78 Frame Stencil Color

[David W.]

Is the frame number and date suppose to be flat white or yellow? Its tough to tell on my pace car. Looks like possibly yellow. VIN 1671; Trim Tag G31 or March 31, 1978; Frame # is 457982-272; 2.3.78

[Tom R.]

Re: 78 Frame Stencil Color

Is the frame number and date suppose to be flat white or yellow? Its tough to tell on my pace car. Looks like possibly yellow. VIN 1671; Trim Tag G31 or March 31, 1978; Frame # is 457982-272; 2.3.78

Yellow!

I have maintained a log of Pace Car frame stencils sorted by M20 or M38. The M20 series is much more interesting. This is speculation but Pace Cars had a greater proportion of four-speeds than coupes and we see the evidence with the frame dates. They begin 12/23/77 for early VINs such as yours. But by the end of production, the date gap between frame and body, shrinks.

The M38 are much more typical as your date code suggests and is the earliest for suffix 272. Below is a typical stencil for M38

[David W.]

Re: 78 Frame Stencil Color

Thanks Tom...............it looks like a sponge type roller was used to apply. Are you aware of any paint or stencil supplier that is a decent color match? I ordered the stencil from Doc.

[Tom R.]

Re: 78 Frame Stencil Color

Thanks Tom...............it looks like a sponge type roller was used to apply. Are you aware of any paint or stencil supplier that is a decent color match? I ordered the stencil from Doc.

Not sure the roller type but think back to early 78...did they have sponge rollers then? I would practice and go light. I get the impression after looking at dozens of these that a worker must have filled the roller and walked down the frame assembly line until the paint wore thin because there was no consistency when I see dozens of the stencils. In fact, i would get some cardboard and roll until it got thin looking. Than go for the actual stencil application. But I would guess a sponge roller would work better than a fiber roller. I would not want it to hold a lot of paint.

Technique: I would take that cardboard, paint it flat black and then apply the stencil to get a feel for its outcome. The picture above is about as heavy as I have seen...all others are much thinner. Also note the surface texture. Those black dots are the frame metal irregularities that failed to adhere yellow paint whether from the roller or metal texture.

Color: It is almost a safety yellow. In fact, I suspect your spare tire rim is yellow and I would guess that is a close match. Drag it into a Home Depot and see if they can match the color and mix some enamel. Let's see how that works. The other option is to get yellow frame stencil paint from Quanta...I think they carry it.

Keep me posted on your progress and the Doc stencil, I take it you mean Dr. Rebuild. My Pace Car 2324 has no stencil so I have collected data to guessestimate both the suffix and corresponding date.

[David W.]

Re: 78 Frame Stencil Color

Good thoughts Tom..............yeah Dr Rebuild. Some practice runs will help for sure. Traffic yellow for striping is probably very close hence the safety yellow you reference.

[David W.]

Re: 78 Frame Stencil Color

Tom.....here is a pic of my frame stencil job with appropriate existing marking. The Doc Rebuild stencil worked great $14.00. Used traffic yellow acrylic latex paint with a small 3" sponge roller to give factory look. Spray ink does not replicate the look used back then.

[Tom R.]

Re: 78 Frame Stencil Color

Doesn't look bad! I like the yellow grease streak through along with the obvious flaws. Good work!

I'll have to order me one!

[David R.]

Re: 78 Frame Stencil Color

Tom, Do the 'regular' non-pace cars use a different stencil? My numbers are much more narrow. Maybe they got a new stencil after the pacecars. My grease mark has held up well, note the 94 is the last two digits of my VIN, if that is what they are there for.

[Tom R.]

Re: 78 Frame Stencil Color

Tom, Do the 'regular' non-pace cars use a different stencil? My numbers are much more narrow. Maybe they got a new stencil after the pacecars. My grease mark has held up well, note the 94 is the last two digits of my VIN, if that is what they are there for.

Pace Car production had nothing to do with stencil format. Remember, frames came from where...A.O. Smith so were built, assembled, painted and stenciled before arrival at the St Louis Plant. In fact, the frame manufacturer had no clue what frames would be assigned Pace Car duty. When Pace Car production began in late March, there was an inventory of four-speed frames which were quickly consumed once Pace Car production began. They may not have even known these were Corvette frames! Just another Chevrolet frame order.

But back to your question, I think frame stencil workers, once they got paint on the rollers, just went down the assembly line until the roller was nearly dry...then re-dipped and did it again. It was random and it was production...nothing about pretty. Some stencils got lots of paint (after the roller refresh) while others got paint remnants...your is at the end of the paint stencil run...so to speak. Remember, workers did not care nor did they think a bunch of bozos' would be worried about yellow painted frame assembly numbers. And this is all speculation...I really don't have a clue just basing this on what I have studied and surmised from familiarity of production methods.

Yes that 94 is pretty cool, I have seen a few with the a two-digit VIN reference...sometimes they are the shim marks.