Help with C3 ID
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 2,460
Likes: 352
From: Madison Alabama
Help with C3 ID
Requesting help with a project…the goal is to be able to accurately determine the year of a C3 at a distance, say three feet, assuming the car is in factory/stock configuration.
The cars I’m having problems with follow:
70 and 71 both have clear turn signals, 72 has amber turn signals. Are there any other styling clues that will tell these model years apart, especially the 70 and 71?
75 and 76; only difference is the 76 doesn’t have the vents on the rear deck behind the back window, correct?
76 and 77; I know 76 was the last year of the “Stingray” fender badge, did the 77 have crossed flags on the fender or nothing al all?
I often refer to the 1978 to 1982 rear end body style as "fastback", any ideas of a similar term for the 1968 to 1977 rear end body style, "notch back"?
Also looking for a few pictures. Need one of the rear deck of a 75 showing the vents and one of a 76 showing no vents.
Thanks for your help
The cars I’m having problems with follow:
70 and 71 both have clear turn signals, 72 has amber turn signals. Are there any other styling clues that will tell these model years apart, especially the 70 and 71?
75 and 76; only difference is the 76 doesn’t have the vents on the rear deck behind the back window, correct?
76 and 77; I know 76 was the last year of the “Stingray” fender badge, did the 77 have crossed flags on the fender or nothing al all?
I often refer to the 1978 to 1982 rear end body style as "fastback", any ideas of a similar term for the 1968 to 1977 rear end body style, "notch back"?
Also looking for a few pictures. Need one of the rear deck of a 75 showing the vents and one of a 76 showing no vents.
Thanks for your help
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 1,012
Likes: 0
From: Minnesota
It's getting harder to use this as a guide as all the repoduction pieces are the 71 and 72 style--originally the 1970 eggcrate louver had chrome only on the horizonal edges and the first vertical edge while the 71 and 72's had both horizontal and vertical chromed. If you check the 1970 Registry of Juliets you can see a example of the difference.
SEMPER FI--1970 Dave
SEMPER FI--1970 Dave
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,635
Likes: 4
From: Orlando Floriduh
77's early had Stingray badges then they were replaced with cross flags and the alarm switch was moved from the front fender. But.... I have a friend who has all three... Stingray, crossed flags and the alarm switch. Nothing is for cetain with these cars. Now... 68's have unique door opening thumb buttons that are in a recessed pocket in the door. 68 and 69's have black fiberglass rocker panel swith an aluminum trim strip along the top. Get a copy of the "corvette black book" for all the little details.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
From: Milwaukie OR
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Instructor
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
From: Port Orchard Washington
In my experience (judging, restos) the later ones went to amber. A good indicator is the bulb underneath. If it had an amber lens a clear bulb was used. Most bubba's would change a lens but not think about bulb color.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,236
Likes: 898
From: Myrtle Beach SC
Originally Posted by 2TONE82
I often refer to the 1978 to 1982 rear end body style as "fastback", any ideas of a similar term for the 1968 to 1977 rear end body style, "notch back"?
"Additional modifications had to be made to transform the Mako Shark II concept car to a Corvette production vehicle and accommodate real world driving conditions. The view was impossible out of the rear slit of a window located in the Mark Shark ducktail and the sugar scoop treatment of the XP-819 concept car was adopted for the C3. "
So in contrast to fastback...it was called sugar scoop and was terrible in terms of aerodynamics. Racers used the convertibles to improve the aero package.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 0
From: Montreal QC
Originally Posted by HDFLH67
Rear letters on a '75 are individual in recessed indentations. I believe the '76 is a one piece.
'76 had different steering wheel than '75. '75 had still this "classic" 3-spoke wheel, while '76 had one year only 4-spoke (vega?) steering wheel.
Was all '77 gas gap without any emblem? Gas gap was totally straight without a "pocket" for emblem?
'80, '81 and '82 had all different emblems! '80 with chrome edges, '81 same as '80 with black edges and '82 "shorter" with black edges.
These are few details that I use to figure out the model year!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,577
Likes: 2
From: Long Island New York
Originally Posted by Larry B.
77's early had Stingray badges then they were replaced with cross flags and the alarm switch was moved from the front fender. But.... I have a friend who has all three... Stingray, crossed flags and the alarm switch. Nothing is for cetain with these cars. Now... 68's have unique door opening thumb buttons that are in a recessed pocket in the door. 68 and 69's have black fiberglass rocker panel swith an aluminum trim strip along the top. Get a copy of the "corvette black book" for all the little details.
