I am restoring a 60 with big brakes. The rear end #3743833 E 20 0 on drivers side of carrier, code on pasenger side is "FM 620". The car has big brakes with the scoops in the front grille area, all the backing plates and drums. My confussion is this HD suspension or metalic brakes? I am loking in the judging guide, which states "metallic brakes" for code FM? Do I have the correct rear end? Should the code be AS,AT,or AU? What would make a 60 HD suspension? I understand 58 and 59 they chanmged springs and sway bars but not 60. Please help clear up my confusion.
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Re: 60 big brake rear end code?
FM codes if for a 4:56 metallic brake rear end. AS, AT & AU codes are for heavy duty brake and suspension. RPO 684 Heavy Duty Brake & Suspension'57-59's big brake cars had a channel through the body. Late '59 (VIN9000+?) changed to RPO687 HD Brake & Special Steering Equipment and used "deflectors" per Noland Adams's C1 book on page 299. Following are quotes from Noland's C1 book page 300: "Deflectors on the body behind the grille to direct air towards the front brakes. Front brakes had cut-out areas with screens installed and covers bolted in place over the openings. Front brake drums were stamped 3745534. For the 1st time a sheet-metal fan was installed in front & rear wheels." Also, included in the RPO 687 was a quick steering adapter. Maybe one of the '60 big brake guys like John McGraw who sometimes posts on here will provide more info as my knowledge is limited to 57-8 big brake cars. Sounds like to me you have a RPO 687 car. Good luck, Gary....NCRS Texas Chapter
https://www.ncrstexas.org/
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Re: 60 big brake rear end code?
I believe I have a big brake car with the steering adapter. I do not know what suspension changes were made other than shocks on a 60. But is my rear end code correct?Comment
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No, I don't think your rear end is correct...
...Based on the information you supplied, I'd say some person changed out the rear end center section at some point in time. All else you listed points to a legit HD car. All I would add is, back in the day, rear end center sections were in an R&R mode from week to week... Drags, road racing, etc... No one gave it a thought... Best, DennisComment
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Re: 60 big brake rear end code?
Bill--
You didn't indicate production date/VIN of your 60. Is it a June or July 1960 car? If not, the rear has obviously been changed. If so, that makes it a bit more difficult to tell. Is the metal ratio tag still attached to the banjo/pumpkin at about the 2o'clock bolt? That's another factor to evaluate.Comment
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Re: 60 big brake rear end code?
Hi Mike, The car was built june 8 1960. It is fuel/290hp, has the ducts in the grille opening,special fast steering adapter, and all the equipment for big brakes. According to the judging guide the rear is wrong(FM), but with the rear stamped FM 6 2 0, it seems like it was there from the factory? I know NCRS doesn't judge this, but bloomington will. Can you help clear up my confusion on the FM code? From what I read I can assume it is wrong.Comment
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Re: 60 big brake rear end code?
My guess would be that it is a factory mistake. If the date wasn't so right, I'd have my doubts, but having worked on the Dana Corp assembly line assembling rear ends, I know that mistakes were made!Comment
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Mike, I tend to disagree...
...if a "mistake" was made at the factory and the wrong rear end assembly attached to Bill's car, I would think it would not have the screened backing plates or finned drums. I agree, during rear end assembly, the incorrect center section could have been installed. However, if one judges the car based on typical factory production - without documentation, all the possible "mistakes" pretty much go out the window...Comment
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Re: Dennis, I agree that you disagree
You're right on--I'm not advocating that it will judge correctly, because unless one has factory documentation, that's impossible to prove. No protecto plate with rear end date, etc. that early. As you know, though, an owner has to make a decision--do I leave what I believe is an original part on the car and take the judging deduct, or do I make the car correct in order to get the most points in the judging process.Comment
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Mike, I agree with the point you make... DC *NM*
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What do you DO???
I think I am going to leave it as is. But I also assume at Bloomington I will have questions asked and maybe I'll be able to defend myself. I thought because 60 didn't have much in the way of suspension changes it might have been correct. Factory mistakes USUALLY don't fly on the judging field, BUT we should preserve thease corvettes the way we found them. I am the second owner of this corvette, origional owner has passed away and the wife remembers some of its racing history and no mechanical issues.Comment
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Does BG actually have judges that can...
...slither under a C1 sitting on its tires and read that code...??? Wow !!!
Bill, if this were my car (and I wish it was) - given a racing history of any type - and if the ratio tag is MIA, my thought pattern would conclude that the odds are, it was changed out at some point in time.
Trying to find an original center section would be a major challenge and, if found, the cost would be off the chart. Guess I would leave it as is or possibly consider "tampering" with the alpha stamp since it appears you have the perfect donor.
Decisions, decisions...Comment
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