How would you know that? It could just be lighting. Shemp

 

If you look at the reflection on the orange paint above the last 4 digits, I think it is the angle of the lighting across the stamp pad.

 

I believe that the right hand most numbers were the most frequently changed out (as the serial nunbers progressed on each subsequent engine/car) and so would have the least wear and retain the sharpest edges as compared to the left hand numbers which were used on many more repeated stampings.

 

The lighting is the same on the whole pad. The last four digits are more crisp and deeper than the first three. That is tell tale of using new dies. I've seen where 1 or 2 digits in the whole pad appear to have been stamped with a new die but not multiple ones in a group. After inspecting hundreds of pads, my opinion is that the VIN is not typical factory production and has been recently doctored. The assembly stamp looks okay.

Jim

 

the lighting maybe the same but the camera angle is not.Plus I do not see where if there was a change in numbers on the pad any evidence of the old numbers being removed.I would expect to see grind marks or other faint numbers under the new numbers.

 

WTF? How would the angle be different? Did they take 2 pictures from different angles and combine them? Sorry, I agree with the OP. That is bogus stamp and if I was buying the car, I would adjust the price accordingly. I'm sure there are plenty of uninformed people that wouldn't give it a second glance.

Jim

 

Jim is right. .. The average ambient lighting across the whole of the pad is the same. Same with the view angle in observing the stamped numbers. The last 4 digits of the VIN stand out sharply compared to the VIN as a whole. An individual using braille could 'see' those last 4 digits.

 

Would someone please explain how a PORTION of a stamp pad can be modified (leaving no grind marks or evidence of old numbers) with 3 original digits directly to the left and an original assembly stamp to the right?????

Also, there are definite broach marks on the surface, and they appear consistant.

 

Well the original post was about why I was suspicious. They guy quoted the wrong date codes,
I have 2 66 Coupes, both with the original blocks and neither are that perfect. The "cloned" block I have is....


All that aside, I really like the car. I have been wanting a 63 for awhile. I sent the seller some questions. I will see if I get a response.

 

I think what they're suggesting, is that the block was resurfaced and prepped 1st, then the 1st three numbers were put on before they knew what car they were going to "match" it to. Then, when they had the car, the subsequent numbers were added to mate it to that car.

At least that's the suspicion I'm hearing. Posters can correct me if I'm wrong.

 

The angle is not straight on.You are right about one thing though.There are plenty of uninformed people that wouldn't give it a second glance.

 

all of that and the rest of the numbers exactly in line with the others.

 

You could put known originals on here and some of these "experts" would have a problem with them. Numbers too strait, numbers crooked. Fact is with originals they were both. Lots of other factors go into a call on originality, you cant determine from a picture.

 

Oh boy another #s thread. Sorry with out documentation the car is suspect. Yes it could be a top flight car and yes it could be a BG and still be a creation. With out proof from Any Chevrolet in Your Town USA plus a few kodachromes from the original owner would be nice, its just a very well done car with a hidden history waiting for a good story. How often does a thread come up on what would be the correct dated block for my car? Got to love Pontiac historic they have the pedigree on all there vins, God help us if Chevrolet ever found theirs for C1/2s.

 

Still doesn't prove that a given engine is the original, nor would an NCRS or BG award...........

 

I don't think that's what they are saying. I think the insinuation is, the first 3 numbers are the same so they were not ground off, and the later numbers were "changed" to match. I can't imagine why anyone planning a restamp would stamp the pad on seperate days; that makes no sense.

I might agree with Jim, except that I think just shaving the last 4 of the VIN is too difficult to do cleanly while not touching the assembly code. Plus, the assembly code looks pretty fresh too. I could see the pad being shaved from the last 4 VIN and the entire assembly code, and both restamped.

I love these engine pad threads, I don't know why people would complain about them. They interest me a lot, especially seeing some "real" pads that look bad sometimes. And if I were the seller, I'd just say it is numbers matching, I dont have documentation and thats all I can say. I definitely would not sell the car for NOM money though. Its not THAT suspicious. If it bothers a buyer then it's just not a deal.

I'm not sure about the broach marks; I can't see them that well. And the "cuts" at the north/south angle at the very bottom of the RH side are too large. The straightness of this pad stamps doesn't bother me at all. The only thing that gets my attention is that it sure looks like a deep, sharp, new strike and of course what Jim pointed out on the later VIN digits.

 

To properly re-stamp, you can't just take off the last few numbers and then stamp. The pad surface would not be level. There are several thousandths to take off. Just can't do it that way and fool anyone who knows.

While I whole heartedly agree with SHEMP, I still stand behind my statement.

Shemp

 

I bet those guys at the factory back in the 60's had no idea how much they'd cost someone in 2012 if they changed to a sharper punch, or got the numbers "too straight". Otherwise they would have made the same boo-boos in every single stamp on every shift in every year.

 

You are absolutley correct. The 2 plastic awards prove the car was built in a certain way,and has nothing to do with the car being truly original just orginal looking. If the lump of cast iron is date correct and the stamping was done as factory correct as possible still does not prove originality. But some are willing to pay a premium for the hope that its original and then get POed when the BS card is handed to them. I brought up Pontiac Historic because they also know what options were in each car, makes it harder to clone that fully loaded ram air III GTO. Let me say that I could care less about #s, I would much rather have a driver than a TQ. There is not a bolt or a screw,nut or washer that I have not touched on my 63, is it original ,hell no. Nor do I care. Just for the record my NCRS# is 8439.

 

Lets get one thing straight the old addage stands true opinions are like a$$holes
and we all have one. It doesn't make one prettier than the other. Every post here is an opinion none are fact. Shemp