I have two Jacks side by side for my 67, one is the rusty original, the other a new repo. Can not see much of a difference, is there an easy or outstanding way to spot a reproduction or service replacement?
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Re: 67 Repo Jack?
weight is one, the original is heavier. also i am quite certain the repops do NOT have the reinforcements in the arms. Thickness of metal is thinner on the repops than the original. ARA -
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Re: 67 Repo Jack?
Dating of the jacks did not start until January of 1967, so if your car was built prior to January it should not have a date on it.Comment
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Re: 67 Repo Jack?
Thanks, Ken, the long island website is showing their repos, very good, hard to tell difference from original.
I think I see slight differences, would like someone who is familiar to confirm, I am only looking at 2 jacks, would like to have more to compare.Comment
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Re: 67 Repo Jack?
Thank you, both seem to weigh the same, also I do not have a dated jack, either one, still wondering? Maybe both are original, bought the one as a repo thoughComment
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Re: 67 Repo Jack?
Here is a couple more links that may be of help. I also found a pdf from corvetteforum.com that I think folks may find useful.
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Re: 67 Repo Jack?
Hi Bill, here are some close up shots of my jack and handle before resto last winter...take a close look and Ara's comment for weight will be more clear.
Enzo Colosimo
Ncrs Ontario Chapter Chairman 🇨🇦
ENZ-Z06/67
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Re: 67 Repo Jack?
Hi William:
The reproduction jack is very good. I used a repro jack for several judging events including Chapter, Regional, and National, and never got a deduction for the jack. I think part of the reason is that very few points are allocated to the jack, so the judges can't deduct a full point for minor differences from original.
After I finished with NCRS judging in 2007, I ran across a nice original jack at Carlisle and bought it. During the restoration of that jack I took several photos that showed slight differences between the original and the repro.
If you simply want to to determine whether a jack is original or repro, I think the easiest thing to look for are the tooling marks on the saddle, as shown in the attached photo. I believe that all original jacks have these marks, while the reproductions are typically smooth in this area. There are other slight differences in the rivet heads and one of the punched holes.
If you are only concerned about judging points, I think the repro jack will usually get full credit. However, an experienced NCRS judge will know how to identify the repro jack even though they probably won't deduct for it. So, finding a nice original jack is mostly just a personal preference item.Comment
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Re: 67 Repo Jack?
John Smith in Oklahoma first started the reproduction of jacks for mid-years. The gauge of the steel is correct so I doubt the weight of the jack varies at all. The company that now sells the jacks is Bluejacket and they have carried on the tradition of manufacturing the jacks correctly down to the last rivet and tooling mark. It is a tribute to people like John Smith that have taken the time to do it RIGHT!
JRComment
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Re: 67 Repo Jack?
Thank you, I can easily spot the tooling marks on the saddle. Now have 4 jacks in front of me, 3 are original 1 is a very good repo, but can see a few small differences, thanks to everyone who responded,
BillComment
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Re: 67 Repo Jack?
Joe Ray,
Do you know if John Smith is still around? I know he's not with the jack business any more. He and I worked together on the 62 jack years ago. I had an NOS one he used as a sample.Comment
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Re: 67 Repo Jack?
Mike,
The last time I saw John he had given up the business in a separation from his former spouse. That was several years ago at a Joplin Regional. I'll check my old phone numbers for John and if I can find him I'll PM you the number.
JRComment
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