Identifying a 53 frame

[John S.]

How do you identify a correct frame for a 53 corvette? By numbers stamped in it or what. If so what are the correct frame numbers? Thank you.

[Russ U.]

Re: Identifying a 53 frame

Frame stamping is a good way to tell a 53 frame - but frame stamps can be duplicated, so you are always in a buyer beware situation.

The gas and brake lines ran down the outside of the frame on the passenger side on 53s and I believe early 54s. On later 54s, the lines went thru the X-frame, without cutouts on the passenger side of the X (in addition to the muffler pipe cutouts) allowing the lines to go thru. So you want to make sure that there are no cutouts or patch jobs on the X frame as well.

The attached pic shows where the frame stamps should be on a 53. The stamp should read E53F001XXX, with the XXX being the serial number of the car. So, my 53 reads E53F001276.

Hope this helps,

Russ
53 #276
www.earlycorvettes.com

[William C.]

Re: Identifying a 53 frame

Also, 55-up frames have a clearance area for the Fuel pump on the V8 that the early frames do not have.

[John S.]

Re: Identifying a 53 frame

On the picture you sent, where is the frame stamp. Is it the black area on the side of the frameor where? Thank you for the info.

[Russ U.]

Re: Identifying a 53 frame

The orange pieces of tape are where you will find the frame stamps on a 53.

[Troy P.]

Re: Identifying a 53 frame

Thanks for the education Russ. I'd forgotten the 53 stamp was in a different place and put down twice. I seem to racall now that Noland addressed this in Vol. 1.