Engine pad stamp

[Michael W.]

Re: Engine pad stamp

but if I have the Corvette judged will the get any deductions for pad & stamps?

Given that perfect pads are sometimes given deducts and poor restamps sometimes given a pass, nobody can give you absolute assurance one way or the other.

Flight Judging does not serve as a source of validation for stamp pads.

[Jim D.]

Re: Engine pad stamp

Here's a pic. of my 65 pad. Notice that all the letters/numbers are exactly the same size unlike to O.P's pad. It looks to me like someone found a Flint engine that had no VIN on it, stamped their VIN, ground out the date and suffix of the assembly stamp, used a belt sander to replicate broach marks (poorly) and stamped the date and suffix with the wrong size stamps. My .02 for what it's worth.2011_11250032.jpg

[Alan D.]

Re: Engine pad stamp

The grindouts I've seen are all at right angles to broach. Also the last 4 digit/letter are much deeper, but those may have been after lunch.
My understanding is that one needs to see some numbers before and after the subject number - looking for the same type odd ball marks.
Just some thoughts!

[Joseph S.]

Re: Engine pad stamp

Rich, Look at the broach mark after the first 5 in the VIN. Then compare it to the broach mark right after the 0. Those 2 broach marks are not parallel.

I think the whole pad is resurfaced. I have been wrong before though!!!

[Richard M.]

Re: Engine pad stamp

Rich, Look at the broach mark after the first 5 in the VIN. Then compare it to the broach mark right after the 0. Those 2 broach marks are not parallel.

I think the whole pad is resurfaced. I have been wrong before though!!!

Good eye Joe...I see what you mean.

Rich
p.s. Sometimes I wish we had a Marti Report Database for Corvettes.

[Michael W.]

Re: Engine pad stamp

Rich
p.s. Sometimes I wish we had a Marti Report Database for Corvettes.

Wouldn't help with original vs. restamp.

[Richard M.]

Re: Engine pad stamp

Wouldn't help with original vs. restamp.

True.......But at least it would tell us what it should be.

[Duke W.]

Re: Engine pad stamp

I think if you had a dozen mechanical judging teams look at it independently, you'd get a split decision. I'm usually suspicious of stamps that look almost "too good" like in post #17. They all look like near new, unworn dies. TFP typically has dies of different age and wear, so the depth of the stamping is not consistent for all characters.

I'm not sure about the anomaly below the 08... could be a number of things - corrosion crater, damage to to something gouging the surface or something dropped... who knows what can happen on a 50-year old car.

Broach marks can be tough to verify from a photo. The best way it to look from different angles with light at different angles.

I advise the OP to contact Al Grenning and get his opinion before purchasing.

Duke

[Joe C.]

Re: Engine pad stamp

Rich, Look at the broach mark after the first 5 in the VIN. Then compare it to the broach mark right after the 0. Those 2 broach marks are not parallel.

I think the whole pad is resurfaced. I have been wrong before though!!!

And I believe that you are wrong this time as well.

[Joe R.]

Re: Engine pad stamp

For what it's worth I am going with an original stamp here done in St. Louis. Just some machine shop has done their thing and scratched it all up. This pad has some evidence of the original broach marks that the shop didn't mess up. AND the foremost expert in the NCRS has already declared the stamping to be correct. And it ain't Grenning or me!

JR

[Jim D.]

Re: Engine pad stamp

I'm usually suspicious of stamps that look almost "too good" like in post #17. They all look like near new, unworn dies. TFP typically has dies of different age and wear, so the depth of the stamping is not consistent for all characters.
Duke

I know mine might look too good but I can guarantee it is 100% original without a doubt. I've actually seen many originals that look that good and many originals that looked like they were stamped by a drunk monkey, especially the VIN's on the 1960's that were done freehand.

[Edward J.]

Re: Engine pad stamp

For what it's worth I am going with an original stamp here done in St. Louis. Just some machine shop has done their thing and scratched it all up. This pad has some evidence of the original broach marks that the shop didn't mess up. AND the foremost expert in the NCRS has already declared the stamping to be correct. And it ain't Grenning or me!

JR

I am with you Joe the numbers look good, the broaching may of had some sanding done on it, when possible a head was removed for repair and cleaned with some coarse paper??I think there is to much negativity sometimes with 50 year old engine blocks pads. Being in the repair business and a GM tech for many years I pulled many heads and clean up was sometimes done with sand paper and razor blades. back in the days no one ever thought the engine pads would be scrutinized as they are today.

[Duke W.]

Re: Engine pad stamp

...just and observation, Jim. I wasn't specifically questioning your pad.

Also, during Flight Judging aren't the teams and chairman supposed to give the benefit of the doubt to the owner. A pad may look "suspicious" or "fresh" but then I apply the rule that overturning a call on the field/court by watching all the video requires "irrefutable" evidence that the original call was wrong to overturn.

There's a lot of variation in TFP.

Duke

[Michael J.]

Re: Engine pad stamp

Well said Duke.

[Jerry W.]

Re: Engine pad stamp

Thought I'd throw this one out there..TFAP ( typical found after purchase )