Ok all you numbers guys I can't find what c11 stands for on the lip id numbers. HELP. The numbers are TO901CPH then
C11S108608
What is the C11 part?????

 

What year car?

What is a lip?????

 

1971 lip on the front of the block pass side.

 

The "C" doesn't appear to belong in the VIN derivative you've posted.

Typically, the VIN would appear as 11S108608, without the "C", and breakdown as follows.
1 = Chevrolet Motor Division
1 = 1971 Model Year
S = St. Louis Assembly Plant
1 = 1 is the GM "Control" number used in 71 Corvette VINs
08608 = Is The 8,608 1971 Corvette Built (Built approx. 2-4-71)

To the best of my knowledge, the "C" does not belong in the VIN derivative.

Do you know if the trans is original to the car? The trans will have the VIN derivative stamped on it also. The trans was stamped at the same time as the block, using the same gang stamp, so the trans VIN should appear identical to the block's VIN stamp. 71 4 speeds had the VIN stamped vertically on the right side rear of the case, just forward of where the tail extension bolts up.

I have another concern with the numbers you posted.

An engine code of T0901CPH, indicates a 71 LS-5 454 with a 4 speed (CPH), built at Tonawanda NY (T), on September 1st, 1970 (09 being Sept. and 01 being the 1st). Though not impossible, 5 months is at the outer edge of what is considered normal, for an engine build date. GM had a lot of trouble with strikes back then, and I don't think they necessarily followed a FIFO inventory system then either, but 5 months is still a long time for an assembled engine to be sitting around.

As an FYI, what you call the "lip", is commonly referred to as the "engine stamp pad".

 

[QUOTE=gbvette62;1580885812]The "C" doesn't appear to belong in the VIN derivative you've posted.

Typically, the VIN would appear as 11S108608, without the "C", and breakdown as follows.
1 = Chevrolet Motor Division
1 = 1971 Model Year
S = St. Louis Assembly Plant
1 = 1 is the GM "Control" number used in 71 Corvette VINs
08608 = Is The 8,608 1971 Corvette Built (Built approx. 2-4-71)

To the best of my knowledge, the "C" does not belong in the VIN derivative.

Do you know if the trans is original to the car? The trans will have the VIN derivative stamped on it also. The trans was stamped at the same time as the block, using the same gang stamp, so the trans VIN should appear identical to the block's VIN stamp. 71 4 speeds had the VIN stamped vertically on the right side rear of the case, just forward of where the tail extension bolts up.

I have another concern with the numbers you posted.

An engine code of T0901CPH, indicates a 71 LS-5 454 with a 4 speed (CPH), built at Tonawanda NY (T), on September 1st, 1970 (09 being Sept. and 01 being the 1st). Though not impossible, 5 months is at the outer edge of what is considered normal, for an engine build date. GM had a lot of trouble with strikes back then, and I don't think they necessarily followed a FIFO inventory system then either, but 5 months is still a long time for an assembled engine to be sitting around.

As an FYI, what you call the "lip", is commonly referred to as the "engine stamp pad".[/QUOTE

I will check the trans tonight Also the block date code Is f 28 70
cast # 3963512

 

Some 71s had screwy VIN derivitive formats.
C Chevrolet
1 Corvette
1 1971
S St. Louis
108608 consecutive unit number.

71 was the only year the Cxx format was used. It isn't clear to me when -exactly - the change to the Cxx format was made. Possibly after the strike.

 

according to the judging manual, 71 vettes built in august thru about sept 02, 1970 had the old stamp characteristic, 71S1XXXXX, after that only the rest of the 71 cars were C11S1XXXXX.
the 72 cars went back to the old way.

yes, car number 8608 is a january 71 built car and the block was cast june 28 1970, and the engine built sept 01, 1970..
the block was cast and 2 months passes by before building, then another 4 months went by before it went into this car..

dates are a little fishy, but there are no build numbers for october 1970. don't know the exact dates but production must have been halted for a month or so. someone who knows more could possible chime in here..

tonawanda could have been cranking out blocks in anticipation of an upcomming strike in order to have available inventory, making the date spread greater.

FIFO was a good idea, but not necessarily practiced back then.

 

about the C being normal for cars built in that particular time frame.

 

Thought so. The strike began about 9/15/70 and ended just about Thanksgiving. There were no October built cars and not too many November cars.

My fiancee's 71 was set for mid-September production. VIN derivitive is the old style. Due to the strike, time/build date ended up being December 1.

 

According to the Birthday Book, the 1971 model year strike began on Tuesday 15 Sept 1970 (last unit on the 14th was 2227) and ended on Monday 23 Nov 1970.

 

When posting last night, I thought that I remembered something about "C" being used in some VIN derivatives, but couldn't find anything in the info I have in the house, to prove this. There is no mention of it in the NCRS 68-82 Specifications Book, the Black Book, or either of the Corvette Parts Books that I keep in the house. I even went out to look at my 71 L-48 powered El Camino, to see if it had a C in the VIN derivative. It doesn't.

So let me ask this, does anyone know if the C in the VIN derivative, was limited to use by the St. Louis Corvette Assembly Plant.

I don't want to get to far off topic here, but my El Camino's VIN derivative does not use the "C", in it. Which is why I'm curious if the "C" was strictly something that St. Louis did?

There is no question as to the originality of the engine in the El Camino, as I am the original owner of it, and the block has never been out of the car.

 

 

Good question. I'm betting you could post on the NCRS site and get an answer.