FACTORY SCREWUP??????????

[Frank Alameno]

Come on guys I know there are a lot of you out there that have probaly run into this question. I've got a one owner 63 coupe factory fuelie I purchased from the original owner with all the documention!!! the problem being on the engine pad the vin#s are double stamped. they look like when they hit it it most have jumped again??? surely someone has seen or heard of this before??? The owner an older gentleman assured me the engine has never been out of the car!!!the car has been sitting for the last 10 years!!! please help. I rephrased this heading hoping to get some responce!!I had the original engine question!!!

thanks Frank,

[dale pearman]

Re: FACTORY SCREWUP??????????

A double stamp is unusual but "typical" of "typical factory screw-ups" and I suppose it could be an anomily of "typical factory production". I'd beleive it anyday since what restamper would allow a double stamp out the door? What owner having a restamp done would accept a double stamp? Of far greater importance is the surface of the pad where this stamp occurs.

Get in touch with Al Griening (please pardon the misspell Al). He knows more about engine stamps than anyone I know. Other "super" stamp judges are Chuck Berge and Ray Morrison. These three will be at Bloomington Gold in June. Hope I've helped.

Varooom.

[Robert B.]

Re: FACTORY SCREWUP??????????

this has happened more than you think, I've seen this on the judging field at least a dozen times in the past 4/5 years. You have NOTHING to be concernd about.

[Joe L.]

Re: FACTORY SCREWUP??????????

Frank-----

I agree with the others; this type of situation is not all that rare. Keep in mind that the fellow stamping the pad, either at the engine plant or St. Louis, was not really concerned about the effect which a "mistake" might have on concours judging 35 years later. In fact, these numbers were probably a very low priority item with line personnel. And, the plant sure wasn't going to scrap the engine just because someone double struck or otherwise erred in the stamping process. As a matter of fact, I've seen several pad stampings where the surface of the pad was crudely ground off, apparently with a die grinder, and restamped. A converstaion that I had many years ago with the late Phil Hawkins, longtime St. Louis Corvette plant employee, confirmed that if a mis-stamping could not be otherwise corrected, this was exactly how the plant personnel made the correction. Die grinders were a common tool at the plant used to correct many types of mistakes.

So, if someone has one of these crudely corrected engine stamp pads, they might think it necessary to replace their engine with a correctly dated and stamped one. Which would be another example of someone making their car non-original, so that they could make it "original".

[Frank Alameno]

Re: FACTORY SCREWUP??????????

I'd like to thank all you guys for some pease of mind!!! there is NO doubt in my mind the engine has never been fooled with!!!keep up the good work you guys are doing a GREAT job!!! I just discovered this site!!! I'll be keeping a close eye on it!! as Ia,m also doing a frame off on a two owner 61 fuelie also all documented.

Thanks again, Frank