Early or late 69 Corvette
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 15
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From: Salem OR
Early or late 69 Corvette
According to C3 Registry, my 69 was born app. Dec. 23, 1968. I see vendors offering parts, etc. differeciating between early and late. My questions are: is mine early or late? I assume early. And what are the differnces? I'd appreciate any thoughts or suggestions. THANKS! mick
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,101
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From: Cruising somewhere in St. Louis, Missouri
According to C3 Registry, my 69 was born app. Dec. 23, 1968. I see vendors offering parts, etc. differeciating between early and late. My questions are: is mine early or late? I assume early. And what are the differnces? I'd appreciate any thoughts or suggestions. THANKS! mick
not sure on differences between the two
Account disabled by user request 5 Jan 09
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According to C3 Registry, my 69 was born app. Dec. 23, 1968. I see vendors offering parts, etc. differeciating between early and late. My questions are: is mine early or late? I assume early. And what are the differnces? I'd appreciate any thoughts or suggestions. THANKS! mick
As to the birth of your car, the date is located on the trim tag (driver door alcove) .. Would look like E20 maybe ... ???
As to early or late, it's not the date of the car that is early or late, it all depends on the particular part ... the easiest way to tell is to use your AIM to see if, and when, a particular part changed. Some vendors also will tell you how to differentiate whether a particular part for your car is "early" or "late".
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For some parts, your car may be considered "early", and for other parts, it may be considered "late". DrRebuild usually does a nice job of explaining what makes a car early or late.
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... and for some parts it may not matter whether you choose the early or late part, as either may work. If you plan to have the car judged, then it can make a difference.
Last edited by FrankVincent; Sep 18, 2008 at 03:59 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 11,096
Likes: 990
From: Sierra Foothills CA
Mine's early too although I don't know how to determine it's production date- I'd love to find out.
I've found that my car came with brackets & grills from the 68 production. The only parts that would be used would be small ones like this that were left over and wouldn't make any real difference cosmetically or functionally. They differ slightly from those made for the 69 run. I hope this helps. Somebody who's more into NCRS type stuff may be able to give you a more detailed answer.
I've found that my car came with brackets & grills from the 68 production. The only parts that would be used would be small ones like this that were left over and wouldn't make any real difference cosmetically or functionally. They differ slightly from those made for the 69 run. I hope this helps. Somebody who's more into NCRS type stuff may be able to give you a more detailed answer.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
"Early" and "late" usually refer only to specific running changes made during production. The Assembly Instruction Manual (AIM) is one of the better guides for determining early and late since AIM pages were updated regularly with new parts/changes and the pages have revision dates.
If you do not have an AIM, buy one and thumb through it. I can recommend Rick Bizzoco's book on the '69. Pricey, but pretty good.
http://www.cranescorvette.com/1969_s..._guidebook.htm
12/23/68 was a Monday and possibly the last working day of that week since it's likely they were off Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Your car was probably not completed on 12/23 and it's possible she sat on the line unfinished until after Christmas. 12/23 only indicates the date the car reached the station on the line were the trim tags were attached. This was before body drop. She probably needed another day, possibly a day and a half, to have been completed.
It's kind of sad to think she spent her first Christmas without a home.
If you do not have an AIM, buy one and thumb through it. I can recommend Rick Bizzoco's book on the '69. Pricey, but pretty good.
http://www.cranescorvette.com/1969_s..._guidebook.htm
12/23/68 was a Monday and possibly the last working day of that week since it's likely they were off Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Your car was probably not completed on 12/23 and it's possible she sat on the line unfinished until after Christmas. 12/23 only indicates the date the car reached the station on the line were the trim tags were attached. This was before body drop. She probably needed another day, possibly a day and a half, to have been completed.
It's kind of sad to think she spent her first Christmas without a home.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Sep 18, 2008 at 03:24 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,278
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From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Les,
You can look at the trim tag mounted on the drivers side hinge pillar in the door jam to see the body's build date. The car's build date is generally a day or so later. There are production figures by month that can help narrow down production date too.
Regards,
Alan
You can look at the trim tag mounted on the drivers side hinge pillar in the door jam to see the body's build date. The car's build date is generally a day or so later. There are production figures by month that can help narrow down production date too.
Regards,
Alan
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Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 11,096
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From: Sierra Foothills CA
Hi Les,
You can look at the trim tag mounted on the drivers side hinge pillar in the door jam to see the body's build date. The car's build date is generally a day or so later. There are production figures by month that can help narrow down production date too.
Regards,
Alan
You can look at the trim tag mounted on the drivers side hinge pillar in the door jam to see the body's build date. The car's build date is generally a day or so later. There are production figures by month that can help narrow down production date too.
Regards,
Alan
You inspired me to go down to the garage and look it up. I had to pull out my "Vette Vues" to decode the "B"- Sept. 5, 1969 for mine. You learn something every day. Now I know that I have just under a year to plan a surprise 40th birthday party for it. Thanks!
For some reason my wife is in the kitchen laughing at me right now.
Account disabled by user request 5 Jan 09
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Alan,
You inspired me to go down to the garage and look it up. I had to pull out my "Vette Vues" to decode the "B"- Sept. 5, 1969 for mine. You learn something every day. Now I know that I have just under a year to plan a surprise 40th birthday party for it. Thanks!
For some reason my wife is in the kitchen laughing at me right now.
You inspired me to go down to the garage and look it up. I had to pull out my "Vette Vues" to decode the "B"- Sept. 5, 1969 for mine. You learn something every day. Now I know that I have just under a year to plan a surprise 40th birthday party for it. Thanks!
For some reason my wife is in the kitchen laughing at me right now.
Happy Birthday!!!
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 11,096
Likes: 990
From: Sierra Foothills CA
OK, tomorrow we have cake & balloons! 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Lincoln CA
My late 69s build date is October 16, 1969. I haven't checked it myself, but would that mean the date code on my door tag would be "O16"? (The car's not available to look at right now or I'd check it myself.)
Account disabled by user request 5 Jan 09
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