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My 69 was purchased used by my father in 1974. He got no documentation. In 1979 he had the gas tank replaced - there goes the tank sticker! I tried getting factory documents from NCRS but my car was from a period never saved or found. My car is matching numbers and I want to keep it original. I can see all the options it came with and I know they are original, but how can I rebuild the documentation?
Start with documenting what you have and confirm its originality by using published sources. You mention NCRS and they just published the edition of 68-69 technical information manual. Then write it up! Here's what I did for my 78.
Start with documenting what you have and confirm its originality by using published sources. You mention NCRS and they just published the edition of 68-69 technical information manual. Then write it up! Here's what I did for my 78.
Start with documenting what you have and confirm its originality by using published sources. You mention NCRS and they just published the edition of 68-69 technical information manual. Then write it up! Here's what I did for my 78.
Very nice write up.
Kswanson69, I have what's left of my build sheet when I replaced the gas tank. I also used this to re-create a window sticker, not original but I guess it's better than nothing. https://corvetteparts.com/page/sticker
Start with documenting what you have and confirm its originality by using published sources. You mention NCRS and they just published the edition of 68-69 technical information manual. Then write it up! Here's what I did for my 78.
Wow, I am really impressed. I woke up this morning ready to start work on my '69 restoration and then I opened your attachment. Now, I'm thinking something MUCH stronger to drink than coffee. Man, do I have a lot of work to do yet. Thanks for the attachment. Nice way to format the information and photos and lay it all out so it makes sense.
You are very fortunate, you know the previous owner and have first-hand knowledge of what has been done to your car. I did not know the previous owner(s) of my car so I am building the documentation trail as I go along.
I am using these resources:
1. 1953-1972 Chassis Restoration Guide
2. '69 Assembly Instruction Manual
3. 1968-1969 NCRS Technical Information Manual and Judging Guide
4. Corvette Forum
I am writing down and photographing part numbers, stamps, embossed numbers and letters, and markings in these books as I go. Some things like the Window Sticker that 71 Green 454 linked to his post can be reproduced and I just note those too as "reproductions" in my books. I am not an expert on restoration or documentation. Just passing along some of the things I have learned so far, which I believe either supports originality or tells me what has been done previously to my car....like my GM Service Replacement fuel tank sticker which was still intact.
Do not give up on the build sheet. A large percentage of cars had other copies of the build sheets placed in other areas of the car. Mostly this was in the interior
somewhere and the most popular place was between the Speedo and Tach. The build sheet would be folded up nicely and stuffed in there. I found a copy of my
build sheets in that exact place. Other times they could be under the carpet etc.
If the car has been untouched there is a good chance another copy is in the interior somewhere.
Do not give up on the build sheet. A large percentage of cars had other copies of the build sheets placed in other areas of the car. Mostly this was in the interior
somewhere and the most popular place was between the Speedo and Tach. The build sheet would be folded up nicely and stuffed in there. I found a copy of my
build sheets in that exact place. Other times they could be under the carpet etc.
If the car has been untouched there is a good chance another copy is in the interior somewhere.
Joe
That's encouraging Joe. I guess I have a treasure hunt to look forward to when I tear the interior apart. You know, I wonder if GM uncovered any more build sheets, invoices or other records from the 1969 era in the last few years. If anyone has heard anything please let me know.
That's encouraging Joe. I guess I have a treasure hunt to look forward to when I tear the interior apart. You know, I wonder if GM uncovered any more build sheets, invoices or other records from the 1969 era in the last few years. If anyone has heard anything please let me know.
I'm sure they are not even looking. A former GM legal counsel was recruited years ago, (2001) for a special assignment to search and see if records remained. Art Armstrong was the attorney and he found nothing after searching through the Pontiac and Chevrolet divisions. His findings were published in the Winter 2001 issue of the NCRS Corvette Restorer. Its also summarized in the Corvette Buildsheet Book.
This was easy in the old days before all of the privacy laws. Contact the state DMV and have a title search done to "verify" mileage. I did it lots of times in the 80's and early 90's. You would get a bunch of old copies of the titles and then contact the past owners. It could lead you to another state too. Most of the time the address was still good. I would mail them a letter, ask for info and include my phone number. Almost everyone of them was HAPPY to talk about their old car. I got old photos, found take off parts, even got a tank sticker and a window sticker once. Yep, they were "the good ol' days"
This was easy in the old days before all of the privacy laws. Contact the state DMV and have a title search done to "verify" mileage. I did it lots of times in the 80's and early 90's. You would get a bunch of old copies of the titles and then contact the past owners. It could lead you to another state too. Most of the time the address was still good. I would mail them a letter, ask for info and include my phone number. Almost everyone of them was HAPPY to talk about their old car. I got old photos, found take off parts, even got a tank sticker and a window sticker once. Yep, they were "the good ol' days"
That sounds great! I assume that's no longer possible, especially in California. I wonder if anyone knows how to get such info.
I have been trying to rebuild my 69 documentation as well and found out through the Corvette Museum that records (build sheets) from St. Louis where our cars were build in the day were all destroyed in a fire at the plant after they moved operations to the Bowling Green plant. I like what hunt4cleanair did and will follow his lead.
One thing I do have from a previous owner are pics of all of the chalk markings under the carpet that depicted certain options such as my factory side pipes and AC.
I have been trying to rebuild my 69 documentation as well and found out through the Corvette Museum that records (build sheets) from St. Louis where our cars were build in the day were all destroyed in a fire at the plant after they moved operations to the Bowling Green plant. I like what hunt4cleanair did and will follow his lead.
One thing I do have from a previous owner are pics of all of the chalk markings under the carpet that depicted certain options such as my factory side pipes and AC.
Very interesting - I'm looking forward to redoing the carpet and now have more inspiration and curiosity. I guess it is a matter of documenting what you can any way you can.
You can't 'rebuild' non-existent documentation. If the original owner did not retain and/or save the original papers, they don't exist. GM / Chevrolet did not retain old vehicle records until the 1980's.
Lots of vendors will sell you papers that LOOK like original documents...but they are not real or even accurate. Save your money and enjoy your car.
I'm afraid you're right - I will likely never have documentation evidence that what I have is original, but I hope keeping her original and having matching numbers will still preserve some value. I certainly enjoy the car and have decided to repaint in the original Daytona Yellow even though it's not my favorite color. It sure would be nice to find out who the original owner was somehow. It was purchased in November 1969 in the SF Bay Area.
How do you rebuild documentation?
