1971 Stamp Pad vs. Vin Question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 199
Likes: 2
From: Arlington TX
1971 Stamp Pad vs. Vin Question
All,
I have been in email correspondence with a fellow that has a 1971 LT-1 for sale. Having not seen the car yet, I've just gotten a few pics.
Of particular interest is that the vin ends in 559 and the engine stamp pad ends in 595. It DOES have the correct CGZ stamping with a date that would easily fit the build date.
Would be interested to hear y'alls thoughts on if:
1) The original engine stamper just reversed the last 2 numbers, or,
2) At some point the engine was rebuilt/restamped & the screwup was there.
3) Other possibilities? I know 70/71 was a weird strike period.
Third owner. From all other indications, it's a true LT-1, missing AIR, but has TI, correct single fuel line Holley, etc. etc.. Will know more once I see the car in person. No build sheet.
Thanks!
PO
I have been in email correspondence with a fellow that has a 1971 LT-1 for sale. Having not seen the car yet, I've just gotten a few pics.
Of particular interest is that the vin ends in 559 and the engine stamp pad ends in 595. It DOES have the correct CGZ stamping with a date that would easily fit the build date.
Would be interested to hear y'alls thoughts on if:
1) The original engine stamper just reversed the last 2 numbers, or,
2) At some point the engine was rebuilt/restamped & the screwup was there.
3) Other possibilities? I know 70/71 was a weird strike period.
Third owner. From all other indications, it's a true LT-1, missing AIR, but has TI, correct single fuel line Holley, etc. etc.. Will know more once I see the car in person. No build sheet.
Thanks!
PO
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,596
Likes: 3,082
From: Shamong, NJ
It's possible, but it really wasn't that easy to reverse the numbers, when stamping the pad.
Normally, only the last digit would have been changed in the gang holder, before stamping the next block. So after VIN xx558 was stamped, only the "8" would have been pulled from the holder, and the "9" would then be inserted in it's place to create VIN xx559. The holder could have been dropped, causing the stamps to come loose, or maybe the "5" came out accidentally, when the "8" was removed? Anything is possible, but under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have been possible for the "5" and the "9" to get reversed.
Try to get a look at the VIN stamp on the trans. It should look the same as the block stamp, as they were both stamped at the same time.
Normally, only the last digit would have been changed in the gang holder, before stamping the next block. So after VIN xx558 was stamped, only the "8" would have been pulled from the holder, and the "9" would then be inserted in it's place to create VIN xx559. The holder could have been dropped, causing the stamps to come loose, or maybe the "5" came out accidentally, when the "8" was removed? Anything is possible, but under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have been possible for the "5" and the "9" to get reversed.
Try to get a look at the VIN stamp on the trans. It should look the same as the block stamp, as they were both stamped at the same time.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 199
Likes: 2
From: Arlington TX
Thanks guys.
Yeah, GB, my thoughts exactly. I've already asked for pics or at least the #'s off the tranny. He's insisting he's got an M22 under it
, and, I'm thinking....nah. Possible, but, not likely. If so, it probably doesn't match either the Vin or the stamp pad.
Yeah, GB, my thoughts exactly. I've already asked for pics or at least the #'s off the tranny. He's insisting he's got an M22 under it
, and, I'm thinking....nah. Possible, but, not likely. If so, it probably doesn't match either the Vin or the stamp pad.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,215
Likes: 665
From: Northeast
This registry lists both 595 & 559
http://www.c3registry.com/index.php?...te&car_id=4681
http://www.c3registry.com/index.php?...e&car_id=13589
This info can be entered by anyone without confirmation.
http://www.c3registry.com/index.php?...te&car_id=4681
http://www.c3registry.com/index.php?...e&car_id=13589
This info can be entered by anyone without confirmation.
Last edited by BKarol; Mar 17, 2015 at 08:59 AM.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,076
Likes: 148
From: Hunterdon Cty NJ
The surface of the pad looks a little too smooth for me. My bare metal pad does not shine like that. Try to get a clearer picture to see if and broach marks are visible. It almost looks likess some lines running "longways" on the pad instead of accross the short dimension.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 199
Likes: 2
From: Arlington TX
Yes, Eljay. It's certainly not the nicest pad I've ever seen. The last "5" in the supposed vin looks crooked. Possible, I guess. The first "2" in the build date looks crooked. Less likely. As you mentioned, no realistic looking broach marks.
The owner was out of town and couldn't even provide the Block casting # from memory. Uhhh, how about 010? I've asked a bunch of questions and requested more pics. If they don't respond, that's usually a sign to me to walk away.
The owner was out of town and couldn't even provide the Block casting # from memory. Uhhh, how about 010? I've asked a bunch of questions and requested more pics. If they don't respond, that's usually a sign to me to walk away.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 199
Likes: 2
From: Arlington TX
All, I have been informed that the stamping on the tranny DOES match up to the Vin# on the windshield pillar.
Does that shed any light on the engine stamp pad, or, just further muddle things?
Thanks much!
Does that shed any light on the engine stamp pad, or, just further muddle things?
Thanks much!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,108
Likes: 4,170
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi PO,
Typically the same stamp was used to stamp the engine pad and transmission so any idiosyncracies in the partial VIN on the engine pad typically appear in the partial VIN on the transmission too.
Regards,
Alan
From John Hinkley (John Z).
Typically the same stamp was used to stamp the engine pad and transmission so any idiosyncracies in the partial VIN on the engine pad typically appear in the partial VIN on the transmission too.
Regards,
Alan
From John Hinkley (John Z).
Last edited by Alan 71; Mar 18, 2015 at 06:51 PM.