I think I am screwed

[Timothy A.]

Since I bought my 1959 driver, I have done frame on restoration work each winter. This year I am restoring my rear leaf springs. After crawling under the rear and taking notes and photos on what I need to replace I found out my nightmare........my car has a rear stabilizer bar. After much reading I found out that this was a 1960 introduction part. The vin plate is aluminum and is located insde the drivers doorjam. The number is a correct 59 number and the car has a clear title and registration based on this vin plate. I now remember when I bought the car, it had a 1960-62 curved aluminum CORVETTE insert with the blue & red bar on it. I just figuered that this was a replacement sometime during the cars history. I replaced the insert with a 59 style when I restored the interior. The car was in respectable condition but by no means perfect when I bought it. I do not have a way to renove the body from the frame to check the frame number. Is there anyway that I can retreve the number from the frame without removing the body?? I know this sounds busch league but I just do not have the garage to do a frame off. More importantly, I would like the car to have it's correct vin number and make sure it is registered correctly. As far as my State is concerned, the car is legally registered but know that this may not be the case and I want to obay the law and of course have a car with it's true date of birth. Rookie mistake when I bought the car....I guess my emotions took over and I had to have it. Can anyone help??
Thanks,
TA
46673

[Peter M.]

Re: I think I am screwed

You lost me here, Tim. Why do you suddenly think that your frame is not correct and that you may have a counterfeited car? That seems like a a pretty big leap to me.

[Loren L.]

Re: I think I am screwed

Before you get the hari-kari (sp?) knife out, check all of the dates on the pumpkin - the rear assembly may have been totally replaced by a 60-2 assembly and the then owner decided to retain the rods.....or the owner might have been an autocrosser and just added the bars to his 59, reasoning that the General must be right.
Depending on the condition of the top of the frame, a good mirror and a flashlight might get you access to the stamping.

[Jim D.]

Re: I think I am screwed

You lost me here, Tim. Why do you suddenly think that your frame is not correct and that you may have a counterfeited car? That seems like a a pretty big leap to me.

Because his car is titled as a 1959 and it has a rear stabilizer bar that didn't come out until the 1960 model year.

To the O.P. you may be able to clean the frame enough to see the VIN stamp with a dental mirror.

[Patrick N.]

Re: I think I am screwed

..or the owner might have been an autocrosser and just added the bars to his 59, reasoning that the General must be right.

That would be a very good guess - They would not have been that difficult to add, same with interior parts- swapping to newer bolt-on parts is common even today. Try to get the mirror and light to see for certain. Good Luck!

[Bruce B.]

Re: I think I am screwed

Tim,
It sounds like you are on the road to screw yourself.
If you have a good vin tag and a matching title and the car is registered (plates and insurance), leave well enough alone and enjoy your car.
You could go to your BMV or State Highway Patrol and end up having the car impounded if it is found to be bogus.
So the decision is yours.
Bruce B

[Philip P.]

Re: I think I am screwed

This may be a real stretch but you may be able to see the frame stencil on the left side. If the frame has not been repainted and you are careful in cleaning the part number and date may appear. It may be impossible I was very lucky. Phil

Frame 018.jpg

[Mike E.]

Re: I think I am screwed

1) What do the welds look like on the stabilizer bar brackets welded to the frame? Factory, or add-on? 59 didn't have them, 60 did, as you have observed.
2) You can (I don't advise) cut a hole in the floor of the car, under the driver seat, about where your rear would be, and find the numbers on the top of the frame. Thse numbers won't tell you the year, however, because they are only the last digits of the VIN. It would tell you whether it is a frame that matches your tag, or a frame that doesn't.
3) There are many scenarios for frames and VIN tags not matching. Can be something dishonest, can be something like a frame rusted away and a donor frame installed.
Don't beat yourself up--no reason to do that!

[Pat M.]

Re: I think I am screwed

There are many scenarios for frames and VIN tags not matching. Can be something dishonest, can be something like a frame rusted away and a donor frame installed.
Don't beat yourself up--no reason to do that!

I agree. Don't panic before you (hopefully) figure out what the deal is.

[Bill M.]

Re: I think I am screwed

The vin plate is aluminum and is located insde the drivers doorjam. The number is a correct 59 number and the car has a clear title and registration based on this vin plate.

This is the most important thing. I remember seeing a local dealer trucking frames from wrecked California Vettes to Michigan to replace rusted out frames...in 1975!

[Timothy A.]

Re: I think I am screwed

This is the most important thing. I remember seeing a local dealer trucking frames from wrecked California Vettes to Michigan to replace rusted out frames...in 1975!

Thank you fellow's for the advise. I will definatly try to look for the vin number on the frame. At this point, even if I do find it was a 1960 number I will just let it go. I do not want to have anything happen to the car. Just to answer some of the questions, the welds on the brackets all look factory to me. Very cleanly done, patina all around very even etc. I will be removing the springs in a few weeks to restore them and I'll look at the manufacturors date on them....I guess just to satify my curiosity. It is a cool car and I enjoy it very much.
Thanks to all for calming me down,
Tim

[Don H.]

Re: I think I am screwed

Many years ago I was looking to buy a "58" Corvette. The more I looked, the more it looked like a '60. I asked to see the title and it was not even a Corvette VIN. I then saw rust coming down the sides of the frame from where the VIN was stamped and it had a hole in the fiberglass below the drivers seat (number ground off). I didn't walk, I ran! That got me wondering about my '60 which although I had owned it a long time, the body had never been off. I was able to see the VIN stamping (which was OK) by cleaning the area with sandpaper, rubbing in some chalk, and then wiping. Using a mirror you could read the number. Good luck, Don H.

[Timothy A.]

Re: I think I am screwed

Thanks Don,
I will just do as you suggest and try to check out the number for myself. The car is registered and has a clear title now and so there is no reason to upset the apple cart so to speak. I am also trying to contact the previous owners just to document the liniage of the car. I am a history buff and doing that seems natural to me. I have contacted the two owners prior to me and they are helping me go further back. Doing the research on the history of the car is really kinda fun as well.
Thanks for your imput,
Tim

[Jerry C.]

Re: I think I am screwed

1960 frame would have the larger front sway bar and 1 3/16" front wheel cylinders.

[Scott K.]

Re: I think I am screwed

[QUOTE=Timothy Allen (46673);602830]Since I bought my 1959 driver, .my car has a rear stabilizer bar. I found out that this was a 1960 introduction part. The vin plate is aluminum and is located insde the drivers doorjam. The number is a correct 59 number and the car has a clear title and registration based on this vin plate. I replaced the insert with a 59 style....I do not have a way to renove the body from the frame to check the frame number. Is there anyway that I can retreve the number from the frame without removing the body??? I would like the car to have it's correct vin. Can anyone help??
Thanks,
TA

The odds of the State pulling you over and randomly lifting your body from the frame on a hunch that they are a mismatch is equal to the odds of you doing it. Zero chance.

Your car is registered based on the VIN plate and the information that was on hand. It would not be commercially reasonable for an owner (or dealer) to check frame vins.

You are making a big assumption on scattered evidence.

Pull the stabilizers off if incorrect and leave it alone.