63 dipstick

[Michael G.]

I'm trying to figure out if my dipstip is correct. Is it supposed to have a wire handle or a flat steel handle? is it supposed to be chrome? Anybody have pic of a 63 L84 dipstick?

Thanks.

Mike

[Michael H.]

Re: 63 dipstick

I'm trying to figure out if my dipstip is correct. Is it supposed to have a wire handle or a flat steel handle? is it supposed to be chrome? Anybody have pic of a 63 L84 dipstick?

Thanks.

Mike

If you have an early car built between SOP and some time around late December or early January, your dipstick should look like this.
If the car was assembled after 1 Januar 1963, the handle should be chrome.

[Michael G.]

Re: 63 dipstick

Thanks Michael, mine's chrome for an April car, I can cross that off the list of things I've gotta find now...

[Edward M.]

Re: 63 dipstick

Thanks Michael, mine's chrome for an April car, I can cross that off the list of things I've gotta find now...

What letter is stamped on your dipstick. Should be an M or a W. The letter B is believed to be a reproduction dipstick.

[Chuck G.]

Re: 63 dipstick

Here ya go. A few pix with the chrome handle.

Chuck

[David L.]

Re: 63 dipstick

Enclosed are pictures of what I believe to be 58-63 Corvette & Chevrolet Truck dipsticks (GM # 3739830). All the handles are 2.5" long with traces of black paint. I bought these dipsticks at swap meets long before the "repros" arrived on the scene. The "repros" are nothing more than the GM # 3722959 dipstick (orig. for L56-57 Corvettes and Chevrolets) with 3.0" handle with a stamped "B" (A = 19 31/64" and "B" = 20 7/16"). I purchased a GM # 3722959 dipstick (stamped "B" on it's 3.0" handle) in Sept. 1989 from my local Chevrolet dealer and compared it to my GM # 3739830 dipstick (stamped "B" on it's 2.5" handle) and found very noticable differences in effective length ("A" & "B" dimensions).
Which dipstick, if any, was original equipment on the 1963 Corvette?

[Michael G.]

Re: 63 dipstick

Thanks for the pics, I'll take a look at the letter on my dipstick tomorrow, when I'm working on the car...

Mike

[David L.]

Re: 63 dipstick

Mike,
Also check if the "ADD" and "FULL" words are embodded, debossed, or just plain stamped as well as the length of the handle. Is there the words "ENGINE OIL" just above the word "FULL"?
Dave

[Edward M.]

Re: 63 dipstick

David;

I thnik the consensus, at least for 62 - 64 dipsticks is as follows (anyone jump in if I mess this up).

1962 - all dipsticks have a black painted handle, are debossed (not stamped) with ADD | | FULL (no engine oil phrase) and have the letter M or W. The debossing is deep enough that it can be read from the back side. Has a sort of flat washer with felt as a "stop"

1963 250 & 300 hp - painted handle, debossed (not stamped) with ADD | | FULL ENGINE OIL, and have the letter M or W. The debossing is deep enough that it can be read from the back side. Has a sort of flat washer with felt as a "stop".

1963 340 & 360 (after January, 1963) - same a 1963 250 & 300 hp except that the handle and the flat washer are flash chrome plated.

1964 250 & 300 hp - same as 1963 250 & 300 hp except that the "stop" is a rubber nipple instead of a flat washer with felt.

1964 365 and 375 hp - same as 1963 with chrome handle except thast "stop" is a rubber nipple instead of the flat washer with felt.

Some people have reported that they have early 64s with the 63 style flat washer and felt "stop". Don't know about that one.

Now, let me throw a fly into this ointment. I have an NOS 1964 Corvette low horse dipstick (at least accoring to the part number, which I can't recall at the moment) that is exactly as described for the 1964 low horse dipstick above EXCEPT all of the characters are embossed, not debossed.

[Harry S.]

Re: 63 dipstick

Ed, I agree with your summary.

[Mike L.]

Re: 63 dipstick

Ed, I have a early 64 fuel car and it has a 63 style dip stick. I bevieve that some early 64 used a carry over dip stick from 63

[Edward M.]

Re: 63 dipstick

Ed, I agree with your summary. Please edit your post on the 64 HP to 365 and 375.

You don't think it is 265 and 374 respectively

Will do.

[Edward M.]

Re: 63 dipstick

Ed, I have a early 64 fuel car and it has a 63 style dip stick. I bevieve that some early 64 used a carry over dip stick from 63

Yeah, I have heard this enough that I am beginning to think the same thing.

[David L.]

Re: 63 dipstick

David;

I thnik the consensus, at least for 62 - 64 dipsticks is as follows (anyone jump in if I mess this up).

1962 - all dipsticks have a black painted handle, are debossed (not stamped) with ADD | | FULL (no engine oil phrase) and have the letter M or W. The debossing is deep enough that it can be read from the back side. Has a sort of flat washer with felt as a "stop"

1963 250 & 300 hp - painted handle, debossed (not stamped) with ADD | | FULL ENGINE OIL, and have the letter M or W. The debossing is deep enough that it can be read from the back side. Has a sort of flat washer with felt as a "stop".

1963 340 & 360 (after January, 1963) - same a 1963 250 & 300 hp except that the handle and the flat washer are flash chrome plated.

1964 250 & 300 hp - same as 1963 250 & 300 hp except that the "stop" is a rubber nipple instead of a flat washer with felt.

1964 365 and 375 hp - same as 1963 with chrome handle except thast "stop" is a rubber nipple instead of the flat washer with felt.

Some people have reported that they have early 64s with the 63 style flat washer and felt "stop". Don't know about that one.

Now, let me throw a fly into this ointment. I have an NOS 1964 Corvette low horse dipstick (at least accoring to the part number, which I can't recall at the moment) that is exactly as described for the 1964 low horse dipstick above EXCEPT all of the characters are embossed, not debossed.

Ed,

Pictured is a NOS 64 Corvette dipstick (GM #3846810) that I bought many years ago at a swap meet. It has a tag with the number "3846810" hand written on it. It really does look like it is NOS.

I recently sold another NOS 64 Corvette dipstick on Ebay (see Ebay #260379226981) with a real GM part number label but with a steel "bell shaped" stop and with EMBOSSED (not debossed) "ADD", "FULL", and "ENGINE OIL" as well as the letter "M" near the top of the stick just below the rivets.
Which one is "correct" for the 64 Corvette? It seems like you believe that the one with the rubber stop is "correct".

The "B" dimension (20") as shown in the 1964 Chev. parts catalog does NOT agree with either one of my NOS 3846810 dipsticks (See picture at left).

Dave

[Mike L.]

Re: 63 dipstick

Dave, the one in your picture would be correct for a 64 car BUT I don't believe for a early 64 car. GM didn't throw away parts they used them till they ran out.