corvett66

A friend of mine in our club just bought a 1968 coupe with factory sidepipes. Now I know sidepipes were not a factory option on 1968's, but he has a window sticker that looks original and it lists the sidepipes.
The car was originally ordered by the owner of the local Chevrolet dealership as his personal car. According to the VIN, the car was built on May 1, 1968. Is it possible that the owner had enough pull with Chevrolet to get the sidepipes on his car, knowing they were going to be an option in 1969? The guy that just bought the car doesn't know if the tank sticker is still on the car. Is it possible the factory put sidepipes on some late model 1968's to test the fit and finish to get ready for 1969?

thatcorvetteguy

I doubt it. Look for glass work in the rear panel.

Mike Ward

Wanna see an original window sticker for a '73 L88?

No side pipes in '68.

vettebuyer6369

It makes no sense at all that this one car in the whole world managed to get an option that wasnt even available until the following year.

Everyone thinks their incorrect car is that one in a million thats the exception. I hope you find out differently, but my money is on, "no."

gbvette62

First off, a May 1st build car is hardly a "late build" car, 68 production continued into August of 68.

The first car built in May was VIN 17677. With 28,566 Corvettes built in 68, there were still another 10,889 cars to be built, or about 38% of the production.

It's doubtful that a car built in May 68, or any 68 for that matter, was built with factory side pipes. Most years, product planning is barely completed by May. let alone production of actual parts for the coming model year.

arkus

this reminds me of a guy who swore he had the only 71 lt1 with air cond .

LancePearson

and yet...there are all kinds of stories about what exec's had done with corvettes coming off the line for their own use other than standard, new things on cars not advertised and all the rest....course, it could be a bogus window sticker too!

garage-ghost

Now who do you think printed up that window sticker?

69 Chevy

RPO N11 Off-road exhaust system ($36.90) was available in '68...which was 1/2" bigger exhaust pipe diameter. That could explain the original window sticker.

But not N14 Side mount exhaust system ($131.65, '67 price).

'69 side exhaust could have been added later.

capevettes

My bet is that the original appearing window sticker is a repro. No sidepipe cars in 68.

Ironcross

the company making window stickers will place whatever you want as accessories....it dont mean a damm thing......almost everything is available and phony window stickers are part of the show car accessories and all it does is cause controversy such as this threat as a rare one of none......they go a long with those BS information signs ......

LancePearson

You can't really believe anything you see printed any more. I have two artificial metal hips and two artificial knees and the orthpedic practice gave me a card for air travel to say that and make it easier. I never use it as the TSA pays absolutely no attention to it because you can print anything today, saying anything.

The old axiom: you can only believe it if you see it just hasn't been so for a while now.

Lance

Easy Mike

The 69 pipes were available over the counter at Chevrolet after they became available.

He should copy his window sticker and post it here. All of us want to see documentation for a 68 with factory side pipes.

Probably not.

Not liikely. It's entirely possible pipes were fitted to pilot line '69s, but it's not likely a May built 68 got them.

Have you seen the car? Is it an actual 68?

PRNDL

good point. check that window sticker to see if it lists N11 or N14. Keep in mind that even in 1969 model year production factory sidepipes were not installed on the earliest cars. I am looking at my NCRS guide (not the latest one.. ) which states that car # 9320 is the earliest documented car with factory sidepipes. Seems unlikely they would install them on a May 68 car. I wonder if they even had the design by May 68. 69 sidepipes are very different from the ones they were using in 67.

BOSTONCAMARO

ever hear about the ultra rare 63 corvette that they put a 409 in? they were all out of 327s that day so the factory put a 409 in it!

Texas Stinger

Yeah I've got that one and it has a split front window too

LancePearson

What happened to the factory records of actual production? Is there a paper on top of the gas tank that tells the build facts, build sheet, I think they called it? No need to debate if facts can be found. I've read enough to know there are fakes out there and that the factory and GM did not always do things the way the annual literature was prepared in advance or that GM Chevy execs had various cars built for various specific purposes also, so I wouldn't rule anything out that was just a little later available.

Lance

arkus

yep
I have one and a
fully documented 70 454 ls7 . 100 miles brown on gunmetal:
selling it for 1,000,000 cash

427SIXPACK

UHHH............. I THINK NOT !!!
PERIOD .

Only pipe would be the one he is smoking .............

scottyp99

Don't tell anybody, but I have a '96 'vette with an LS1 engine. It was a testing mule, and it accidently got parked near the end of the assembly line one day, and they gave it a VIN and sold it. I keep it right next to my '74 with the factory 36 gallon gas tank. Next week I'm going to look at a '62 split window coupe, it was owned by a little old lady who only drove it to church.............once a year! She thinks Zora Duntov's skeleton might be in the trunk, she's a busy old lady, she hasn't had time to check, but here's hoping!!!!


Scott