Build Date confusement

[Roger D.]

Restoring my base model 69 which has a trim tag showing C 04 but the last six digits are 703636 So I thought this was an early model but maybe a bogus trim tag since the vin on the block matches the windshield. So what do I go by??Roger

[Edward B.]

Re: Build Date confusement

C04 is October 4th, 1968 so you're right on the money.

Ed

[Alan S.]

Re: Build Date confusement

Hi Roger,
I don't know if you looked at the Final Monthly Serial Number lists in your 68-69 TIM&JG's Interior Section, but when you do you'll see the interpretation Edward posted is verified there.
Regards,
Alan

Nice to see you on the DB!

[Roger D.]

Re: Build Date confusement

C04 is October 4th, 1968 so you're right on the money.Ed

I was talking to John Pirkle who asked me for the last 6 numbers of the vin. He then said oh your car is a late model. I am getting a starter from John. He was not sure but he thought early starters had 10 and 4 other numbers not 70. He said he would check that he may be wrong so I was just wondering. If John is right then I have totally screwed up my restore.Thank you Ed.Roger

[Jack H.]

Re: Build Date confusement

Just as a reality check, there were 28,566 Corvettes made in 1969. Yours is 3636 out of 28566, so I'd definitely categorize that as early. The October 1968 date is in agreement with "early" too.

Maybe you or John had a simple miscommunication with the VIN number???

Not sure what your numbers about "10 and 4 other numbers not 70" referred to BTW.

[Edward B.]

Re: Build Date confusement

Yeah, I'm not sure what John is referring to either. The 1969 base engine used a 1108338 starter for manual transmissions, and a 1108427 starter for the automatic. Since you have an "early" car, you might have had a 68 starter (1108361 for manual or 1108338 for automatic), but I can't verify this.

Ed

[Roger D.]

Re: Build Date confusement

Yeah, I'm not sure what John is referring to either. The 1969 base engine used a 1108338 starter for manual transmissions, and a 1108427 starter for the automatic. Since you have an "early" car, you might have had a 68 starter (1108361 for manual or 1108338 for automatic), but I can't verify this.Ed

In defense of John or clarify . John asked me to give him the last few numbers of the vin after the letter S. So when I gave him the 703636 he said I think that might be a late model because early models started with a 10 after the S but he needed to check that he may be wrong. That's what got me wondering if he is right then I am screwed in thinking my car was an early model. So I am very happy to see that the car is an early model and will continue on . Thank you everyone for responding quickly so I can get some sleep.Roger

[Robert R.]

Re: Build Date confusement

Back before the terms for Corvette models were called: C1, C2, C3, etc, the '68s to '82s were called Late Models.
That may have been his comment instead of referring to the actual serial number.
Just a thought.
Bob

BTW - 53-62 were called Solid Axles and 63-67 were of course Sting Rays.

[Michael W.]

Re: Build Date confusement

In defense of John or clarify . John asked me to give him the last few numbers of the vin after the letter S. So when I gave him the 703636 he said I think that might be a late model because early models started with a 10 after the S but he needed to check that he may be wrong. That's what got me wondering if he is right then I am screwed in thinking my car was an early model. So I am very happy to see that the car is an early model and will continue on . Thank you everyone for responding quickly so I can get some sleep.Roger

Before you doze off- running changes of components happened throughout the model year. If there was an 'early' starter and a 'late' starter, the change over might have happened in the first few week(s) of production, the last few weeks or anywhere in between. It confuses the issue by thinking of the car as a whole. Carrying over part numbers from previous years for the few few days or weeks or months is pretty common in just about every production year.

Does the judging guide not offer a date or car serial number for when the change over might have occured?

[Ron G.]

Re: Build Date confusement

Jack - Don't have the data in front of me, but you may want to re-think that number of 1969 Corvettes built that year. Going from memory, I believe there were 38,762 Corvettes built for the 1969 model year. Again, don't have the data in front of me and I am getting old, so you may want to re-check that number. I believe the number 28,566 that you made mention of is the number of 1968 Corvettes made.

[Roger D.]

Re: Build Date confusement

Before you doze off- running changes of components happened throughout the model year. If there was an 'early' starter and a 'late' starter, the change over might have happened in the first few week(s) of production, the last few weeks or anywhere in between. It confuses the issue by thinking of the car as a whole. Carrying over part numbers from previous years for the few few days or weeks or months is pretty common in just about every production year. Does the judging guide not offer a date or car serial number for when the change over might have occured?

Yes Michael the judging book calls for a #1108338 for a manual transmission. Still not sure what the vin had to do with that starter.

[Edward B.]

Re: Build Date confusement

Mike, the manual only states that "There may be some overlap of starter motor numbers in late or early production cars" but doesn't elaborate. I would imagine that by the time October 4th rolled around, they were no longer using 1968 parts, but I've no data points to back that up.

Ed

[Ron G.]

Re: Build Date confusement

Mike - I am almost certain that the 338 is the correct application for you car, at least that is what I have seen on bowtie/survivor cars.

[Jack H.]

Re: Build Date confusement

Jack - Don't have the data in front of me, but you may want to re-think that number of 1969 Corvettes built that year. Going from memory, I believe there were 38,762 Corvettes built for the 1969 model year. Again, don't have the data in front of me and I am getting old, so you may want to re-check that number. I believe the number 28,566 that you made mention of is the number of 1968 Corvettes made.

Yep, you are correct Ron...I did mistakenly quote the 1968 model year as you suggested. Thanks for setting the record straight.

[Michael W.]

Re: Build Date confusement

Yes Michael the judging book calls for a #1108338 for a manual transmission. Still not sure what the vin had to do with that starter.

Mike, the manual only states that "There may be some overlap of starter motor numbers in late or early production cars" but doesn't elaborate. I would imagine that by the time October 4th rolled around, they were no longer using 1968 parts, but I've no data points to back that up.

Ed

There's the answer. The car in question was built far enough into the production year (as witnessed by the VIN) that there's little or no chance that it would have a leftover (or early) starter from '68. Therefore the car would have a 'late' part number starter.

BTW- Someday I'll find the guy that invented the terms early and late and give him a stern talking to. '1st design', '2nd design' etc would be much less confusing.