JohnZ

That was on ALL '65-up frames - had nothing to do with engine size (there was only one frame part number).

packrat

All frames from 1965 and up have the recess in the front frame cross member. Everything listed in the above threads can be changed to make a small block into a big block. Find someone knowledge to look at the car before you purchase it.

donbayers

First, thanks to everyone who responded and helped add to my list of things to check.

After much review I believe that I am looking at a legit BB car. The owner was very generous in letting me look the car over and all the records. Owned since 1981 and had history back into mid 70's

It is always very interesting to peel back the layers and see what changes a car went through over 30,40,50 years. Fortunately the records helped explain some of the initial red flags.

Here is what I found, following the list and more

Hood support was on correct side and the other side showed no signs of having a previously mounted support

Fuel line was indeed incorrect for a BB. What I found in the records was a receipt for a fuel line and repair to the line going way back.

I could not find the J-hook on passenger side but it appeared that there was a repair there previously.

Overflow tank holes on pass side were filled in what I can only describe as a factory appearance.

I found in the records a rear end gear rebuild and it referenced the replacement of the original AU 3:36 to a new AT 3.08

THrottle level looked exactly like the pic in the prior posts. Curved not straight.

Sway bar in the front measured 7/8" and it has a rear sway bar that was 9/16".

Bolt on caps in rear drivetrain.

No TI to be found in any way and no holes in front fender for mounting. Found receipt for new fender

There was a riveted cable clip on the RH pass side

So. What else did I find.
The alternator was a 1100693, correct for a BB 390 hp
Intake manifold is a 425 part 3885069
Bell housing 3899621. Correct for L-36 390 hp or 425
Distributor is 1111087, incorrect and fits a 1965 327/350hp
Starter was 1107365, correct for big block
Other things like radiator and support etc all correct.

Engine block and casting date match up to the build of the car in late March. Casting date of block is March 9th

To put the icing on the cake in the records was a receipt for 1 ea 427/425 motor. This was back in 1982. No other details.
The documentation on this car is 100% complete from 1981 to now.

Now the really hard part. Determine the value to possibly make an offer.

I'll start a new thread for that.

Thanks again for the help

DansYellow66

Nice job of detective work. All seems logical, make sense and documneted to a large degree. Congratulations. Not that it really matters but wonder if it has a 4-bolt or 2-bolt block in it? In any case you could freshen it up as it sits and to 99.9% of the public it would look authentic to the day it rolled out of the showroom.

Zoomin

Yes, it is.

donbayers

Drove the car and loved it. Legit 425 motor in car, confirmed

buns

One more thing to add to your list. On cars with manual steering, the steering linkage relay rods were different for small blocks and big blocks.

nutt

That's interesting. This would be to clear the balancer?? If so, any further identifying traits?

Kerrmudgeon

Well done, and an interesting read. Thanks.



So does it have solid lifters and go like a scared rabbit?

donbayers

Oh yes it do! I had to slap the smile off my face twice when I got back. That's why I'm selling the 63. Wife not real thrilled I'm going from a convert to a coupe. I think it was meant to be. Not thrilled about taking it in the shorts on the 63 though.

skip57

This thread needs to be edited and made a sticky with Mr. Z,s pictures

buns

I'm not positive, but I believe the big block cars did not use the steering dampening shock absorber. Looking at pictures, from Long Island Corvette Supply, the big block relay rod did not have the 2 extra holes for the shock bracket.

DansYellow66

No, the BB cars didn't use a steering dampener - but mine does have the mount holes for one on the center link. Can't be 100% sure it wasn't changed out years before I bought it. Wasn't the same mount hole in the link used for the power steering ram for PS equipped cars.?

buns

Cars with power steering used a different relay rod, but the rod was the same for small and big block.

JohnZ

BB & SB used exactly the same manual steering relay rod - SB's had a bracket to attach the steering shock absorber to the relay rod, BB used the same relay rod with nothing in the two bolt holes. For power steering, BB & SB both used the same power relay rod.

buns

I'm just going by what I see in the vendors catalogs. They could be wrong.



.

midstyle

Factoid: GM forced by government in 1966 to furnish info on recalls from 1960-66. One in particular (among a few Corvette-related, and reprinted in NCRS Restorer, summer 1983) is as follows:

Quote "5-13-65; Corvette Steering Damper Interference: There were 47 Corvettes produced with the 396 engine, with a damper on the steering linkage. It was determined that an interference condition could result between the steering damper and the oil pan. Serial number lists were provided to dealers with instructions to remove the damper assemblies. All but one of the affected cars were corrected, according to our records."

Would be cool to find the original VIN numbers on those 47 cars.

JohnZ

Looks like there WAS a "3-holer"; I've never seen one.

midstyle

John --- I've got one of those; it's on my 396, probably following a front-end "incident" by the owner in 1970. Measured it today, and the diameter is 7/8" (0.875"), as compared to the 5-hole relay rod on my '65 L76; 3/4" dia.

Dug into my GM parts books, and, to say the least, it's confusing. Seems like there was a change in part numbers around July 1969, both for the power steering and non-P.S. rods, and the 3-holers serviced the earlier cars. Maybe the C3 guys or Joe L. can jump in here.

JohnZ

A 7/8" dia. relay rod says 1968 or later; '63-'67 was 3/4".