DannyHolley

I am new to the Corvette world and have just picked up a 68 coupe. The serial number on the VIN begins with 4 and everything I read says it should be a 1.

Also the trim tag is 420 which I see as Saddle Vinyl, but I saw a discussion about this trim code not available until 69. The paint code is 974 rally red. The top of the trim code says Chevrolet K14. Is K14 just a body type code?

Car had been in an Uncle's garage for 35 years.

Thanks for any information.

Nowhere Man

the 8th digit should be the number 4 for 68. K14 on the trim tag is the build date I think its oct of 67. what is the full vin number. and can you post all the trim tag info.

DannyHolley

Full vin is 194378S422580. Will get engine code today hopefully if I can get in there and find it. Will get pictures of trim tag soon, says TRIM 420 Paint 974. Thanks

Nowhere Man

the build date is June 7, 1968.

DannyHolley

Thanks. I'm a novice at this stuff, where is the engine code on the block. Thought I knew where it was, but it was blank. Also was the fender alarms a dealer add in 68? Wish it didn't have that key in the fender or the big bell on the inside fender. Thanks again.

Nowhere Man

the engine code is located on a pad on the passenger side of the block in front of the cylinder head. if you are looking for a casting number it is on the back of the block on the drivers side in front of the bellhousing. post all the numbers you can find. someone on here can decode them.

DannyHolley

Casting number on back of block is 3935439, which I assume is for the 427, 390hp and others maybe. Still trying to located engine code, think it will be easier when fuel filter and smog pump are removed. There is a flat "pad" right in front of the head on passenger side on the block but nothing on it.

Alan 71

Hi DH,
Here's a picture of the stamp pad from my 71. Your 68 should be similar.
1 stamp is the VIN sequence, and the other describers where and when the engine was built and in what hp cnfiguration. The position of the 2 stamps on the pad will vary depending on whether the engine is a sb or bb.
68 NICE!!!
Happy Thanksgiving
Regards,
Alan

Hi, you added a post while I was retrieving my picture. Is the pad painted? That may be hiding the stamps.

DannyHolley

I removed the paint from the roughly 1/2 inch wide pad I see and its blank. The pad I'm looking at is butted up against the fuel filter. It's a 427 casting block of 3935439. I'll keep cleaning and looking and see what I can find.

Mike Ward

If that's the original trim tag, it indicates that the car was completed around June 15th, possibly the 16th of 1968.

Being a late '68, this would be the correct casting number for any of the 427 variations, but since the pad appears to have been wiped clean of numbers it will be impossible to say of this is the original engine. Giving us the casting date can narrow it down a bit.

Paul Borowski

...even though the Corvette Black Book and some others do not show a 420 Saddle Vinyl and 421 Saddle Leather code it was available, maybe not at the beginning of '68 production, but it did start at one point during '68 production. I've probably looked at over 20 Saddle Vinyl/Leather interiored 1968 Corvettes over the last couple decades.

DannyHolley

Yeah. I'm a little confused now. The car sat in an uncle's garage for the last 35 or so years so I'm sure its original, just not sure why there would be no numbers on the plate. It was covered in the factory paint. How/Where do I get the casting date? Thanks

Paul Borowski

...a smallblock is on the bellhousing flange behind the distributor, will say like "D248", which would be April 24, 1968.

...I believe a bigblock '68's is behind the starter if I'm remembering correctly. I remember it being very hard to see with the starter in place, if it's an original 1968 bigblock.

DannyHolley

Casting date on block by starter says E18 8, so it was May 18, 68.

Mike Ward

There was no paint on the pad from the factory, it was deliberately kept clean. Sounds like the motor was out for a rebuild at some time in the past.

DannyHolley

Beginning to think it was rebuild in the past. Uncle bought it with 53K in 1973 drove it very little for a few years and it sat for about 35 years. I bet it was rebuilt before he got it. The pad looks to have a few faint numbers/letters, very hard to see. Guess block and or heads were milled maybe. That would make me unhappy, can't say/prove matching numbers now. I'll keep digging. Thanks.

thatcorvetteguy

The engine pad was stamped at two different places. One was in NY and the other in MO. The chances of both being a lite stamp are a 1,000,000 to 1. You need to read the two sets of stamped numbers and list them for us or take pic's and post here.

Alan 71

Hi DH,
Since you can perhaps see the numbers faintly.... be VERY careful to not touch the pad with anything abrasive like a blade or wire brush. Clean the pad with a liquid that will only remove the paint. PRESERVE what's there, it may be enough to show what the engine is and where it came from.
Regards,
Alan

DannyHolley

Trying to get picture up now. I had another set of eyes look at it and they also saw a few faint outlines, but no way to make anything out. So if I'm looking in the right spot it must of been milled down in the past. Casting number and date seem correct, just can't at this point prove its the block that came with car. Will post picture when figure out how.

thatcorvetteguy

I't might not have been milled as to that might remove all the stamped numbers. Maybe the rebuilder use a flat board with sand paper to smoth and clean up the mating surface??