Mid-Year Trim Tag Characteristics
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,050
Likes: 124
From: Wichita KS
Mid-Year Trim Tag Characteristics
You'll find no NCRS secrets here. If there are any NCRS secrets re Trim Tags, then nobody told them to me.
What you will find in this post (and subsequent posts) is a compilation of mid-year trim tag characteristics I compiled after reviewing hundreds of threads on Corvette Forum as-well-as other related forums and my own observations about their physical characteristics.
If you have physical access to the trim tag in question, then NCRS' Authentication Library, Volume One, GM Issued 1963-1967 Corvette Trim Tags, by Al Greening and Roy Sinor, will serve you well sorting out a real vs a reproduction tag. For that reason, in this post, I'll not detail those font characteristics found in the letters "R" in TRIM, "D" on BODY, "T" from PAINT, and "CH" & "L" from CHEVROLET. If you are serious about these Trim Tags, then having that NCRS book as a resource is a must.
Problem comes when you don't have physical access - you've only got a photograph. And quality of those photographs is often marginal. Even "good" photographs you see on a for-sale car, often don't have the detail you need.
Point is, for Trim Tags, you can't call them good from a photograph, but you can call them bad. If that Trim tag in photo doesn't have obvious problems, then, other things being equal, car deserves a closer look. If a casual look at that photo tells you it is a reproduction, then why waste your time?.
[I know some folks could care less about the authenticity of a trim tag - this thread is not for them. When you, or your heirs, go to sell that car, however, a fake trim tag will affect some potential buyers. So for all the "it doesn't matter", folks - if it doesn't matter, why is there a market for fake tags?]
What you will find in this post (and subsequent posts) is a compilation of mid-year trim tag characteristics I compiled after reviewing hundreds of threads on Corvette Forum as-well-as other related forums and my own observations about their physical characteristics.
If you have physical access to the trim tag in question, then NCRS' Authentication Library, Volume One, GM Issued 1963-1967 Corvette Trim Tags, by Al Greening and Roy Sinor, will serve you well sorting out a real vs a reproduction tag. For that reason, in this post, I'll not detail those font characteristics found in the letters "R" in TRIM, "D" on BODY, "T" from PAINT, and "CH" & "L" from CHEVROLET. If you are serious about these Trim Tags, then having that NCRS book as a resource is a must.
Problem comes when you don't have physical access - you've only got a photograph. And quality of those photographs is often marginal. Even "good" photographs you see on a for-sale car, often don't have the detail you need.
Point is, for Trim Tags, you can't call them good from a photograph, but you can call them bad. If that Trim tag in photo doesn't have obvious problems, then, other things being equal, car deserves a closer look. If a casual look at that photo tells you it is a reproduction, then why waste your time?.
[I know some folks could care less about the authenticity of a trim tag - this thread is not for them. When you, or your heirs, go to sell that car, however, a fake trim tag will affect some potential buyers. So for all the "it doesn't matter", folks - if it doesn't matter, why is there a market for fake tags?]
Last edited by mapman; Jan 23, 2023 at 06:19 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,050
Likes: 124
From: Wichita KS
Thanks for your comment. However, just testing some things.
I'd like to upload entire post at one time - should make it easier to follow. Hence, I need practice integrating photos etc.
Expect post to be lengthy - I've given this info in slideshow form and it takes about an hour.
Also thought about a youtube video, but expect interest is on CF.
Folks generally know about "MH" alignment, "dot T" alignment, chip on "C", etc.
Too many times these characteristics are not visible/too blurred in for sale photos.
I'd like to toss out a few others that I have not seen published. These are some font characteristics I've personally come across.
Hope info helps some members avoid expensive mistakes.
When I get it sorted out, I'll post in C1/C2.
Another thing i want to sort out is time limit on being able to edit your own post
Mapman
Last edited by mapman; Jan 9, 2023 at 07:27 AM.
