What year did serial # show up on pad??

[Tom S.]

What year did they start stamping the engine pad with serial # of the car? I am looking at a 65 that only has F0404HQH on the pad. Would this be correct? I was also told that it was a 330h.p. engine and by my book it is a 250 h.p. with at and ac! Is that correct? Thanks Tom

[Warren F.]

Re: What year did serial # show up on pad??

Tom,

I thought it was sometime during the 1960 model.

[David B.]

Re: What year did serial # show up on pad??

Tom,

1965 HQ is 327/250, WCFB 1x4, A/C & PG in the NCRS Pocket Guide

Dave B.

[Tom S.]

Re: What year did serial # show up on pad??

Should the 65 have the car serial # on the pad? Tom

[Mark S. Lovejoy]

Yes *NM*

[David B.]

Re: What year did serial # show up on pad??

Tom,

"After 1960, the last six digits of the serial # became part of the engine ID number." (ref: "Corvette Restoration Source Book", p.234)

Dave Banwarth

[Tom S.]

Re: What year did serial # show up on pad??

Thanks guy's I knew it was sometime in the 60's but did not know when! Tom

[Jack H.]

The VIN stamping process began...

around Christmas-New Years of the 1960 model year build with numbers being held by a gang stamp unit sometime in the March of 1960 time frame...

[William C.]

Re: What year did serial # show up on pad??

HQH is not a corvette code, would not have been originally installed in a Corvette and thus might not carry a serial number. BUT it would not be original to a 1965 Corvette

[Tom S.]

Re: What year did serial # show up on pad??

Bill
Thank you for your post. I have told the seller I do not want his car.It was orignaly advertised as a 65 coupe with 10k miles and a 300h.p. engine. When I got the pictures the frame and a-frames had a lot of POR, and then the pad!The car was advertised on Hemmings web site.As the old saying goes buyer beware! Thanks again to all who helped. Tom