Engine Pad Restamp

[Wayne M.]

Re: Engine Pad Restamp

Hey Guys --- it's been FIFTEEN YEARS since Noland Adams discussed this in March or April's Corvette Fever of 1994. To quote (w/ paraphrasing)

"The transmission stamp was always identical to the engine pad ID stamp --- until 1966. Beginning at the start of 1966 production, the transmission stamp had the source --- S for St.Louis--- added, making it 6S101234. No wonder there was some confusion and the engine pad got stamped 6S++++++ for a short time. "

Of course, I just had to send him a letter reminding him about the oddball 1965 model year, where St. Louis was advised to stop stamping the transmissions like the engine pads, by dropping the year prefix "5" and to replace with "S". I have seen no cases of the 1965 engine pads starting with the letter S, but there certainly are early transmissions starting with the number 5, with, at least on the few I've seen, the 5 over-stamped with S (usually in a larger font). This probably went on from SOP to the end of the strike, 6th (?) November 1964. The example below (my car) is the only one I've seen with BOTH variations. It was the 62nd car produced after the strike ended, so I suppose it's possible that the chassis was already on its way down the line on Sept 25th, when (AFAIK) the strike began.

[Bill C.]

Re: Engine Pad Restamp

I am sure Mr. Grenning could tell us exactly when. I have been collecting stamps for many years. The first vin I have without the "S" is 374 (and looks original). Since all the others I have after 374 do not have an "S," I would guess it is before 374 they ended. Does anyone have anything else to shed light on this?

Gary,
Hey that pad looks familiar!
Yep. that was a real one!
Bill

[Gary S.]

Re: Engine Pad Restamp

Gary,
Hey that pad looks familiar!
Yep. that was a real one!
Bill

Yep...I have that vin with your name on it in my file....just seeing if you are paying attention.
Gary

[Bill C.]

Re: Engine Pad Restamp

Gary,
Its becoming more difficult to pay attention........................

As you probably remember, that was my car for sale involved in the "incident" in Corvette Carlisle cars for sale corral in 2006.

It was a nice original base 300 4 speed red convertible, with a black std interior. I only owned it about 2 years but it was a local car for many years and was the pride and joy of a close friend who owned it for about 15 of those years prior to my acquiring it, sadly he had to sell due to illness and has since passed. He had also purchased it locally from another long time owner here in CT. He never did learn of it unfortunate treatment as I never told him. I did eventually tell his wife later. IMO, there was no doubt to the cars authenticity.
Luckily the entire incident worked out better than it could have otherwise, the car did sell there and I delivered it to a great new owner in Hellertown, PA on the way home from Carlisle who was a painter, he placed very little devaluation on the damage to the paint as the car really needed paint anyway, so the fact that the paint was damaged meant nothing to him and he paid what I wanted for the car anyway!

The car was of course insured, the Haggerty sales reps were on the grounds promoting their coverage and after some jumping thru hoops for them and a police report, they paid a claim for the repair cost so I actually came out way ahead of what I wanted. I call that Karma! I got paid for my aggravation and being upset.

That sure was a strange "incident", I still think it was case of the wrong car and was really directed at the red Convertible parked next to mine, that guy had a real "incident" with a couple of guys the day before who I think came back at night and mixed 'em up.

In any event it was certainly a very a very small individual who did that but I sure wish I could thank them!

Let me know if you think of it if you ever find an earlier example, would be interesting if that was the first one done that way.
Bill Caldwell

[Michael J.]

Re: Engine Pad Restamp

I am sure Mr. Grenning could tell us exactly when. I have been collecting stamps for many years. The first vin I have without the "S" is 374 (and looks original). Since all the others I have after 374 do not have an "S," I would guess it is before 374 they ended. Does anyone have anything else to shed light on this?

Further searching for cars for sale turn this one up, #224 and no "S" on it either. So must be before this one they started excluding the "S" on the pad stamp.