Could you share the VIN number?
Do you have the gas tank build sheet?

 

Hi r71,
Well, this is pretty interesting.
Apparently my 71 has a solid lifter camshaft too since it has a ZQ3 "block", (although I prefer to call it an option code).
No solid cam shafts in base engines.
No parts on cars dated after the car's production.
I'm finished.
Regards,
Alan

 

MMm, way wrong on all counts. The three names are all precisely the same engine as applied to Corvettes.

Me too. Getting too old and tired for trolls.

 

 

you cannot have a transmission with parts cast after the car is built and still have the vin derivative stamped on it. it is either a forgery/ restamp or the tranny blew up in the past and parts from 72 were used to fix it, presereving the VIN stamp. either way it cannot have all original factory parts.

this is further proof that your previous owners are feeding you BS.

it is ok to have non original parts, and I am sure your car is nice and rare.. but if you will be trying to get more money out of your car based on your perception of originality when you sell, you are going to make some buyers mad at you because your story is full of holes.

there is alot of knowledge on this forum and we can help you sort it all out for you.

publish some pics, let us know the casting numbers and castng dates of the block, tranny, heads, plus the vin stamps and the trim tag and we can tell you what you may have...

although we can't tell you what you exactly have due to the big red flag raised regarding the transmission question. who knows what else is restamped.

I would love to have a red/red convertible 71 and I bet it is a nice car.. but I know a fishy statement when I hear one...

 

Just inquiring, u state the head gaskets are original. u dont need to remove heads to replace a cam. water pump, timing chain and cover, radiator,(if radiator is a 72 maybe replaced when cam done) intake to remove lifters and valve covers to get the rockers and pushrods out. Whats the date code on the waterpump. Cylinder head # for base 270 hp motor is 3973487.
Again u have some folkes on here with great advice and knowledge.

 

I've been watching this post and how much is changing in it. First off, it is a new poster who hasn't been on here to see all the other stories of a one of a kind corvette that slipped out of the factory but never pans out to being true. The story started falling apart and sounded like someone wanted to believe that they had something so rare that it just kept changing.

1.It has solid lifters because my Dad drove several '71s and it idles differently and is louder...................

then went to he knows it has solid lifters because his Dad had to adjust them. Why not say that to begin with? Is much more credible.

2.Knows the previous owners didn't do anything "from the records". If I was going to sell a numbers matching original car, I sure wouldn't pass on a receipt of having changed anything other than the radiator that can't be hidden.

3. You may be good but I doubt that you can look at and guarantee that the head gaskets and clutch are original because they look old.


Why would a laborer at the plant go to the trouble of pulling special parts and installing into a car and if the car had been ordered "special" and the previous owners have receipts wouldn't that have been something special to pass on?

Why would a car 1 year old need a new radiator? Why would it need a new transmission? Why would it have a one of a kind cam and solid lifters out of the thousands made.

This sounds more like a story of finding a car that the original owner had some issues with or abused the car and required it to have things replaced early in it's life. Either that or he was a GM employee and built it one piece at a time like Johnny Cash.

 

I'm in... This is fun.

 

1. I have been getting info from my dad one piece at a time the last few days. It's not my car. So back off a little with the accusations that I'm "trolling" or I don't know anything. I don't know much because it's my dads car.

2. The transmission was never replaced. It matches the engine which is a 71' block. And I don't know that much about where parts are on the motor.

3. The car came from Texas, so the heat could have contributed to the radiator being replaced, and/or the fact that the motor is 300hp and not 270 which could have led to overheating and a need for replacement. But I don't know.

4. If you remember, you could order a car just the way you wanted it back then. Sleeper cars were really popular back then if you remember.

 

I have to see how this ends.

 

I'm not trolling you, as I said in my last post, I've been getting information from my dad over the past few days. Yes, I'm not that knowledgeable about the car. It's not mine. And yes there is a difference between the L48, the ZQ3, and the LT-1. They all had variations in horsepower, and, oh yeah, it was due to internal parts. So just gonna say that you might wanna take a step back and reevaluate your assessment that I was way wrong. Yeah maybe I screwed up on a few things due to lack of instant info, but you don't know everything either.

 

A vin number will settle a lot of this for you. It will tell you what part of production it was made. If it were in the early to mid part and you have a transmission from '72 then you could be all but guaranteed that the transmission wasn't the original. Someone can correct me if I am wrong but the transmissions were still being cast during the strike and therefore there shouldn't ave been a shortage of them. If for some reason there was a shortage, then there would have been 2 different ones used for that year as far as parts were concerned. GM would have listed 2 different parts when you looked for your clutch.

The ZQ3 300 hp that you were questioning was the base engine for the corvette so having ZQ3 heads is what it should have on it.

I think ordering them anyway that you want back then wasn't so much from the plant, dealers offered a lot of over the counter parts to upgrade or dealer add ons. Having that transmission really puts a kink in the story because even if you special ordered the car with solid lifters how would you have ordered one with a '72 transmission?

The LT1 was solid lifters, maybe they bought one from the dealer. Which intake and carb is on it?

Bottom line is, if it came with that stuff, you will never be able to prove it without documentation from when the car was ordered so it is really a mute point. If it was added on by another owner then so be it, it isn't really going to hurt anything.

If you truly believe that this is a GM factory car then there is no reason to even wonder about your first question about the rarity of the car as far as colors and hardtop go. This would be a one of a kind car period regardless of how many were sold in that color combo.

 

Ill get the VIN from my dad ASAP, and no we dont have the build sheet. we dont know where it is yet. it should be on top of the tank like most others though.

 

it'll be there if it is still recoverable. Just be really careful trying to retrieve it. Mine had disintegrated over time and was nothing more than dust. I don't think they are always the right one with the car anyway. Go thru the paperwork and see if you can find the purchase order or something.

 

The car was a late 71' production. And the transmission matches the engine which matches the VIN. It has the stock intake manifold. We had to replace/rebuild the original rochester carb, not sure which though. I have no doubt in my mind that it is a factory car other than the 72 replacement radiator. That's the thing too, we've never seen another 71' with red paint and red interior. I remember not too long ago, someone on here threw out a number of how many big block 71' corvettes were made with the red/red color combo. They said there were 26, but who knows.

 

it keeps getting worse....
you don't know if you replaced or rebuilt the carb, yet you have no doubt in your mind that the only thing not factory is the radiator...

so now it is the carb, radiator, cam, lifters, clutch, and transmission that are not original, yet you have no doubt that they are..

are you maybe 12 years old?

I am finished too.....

 

Not really. A new Corvette buyer was pretty much limited to what was offered on the options sheet. Zone office approval was required for anything (including exterior colors) not on the option sheet.

Post the VIN. It's a simple as that. You have already received several requests for it which you continue to ignore. It's on the driver's windshield post and easy to see.

Do not believe the 26 figure for red/red. Whoever quoted the number has no documumentation for it and was probably doing a simple regression.

The strike for the 1971 model year began about mid-September 1970 and was not settled until late in November 1970. There were a few September cars built, no Ocotber cars built, and a smattering of November cars built (after the Thanksgiving holidays). 1971 production did not ramp back up until December, 1970.

My fiancee's 71 convertible has engine dates for mid-September assembly. The time/build date is December 3rd. Her car got caught in the strike.

 

I'm 19 thank you, and IT'S NOT MY CAR! I will have the VIN as soon as possible.

 

We understand its not your car. But u keep butting heads with people that have been associated with Corvettes for longer then u have been around. Look at photos of Alan71 71 vette. Great frame off example of what can be done with your dads car. If u choose to go the NCRS route. He's helped many in here. Mike and others also. Yrs of wisdom and advice and guess what for FREE.
You can add by your photos that the air cleaner assembly has been changed also. A base model should not have an open element, it should be a closed element. So not factory original.
Again your u butting heads with some very knowledgeable people here with many yrs experience and yrs of helping people on this board. Thats one of the reason i like this board. They tell it like it is.
Again u bring up the factory original. So, i take it the intake, carb, alt, starter, waterpump, clutch fan, fan blades, radiator shroud, etc also have factory numbers and acceptable dates on them also. Remember small block motors were assembled in Flint Michigin and built to factory specs then shipped to St Louis. Dealer didnt call Flint and tell them to add cam and lifters special.
Now could the dealer of added cam and lifters after receiving car from factory. Yes. But why buy a base motor when for $483.00 you could of gotten the LT-1 with alum manifold and holley carb and nice hood for what the dealer would probably charged more to do a cam change back in 71/72
Lets see Im 50 have had 16 Corvettes and cannot remember what i did to the ones i had in the Late 70's or early 80's of the top of my head. I have to resort to photos and notes. So maybe previous owners memory is off. It happens.
I'll suggest a few books if u dont already have that will help with numbers and some stats
Fact Book of the 1968-72 Stingray by MF Dobbins
Corvette 1968-82 Restoration Guide by Richard Prince.
And if your dads planning on staying factory original the NCRS.org site and get the 70-72 manuals and spec guide.
The AIM - Assembly Manual.
Good luck on you and your dads endeavor and enjoy it. Dont be taken back when others give you constructive critisism