Custom GT rear Part numbers?
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From: Deland FL
Custom GT rear Part numbers?
I was checking out the damage done to my rear car body (ripped part of the rear off when I pulled the body off the frame)
My car has a custom rear body that appeared to be handmade, further inspection revealed that all the panels it is made up of have part numbers..first is the lower piece part number is 3948133 SPEC...(on factory style black fiberglass)..I understand that this is one of the rear panels used on 69 factory sidepipe cars..it also has a grease pencil marking that looks like 657 or 65V?? I'm not sure about the pencil marking's meaning..I know the car had sidepipes on it a long time ago, because there were factory style sidepipe brackets welded to the frame..Then I noticed on the rear piece above the tag bracket (which is/was a GT style rear on my car) two part numbers and the letters GT under them the first number was 3977864 (GM rear part number correct for 72) but under it was a number I could not figure out 4987763..and under that it says GT...was the GT rear given a GM part number??..anyone know what 657 or 65V in grease pencil could indicate? ..does SPEC. mean anything?
My car has a custom rear body that appeared to be handmade, further inspection revealed that all the panels it is made up of have part numbers..first is the lower piece part number is 3948133 SPEC...(on factory style black fiberglass)..I understand that this is one of the rear panels used on 69 factory sidepipe cars..it also has a grease pencil marking that looks like 657 or 65V?? I'm not sure about the pencil marking's meaning..I know the car had sidepipes on it a long time ago, because there were factory style sidepipe brackets welded to the frame..Then I noticed on the rear piece above the tag bracket (which is/was a GT style rear on my car) two part numbers and the letters GT under them the first number was 3977864 (GM rear part number correct for 72) but under it was a number I could not figure out 4987763..and under that it says GT...was the GT rear given a GM part number??..anyone know what 657 or 65V in grease pencil could indicate? ..does SPEC. mean anything?
Last edited by bananashark; Oct 13, 2012 at 10:19 PM.
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From: Deland FL
No replies..Ok so far what I have figured out is the rear exhaust panels are part No.3948133 SPEC..and that's for a 69 side pipe option..since they have remains of a shipping sticker , and are on black fiberglass..I am assuming that a dealer ordered these and installed them..they also have a grease pencil marking of 65V which I have no idea what that means..this was all done before the car was a widebody..because the paint that's on these rear panels matches the cars factory paint from 72...but the one thing I can not figure out..is the rear tag plate..it is a lowered style (ala Eckler's GT) but has a factory part number on it followed by what appears to be another GM part number and then the letters GT under that..so Idk?
Team Owner
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From: Westminster Maryland
Hi bs,
I think that some pictures may help people figure out what parts you have more than knowing the part numbers.
People just aren't very familiar with the GM part numbers or mold numbers that on on fiberglass panels.
Regards,
Alan
I think that some pictures may help people figure out what parts you have more than knowing the part numbers.
People just aren't very familiar with the GM part numbers or mold numbers that on on fiberglass panels.
Regards,
Alan
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From: Deland FL
The question that remains though is..did GM make GT type aftermarket panels..and then the dealers/modifiers install them,or did the companies that made the GT rear panels ad their part numbers/markings to the factory part numbers?
Team Owner
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From: Westminster Maryland
Hi bs,
GM wasn't in the wide body parts business.
Original production parts could certainly have been be cut up by builders to make wide body parts.
In my world just because there's ROOM isn't enough REASON for 8 taillights.
Regards,
Alan
GM wasn't in the wide body parts business.
Original production parts could certainly have been be cut up by builders to make wide body parts.
In my world just because there's ROOM isn't enough REASON for 8 taillights.
Regards,
Alan
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From: Southbound
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From: Deland FL
well that would make since but..what I have found is a panel..that has not been modified that has a GM number 3977864 which is the correct rear panel, but the panel also has a 4987763 GT..stamped under it..this panel has not been cut or modified, it is a piece which lowers the Tag plate, so i don't think it is factory, i'm just wondering if it is like the widebody panels that GM also made and sold over the counter.
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Thread Starter
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From: Deland FL
From the research I have been doing I have found Chevy sold the race panels over the counter in 1975..in the Chevy Power book Greenwood style and L88...I found out the GT stands for General Tire and that part number is probably theirs..it's only the center of the tag bracket..so the GT rear is not a GM part number..I know the VV Cooke GT corvettes had a similar rear panel (the part I'm talking about is the lowered tag bracket, with the straight line going across the whole rear)..I was just wondering who made the panels?
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Belmar NJ
GM probably didn't "make" the panels, but rather marketed them over the parts counter, ie TRW pistons w/GM part numbers. The real question is, Who made them for GM? And...What happened to the molds? Lots of vintage racers would like to know. /:\
Race Director
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From: NYC NY
I don't remember any vendor producing a 4 tail light rear panel for a wide body like yours.
I've always had an interest in "custom" Corvettes (and I'm old) but I don't recall ever seeing another car with the same rear panel treatment as your car. Is it possible it's a "one off" custom?
I've always had an interest in "custom" Corvettes (and I'm old) but I don't recall ever seeing another car with the same rear panel treatment as your car. Is it possible it's a "one off" custom?
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From: Deland FL
the rear on my car is made up of mostly Eckler's/motion pieces and stock pieces..so kind of a one off/custom type thing..but no real trick fabrication per-se it is all just different kit and stock pieces stuck together from what I can tell...The Motion Tiger shark rear lights were 6, someone just added 2 stock type Vette lights to the middle..( i believe the car had 6 lights and a GT rear that were widened when the body kit was installed, it would explain the GT hood, and Manta Ray type spoiler that it still has..I too wonder who made the race body panels..I'm sure the source (s) will surface one day..I hope.
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From: Southbound
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VV Cooke was a large Chevrolet dealer in Louisville, Kentucky. They are gone now. I can remember their television commercials when I was in high school.
I cannot recall VV Cooke being known for their own fiberglass. They sold Chevrolet stuff over the counter.
In your pic, your license area looks to be very nearly in the stock position to me. I honestly cannot say that it appears to be lower than production. The rear panel also looks nearly stock height, but the bubble lights throw off the perspective. The inner pairs of each of your tail light sets look like they are in the stock positions. Each outer is in your aftermarket fender. Each inner has been added.
A division of General Tire made stock Corvette body panels for a while. Rockwell was also a provider.
I cannot recall VV Cooke being known for their own fiberglass. They sold Chevrolet stuff over the counter.
In your pic, your license area looks to be very nearly in the stock position to me. I honestly cannot say that it appears to be lower than production. The rear panel also looks nearly stock height, but the bubble lights throw off the perspective. The inner pairs of each of your tail light sets look like they are in the stock positions. Each outer is in your aftermarket fender. Each inner has been added.
A division of General Tire made stock Corvette body panels for a while. Rockwell was also a provider.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Oct 24, 2012 at 09:18 AM.
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From: Deland FL
The Custom rear is kind of rare..the lights do throw it off..but that is actually how they could get 8 lights in there..without the lowered bracket the lights would not fit at all..I do believe the car had the custom panels before it had the widebody..also the bumper end pieces seem to be from the older custom rear not the widebody kit..it was open in the back no corners...you can see the Custom vs Stock rear in the pic..the tag bracket is lowered slightly
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From: Deland FL
it is kind of an optical illusion..made more so by the 8 bubble lights on my car..I've learned the way to tell the difference is the unbroken line above the tag, the stock car does not have that line at all
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From: Deland FL
It appears the name of the company that made the race kit for GM and for Greenwood originally was called Diversified Fiberglass..they also made the body panels for the H-body IMSA cars too.