Been replacing the heater core, rebuilding its heater box, replacing hoses and while I’m into the engine bay cleaning it up and doing paint touch up. I pulled up the the windshield washer bottle which at some point had been painted black, badly over dirt then had red primer and green body paint overspray. I stripped the paint off and below is what I have, a natural plastic tank not the black plastic the NCRS guide says is supposed to be.
Seems to me I read somewhere the very first tanks were natural which were visible thru the fin vents in the fender. For that reason they were changed to black. Mine is an early production car built in November of ‘67. Anyone else able to confirm that the first were natural and not black ?
Right now it’s soaking in a bleach and water solution overnight to whiten it up closer to how it would be new.

 

I too have an early 1968 C3 with the 427 like your C3. The windshield water bottle on my car was natural nylon/plastic colored when I bought the Corvette. My serial number ends with 2595 and the car was built in early October. I am not familiar with any way of cleaning the container without damaging or discoloring it. If your cleaning method works please let us know!

Are you going to try and restore your 1968 for NCRS competition? On a 1968 that would be very expensive and hard to do. I have kept all the pieces for my car that I removed or replaced stored away in vacuum bags. Now I just have to be sure that who ever gets my C3 gets all the extra "Original" parts. If they want to revert back to original they have a great start with the parts I have removed. My daughter has asked for it and will likely inherit the 1968 C3, she knows how to drive a stick and has driven a performance car for many years.

My C3 was stored in a barn for many years (like yours as I recall) and nobody treated the Corvette with love and care that Corvettes "deserve". I have spent many years bringing it back to glory and have kept it an early 1968 model. My car started life as a tri-power and when I bought it she had a single carb intake manifold. I rebuilt the 427 to be a L88 engine and that left me with so much power that I dare not drive it if there is a chance of rain as I get very poor traction on wet roads. The L88 engine has a real problem with the immense torque it makes from idle on up to 6k rpm. I have tried driving carefully on wet roads and near scared myself to death. I have a 3.36 rear with the four speed and it is fun on dry surfaces.

It is time to consider larger rims and quality tires with better wet traction. I tried a buddies D.O.T. Drag Slicks and I broke a half shaft's U-joint a few minutes later. I need something in-between to make it more drive able on any surface and stay safe doing it. I like the power from the L88 but it needs to get to the ground without traction issues, breaking parts or hurting people.

 

Ive got a oct 67....mines black

 

Bleach will not work. To remove the yellowing of the water bottle try SalonCare 40 volume peroxide cream. You can get it on Amazon but it's cheaper from a professional hair supply store. Rub the cream solution all over and inside the bottle, seal in a gallon zip lock plastic bag and sit outside in the sun all day. It may take a couple of days but it will change the yellow back to the original color. The hotter outside the better such as placing on a blacktop driveway. I 1st learned this trick years ago when restoring a 1960s white rotary telephone and worked like a charm!

 

Good tip to try. The bleach is working but not as well as it did for my Chargers washer tank. I’m just gonna let it soak in the bleach solution in the zip lock for a couple days.

 

I don’t doubt that. Wondering now what color the ‘67 had and what if its the same type of tank.
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Edit… I went to Zip’s site and got my answer. The C2 years had the same bottle right up to ‘67 in natural then at some point with the new body style they determined that it’d be better if it were black so it couldn’t be seen thru the gills.
What’s interesting is that in early ‘70 the natural tank was briefly used again for some of the production run.

 

mine looks just like this one
https://www.ebay.com/itm/39453173956...Bk9SR6CNzIXrYg

 

Thats what mine looked like with the black paint . $79 + $11 to ship, Gus’s they haven’t checked Zip’s price. it’s an example of why you need to shop around.

 

They claim that one is an original, not a repop hence the price
New, old stock new original OEm manufacture, ......is what they claim, shouldnt be painted but you never know. If its returnable then I guess if you are chasing points its worth it...but its just a plastic jug

 

It’s EBay so take it with an extra grain of salt

 

it is returnable. Ive gotten new in the box, wiper switches and 68 only ignition switches from Ebay. THere are a few reputable sellers on there but you pay a premium. That guy says its returnable, if its a repop then you can fillet him and his reputation will take a big hit, those guys dont like that. Like I said, if its worth it to someone for the NCRS points then whats a few extra bucks

 

Corvette Central is a regular seller on EBay. If I see that its them I’m much more comfortable with it.

 

I dont think the sell NOS oem stock

 

No but they are a reputable company.

 

Old thread, but thought I would post for another data point.
My April 25 1968 car had a natural color washer bottle.
It certainly looked original, in fact it looked just like the OPs bottle.
Mine had bounced out of the holder at some point in its life and melted a side of the bottle against the exhaust manifold.o
I found a used natural color one and bought it, then after reading the NCRS JG went out and bought a black washer bottle even though I’m not sure that’s what came with the car when new.

 

Vin # 15918 April 1 motor build & April 11 Trim tag mine is WHITE. I have never changed it, & I have owned the red head for 30 + years. That doesn't mean it wasn't changed previously, I doubt it but ya never know !!