64 fuel injection question

[Billy B.]

Hello out there! I have a '64 Corvette roadster with Fuel Injection, K.O. wheels, power brakes, tinted windows and 46k miles. However, I am not sure if the FI unit is original. The plenum tag is gone. The fuel meter has the numbers 7014780 and 7014781 on it. The air meter has 7017248. Is there a way to tell if this is the correct year/model for my car? Also, in 1964, did the injection unit have the car's VIN or a serial # that correlated with the car's VIN anywhere? That is, is there any way to tell if this is the original unit for my car? Thanks.

[Wayne M.]

Re: 64 fuel injection question

.... Also, in 1964, did the injection unit have the car's VIN or a serial # that correlated with the car's VIN anywhere? .....

Billy -- I've seen an original '64 L84 with the VIN derivative stamped on the front plenum, on the raised boss that the balance tube clip is screwed into. This was a VIN 14,xxx car, red on red/white coupe, in Montreal Quebec; went to look at in the mid-70s.

So I'd assume the plenum stamping of the VIN was prior to that.

[Billy B.]

Re: 64 fuel injection question

Thanks. By "VIN derivative", do you mean the car's VIN was stamped on the plenum tag {or elsewhere} or was there some "formula" or other device for deriving a serial # for the FI unit that somehow correlated with the car's VIN ? Thanks.

[Mike M.]

Re: 64 fuel injection question

late 64's and almost all 65 FI cars had their vin derivative stamped on the dog house.the 64's i've seen were stamped on the front of the dog house and the 65's were on the rear upper pass side boss of the doghouse.mike

[Billy B.]

Re: 64 fuel injection question

Thanks. My car is an early car, VIN 1971 assembled Oct. 3rd, 1963. Should it have had it's VIN stamped somewhere on the FI Unit? Also, what is meant by "VIN derivative". Is that just the VIN or is there some formula/system for correlating a FI unit's serial # to the car's VIN? Thanks.

[Wayne M.]

Re: 64 fuel injection question

..My car is an early car, VIN 1971 assembled Oct. 3rd, 1963. Should it have had it's VIN stamped somewhere on the FI Unit? Also, what is meant by "VIN derivative". Is that just the VIN or is there some formula/system for correlating a FI unit's serial # to the car's VIN? Thanks.

Billy -- the VIN derivative consists of the last 7 digits of the full VIN (in the case of the FI plenum). There's a good pic in Noland Adams' Volume 2, page 232, showing "4115038" (for 1964 Corvette 15038). Proves that they were stamping plenums this early. As for yours, I doubt you will find a stamping.

The stamped number on your riveted tag, for your early '64, should probably read 3017375R. The stamped 4-digit number above that is the sequential number of assembly at Rochester. They might have started with 1000, 1001, etc. (might be over my head on this tag info. )

Also check on the plate of your distributor -- will probably read 1111063, with a date code 3_x_x.

[William C.]

Re: 64 fuel injection question

THE most significant difference in the FI unit between the 375 (63) 375R (64 early) and the 380 unit 64-56 is the use of the Cranking signal starting system on the '375 units. This system is very marginal when used with the 30-30 camshaft in the 375 hp configuration. So check for a cranking signal valve on the enrichment diaphram cover if it's there, you have a 375 unit (technically a 375R-R for recalibrated to work with the new for '64 camshaft)

[Mike L.]

Re: 64 fuel injection question

Bill, Your early 1964 FI car should have a #375R unit with NO Vin# stamped on it at all. I"ve been try to put together a list of cars were the change over took place and as close as I can see sometime around early, if not the beginning of Jan. 64, to a #380 unit. Some very late 64 car might have the Vin# stamped in the back.

[Alan D.]

Re: 64 fuel injection question

Have a March 64 car (sn 139xx) without the Vin#. (owned since 67 and know history of car from day 1)

Have also asked many FI experts who tell me its "hit or miss" even on the 65's

[William C.]

Re: 64 fuel injection question

I've owned several '64 units over the years, and I agree that '64 was very hit or miss on the Plenum stamping, even fairly late into the run. It looks like they tightened up the process quite a bit on the '65 models.

[Michael H.]

Re: 64 fuel injection question

Bill, Your early 1964 FI car should have a #375R unit with NO Vin# stamped on it at all. I"ve been try to put together a list of cars were the change over took place and as close as I can see sometime around early, if not the beginning of Jan. 64, to a #380 unit.

A VERY original 64, #5297, has it's original 380 unit and no VIN stamp.

[John D.]

Re: 64 fuel injection question

I have seen more than my share of 64 FI units and I will tell you it's a very rare case to see one stamped with a vin number. Extremely rare is a better word. 64's FI are quite popular now. I haven't seen on stamped with a vin number in many a years. Of course I know that they exist. I just haven't seen them.
As I have mentioned many times before in writing. Dec 64 and Jan 65 FI cars were hit and miss on the vin number stamping. Maybe the guy on the line wasn't doing his/her job.

Michael Lombardi said it correctly. The Oct 63 car should have a 7017375 R (big R) tag and also a '063 distributor.
Now the R was typically after the unit number but not always. Sometimes it appeared first. Sometimes just a hint of an R.
Although a 7375R unit is a left over 63 unit it willl have a 30-30 enrichment diaphragm spring and typically "Y" nozzles. JD

[Mike M.]

Re: 64 fuel injection question

when the current 65 judging manual was created years ago, we came to the conclusion that late dec 64 and mid-65 calander year rochester doghouses were not vin der stamped. i have such a 65 coupe with no vin derivative stamped on its plenum.mike

[Billy B.]

Re: 64 fuel injection question

Thanks to everybody! I learned a lot!! Now does anyone know where I can find an "063 distributor?? Thanks again.

[William C.]

Re: 64 fuel injection question

Assuming the distributor you have is an 070, much better to replace the ID plate on your existing distributor with a reproduction for the 063, as the vacuum advance and mechanical advance curves on the 070 are much improved over that of the 063. I assume by now you have established that the unit you have and need is a 375R unit as that was the only use of the 063 distributor in 1964, as the 380 unit was used with the 070 distributor.