Late '75 Vehicle Certification Label

[Peter S.]

My '75 is one of those unrecognized August 1975 corvettes. The TIM&JG lists that in 1975 the background for the vehicle certification label is blue and changes to white in 1976. I am the 2nd owner of the car, purchased in 2001 and before that hadn't been driven since 1991. It is the original paint on the car. Yet, my vehicle certification label is white. Would I be looking at a deduct for this, or would this be considered acceptable being a late 1975 (437607)?

[Tom R.]

Re: Late '75 Vehicle Certification Label

My '75 is one of those unrecognized August 1975 corvettes. The TIM&JG lists that in 1975 the background for the vehicle certification label is blue and changes to white in 1976. I am the 2nd owner of the car, purchased in 2001 and before that hadn't been driven since 1991. It is the original paint on the car. Yet, my vehicle certification label is white. Would I be looking at a deduct for this, or would this be considered acceptable being a late 1975 (437607)?

Peter

That is a nice, original looking label and I would not replace it. The typewritten data reflects the original font and typestyle that would have been used in 1975. Also, its understood that the 1973-77 TIM&JG is dated and I would not trust it as it relates to the certificates...your car is a case in point. Remember, TIM&JG are not Gospels...just technical reference guides. Often we see items on original Corvettes that are inconsistent with that written in a manual and help us fine tune those manuals.

This is also a good exercise for judges and the judging team. It causes them to think through the process, apply the elements of originality and determine how best to proceed with an assessment of what appears to be an original vehicle certification lable. Doubt goes to the owner!

I would encourage you to do some research and write up your findgins for The Corvette Restorer magazine on this topic. There is not enough that is written on the late model C3s to document the need to change the manual.

[Peter S.]

Re: Late '75 Vehicle Certification Label

Thanks for the info Tom. Have you compared many of these labels, specifically for '75s? I do not recall a section in your book on these labels.

I would gladly look into the label, as long as no one else hasn't already. I'm curious if there is a remake of the '75-'77 TIM&JG in the works?

Peter

[Tom R.]

Re: Late '75 Vehicle Certification Label

Thanks for the info Tom. Have you compared many of these labels, specifically for '75s? I do not recall a section in your book on these labels.

On the buildsheets, these are coded as tire pressure labels and we do not begin to see this field populated until the 1977-80 buildsheet period. I touch on this in the book you reference. So, your 1975 I suspect would not have a tire pressure label broadcast code called out and I do not see one. But if you had a buildsheet, I would suspect it would have YES in that particular box...this is what I have seen in other 1975 buildsheets. You'll see in the 1978 buildsheet 1YC (lower right corner) which is the code for the P255 tire label.

But this can get confusing because in 1975, Corvette used a single label as you have shown. But by 1978, two labels were printed and stuck to the door jamb as shown below...more on this particular label later.


In terms of tire pressure label anomalies, note the font difference between the upper label and the lower label. This is from a relatively low-mileage Pace Car. Pace Cars came equipped with the P255 tires and that is what is installed on this particular vehicle.

We observe two discrepancies with what we typically expect to see. First, the upper label is typed on a typewriter with a Times Roman font. What we would expect is the OCR font shown in the lower label and shown on your label...more like a Courier font.

P255tirelabel.JPG

Also note in the lower label that is lists the tire as the P225/70R15 tire. Pace Cars came equipped with the P255/60R15 series tire and his buildsheet shown the RPO as this tire. So the question is...how to judge which is not shown in the judging manual? This is an obvious original Corvette and the door jamb shows no signs of paint or label removal...so what do you do? Doubt goes to the owner.

The point is that in the judging field we see these factory anomalies that a judging manual does not address. Yet, the reality is that this, to a judge appears original yet atypical.

[Ross F.]

Re: Late '75 Vehicle Certification Label

I have a 75 convertable vin 434322 build date J08 with that same style tag.

[Peter S.]

Re: Late '75 Vehicle Certification Label

Hi Ross,

I have seen the white label even back on serial number 431683, but I have also seen the blue label on a later car: 434291.

Peter

[Lynn M.]

Re: Late '75 Vehicle Certification Label

I have a '75 roadster #433297 and I have no idea what label you're talking about.

Lynn

[Peter S.]

Re: Late '75 Vehicle Certification Label

Hi Lynn,

Open your driver door and check the door jam. If you do not have it maybe it was removed during a repaint?

Im curious how you stumbled upon a nearly 2 year-old thread without knowing what this label is.

[Lynn M.]

Re: Late '75 Vehicle Certification Label

I'm sure it's there, my car is all original except for a 35 year old respray before I knew any better. I was just looking for general info on a '75.
Btw, how do you start a new post on here? I'm wanting to sell my car and need info on the best way to go about it. It needs a complete restoration even tho it's a 29k mi car with lots of options. Even the spark plugs are original.

[Reba W.]

Re: Late '75 Vehicle Certification Label

For Sale ads are a no-no on this forum, Lynn. But there is a classified forum. Look at the top of this page and click on the Classified button.

[Lynn M.]

Re: Late '75 Vehicle Certification Label

Thanks for the info. Can you tell me how to start a new thread on here?

[David K.]

Re: Late '75 Vehicle Certification Label

Lynn, on the bottom of the front page is a link.

says: + post new thread