Tank sticker

[Terry M.]

Re: Tank sticker

Harry
I have sat out of this discussion because I can add nothing about C2 St Louis production numbers.

That said, I think it worth passing on what Paul Schnoes (Bowling Green plant manager in the C4 era) said in response to my question about sequential VINs:: "We build them in serial number sequence, but we don't have to."

One may apply this to St Louis production at your own risk, but I think it is worth passing on, especially in light of your above conclusions.

[Larry M.]

Re: Tank sticker

Harry:

As I understand the process, there are/were two different job numbers for each car. One was for the BODY..........and the other was in the final CAR build lineup. That is why many of the numbers do not line up.........folks are reporting the BODY job number. AOS bodies had a specific BODY number. Also St Louis bodyshop had their own BODY build number.

I am not sure I can add anything more to this thread, since many folks already have made up their mind.

But for 1967 model cars, the VIN and the tank sticker handwritten number are related. That is my belief.

Larry

[Michael J.]

Re: Tank sticker

Larry, my '67's body number, written in several places on the lower body, is the same as the number written on the tank sticker. Since there were no tank stickers prior to '67, then I am not sure any conclusions can be made about this for cars prior to '67. Although it would be interesting to know which cars in Jack's list are AOS and which are St. Louis.

[Jack M.]

Re: Tank sticker

Some excellent points have been addressed... just a few more thoughts to consider (mainly PRIOR to 1967):

The potential 'correlation' between Job Number and VIN seemz perplexing to me... especially when you toss in the factor of A.O. Smith body builds.
Was each AOS Corvette loaded and/or taken off the railroad car in EXACT order of build... did they enter the St Louis line in that EXACT order?
Looking at AOS Trim and VIN tags, I do NOT believe BODY numbers were eventually completed at St Louis in the EXACT order of initial build.
Example: 1966 AOS Corvette dated A30 has a VIN tag 10 digits AFTER an AOS tag dated A31... this didn't seem uncommon for AOS bodies.

So with a MIX of AOS & StL bodies being completed out of sync, how can the individual Job Numbers miraculously reappear in sequence for a VIN?
Nobody would have cared (or been crazy enough) to schedule some correlation between Job Number and VIN... if so, HOW and WHY???
Or perhaps thingz changed as AOS was being phased out... just a guess.

NOTE: I went back to check the Tank Stickers for AOS vehicles... only the last two in my spreadsheet were AOS builds.

[Tom R.]

Re: Tank sticker

Conclusion

I do not believe there was any relationship between the numbers, just a mathematical coincidence. There was no GM master plan. As far as I know the Job number was assigned early in the build process and the VIN stamped much later.

I agree...and Jack's list more than likely those listed with high differentials...were probably recalled for paint and/or body repairs.

[Jack M.]

Re: Tank sticker

I agree...and Jack's list more than likely those listed with high differentials...were probably recalled for paint and/or body repairs.

Just considering the C2 build years, I initially thought any correlation between the Job Number and VIN were purely coincidental.
Up until 1967 builds, I still believe so... but the 67 chart that I compiled speaks for itself, and I was perplexed when I completed it.
The chart consists of ***ALL*** the 1967 Tank sticker images that I've saved in the past few years... which also include a VIN.
Whatz the probability those were the ONLY tank stickers that survived intact, someone took a photo, I happened to see & save it?
And having ***ALL*** those tank stickers contain some weird paint/body/repair anomaly seemz highly unusual... at least to me.

BTW- It seemz there were far LESS Corvettes produced at AOS in 1967... compared to 1966, I'd say about half the amount.
Did that have something to do with my predominance of St Louis Tank Stickers in my small collection... seemz kinda reasonable.

Since I wasn't on the St Louis assembly line, perhapz just another of my meaningless opinions... as usual, your mileage may vary.

[Michael J.]

Re: Tank sticker

I agree with you Jack, there is far too much evidence of some correlation in the '67s to be random happenstance. And far too much evidence in the other C2s of none at all to not think something changed in '67.

[Mike E.]

Re: Tank sticker

Since this has taken a decidedly 67 bearing, I can add the following 3 convertibles:
St. Louis:
3316 vin, 313 on build sheet
8286 vin, 285 on build sheet

A.O. Smith:
18621 vin, 120 on build sheet

I think it is important to differentiate years when talking about the relationship of VIN to numbers on build sheet. e.g. 67 differs significantly from 70-72.

FWIW.

[David H.]

Re: Tank sticker

J... BTW- It seemz there were far LESS Corvettes produced at AOS in 1967... compared to 1966, ...

Jack

Link below to a John Hinckley article re A.O. Smith Bodies.

Third page, third from last paragraph, notes four month 1967 strike at AOSmith.

Dave

https://www.ai4fr.com/attachments/A.O.Smith.pdf

[Owen L.]

Re: Tank sticker

67 differs significantly from 70-72.

How does it differ significantly? My '72 is spot on with 284 being the last 4 of both the VIN and build sheet.

[Mike E.]

Re: Tank sticker

How does it differ significantly? My '72 is spot on with 284 being the last 4 of both the VIN and build sheet.

I am guessing you are looking at the lower number on your build sheet. That number coincides with the vin. The job higher on the sheet does not. Look at post #6--that is of a 72, and illustrates that. This whole discussion has been about the relationship with the job number vs. the vin, and both numbers on 67's for the most part being within a few of each other. that is not the case for 71 and 72. The discrepancies are far wider.
In addition, 67's only had one hand-written number, 70-72 had a minimum of two.

[Jack M.]

Re: Tank sticker

Third page, third from last paragraph, notes four month 1967 strike at AOSmith.

THANX, Dave... I had thought there was a work stoppage in 67, but was uncertain on the specifics.
And believe it or not, sent that exact article to someone else yesterday... I should have reviewed it again.

I've been searching various forums and reading conflicting articles regarding the 'hand-written number' on 67 Tank Stickers...
I'll try to eventually organize/summarize everything, and report back soon.

[Owen L.]

Re: Tank sticker

I am guessing you are looking at the lower number on your build sheet. That number coincides with the vin. The job higher on the sheet does not. Look at post #6--that is of a 72, and illustrates that. This whole discussion has been about the relationship with the job number vs. the vin, and both numbers on 67's for the most part being within a few of each other. that is not the case for 71 and 72. The discrepancies are far wider.
In addition, 67's only had one hand-written number, 70-72 had a minimum of two.

Here are my build sheets from behind the dash - (I doodled out the key code on page 2). The only written #s I see are the two instances of 284, note the second sheet's 284 is not a reversed, inverted copy of page 1's handwritten info. Your #6 document is clearly different than what I have: tank sheet vs. interior sheet?
1972 Tank Sheet p1.jpg1972 Tank Sheet p2.jpg

[Patrick B.]

Re: Tank sticker

Jack -- Here are a couple more for your collection. One is my 67 L-71 St Louis car, imported to Canada; vin is 14319, 317 written on tank sticker. The other is my 70 LT-1; vin is 14297, 297 is written on tank sticker.

The other 70-73 cars mentioned also had the tank sticker written number the same as the vin (or 500 away), while a difference of 2 was common for 67's. Mine seem to follow this trend as well.

[Jack M.]

Re: Tank sticker

THANX, Pat!