69 ~00003
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 997
Likes: 210
From: Schaumburg IL
Another thought...
Was this car one of the cars in the 1969 dealer brochure or marketing material? Today the early VIN cars are used by Chevrolet Marketing, and Captured Test Fleet vehicles....
Too many unknowns to just drive the you know what out of it...
I would get a NCRS shipping report and then contact the folks at Auto Ancestry..
http://www.autoancestry.com/
Was this car one of the cars in the 1969 dealer brochure or marketing material? Today the early VIN cars are used by Chevrolet Marketing, and Captured Test Fleet vehicles....
Too many unknowns to just drive the you know what out of it...
I would get a NCRS shipping report and then contact the folks at Auto Ancestry..
http://www.autoancestry.com/
I did not take your words lightly in fact the first thing I did was to call the two numbers you gave me, I will try them again on Monday.
I am gathering information and knowledge now and am now more curios about the car and would like to at least find out what was on it originally, it still might be a driver car we will see. The business man in me wants to know if it is worth bringing back to original dollar wise, if it is worth it for someone else and I can flip it for a nice driver fine. Not looking to make money but I do not want to loose a bunch out of ignorance.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 997
Likes: 210
From: Schaumburg IL
Hi Jack,
The fact that the original motor that was in this car is gone has very little effect on it being a source of information for people interested in just how the first 69s were being assembled and with what parts.
How good a source it might be depends on how much of the rest of the car is still there. An increasing degree of service replacement, and replacement parts, on the car decreases the car's ability to be an indication of very early 69 production.
It might be nice if someone very knowledgable about 69 cars could take a look at it to help determine just what you have.
Do you know about the National Corvette Restorers Society? You might want to check their web-site to see what they're about. They would likely be interested in seeing your #3 built 69.
Regards,
Alan
The fact that the original motor that was in this car is gone has very little effect on it being a source of information for people interested in just how the first 69s were being assembled and with what parts.
How good a source it might be depends on how much of the rest of the car is still there. An increasing degree of service replacement, and replacement parts, on the car decreases the car's ability to be an indication of very early 69 production.
It might be nice if someone very knowledgable about 69 cars could take a look at it to help determine just what you have.
Do you know about the National Corvette Restorers Society? You might want to check their web-site to see what they're about. They would likely be interested in seeing your #3 built 69.
Regards,
Alan
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
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Either join the club and get access to the info or ask here. No shortage of smart people on either/both sites.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 997
Likes: 210
From: Schaumburg IL
This interests me, I know the rear is correct for a side pipe car and I remember reading that there were a couple of other thing to check to see if the car was originally a rear exhaust but I don't remember what they were.
Race Director
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Alan is more qualified than I, but post a picture of up inside the rear valance where the cut-outs for the exhaust would normally be.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 997
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From: Schaumburg IL
I was just working on the rear end, cleaning it up getting ready for pain removing the tail lights ect. If someone switched the exhaust they did a good job.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 997
Likes: 210
From: Schaumburg IL
If I was to guess the rear of the car has been replaced because of the amount of filler used on the panel and the strips of fiberglass that was glued on that I stripped off. I also posted a picture of where the side pipe crossed the body.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,438
Likes: 41
From: Raleigh NC
St. Jude Donor '13-'14
Hi Jack,
Another good place to check is at the crossmember where a rear exhaust system would have passed through. The bolts used to secure the ground straps from the exhaust hangers to the frame were self-tapping bolts. If the car was originally a rear-exhaust car, you would see evidence in the holes that these bolts were installed and removed.
Very cool that you have 003!
Another good place to check is at the crossmember where a rear exhaust system would have passed through. The bolts used to secure the ground straps from the exhaust hangers to the frame were self-tapping bolts. If the car was originally a rear-exhaust car, you would see evidence in the holes that these bolts were installed and removed.
Very cool that you have 003!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 997
Likes: 210
From: Schaumburg IL
Hi Jack,
Another good place to check is at the crossmember where a rear exhaust system would have passed through. The bolts used to secure the ground straps from the exhaust hangers to the frame were self-tapping bolts. If the car was originally a rear-exhaust car, you would see evidence in the holes that these bolts were installed and removed.
Very cool that you have 003!
Another good place to check is at the crossmember where a rear exhaust system would have passed through. The bolts used to secure the ground straps from the exhaust hangers to the frame were self-tapping bolts. If the car was originally a rear-exhaust car, you would see evidence in the holes that these bolts were installed and removed.
Very cool that you have 003!
Well that is not going to work, the center section has been hacked out and a piece of steel has been bolted in probably to allow the transmission to be taken in and out easily. The manual 4 speed transmission mount is 3-4" in front of the cross member. Not sure if this is the original transmission or not due to the location of the mount I thought is was right at the cross member.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,438
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From: Raleigh NC
St. Jude Donor '13-'14
Well that is not going to work, the center section has been hacked out and a piece of steel has been bolted in probably to allow the transmission to be taken in and out easily. The manual 4 speed transmission mount is 3-4" in front of the cross member. Not sure if this is the original transmission or not due to the location of the mount I thought is was right at the cross member.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Kissimmee fl
Finalist 2021 C3 of the Year - Modified
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St. Jude Donor '07
The original 4 speed with the welded in crossmember would be mounted on a stand off bracket about 4 in. to the front of the car from the crossmember, so what you describe sounds right. That bracket bolts on to the crossmember.
For the sidepipes, look along the frame rail, under the doors, and see if there is some foil backed fiberglass insulation between the frame rail and the bird cage frame. This would be behind where the 4 screws go into the weld nuts to hold the side pipe cover on under the doors. Cutting the front fender is an easy mod for someone making the switch to sidepipes.
The rear valance look to be bonded in place,it should not be so you know some work was done there, but a picture from the inside where the valance meets the fender might show what we need to see. THis is what it should look like under there. The work on my valance should not be there, but the corner of the valance or the frnder do not show repair work.
You should also find this somewhere on the fiberglass. Under the car or maybe on the fire wall on the inside.
Your modified trans mount look like the location is correct.
For the sidepipes, look along the frame rail, under the doors, and see if there is some foil backed fiberglass insulation between the frame rail and the bird cage frame. This would be behind where the 4 screws go into the weld nuts to hold the side pipe cover on under the doors. Cutting the front fender is an easy mod for someone making the switch to sidepipes.
The rear valance look to be bonded in place,it should not be so you know some work was done there, but a picture from the inside where the valance meets the fender might show what we need to see. THis is what it should look like under there. The work on my valance should not be there, but the corner of the valance or the frnder do not show repair work.
You should also find this somewhere on the fiberglass. Under the car or maybe on the fire wall on the inside.
Your modified trans mount look like the location is correct.
Last edited by c69vete; Mar 24, 2014 at 11:31 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 997
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From: Schaumburg IL
The exhaust holes are not there, the lower piece is not only glassed in the inside flanges are not there either. The insulation between the cover and the frame is not there.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
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From: Raleigh NC
St. Jude Donor '13-'14
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2012
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From: Denton, Texas
It isn't a 1969 ZL1, that is something I wouldn't drive, but I would be proud to own the 3rd 69 C3. They are probably right about the fact that 1 and 2 might not be around anymore. With early production cars, some got crushed or destroyed. They still do that today. Dodge is crushing 90 something pre-production first gen Vipers, which it is a Dodge, but still neat cars that could be put into museums. Anyways with a little work to put it back to NCRS Topflight specs, it could be the next biggest Vette that you see or you read about being worth a fortune or something. The early C3s are slowly getting more popular and in just a few short years I imagine early C3s joining in on the C1 and C2 spotlight. I would say keep driving it as you want to, but be extra cautious when enjoying it. If it turns out that it is worth about the same as any other early C3, more specific any 69, then keep on rocking in the free world!
…..but if it is more valuable….then I would try to preserve it. Something else to keep in mind, even if it isn't worth as much TODAY, it will be worth more eventually than a typical 69. Thats just my 2 cents, I wish you best of luck and hope to see what you plan to do.
Brandon.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 997
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From: Schaumburg IL
Joined NCRS and ordered the shipping data. If I can move toward making this car as close to original as I can as I have fun with it and drive it I think that makes as much sense right now as anything. I do not think this car is worth much more than any other 69 in equal shape so until I find out otherwise that is the way I am going.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,186
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From: Pinecrest FL
2015 C3 of the Year Finalist
The rear quarter panels are also different for factory Side pipe cars. When you look at the inside of the rear quarter by where the exaust would have come out, has that area also been re glassed or was the valance just glassed in. Post a pic if you can.
Factory N14 cars also had insulation between the frame rail and the body. This is nearly impossible to replace unless the body has been off.
Inside the car, under the carpeting you should see some grease marks behind the drivers seat on the rear divider.
Factory N14 cars also had insulation between the frame rail and the body. This is nearly impossible to replace unless the body has been off.
Inside the car, under the carpeting you should see some grease marks behind the drivers seat on the rear divider.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,438
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From: Raleigh NC
St. Jude Donor '13-'14
Gary, what was different? I was under the impression that the mufflers rubbed on the fiberglass, are you saying rear exhaust cars would have been "notched" so to speak for the mufflers?