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Ran into two sets of numbers on the underside of the hood. Car is a 1969 L-46 350 cubic inch / 350 horsepower air conditioned car with PS, PB, M-21 close range, 370 posi-traction car. Build date is October 31, 1968.
First set of numbers are 1/4" tall and read 48246
Second set of numbers are below and right of the 1/4" numbers, these are 3/16" tall and read 89 01 1112 1 2345
Not sure what the numbers mean. I have the older 3rd Edition of the 1968-1969 Corvette Technical Information Manual & Judging Guide and there is nothing mentioned about numbers in the HOOD section on P.24 or in the MECHANICAL SECTION for engine compartment on P.68 HOOD UNDERSIDE. Pretty certain this is the original small block hood but do not see anything about stamps or numbers mentioned in the judging guide. Anyone have an idea what the numbers mean or how to decode these two sets of hood numbers? Thanks in advance for any help.
numbers are located underside of hood just above where the master cylinder is located when the hood is closed, closer to the firewall on the driver's side. the group of five numbers are 1/4" tall. The other group of numbers are 3/16" tall.
Dear K69....I have a VERY similar car. 69, L-46, M-21, side exhaust, two top Convertible.3.70 posi. (no ac etc however)
If you're willing to be patient...I'll look at mine. Gosh! I've had the dang car for 42 years and NEVER noticed those numbers. Mine is a matching number car/ Original
December '68.
They sure look like a part number and pre-conjecturing here...these look replacement....hence me looking.
My underside of hood is SATIN BLACK....from your pictures...NOT... hence the replacement part numbers.
I cant read the lower right numbers clearly....can you post them?
This should not be concerning. Car is shipped back in the day from ST-L to wherever. In transit something dashed the hood. Warrantee repair before the sale.
I'll check if mine has those numbers....none of which (to me) look like a date code.
Don't feel bad L-46man. We've had this car 10-years and it's the first time I noticed them because I'm getting ready to put the '69 hood insulation blanket mat back in the car. Two of the retainer pins are intact. The base of the third pin is intact but the etainer pin itself broke off some time during a previous ownership and I was trying to figure out the best way to repair the third retainer pin when I noticed the stamped numbers under the hood. I'm going with epoxy and will just dremil off the pin of a newly purchased retainer pin from Corvette Central (PN 463066) rather than risk damaging the hood trying to remove the very very secure third base.
First set of numbers are 1/4" tall and read 48246
Second set of numbers are below and right of the 1/4" numbers, these are 3/16" tall and read 89 01 1112 1 2345
I'll be interested to hear if your '69 L-46 also has this group of numbers stamped on the underside of your hood. Looks like a manufacturer stamp to me. Guessing that GM was the manufacturer of the hood but that is just a guess. There's nothing in the 3rd Edition 1968-1969 Technical Information Manual & Judging Guide book about the manufacturer or these stamp numbers.
Yep, I am on Corvette Forum for the very same reasons UNKAHAL, these Corvettes and the various numbers, letters, stamps, and codes are absolutely interesting and fascinating to me. I can waste (invest) hours of time running numbers down and checking my assembly manual and the 1968-1969 technical information & judging guide book to see if they match. And, of course CF is just the best ever for information and assistance.
Easy Mike added Rockwell as the most likely manufacturer of the fiberglas hoods. Maks sense.
Well guys...to the Man Cave to see what else we can find. Thanks everyone for the details and the help with the underhood numbers.
I have the exact same numbers on my hood of my Dec '68 built '69. I am pretty confident my hood is a replacement though as I have the three posts for the hood insulation that came on AC cars but mine is not an AC car. I read the first digits as 89 and not 68 though as the '01' would be upside down then.
Last edited by Dynra Rockets; Oct 2, 2020 at 10:53 AM.
This is really interesting - I like finds like this just because it's kind of fun. Now I'm going to have to look at our '68 and see if I can find them.
Dynra: since the date appears to be good for your 'AC' hood, I have another guess. Your car is being built, they had a temp shortage of non-AC hoods, so they used what they had available to them and kept moving. Based on what I've seen and read, the factory did some pretty 'interesting' things back then.
Can't thank the members of this forum enough for the help, insights, and entertainment.
I have the exact same numbers on my hood of my Dec '68 built '69. I am pretty confident my hood is a replacement though as I have the three posts for the hood insulation that came on AC cars but mine is not an AC car. I read the first digits as 89 and not 68 though as the '01' would be upside down then.
Interesting. Appreciate your post and the additional details you provided. Very possible I was reading some of the hood numbers upside down. The underhood insulation pins on a non-AC car is odd too. I have no idea. Perhaps a replacement hood as you mentioned?
This is really interesting - I like finds like this just because it's kind of fun. Now I'm going to have to look at our '68 and see if I can find them.
Dynra: since the date appears to be good for your 'AC' hood, I have another guess. Your car is being built, they had a temp shortage of non-AC hoods, so they used what they had available to them and kept moving. Based on what I've seen and read, the factory did some pretty 'interesting' things back then.
Can't thank the members of this forum enough for the help, insights, and entertainment.
Quote from the NCRS Judging Guide about 69 under hood insulation,
In 1969, a piece of dark gray/black insulation padding fixed to the front underside of the hood above the radiator and front of the engine was used sporadically until late in production when it disappeared. There is no pattern for this use, but it seems to have been more common on 427 cars. Except for L88 and ZL1 cars, which had it glued in place, the insulation was held by three natural aluminum split shaft pins and large black metal push-on retainers.
I'll add to this 'froth'....PJO's comment about weird stuff happening at the factory.
1. 1969 was the 'strike year'. (very similar to 2020!)
2. My car is an original 36k mile car that has never been hit. I've had the whole car apart and 'ran all the numbers'. I've had it 43 years.
3. Mine is the lightest, least content version, IE NO; PS,PB, Radio, Heat, etc.
So To add to PJO's comment. My right side headlights have the squirters UNDER the lights, My Left side is OVER the lights! In the back drv side body mount pocket was an entire BOX of steel rivets.
Does anyone remember the empty bottle of Bacardi rum someone pulled out of some compartment in a old Vette? That would account for a lot of these issues. I have a pic of it somewhere!!!! Ike
It is an old Ecklers number for replacement parts!
I'm starting to think this is the plausible answer. The oldest catalog I have onhand is 2011 and it lists the LT1 short hood as part number 38093, which also being 5 digits and close to 48426, seems like it fits the explaination. I do remember Ecklers redid their part numbering nomenclature sometime in the late 80's (ex: H-xxx vs a 5 digit number)
Anyone have a 1989/1990 catalog handy to look up the hood part number?
Last edited by Dynra Rockets; Oct 2, 2020 at 01:57 PM.
Under Hood Numbers
