Early vs late
Pro
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 613
Likes: 2
From: West Central Florida
You cant! Mine is an early 76 with alot of the early parts and some parts that are late and even some that werent offered until 77. It is somewhat customized and modified now but it can be a problem. One thing to look for is between your t-top locks, if the piece of the headliner between the locks is tapered from front to back alittle its early, if its equal width its late. Also your fan shroud and radiator support brackets (on top of the rad) are different from early to late. Look on one of the vendor sites for these parts to see the difference.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
Can't you just read the size of the old belts and replace them? Or cut them off and measure the lengths...or take the removed belts to NAPA and say "Give me some just like these." ?
If you don't have belts on the pulleys, set the accessories to the center of their travel then thread a rope around each set of pulleys and mark the point where it overlaps the start point. Measure that length and get the next nearest length belt. {I've got to stop...my brain is starting to hurt....
}
If you don't have belts on the pulleys, set the accessories to the center of their travel then thread a rope around each set of pulleys and mark the point where it overlaps the start point. Measure that length and get the next nearest length belt. {I've got to stop...my brain is starting to hurt....
}
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 416
Likes: 4
From: Iron Mountain,Michigan
Yes 7T1vette I can read the belt #s and yes I can take the hoses off and bring them to an auto store ,however, it would be easier on the hoses to let them know early or late, besides there must be a way of telling by vin numbers or other to determine if it is a late or early model, I am curious and would like to know, this question has come up before and I can not remember how it was determined.
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
First step would be to check the VIN number. Depending on the year of your car, you could cross reference your VIN number to figure out about which month of the year your car was built. Then the Body Tag should confirm build date as well.
Depending on the year of your model, there will also be certain things to look for to help determine if you have an early or late build car. If you are talking about the '76 model year, the radiator shroud is a good place to look at. Take a photo of your shroud and we should be able to tell if you have the early style or not.
Depending on the year of your model, there will also be certain things to look for to help determine if you have an early or late build car. If you are talking about the '76 model year, the radiator shroud is a good place to look at. Take a photo of your shroud and we should be able to tell if you have the early style or not.
Last edited by Bronze76; Jun 15, 2009 at 01:31 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,455
Likes: 5
From: Upstate South Carolina
All the responses are correct, but a thing to understand is that cars are not early or late but parts. Parts changes happened throughout production, meaning that most cars will have a mix of early and late parts. Parts that come in pairs such as exhaust extensions may have an early and late version of the same part on the same car. The two best ways to know what was original on your car is to replace the part with what is currently on your car or buy the NCRS technical judging manual. The NCRS manual will give an approximate vin on when the part change occured.
Great looking car. I love the yellow.
Great looking car. I love the yellow.
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Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 201
Likes: 1
From: Taunton Ma
As far as the hoses why don't you just bring your car down to your local parts store have him show you the two different hoses. Then have him take a walk out to your car and match them up. Chances are they are the same hose. I think that when you go to a parts store and request a part the guy on the other side of the counter is just typing in information. For instance year, make, model the next question because the softwware is smart enough to know that there were changes during mid year sometime, it will ask you early or late.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
but maybe I'll buy another C3 someday or run into someone that needs parts. Anyway, it turns out that my car is an early '76 (with respect to the radiator, hoses etc). My VIN is 26633 with a March build date. If your car's VIN is lower than mine, than you most likely have the early style.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
"Early" and "late" usually refer only to specific running changes made on the assembly line and is not generally associated with the consecutive unit number. For '76, the big change was the swap to the R4 compressor from the old A6. I'm guessing your belt question would refer to that.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
Correct. And depending on the 'importance' of the part change, GM either did or didn't record the VIN number at the onset of that change. Not to mention that those records don't exist anymore. There are many part changes during a model year...especially with a relatively new model line (as the late 60's/early 70's C3's were). Sometimes several part changes were grouped and other times they occured on an individual basis. So, for simple items like belts and hoses, you are much better off just figuring what your car needs rather than searching for some 'magic list' which does not exist.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 416
Likes: 4
From: Iron Mountain,Michigan
Thank You all for your help,after installing headers this week before taking it off the stands,will pull hoses and belts bring in for a match and should be good to go. mstanton thank you for the compliment ,one other thing will post about question on header installation next
