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1981 Original Decal Placement

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Old Oct 12, 2017 | 09:35 AM
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Default 1981 Original Decal Placement

Finishing up my 81 and cannot find information on exact decal placement for all original decals. I have a few figured out but want a manual or book which might show exact original-right down to the unleaded fuel decal...does anyone know of such a book out by NCRS or other...I have the shop assembly manual but does not show all. Please advise.

Thanks!!
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Old Oct 12, 2017 | 10:01 AM
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I'd say the Corvette Restoration Guide 1968-1982 by Richard Prince is the closest you'll get here unless NCRS has something. It doesn't give exact measurements but does show placement for most and discusses all.

Last edited by raydog9379; Oct 12, 2017 at 10:03 AM.
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Old Oct 12, 2017 | 10:54 PM
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Originally Posted by RDA 81
Finishing up my 81 and cannot find information on exact decal placement for all original decals. I have a few figured out but want a manual or book which might show exact original-right down to the unleaded fuel decal...does anyone know of such a book out by NCRS or other...I have the shop assembly manual but does not show all. Please advise.

Thanks!!
The 81 Assembly Manual shows the placement of many of the labels, on the car. The 80-82 NCRS Judging Manual describes the location of most of the labels, but doesn't show them.

To start with, the majority of 81 Corvettes didn't use the "Unleaded Fuel Only" label. On most 81's the words Unleaded Fuel Only are molded into the gas door bezel, and are only visible when the gas door is opened. Some VERY early 81's, maybe the first 4000, used the unleaded label, but after that it was replaced by the bezel with the warning molded into it.

Under hood, there is a yellow "Caution Fan" warning label centered on the top of the shroud, placed so that it can be read from the rear. The cap on the overflow bottle has a label that says "Notice" in white on a blue background, and black lettering that reads "Engine Coolant Only". The emission label is placed on the driver's side of the underside of the hood, along side of the hood frame and just forward of the hood latch. One master cylinder bale has a label marked with a "YC" in red letters, and Bowling Green 81's had a bar code label on the outer side of the master cylinders. Brake boosters had a small white label on the top front of them, with a two letter broadcast code on it.

The air cleaner has a "Keep Your GM Vehicle All GM" label centered on the driver's side of the air cleaner base. The right (passenger side) valve cover has a round, black crossed flags emblem on it. The valve covers also had an engine code label placed on either the front or back of the covers. These labels had two letters and/or a bar code on them, to identify the engine. Various engine components had bar code labels on them, but none of the valve cover or the bar code labels are being reproduced. The alternator had a black, ink stamp, broadcast code on it. The AC compressor label is placed on the top of the widest diameter portion of the compressor, placed so that it can be read from the rear.

The driver's door has a two part "Certification Label" placed on the inside top of it, an inch or so above the door latch. The underside of the jack compartment door had one to three labels placed on it. All 81's had a two part jacking instruction and caution label, on the underside of the door. If the car came with optional aluminum wheels, it had a caution label about the wheels, and 81's with the fiberglass rear spring, included a third blue and white label about the spring. The jacking instructions are available as a repro, but not the aluminum wheel or fiberglass spring labels.

There were also labels placed on each of the shocks, both front springs, and on the underside of the rear fiberglass spring. I think these are all of the labels used on an 81.
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Old Oct 15, 2017 | 08:34 PM
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Thanks so much...trying to get it right...last question/decal was the Drivers side sport mirror...did that come with the "Objects Appear Closer..." like the passenger or was it only the passenger side? I could not find pictures or direct text. Currently my passenger side is correct and wanted to confirm drivers side.

Again, thanks.
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Old Oct 16, 2017 | 02:11 PM
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I think the glass in the passenger side mirrors had a slight wide angle effect to them, which is why they had the warning. The driver side mirror was just regular glass, and only has the tiny "DMI" manufacturer's mark and date code on them, not any kind of warning.
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Old Oct 16, 2017 | 11:58 PM
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Great, thanks for you help.


Almost done!
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