1969 BB oil dipsticks

[Terry M.]

Let's have some fun and help move the latest revision of the 1968-69 TIM&JG along.

I will call dipstick pictured in 1 and 2 the "long style." It is long for the handle, not the depth it goes to. How many 1969 Big Block owners have this one, and do you think it is original to your Corvette?

And then pictures 3 and 4 are the "short style." How many 1969 Big Block owners have this one, and do you think it is original to your Corvette?

Just move your cursor over the thumbnail image to see the photo number.

I expect it will be useful to know your VIN & build date. You can supply that here or to me by email if you wish to keep that data private. We do not believe that the horsepower of the engine nor air conditioning makes a difference, but on the chance we later find out we are mistaken that information is welcome.

[Chris H.]

Re: 1969 BB oil dipsticks

Hi Terry, I have the "short" version. L71, VIN 10255, Dec 10 '68 build.

Chris

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 BB oil dipsticks

Let's have some fun and help move the latest revision of the 1968-69 TIM&JG along.

I will call dipstick pictured in 1 and 2 the "long style." It is long for the handle, not the depth it goes to. How many 1969 Big Block owners have this one, and do you think it is original to your Corvette?

And then pictures 3 and 4 are the "short style." How many 1969 Big Block owners have this one, and do you think it is original to your Corvette?

Just move your cursor over the thumbnail image to see the photo number.

I expect it will be useful to know your VIN & build date. You can supply that here or to me by email if you wish to keep that data private. We do not believe that the horsepower of the engine nor air conditioning makes a difference, but on the chance we later find out we are mistaken that information is welcome.

Terry------


I'm VERY curious to know the answer to this question. IF the "long neck" dipstick on the far left of your series of photos was ever actually used on a Corvette, then it would likely be the GM #3959158 dipstick that I've been trying FOR YEARS to get information about. However, personally, I've never seen a 1969 Corvette big block with this configuration dipstick.

[Donald S.]

Re: 1969 BB oil dipsticks

Terry,

Here is the link to Joe's post on the 3959518 dipstick. My mid November '69 built L71 (35963) had the longer handled one, exactly as in your first picture. I posted pictures and information at the bottom of Joe's thread.

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...81568&uid=4830

Although not the original owner, I'm faily confident that it was the dipstick that came with the car when I purchased it in 1976.

Don

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 BB oil dipsticks

Terry,

Here is the link to Joe's post on the 3959518 dipstick. My mid November '69 built L71 (35963) had the longer handled one, exactly as in your first picture. I posted pictures and information at the bottom of Joe's thread.

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...81568&uid=4830

Although not the original owner, I'm faily confident that it was the dipstick that came with the car when I purchased it in 1976.

Don

Don------

I'm starting to feel pretty confident that the long-handles dipstick is the 3959158. So, that "mystery" may have been finally solved.

[Ronald L.]

Re: 1969 BB oil dipsticks

Is there a C, M, or SAE _?_ after the ENGINE OIL? To the right edge in these photo???

[Ralph S.]

Re: 1969 BB oil dipsticks

L-71 built 12/11/69 has the long style. I have owned the car since 1978

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 BB oil dipsticks

L-71 built 12/11/69 has the long style. I have owned the car since 1978

Ralph-----


By "long style" do you mean the style with the long HANDLE as pictured in the first of Terry's 4 photos?

[Ralph S.]

Re: 1969 BB oil dipsticks

Yes, it has the long handle like the first photo.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 BB oil dipsticks

Yes, it has the long handle like the first photo.

Ralph----


Thanks, that's very helpful.

[Terry M.]

Re: 1969 BB oil dipsticks

Is there a C, M, or SAE _?_ after the ENGINE OIL? To the right edge in these photo???

Ron,
The long handle one has an E, the short handle one has an M or W depending on how you look at it.

[Mark D.]

Re: 1969 BB oil dipsticks

I'm convinced the dipstick in PIC #1 was used during model year 1969. It is looking as though it may have been a very late introduction. I know of one on a December 1969 (L71) build with 2,700 original miles.

I've seen one or two while judging at Bloomington on Survivor and Benchmark candidates and gave them full credit because it just seemed like they 'fit' the car.

Terry and I agree they should be shown and mentioned in the revised JG so we will now ask Chuck for permission to do so.

Regards,

Mark

[Bob J.]

Re: 1969 BB oil dipsticks

My December 1969 build L-71 has the long handle with an E.

[Terry M.]

Re: 1969 BB oil dipsticks

Thanks to all who have responded so far. Keep those examples coming. We need more data points if we are to establish an early or late time frame.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1969 BB oil dipsticks

Thanks to all who have responded so far. Keep those examples coming. We need more data points if we are to establish an early or late time frame.

Terry------


Yes, absolutely. Especially because I think this was a situation that did not have a "well-defined" change-over point.

I'm very glad to finally have learned what the GM #3959158 configuration actually was. However, there are a few things that "confound" me:

1) The 3959158 part number implies a fairly early 1969 release. So, why does this dipstick seem to only appear on very late 1969 big blocks?

2) Why do some late 1969 big blocks apparently use the "long tube" style dipstick (i.e. the 24" OL with the longer dipstick tube)?