69 Coupster

Here is a mistery that I have not been able to figure out. I bought a 1969 coupe from my brother in law about 15 years ago. He was the third owner. It was in very rough condition but was unmolested. All the original GM equipment was there. It had been sitting in the hot southern California sun, undriven since 1983. I brought it home to Seattle and began a 3 year body off restoration. I love this car and am now going to see about getting it judged by NCRS. But there is a problem with the trim tag. By the VIN number 194379S717586, the GM official Production Date was 2/28/1969. This date has been verified by NCRS when I sent to them for the Shipping Data Report that they offer. The vin number is stamped on the engine block and also on the frame over the left rear tire area (if my memory is correct). However the trim tag has a date of C27. This would be October 27 if my research is correct. Feb 1969 would be a "G" and not a "C" as is on my tag. At the time of restoration I removed the trim tag before painting and inspected it very closely. I thought that perhaps the small horizontal line part of the G letter die might have broken off but that seems unlikely. Believe me, it is clearly a "C". Paint and trim codes are correct for the car and confirmed by the tank sticker that I found stuffed inside the frame. (There was no tank sticker on the tank). How can this be? Could the body have been pulled from the assembly line in October for some sort of a reject and then put back on the assembly line 4 months later in February? Doesn't sound logical to me. I am certain that the car had not been messed with and that this is the original trim tag for the car. Can anyone offer up an explanation? And how do I sell this to NCRS without getting a deduct in points for the date on the trim tag not matching the date for the vin? I'm stumped!

Easy Mike

Post a pic of your trim tag. Gs can sometimes look like Cs. It is also possible the worker stamping the tags made a mistake.

69 Coupster

OK. I figured someone would ask for that. I'll post it tomorrow and you can see for yourself.

PRNDL

So G27 would be perfect, right? My guess is that no matter what it looks like, it is G, not C. I would seek out as many Feb cars as possible and look at their trim tags. There is your homework assignment, get busy!

Easy Mike

Misery loves company. The Corvette Black Book and my NCRS Specifications Guide each show the last February 69 car assembled to be #17571. If correct, that would put your #17586 into the first day of March production.

I believe I would trust the shipping data report. Friday, February 28, 1969 was the date GM considered the car to have been complete and put it on the books as ready to go to the new owner. It could have shipped from St. Louis that Friday, but Saturday or Monday would have been more likely.

69 Coupster

That's exactly what I thought as well. The information on the Shipping Data Report comes from GM microfish I think. So I'll go with that.

Still doesn't explain the "C" on the trim tag. I'll post it tomorrow for all to see.

69FASTFUN

I just check my Trim Tag on my 69 ser# 16388 and it looks more like a C than a G. I have thought that it should have been a G.

Alan 71

Hi 69 C,
Interesting situation!
Since this detail really only matters when you're having the the car judged at an NCRS event I think you need to head in that direction for advice and guidance.
When having a car Flight Judged there is a team of 10 judges plus a Team Leader that judge each car in that division that day. I believe starting in 2005 the Team Leader became responsible for judging the authenticity of the trim tag.
If I were in your situation I would contact the National Team Leader for the 68-69 Judging Division. I think it would be proper to join the NCRS first, (if you're not already a member), and then contact the National 68-69 Team Leader Chuck Burge. He may ask you to send him some information and pictures and then may be able to give you some advice and hopefully reassurance.
I suggest you go to the NCRS site, look around, and then look at the list of contacts for the varies judging divisions for Chuck's contact information.
Good Luck!
Regards,
Alan

danthony

The G on my 72 looks like a C also. Its a february car

I think a lot of them looked like that.

69 Coupster

Ah Ha! Brothers in arms we must be. After studying the pics a little closer, I'd bet that the letter G die was busted, or worn to a point that it didn't make the impression properly. Mystery solved?

And thanks to everyone for all the help sorting this out. Glad to find out that my old eyes aren't decieving me

Still can't upload the pics. Had to reset my password 3 times in photobucket but still can't log in now. I'll keep trying, just to prove my point. .

69 Coupster

Hope this works now

Double_take

IMO thats a G. Notice the C in Chevrolet. It is symmetrical top to bottom. Your first pic shows the bottom portion of the G (or C) extending higher, and the top portion extending downwards less than the Chevrolet C.

Just my $.02.

corvetteload

of course you are puzzled by it, you can't spell MYSTERY so I figure a lot of things confuse you.............

LT-1 kid

that wasnt very nice.

Paul Borowski

.....I feel your tag indeed shows a "G" instead of a "C".

Easy Mike

Top pic looks like a G to me. Second pic seems to resemble a C so I can appreciate what you've been looking at.