: 64 Radiator Decals and Stamps

Mike;

For an early '63; if the paper tag is on the left side of the radiaor, is there also one on the surge tank? That would be two of the same labels.
I see the photos in Nolands book. But I cant see if one is on the surge tank also.
Thanks
Bill

Bill,

There were two different stickers used on early production 63 cars. (and probably late production too) One large one on the radiator and small one on the supply tank.
The first pic below is a new very early production 63 as road tested by Road & Track magazine in early 1963. We know it's a pre January 1963 build because there are no chrome items on the engine, and has a black painted dip stick handle etc.

The 2nd and 3rd pic's are cropped from the original Road & Track 8X10 picture.

Unfortunately, I don't know what the wording is on either sticker and the information in the 63 AIM is useless because the part numbers and info changed a few times before the final print of the AIM page was released.

I think there may be a few pictures of early/later production 63's and 64's in Nolands book that may help.

None show any evidence of the 16CT ink stamp that some think is correct for 63-64.

[Ralph S.]

Re: 64 Radiator Decals and Stamps

Guys,

Thanks for all the information and examples.

Will follow the JG, not use the 16 CT stamp, and mount the caution label on the left side of the radiator.

Ralph

[Bill C.]

Re: 64 Radiator Decals and Stamps

Mike
Thank you. Now I understand. There were two different labels.
Does anyone have a description(size,wording,color) or photo of the correct surge tank label??
Is a part from the '62??

Bill

[Michael H.]

Re: 64 Radiator Decals and Stamps

Mike
Thank you. Now I understand. There were two different labels.
Does anyone have a description(size,wording,color) or photo of the correct surge tank label??
Is a part from the '62??

Bill

Bill,

I think there were at least three different coolant stickers, and possibly four, for 1963. Look at AIM pages 11-13 sheet 8.0 and 9.0. In the parts list, there is only one, item #16, 3838409. If we look in the revision box at the bottom of the pages, the first thing we learn is that we are missing the original page with it's revision record. We know that because the revisions begin with #4. On the original page, the first revision would have been #1. That means there were more revisions than spaces to list them. Because of that, we will never know what revisions #1 through #3 were.

On sheet 8.0, symbol #6 shows that sticker #16 (in the parts list) was sticker part number 3830621.

On sheet 9.0, symbol #10 shows that sticker, part number 3830622 was removed.

On sheet 9.0, symbol #11 shows that "something" was item #22.

Are we confused yet?

If we believe the last/revised page, there is only one sticker shown, item #16, "thermostat caution", to be placed on the coolant supply tank. No mention of a second sticker for the radiator. We know this is incorrect as we have LOTS of pictures of early and late production 63's with a white paper sticker on the radiator.

I have a feeling that one of the first stickers that was removed may have been the same as one used on 62 models. It isn't one of the part numbers shown on either AIM sheet because the numbers shown are too hign, numerically, to have been issued for any 1962 model.

I don't know how any solid conclusions can be reached using the information in the AIM. I've tried, for the last 35+ years to figure out exactly what occurred with these stickers and the only conclusion I've come to is that there is no absolute conclusion.
I'm pretty sure that by mid production, everyone at the St Louis assembly plant was confused too.

I think the information that is available from pictures of brand new 63 cars is more accurate.

I can't read the text on the stickers that I posted but if someone happens to have some reproduction stickers, maybe they can compare the structure of the text line length that match one of the reproductions.