1963-1967 (C2) BODY TRIM PLATE: Located on the crossbrace under the dash, it identifies the month and day built, model year, body style, body number, trim combination and paint color. This 1966 big-block coupe with off-road exhaust (not for use on public roads) has some serious frame rot. The style information on the left should match the VIN: 63 for 1963 and 837 for coupe. Birdcage repairs are costly in all ways, and hard to justify unless you have plenty of experience doing major reconstructive repairs. Seats were updated to decrease wear and tear. An anomaly occurred during the 1965 model year run during a foundry shutdown: A limited number of 327-ci engines with casting number 3858180 were supplied by Tonawanda. Once you determine whether the engine VIN matches the vehicle VIN, paperwork concerning the validity of the Midyear increases the value. Check carefully around the front spring pocket where multiple pieces of frame are welded together. Finally, if the car has not been restored some factory paint overspray may still be visible on the floorpan or on the inside of the car behind the interior door panels. S identifies the St. Louis assembly plant. Research is the only way to find out as much data as possible. The 1965 350-hp and 365- hp small-blocks, and the 396-ci big-blocks used Holley 4-barrel carburetors. The fourth digit (3) tells you it is a coupe. Thanks Dad! We are not paid to perform the reviews or are we given any products for free. Heres a list of color names, along with each of their specific OEM color codes: *The double-letter color codes (e.g., AA, CC, etc.) Color breakdown in terms of production numbers was the following: Tuxedo Black 1,190 (4.29%), Ermine White 2,120 (7.65%), Rally Red 3,366 (12.14%), Nassau Blue 6,100 (22.01%), Laguna Blue 2,054 (7.41%), Trophy Blue 1,463 (5.28%), Mosport Green 2,311 (8.34%), Sunfire Yellow 2,339 (8.44%), Silver Pearl 2,967 (10.70%) and Milano Maroon 3,799 (13.70%). We have included an easy to use search feature too for quickly finding specific RPO codes. The 1963-64 Corvette trim tag is different from other models in several respects. engines. There were limitations to ordering the big block 427 cubic inch engine. 1956-59 left door hinge pillar below upper hinge. The body build date code consists of an alphanumeric code representing the month followed by two numbers representing the day of the month. I then MIG weld the ground out V going past the V slightly, letting the steel cool naturally. 3. 1953 to early 1960 driver-side door post area. This part number is referred to as the casting number. The driver-side manifold received the machined hole for the fuelies choke heat. We have included an easy to use search feature too for quickly finding specific RPO codes. However, when the body was lowered onto the frame, it was obvious something was seriously wrong. General Motors stamped the engine block with the last six digits of the VIN. Following the word "Style" is the last two digits of the model year (63 or 64), a blank space, and the three digit body style code (837 for a coupe or 867 for a convertible). You guessed it; they wanted to see the chassis VIN along with the VIN plate. The new owner recently purchased the restored Midyear as an investment. The last six digits (112xxx) tell you it was built about two-thirds through the model year. Still, the Corvette did not go home empty-handed. The styling of the 1966 car remained very much a carryover from the year before. C1 (1953-1962): Windshield Glass, Door Glass. The passenger-side tire and wheel was back so far that I could not turn the steering wheel. If the dealership that sold the car is still open, you may be able to do further research. We sometimes equate that our time is not a monetary concern; after all, we are working on this as a hobby. Some C2 Corvette colors were only available in specific years, but many were available in multiple years. For instance, if you find that the numbers do not show up in your NCRS pocket guide. C2 Corvette Build Dates The below table is the build dates for the C2 Corvette. Where is the VIN Number on a Corvette? This was a tough call. Although it was effectively a 396 cubic inch engine with a larger 4.25-inch bore, the new 427 big-block engine came in two forms: the relatively mild L36, which featured a hydraulic-cam and produced 390 horsepower on 10.25:1 compression, and the truly awesome L72, a 425 horsepower engine with 11:1 compression, larger intake valves, a bigger Holley four-barrel carburetor on an aluminum manifold, mechanical lifters, and four-hole (instead of two-hole) main bearing caps. The NCRS judges are looking for the stamped aluminum tag under the top cover screw at the right rear corner on this 300-hp 327-ci engine. Corvette Central is a proud sponsor of The National Corvette Museum, NCRS (National Corvette Restorer's Society), NCCC (National Council of Corvette Clubs), Corvette Forum, Digital Corvettes, Corvette Action Center, Z06vette.com and many more. You need to understand that many of the early Corvettes are not going to have documentation available. 4 Speed Manual, Close Ratio, Heavy Duty Transmission, Full-length ladder type with five cross members and separate body, Independent upper and lower A-arms; unequal-length wishbones; coil springs; anti-roll bar;tubular shocks, Independent with fixed differential; nine leaf springs lateral struts and universally-jointed axle shafts radius arms and direct-acting shock absorbers, Saginaw recirculating ball, 17:1 ratio, 2.9 turns to lock, 41.6 turning circle. This is why matching the date codes to the engine pad stamping is important. Unfortunately, the birdcage is not visible without removing interior panels or the windshield trim. The only thing to do was call the owner and find out more about the body restoration. Poorly performed or incorrect repairs are often found. You can see it when you open the door. Many people are well versed in this segment of the hobby, so theres plenty of insight and knowledge available out there. What Should I Do Before I Call Product Assistance? The smartest tool to use right now is restraint. 14. I have way too many Midyear Corvettes come into the shop after major bodywork and paint with assembly problems. 2. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. 3. Corvette Of The Day: 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Big Tank Coupe, The Fabulous 88 Resurrected and Reimagined, Rescuing A 1963 Split Window Corvette And Turning It Into A Drag Racer, Jules Gounon Manages To Tame The L88 Greenwood Corvette, VIDEO: Quick Drive In The 1966 Chevrolet Corvette, TheTopher Takes A 1966 Chevrolet Corvette For A Spin, 4-Speed Manual Trans., Close Ratio, Heavy Duty. Ive owned several 427 big block especially 1967s with TriPower setup with Holly 2 bbls. Because of the lower resale price it makes more sense to be frugal with the restoration and then drive the wheels off of it to get the most out of your money. Stampings are found on the bottom rail of the differential housing where the cover meets the housing. Once completed a thorough inspection with a magnifying glass is required to make sure I didnt bring out another suspect weld in the area of repair. the "Big Block". The decking or machining also must match the finish that left the factory. Similarly, the 390 horsepower engine was initially rated at 400 horsepower. This is why the VIN will be 10 digits for 1953-54 cars. 1966 Corvette (C2) Body Type 2 Door Coupe & Convertible VIN Range 194376S100001 - 194376S127720 Original Price $4,295 (Coupe), $4,084 (Convertible) Engine 327ci - 350HP Engine, 427ci - 390HP Engine, 427ci - 425HP Engine Transmission 3-speed manual (standard), 4-speed manual (optional), 2-speed Powerglide (optional) Units Produced 27,720 Rod ratio is the combination of [Click here to read more], When it comes to the camshaft on a small-block Chevy, enthusiasts tend to overlook the importance of each component in the valvetrain and its contribution to how well the entire system works. 6H8 is the sixth day of August 1968. Corvette frames have particular spots that corrode, and they can be easily seen unless they have been masked to cover damage. There were minor modifications made to the Corvettes appearance. 01-12 Jan-Dec, A-E 1st thru 5th week. The Rear Axle Ratio Identification Codes 2023 CC Tech and Corvette Central. Carter supplied all the carburetors for 1963 250- and 300-hp engines in 1964. 1963 to 1964 Spot welded to body hinge brace under the glove box. The base model Corvettes, however, still came with the 327 CID V8 that had been used since 1962. Car and Drive tested the 1966 Corvette and managed a 12.8 second quarter mile at 112 mph in 427ci/425hp configuration. In 1966 and 1967, Holley supplied all the small- and big-block carburetors, including the Tri-Power setup shown. This is where you need to pull out your NCRS pocket guide and start crunching the numbers. 8. The Tonawanda foundry supplied all of the big-block 396- and 427-ci engines. They may be very valuable to someone with a factory-correct Camaro, Chevelle, Impala, or early Chevy truck. Distributor Specifications - With tune up and timing settings. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Like the front end, damage repair was evident on both sides at the rear. The recessed area below the trailing arm pivot fills with dirt, salt, and water keeping the area ripe for corrosion. On a 3-2 setup, the middle carb is main crank/runs on crank-up and normal operation. 6 to 11 Production sequence number 01001- 109670, How Do You Read a Corvette VIN? We have interior paint that is good for all plastic and vinyl surfaces, for 63 interior red you would need, #131525-13. https://www.corvettecentral.com/c1-53-62/paints-tools/paints-chemicals-tools/56-13-leather-vinyl-hard-plastic-interior-paint-131525?returnurl=%2fsearch%3fcurrentsearchcategoryid%3d%26q%3d63%2binterior%2bpaint%26count%3d18. Top is Red 974 car is white 936. existing tail lights. Still, it was a lower compression 300-hp 327-ci engine coupled to an automatic transmission. The left side has a similar repair. The major difference was that the 65-67 were riveted instead in the same location. Buying a severely corroded Corvette can really hurt your budget and ego. Many of the original assembly line workers are no longer with us, so it is difficult to really pin down some of the things that slowed or sped up production. DID YOU KNOW: The 427 cubic-inch engines were introduced in the 1966 model. 1966 Corvette Factory Options- A list of options with their cost. Powerglide automatic transmissions were stamped D for day and N for night. There are Corvette numbers fanatics who can tell you that on the fourth week of May only x number of bodies were built because there was a shortage of resin. After looking at the three Midyear possibilities, the 1963 was my first choice. On the rear side of the right hand pillar support under the glove box. Read more in our 1966 Corvette VINs page. The 1963 and 1964 rear axle coding identified the gear ratio, build month, and day. Smaller ancillary items, such as the carburetor, starter, and alternator, were stamped with build and date codes. The incorrect exterior paint and lack of documentation meant the owner paid twice what he should have paid for this Midyear. My second candidate was a 1964 convertible in decent condition with a matching-number engine. 1955 left door hinge below courtesy lamp switch. Everything can be difficult to take apart due to corrosion. This is somewhat exaggerated, but they do analyze every number carefully. To play it safe, always get a signed and notarized receipt, and check the VIN with what is on the title. Locate the gas line from fuel pump gas line fitting nut fits/screws into the carburator float bowl. The original engine and transmission were gone. Someone had made claim to the Corvette, and it was their responsibility to prove it belonged to them. This means taking apart everything, thoroughly cleaning and replacing any broken or unusable parts. Consider what it takes to put this 1963 back together in decent shape. The 1967 had early and late versions of both the rectangular- and oval-port heads. Consumers found that the new Corvette, especially one equipped with the 427 big-block, had all the refinement it needed. |17 Digit Corvette VIN Decoder Explanation andLocation, 4 Car Line or Series: Y = Y-body series (Corvette)1G1YY26W485100001, 5 Corvette Specific information Model/Equipment "Y" or "Z" Z = ZR1, A=1LT mt, B=2LT mt, C=3LT mt, D=4LT mt, E=1LT at, F=2LT mt, G=3LT at, H=4LT at, J=Z06 1LZ, K=Z06 3LZ, L=Z06 3LZ, M=ZR1 std, N=ZR1 3ZR, P=GS LT mt, R=GS 2LT mt, S=GS 3LT mt, T=GS 4LT mt, U=GS 1LT at, V=GS2LT at, W=GS 3LT at, X=GS 4LT at, 9=NON USA/CANADA, 6 Body style: 07=1982 Collectors Edition, 1= Hard Top (99-04 Z06) 2 = Coupe (97-2011+ Coupe, Z06, ZR1) 3 = Convertible (98-2011+), 7 Restraint system: 2= Front 3 = late model seat belts warning and air bags 4= Front/Side 5= Front (2007+) 6=Front/Side (2006-09) D=Front/Side (2010-2013), 8 Engine type: 8 = L98, P = LT1, J = ZR1, 5 = LT4, G=LS1, S=LS6, U=LS2, E=LS7, W=LS3, R=LS, 2014 C7: 7=LT1, 6=LT4, 9 Randomly generated check digit: 0 - 9 Security Code Check Digit Calculator, 10 Model year designation from GM:1G1YY26W485100001, 11 Final Assembly Plant Location: 4= St. Louis (1981 Corvette's overlap) 5 = Bowling Green, 12 to 17Production sequence number:800001=ZR1,700001=Z06 2013 CONVERTIBLE 60TH,100001=ALL OTHER MODELS. 4. Welding heat can weaken areas, especially at the outside edge of the weld, as the steel is pulled and thinner in that area. The primary difference is that there are fewer positions where information is listed. Maybe the shop that had the project found these issues and gave up on it. But that was not the only problem I encountered: When I had the body sit- ting on the frame correctly, I checked the front fender wheel well openings. Also, the coupe lost its roof-mounted extractor vents, which had proven to be inefficient in earlier model years. We cover all years in detail below. However, base horsepower was 300 in 1966, up from 250 the year before. The paint and interior were dated and could use some TLC to get it back on track. Hello I have a 1966 corvette 427 conv . However, most of the ancillary pieces had been changed and had incorrect numbers. The matching numbers and decent condition made the car sound expensive. Lower side fenders are attached to the upper surround to complete the front end. knock off wheels were still available although the center cap now had a dull finish. You guessed it; someone might actually improperly repair a corroded frame with body filler to save money. The Goodwood Green 300-hp 327-ci convertible had very few options. (Note also the RPO change from A62 to A48.) Starting in mid-1964 and continuing throughout the 1967 model year, all body sequence numbers were prefixed with the letter A for the A.O. To help you out, weve provided the complete list of C2 Corvette paint colors and their corresponding OEM color codes. Corvette Of The Day: 1966 Chevrolet Corvette Big Tank Coupe, The Fabulous 88 Resurrected and Reimagined, Rescuing A 1963 Split Window Corvette And Turning It Into A Drag Racer, Jules Gounon Manages To Tame The L88 Greenwood Corvette, VIDEO: Quick Drive In The 1966 Chevrolet Corvette, TheTopher Takes A 1966 Chevrolet Corvette For A Spin, 4 Speed Manual, Close Ratio, Heavy Duty Transmission. Check all date and casting codes carefully. The body needs to be lifted to properly remove the rotted pieces and install new rails. VIN sequence 300001 series for 45U Velocity Yellow representing the No. Aluminum cylinder heads typically have the same snowflake cast on them. The crazy thing is that with all the chassis rust, the windshield frame and birdcage looked pretty good. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable. Your #1 Source of Restoration and Restomod Parts! Other than the egg crate grille that replaced the previous horizontal bars, the 1966 models were nearly identical to the 1965 models. Corvette trim tag from a 1978 Pace Car built on March 21. Not all dealer invoices show the original paint but most do show the interior code and color. Though it had no more horsepower than the previously developed 396 cubic inch engine, the 427 did pack quite a bit more torque-460lbs/ft instead of 415. All rights reserved. My 1966 Corvette was delivered with Silver Pearl 986AA paint. |12 Digit VIN Explanation andLocation, 1 Model Year 0 = 1960Corvette VIN Decoder Code, 2 = 1962 End of C1 Corvette VIN Decoder Coder, 3 = 1963 Start of C2 Corvette VIN Decoder Coder, 2 to 5 Series 0867 = Chevrolet Corvette "8"= Engine, Start VIN "1960" 00867S100001 End VIN "1964" 40837S122229, How Do You Read a13 digit vin decoder? How much of the major work can you do? Done properly with the correct matching date and casting codes, it is possible to pass NCRS judging. My first candidate was a rough-looking 327-ci fuel-injected 1963 split-window coupe with limited power options. Finding an early production VIN Midyear with an engine date coded later than when the Midyear rolled off the assembly line is not correct. The headliner of the '66 Vette is foam and vinyl, an upgrade from the fiberboard Someone took a right front fender corner and hacked it onto the original fender. Rear axle code CJ0728 is: CJ, 3.08 Positraction; 07, July month built; and 28, the 28th day. C3 Corvette Trim Tag Decoder and Location: 1968-82 Inner side of drivers side windshield post (A-pillar). The photos had no VIN documentation, only pictures of someone restoring a multi-colored 1967 convertible Corvette. Rear axles were also stamped with rear axle codes and dates, but these can be very hard to see clearly. Should You Get A C5 Corvette Over A C8 Corvette Today? The only way that you can positively verify the original paint and/or interior is to acquire the original dealer invoice or other original paperwork. 2. 1963 build date codes contain a letter that represents the month, which is then followed by a single digit that represents the week of the month (1 through 6). Unfortunately though, no drivetrain data is included. SEAT TYPE: There may or may not be an additional code following the trim code that identifies the type of seat installed in the car. The underside had some minor rust, but no obvious major problems. In fact, 1966 would prove to be another record-breaking year in Corvette sales, with volume rising to 27,720 units sold an increase of more than 4,200 units over 1965s sales of 23,562 units. Press-molded fiberglass costs quite a bit more to manufacture so hand-laid is popular for replacement panels. Final Monthly Serial Numbers - Calculate the build date. A quick look under the 63 revealed a severely rotted frame that required major reconstruction or replacement. You know that unpleasant part of the new vehicle transaction when the numbers are laid out in front of you? Gus Lastly, it required stouter, shot-peened half shafts and U-joints, as well as a higher-capacity radiator and sump. Picture added by webmaster (after it was published via the NCRS tech. You do need to be aware that over the years original frames may have been swapped out when they rotted away. Mainly, the deck surface looked rougher than it should be. Any off-road activities bend this vulnerable area. The Trim Tag has several numbers and alphabetical Letters embossed into it, body style , either 437 or 467 for coupe and convertible, Color Code of Paint, style/color of interior, as well as the month and day vehicle was produced, and finally the body identification number which also shows whether body was made at Saint louis or A.O.
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