64 Tags ???

[STEVE WHITAKER]

I have a 64 convt. #S118432 that i've had 25 years.Just started to restore. Lifted body,found frame,trans,engine and tag all match.My question is, the ser # tag seems to have been spot welded on but the weld looks sloppy.Is this normal? Also ,did the factory prime and paint the support,then weld tags,or mask off?

Thanks for any help

[Bill Clupper]

Re: 64 Tags ???

Sloppy is good, also welded thru the prime, paint and whatever

[Joe Pennington]

Re: 64 Tags ???

On my Oct. 1963 build '64 they primed with the yellowish green zinc chromate, then painted black, then took what appears to be marks from a rotary wire brush to remove the paint and primer from two areas and then welded the VIN tag.

[Jack H.]

Re: 64 Tags ???

Like Clup says, welds WERE sloppy. In rare instances plates fell off! Guess that's why rivets came on-line in '65....

[Mike L.]

Re: 64 Tags ???

I have to agree with Joe, my Oct63 car was done just as yours.

[John H.]

Re: 64 Tags ???

It was NOT acceptable welding practice (nor is it today) to attempt to spot-weld stainless steel to plain steel, but it took them several years to figure that out; that's why so many later C1's are missing the VIN plate that was clumsily spot-welded to the (also-painted) steering column tube.

[Jack H.]

Yep!

And from a crash viewpoint, the steering column was an illogical place to affix a key identifying component like the VIN tag!

[John H.]

Re: Yep!

Right, Jack, but as difficult as it is to remove a C1 steering column/gearbox, someone at Chevrolet must have figured that nobody in their right mind would ever try to separate it from the car, so it would be a great place for a VIN plate .

[Jack H.]

Best laid plans of men and mice.... *NM*