63 VIN and Trim codes

[Russ]

I'm helping a neighbor decode some information on the 63 Vette he's about to restore. I believe it's a roadster with the split window, possibly a Stingray. The body style is an 837, the body # is 1650, the trim is 419 and the paint # is 912A. Any idea of what these mean? He thought the car was originally Daytona blue with dark interior. The cowl tag is riveted on to a cross bar in the dash, near where the glove box would be. Is this the appropriate place? The state had assigned a new VIN some years ago, so I believe the original VIN plate is missing. Would the original VIN plate be near the cowl tag?

He's starting to restore this. Is there a book or website with good info on restoring this era of Vettes? I'd like to be able to help him, but have little experience with Vettes. I remember riding in the car when I was about 7 years old, and it's been sitting in storage ever since.

Thanks for your help.

Russ

[Ron Miller]

For a start, see http://corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/1963/index.html
right here on your good old

rlm

[Russ]

Thanks Ron for the reply. I found the VIN stuff. Now I'm looking for the paint (912A) and trim code (419).

Thanks
Russ

[mcditalia]

The car is a coupe, the paint# reflects Silver Blue, however the "A" doesn't make sense to me. The Body#1650 is the sequence # of the body for that year. The interior trim # is a little more tricky, I can't find what it matches up to.

MC

[mcditalia]

Russ, try ncrs.com also. FYI, all 63-67 vette's were "Sting Ray's" and the #'s you gave reflects that the car was a coupe, so it should have the split window since it was the only year made. What kind of condition is the car in?

Also, the vin plate your describing should be located on the brace under the glove box, so that's the correct place for it. A good book to start with is "Corvette, Restoration guide 1963-1967" by Richard F. Newton, about $30. Have fun!

MC

[JohnZ]

It was the 1650th split-window coupe body built at St. Louis, which puts it around VIN 3000, built during the first week in November, 1962 or thereabouts; there will be a two-digit letter-number body build date code just to the left of "Detroit" on the trim tag which will nail it down.

The 912A paint code says it was Medium Silver Blue, but you need to check again on the Trim Code - there was no "419", but there was a "490", followed by one or two letters.

The original VIN plate was spot-welded to the brace below the glove box, just outboard of the trim tag.

The 1963 is a major challenge for a correct restoration, as it has hundreds of one-year-only parts, many of which are not reproduced due to the low market volume for them. Your friend needs four publications immediately:

The NCRS 1963-64 Corvette Technical Manual & Judging Guide

The 1963 Corvette Assembly Instruction Manual

The 1963 Corvette Shop Manual

Noland Adams' Corvette Restoration & Technical Guide, Vol. II (1963-67)

The first three are available from the NCRS on-line store at www.ncrs.org , and the last one is sold by most of the Corvette resto parts suppliers (or from Noland himself at nolandadams@internet49.com ).

I'd also recommend he join the NCRS (he can join on-line at the NCRS site above), then join his local NCRS chapter - he can find it under "Contacts" at the NCRS site. He's going to need lots of information and help to restore a '63, and that's what the NCRS is all about.

[Russ]

Thanks John for the information. I believe I've got the trim # wrong. Sounding out 419 in my heads now sounds similar to 490!!! I'll check it. By the way, what does 490 represent? The seats appear to original. They're black or dark blue.

Unfortunately, the VIN tag has been replaced by a DMV issued VIN tag, so I doubt it's original, unless DMV copied the old VIN (could the original VIN tag be damaged and about to fall off?).

I'll steer my friend towards those manuals. I know for my 59 full-size Chevys, the assembly manual is invaluable.

Thanks
Russ

[JohnZ]

In '63, all trim codes for Dark Blue, Red, and Saddle Vinyl started with "490", and Saddle Leather started with "898"; each "490" code had one or two letters after it that indicated what color it was and whether or not the car had A/C. Black vinyl trim just had "STD" or "BLK" as the trim code.