56Heap

"none of my cars are original,,,,,"

You're in good company

LT1driver

I would dispute anyone saying their car is 100% original, seen many claimed but none in the last 20 years and that includes most if not all I have seen at ncrs events. but who am I to judge. I have only been a corvette owner since 1970 and a corvette lover since 1964. Owned c2, c3 and c5....no experience on c1, c4 or c6.

scopeli

my priority is to keep a car running. i just lost the ignition switch on a 55 and ordered one from paragon that was very similiar. i knew i would get it the next day! later i purchased a nos one on ebay just to have a "correct" spare. the paragon switch has no delco stamp or number so it is easy to tell from the original. the nos is not identical either. the color and texture of the metal is different. the letters for the terminals on the original switch are much larger and the delco logo does not appear to have a circle around it like later issued ones. there are at least a half a dozen other differences. i prefer nos parts, but a person who keeps his original parts will almost always be able to tell the difference between later made nos parts. if you buy enough nos parts you will also be able to tell aproximately what year it was made by the small changes in the part.

vettefred

Factory replacement parts are an ever evolving scene. Engineering upgrades, new materials and a better method of production supercede the original part.

As many have said here, I too wish to keep my 58 running as I drive it very frequently. It is pretty much original. Recently my master cylinder started leaking (internally)and the pedal would go down. Ordered one from Corvette America as I needed it asap. Thought I would have the "original" redone. When I got it off I found out it was a Wagner replacement. The one from Corvette America was close but of a later (62) design. Works great and installed just like the original.

With over 50 years of use many of these cars that are still around do not have the original parts they came with. I for one am with Mike M. I am not going to pay astronomical money for an NOS part. I just want to enjoy my ride.

1955 copper

I agree , to me it's a personal education on my 55 , it's a treasure hunt and wonting original parts . It's my thing but if others feel different that's OK I'm into logos ,dates and parts first or second design. Again it may not matter to anyone els but me , but it's me that cares. I could care less what others do on their Corvette if it makes them happy.

MikeM

After spending 31 years in automotive assembly plants building cars and trucks, I have to admit I am somewhat numb to being "reverent" to what some car/truck was born as.

I've seen literally 100's of bodies and frames start out as one thing in the body buck or frame line and wind up being a totally different vehicle than originally scheduled. So, I don't see any big deal about tags or even swapping tags 'cause I've done many of them myself in order to maintain production or other reasons.

I've seen bodies swapped on frames, engines swapped, bodies repainted. Seen completed vehicles not built to the tags so the tags were changed to represent the built unit, engine serial numbers changed, engines changed in built units, seen replacement bodies put on built units, etc., etc. So, pardon me if I don't get too orgasmic over the "numbers" thing.

When a mid-year frame was laid on the line, it didn't know or care what options or powertrain it would eventually wind up with. Same with the body. Therefore, my attitude of swapping model year specific parts between bodies got it's roots there and I'm happy with that.

56Heap

BTW I'm the one who bought the last flasher from the guy in the ebay link you posted Thanks for the link

56Heap

Fred I've got either a small 022 or a big 022 that I rebuilt and used until I found the right one for my car....Not sure of the #s you need if you still want one I'll see just what it is.

csysman

Just curious .... copper 55 are you the original owner of that beautiful 55?

65mark

[IMG][/IMG] I consider myself fortunate. I bought my '65 in 1993 from a family friend/mechanic who was either the 2nd-3rd owner not quite sure which and everything on the car is G.M. stuff... Now I have replaced mechanical items like the brakes/hoses/alternator/battery/carb/ tires ETC. I'm not against repro stuff as long as it works/fits as original. I'm not the type to complain about price either. you get what you pay for these days. just glad I was able to take the original stuff off/clean it up/replace a few minor things and get it back together. This past august after being involved in a hit n run and getting royally screwed by the offenders insurance company I decided to go with new paint/motor refresh and new weatherstrippping and it still put me back close to $12,000. enjoy them and drive the SNOT OUTTA THEM is my rule. otherwise they're just taking up space!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

scopeli

if you purchase a later NOS, small 022 master cylinder it is a item a ncrs judge would catch. even after you replace the plastic cap that comes on the later nos cylinders, the front plugs are blank.

1955 copper

The second owner

1955 copper

WOW! love that Corvette

Mark_Milner

Long time ago, the definitions were simple and easy to understand.

1. Original - it had all the original parts, period. Most didn't care if the soft normal wear items were original, like hoses, belts, and tires, as long as they were the same size and fit as original.

2. Stock - it had all stock parts for the year, looking identical to an original, but not original because parts may be off the shelf or off another car.

3. Customs - customized bodywork that was definitely non-stock.

4. Hot rods - ones with engines built to what the owner wanted or replaced with bigger or more powerful ones. Frequently minor customs since rear fenders were often flared to get larger tires under them.


However, today, everyone wants theirs to be original, because for some warped reason, most people think only original cars have value. Yet what most think are original are really restored cars, and a large percentage of the car is NOT original - paint, engine, interior, weather stripping, many mechanical parts.

BTW, the block may have the original stamping, but is frequently NOT original. NO FACTORY CORVETTE block came out .020" or .030" overbored.

Restored cars are not original. They LOOK like an original car but they are not original.

Audiophobe

Good thread!
And good post above.
BTW, for those of us that are less experienced, especially at the time of purchase since you learn so much after you buy, there are alot of things that you may have thought were original that "Bubba", over the years before you owned it, has modified.
This is my first Corvette ever much less a C1 and not being a mechanic it's learn as you go.
My mechanic, a Corvette only mechanic, has often told me to chill when I try to chase that original part because unless I swap everything else which is not original, it doesn't much matter.
As stated above, I think many of us, at least me, strive for "stock".

ps374

Its even possible some replacement part maybe better than orginal.

csherman

I think there is a difference between original and correct.
original - would be original to the car.
How many Vettes were bastadized in the 50's/60's/70's
So many of the orig parts are gone...........
What is a restorer to do. either try to find NOS or remanufacturer a part to the same spec. and make it look correct.
If I am missing bracket "A" - I take a correct dimension to a machine shop and they reproduce it for me or I do it.
I have reproduced a part that matches the OE part
Is it original - No
Is it correct - Yes.
Could some one tell - if it is done correctly - no
If someone can tell - then the part is no good and was not reproduced well - so try again or find a different vendor.
Me personally - I try to use a part that came off another Corvette - original to that car.

I think it is depends on what the person is trying to achieve.
If you are just going to "drive the snot" out it - why do you care?
but dont say your car is all original - like you overhear at car show
it is an over used term
If your going for "correctness" - then that is a another whole game

joec

gotta agree that it's original only ONCE... I think the one distinction that I see now is that most repro parts just plain suck... I don't care who they come from most are just not correct...

joec

funny you mention this.. I was just at a local NCRS meet and a friend of mine had his 65 coupe judged.. So his car had side pipes and while not original to the car they were available since its a st. louie car... So I just heard to make a long story short, the NCRS has now labeled the car "fraudulent" and will not let it be judged again until he reverts it back to mufflers... Talk about being f*ing rediculous!!!! As a caveat I'm on vacation so I will have to find out more info when I get home, but here's a new guy to the NCRS and the just kicked him in the teeth.. I can clearly understand a deduct but to label it like that is the reason the NCRS is going to die a long and slow death.... They clearly need a change at the top to make it fun again....

1955 copper

So bottom line what do we call a Corvette when people ask about it??,
reconditioned
restored
original
Mod
or just a nice car

What do we call parts
original
replacements
repro
rebuilt
used

This is getting hard, may be we should say nothing when people ask .