[C2] 1966 corvette with drum brakes?
11-27-2017, 11:22 PM
#1
1966 corvette with drum brakes?
I want to buy 1966 corvette project car. The previous owner was a relative who has died and little information is available. Car has 66 title but has both front and back wheel drum brakes. I don't think you could get a 66 with drum brakes. I think 65 was last year they were available. I think all 66 had disc brakes. So think this would mean that value of car would be considerably diminished as it must be a different chassis. Anybody have any thoughts as to how this might have happened?
11-27-2017, 11:55 PM
#2
Racer
Somebody put a 66 body on a 65 or earlier chassis? Title goes by the vin tag. Does that show a 66 vin? Or the vin tag could have been swapped - usually an easy thing to tell if the rivets are not original.
11-28-2017, 06:04 AM
#4
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Unless for some reason the past owner didn’t trust disk and swaped trailing arms and spindles from a 63-64
11-28-2017, 07:02 AM
#6
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11-28-2017, 07:03 AM
#7
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The unloved drum brakes were still available as a deletion credit (RPO J61, -$64.50) and 316 1965 Corvette Stingrays were so equipped. From the C2 Registry.
11-28-2017, 07:04 AM
#8
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11-28-2017, 10:16 AM
#10
Yes I will do that but car is in another state. Is there a book you can buy that shows all location and explain how to interpret the numbers? vin # is 194676S108922 and title says 1966.
11-28-2017, 10:33 AM
#11
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That vin is for a 1966 Vette conv, #8922 built in St Louis. 
Dennis
Dennis
11-28-2017, 10:37 AM
#12
Burning Brakes
The VIN only tells you it is a 66 Convertible. But you should still post VIN tag and data tag photos, as members here can tell if they have been altered/replaced.
11-28-2017, 05:17 PM
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11-28-2017, 07:23 PM
#15
Burning Brakes
Commenting only because somewhere in my ever failing memory I thought there was an option to have heavy duty drum brakes intended for racing applications perhaps as late as 1966.
11-28-2017, 07:33 PM
#16
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Nope the disk brake delete option was only avalible in 65. After that it was four wheel disk as standard
11-28-2017, 07:34 PM
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11-29-2017, 11:03 AM
#18
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The '64 HD drum brake system was J-56 and was the same system as The HD drum brake system on the '63 Z-06. (All the Z-06 HD equipment was unbundled to separate options in '64.)
It's easy to get the numbers transposed as was the case with the '63 NCRS JG for many years.
J-61 was only available for the '65 MY. GM published some statement along the line that is was available for customers who were uncomfortable with the "new technology" or some such nonsense.
I think the real reason was that they had left over '64 base drum brake components and wanted to get rid of them, and I was surprised how many J-61 options were actually built.
Duke
It's easy to get the numbers transposed as was the case with the '63 NCRS JG for many years.
J-61 was only available for the '65 MY. GM published some statement along the line that is was available for customers who were uncomfortable with the "new technology" or some such nonsense.
I think the real reason was that they had left over '64 base drum brake components and wanted to get rid of them, and I was surprised how many J-61 options were actually built.
Duke
Last edited by SWCDuke; 11-29-2017 at 11:15 AM.
11-29-2017, 05:09 PM
#19
Burning Brakes
Look at the front cross member on the frame (just ahead of the motor) and let us know if there is an indentation to fit a big block. If the indentation is not there, then you have a 63 - 64 frame.
02-01-2018, 08:33 PM
#20
Cross member has been relieved.
I took a trip to Colorado to inspect Vette ( It was my brother in law car ) and the cross member has been cut out to accept a big block. Closer inspection revials that grill was 1964 vintage so some one has combined 66 body with 64 frame. I wonder how much this will impact the overall value of car. I hate to put much money in it if these conditions would severely limit the value of it. Any body have any thoughts?