Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

[Mike K.]

Re: Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

No braces, no saddles.
A/C car.
Vin # 03044
Oct. 67

[Anthony S.]

Re: Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

1) Both braces are present
2) Semi-gloss black
3) AC
4) 422872 14 June 68

[Patrick N.]

Re: Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

Simialr to Dale, my March 8th 68' also has the welded supports / brackets in the cornners per A6.5 but no long and short braces per A6.6

L68, Non AC, convert

[Patrick N.]

Re: Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

Pic of driver side and passenger side supports-passenger side threads on the weld nut seem to still have original paint.

[George W.]

Re: Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

Larry Karlo--Vette Nets now owns my old 400164, conv., 427, no a/c.
You might contact him to confirm, but i believe this car had no saddle, braces, or gussets.

403203-----Conv., a/c, 327, no gussets, no saddle, no braces.

414172-----Conv, no a/c, 427, Has gussets, saddle, and braces. Body build date code on trim tag is H19----March 19, 1968.

417688---- conv., a/c, 327, Has gussets, no saddle, no braces.

Build date for this car is I 30 (curious because Black Book lists 17676 as the last car built in April of '68?) I have original paperwork for this car---One family owned car, front cowl and trans tunnel appear original, no holes (or repair of holes) where rivets were used for the "saddle". Does have the "gussets", but no sign of saddle or brace rods.




Some interesting items/dates noted on this order sheet:

1) ordered on 3-26-68

2) Estimated date of production 5-17-68 (but actually produced on 4-30-68)--Is the Black book wrong?

3) Engine built V0302HP---This would mean that the engine was built before the car was ordered. Suffix HP is 300HP with a/c, 4-speed, p/s---did the factory modify this engine to fit the order and not re-stamp it?

4) Rear pig code AO-4-23----pretty close to build date--what do we know about "timing" in this era?

5) Carb code "R"--what does this mean?

Hope this information helps more than hinders the survey,
G.



421786---- conv., no a/c, 427, Has gussets, has saddle and has braces.

G.

Added build date information for 14172

[Jim T.]

Re: Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

Added build date information for 14172

"R" is for Rochester Q-Jet carb.

[Terry M.]

Re: Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

Added build date information for 14172

George,

I believe the Black Book bases their end-of-month numbers on Chevrolet's data. That is the same data that is in the 1968-69 TIM&JG. Chevrolet counted the end of month numbers when the car was close to complete. The date on the trim tag is the date the trim tag is installed on the body. At that point the body has been painted, but is lacking most, if not all, the trim and of course the body has not yet met the chassis. The car is probably a day of two (maybe more if a weekend or holiday interferes) from the point at which Chevrolet counted the car as complete for these end on month numbers.

So Chevrolet's (or the Black Book's) dates are not wrong. They are just taken at a different point than the date you have. Frankly I prefer to go with the trim tag date -- In most cases that is the only date people have and to use it ensures consistency. We only notice this difference at the end of the month, or if someone gives us the "production date" from the NCRS Shipping Information.

[Ronald L.]

Re: Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

Terry, Do you normally see two weeks of difference?
Being in the business, these expected dates generated at the point of sale don't mean much, unless there was a strike or major event that pushed out the actual assembly of an entire lot of vehicles.

[Terry M.]

Re: Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

Terry, Do you normally see two weeks of difference?
Being in the business, these expected dates generated at the point of sale don't mean much, unless there was a strike or major event that pushed out the actual assembly of an entire lot of vehicles.

John Hinckley has posted about the meaning of the "expected date of production" and I don't remember all the details. I seem to recall that the date was almost always a given day of the week (I am thinking Friday, but I could be wrong), and represents the day of the week the schedule for production was produced.

As I said above: I tend to stick with the date on the trim tag for reference purposes. It is the one date that every Corvette (at least from 1964 to 1982) has in common. While it does not represent the "off the end of the line date" the offset from that actual date will be mostly consistent throughout the given production range. It can get a little offset at the beginning of 1968 MY because of the slow production ramp up of the new body style, but beyond that the date on the trim tag is a solid reference point.

[George W.]

Re: Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

Just to be clear,
The order sheet posted earlier is for serial #17688.
This is a 350hp, a/c, TI, 4 speed, convertible.

Gussets with welded nuts in place, but no saddle or brace rods.

Still curious about the HP suffix code on a 350horse power engine.

Also curious about the rather "close" rear end build date relative to the production date.

G.

[John C.]

Re: Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

Just to be clear,
The order sheet posted earlier is for serial #17688.
This is a 350hp, a/c, TI, 4 speed, convertible.

Gussets with welded nuts in place, but no saddle or brace rods.

Still curious about the HP suffix code on a 350horse power engine.

Also curious about the rather "close" rear end build date relative to the production date.

G.

George

HP is the correct code for the 350HP engine in 1968. 300HP engines were either HO or HE.

John

[Gene M.]

Re: Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

Non AC car
No braces
VIN 04235
Nov 67
owner since '71

[Bryan M.]

Re: Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

Although I am no longer the owner of my old 68, here's the info.
AC car
No braces
VIN 04888
Nov 67

[Howard T.]

Re: Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

I have both braces, NON-air, 412439 2/26/1968

Howard

[Jim T.]

Re: Attention 1968 Convertible Owners

I have both braces, NON-air, 412439 2/26/1968

Howard

Interesting Howard, my 68 2/19/1968 convertible does not have baces. Wonder when the factory began installation of the braces?