Build Sheet
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Build Sheet
I'm a new member to the forum and to corvettes. I have a 72 coupe, LS-5, 4-speed, P/S, A/C. I've heard that the actual build sheet to the car may be on the top of the fuel tank.
Does the retreival process require you to drop the tank or can it be done without the tank being removed? If not, any advise on how it is done?
If so, what all is involved with removing the tank from the car?
Does the retreival process require you to drop the tank or can it be done without the tank being removed? If not, any advise on how it is done?
If so, what all is involved with removing the tank from the car?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,131
Likes: 4
From: May help you? You can sure as hell try!
You may be able to bend the lip of the rubber fuel boot down enough to peek at the top of the tank with a flashlight to see if it is there.
To remove the tank, remove the spare tire carrier, disconnect the fuel lines and sending unit from the tank, drain all the fuel and remove the cross member that supports it at the front. There are 4 bolts holding the cross member in place. Then you can roll the front of the tank down and out of the vehicle. Good luck on finding the build sheet!
Since you have a '72, the engine code is part of the VIN so there is no disputing whether or not you have an original big block car.
To remove the tank, remove the spare tire carrier, disconnect the fuel lines and sending unit from the tank, drain all the fuel and remove the cross member that supports it at the front. There are 4 bolts holding the cross member in place. Then you can roll the front of the tank down and out of the vehicle. Good luck on finding the build sheet!
Since you have a '72, the engine code is part of the VIN so there is no disputing whether or not you have an original big block car.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Sounds easy enough. My VIN has the W in it, so I know its an origninal BB car. What all information does the build sheet have on it? Will it tell me every option the car came with, including gear ratio?
Also for the corvette history guru's I have another question. Didn't GM have a huge strike in 72? Did it have any affects to production.
This forum is a great place to learn how to burn up all of your valuable time and money just to hear that V-8 talk to you. I will agree it is worth it.
Also for the corvette history guru's I have another question. Didn't GM have a huge strike in 72? Did it have any affects to production.
This forum is a great place to learn how to burn up all of your valuable time and money just to hear that V-8 talk to you. I will agree it is worth it.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
From: Port Orchard Washington
To some, the build sheet is gold. But it is still a 32 year old piece of paper. If the build sheet is very important to you, take all precautions to remove it as a single piece, or not to cause eradication of the typed information. Most sheets tend to disintegrate when removing, especially through a one inch opening at the fuel filler. I recommend dropping the tank if preservation of the build sheet is your goal. It takes only a couple of hours to remove and you can properly access the sheet in terms of preservation (lightly brushing the dust off with a paintbrush, attaching laminating plastic to the top, gently removing the glued portions from the tank, etc.) Just like restoring a Rembrant.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,235
Likes: 898
From: Myrtle Beach SC
Originally Posted by 72LS5
Sounds easy enough. My VIN has the W in it, so I know its an origninal BB car. What all information does the build sheet have on it? Will it tell me every option the car came with, including gear ratio?
Hope this helps.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,063
Likes: 1
From: Beverly Massachusetts
did they also put the build sheet on the tank in 76. just asking cause this is the first i have ever heard of this and if so this is gonna be really good news to me sense i just got my new stainless steel gas tank today that i was planning on putting in this weekend and now i know what to look forward to. 
im so excited i want to go out right now and pull the old tank. cant wait to get my new one in with its internal electric pump so i can start setting up my EFI. 
ohhhhh im so excited now 
im so excited i want to go out right now and pull the old tank. cant wait to get my new one in with its internal electric pump so i can start setting up my EFI. ohhhhh im so excited now
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Melting Slicks
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 2,897
Likes: 0
From: Moon Township PA
there has been more than one report of someone trying to remove a build sheet without dropping the tank and winding up bit shreds of paper. Dropping the tank isn't that difficult if you really want to get a good shot of removing your build sheet without tearing it. Take a good flashlight and peek between the left side of your rubber gas boot. If you can see something up there, then I would take the few hours of work and drop the tank.
Gary
Gary
