63 Spyder? Help

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vairguy63
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63 Spyder? Help

Post by vairguy63 »

Looking at a 1st car for my son and came across a nice '63 900 Coupe - possible Spyder project but having some trouble with the VIN & Body Tag...

VIN stuff we've seen says subtract 100,000 to determine actual # - but that doesn't seem to make sense for a car built in the 5th week of Oct. '63... # 1,718??

Body Tag seems to match up with everything including the Saddle Tan ext & int colors but the TRIM 3C we can't find any official literature on. We've seen that Spyders we're option L87 but nothing attaching '3C' to the spyder. It has a YR code turbo engine in it.

Any help you can give would be great and
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azdave
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Re: 63 Spyder? Help

Post by azdave »

I'm far from an expert when it comes to the early models but I've seen a thread that said for 63 a "3C" code is the Spyder option.

I agree that the low production number in the VIN tag seems too low for late October but again, I don't research 60-64 much at all. Does the engine date code roughly match the production date of the chassis? Is the VIN tag spot welded to the door post like from the factory? Hard to see clearly in the photo. The body tag rivets sure look legit.

See the 4th post in this thread by "Bigwave". He is a source I trust for tag info.
http://corvaircenter.com/phorum/read.ph ... 962,464962
Dave W. from Gilbert, AZ

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Re: 63 Spyder? Help

Post by 64powerglide »

I have a 5th week October built but it's a 64 Monza, usually by October GM is producing the next years cars. Got some photo's of the car??
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vairguy63
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Re: 63 Spyder? Help

Post by vairguy63 »

Thanks for the reply and link azdave. We saw that thread too about the 3C being the spyder option but couldn't find that referenced anywhere else. BigWave's post seems to confirm this in the section that begins with "1963 Fisher bodytags ACC line. (WR, OA and VN)"

That is a very confusing post as it lists several options and that raises a question... can the body be built in WR and the car assembled and VIN tag placed in O? Willow Run body and Oakland build?

The vin and body tags appear to be original. The engine has a harmonic balancer and a '64 mag fan so not original. It has a 2nd block and heads with it but don't have those #'s to compare yet.


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vairguy63
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Re: 63 Spyder? Help

Post by vairguy63 »

Hi 64Powerglide. I was wondering the same thing. Oct 27-31 they would be building 64's? I don't have the car yet but I'd need to check that out. Anything specific to look for other than the transverse leaf spring on the 64's? Could the vin and body tags say it's a 63 but it's really a 64?


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Re: 63 Spyder? Help

Post by 64powerglide »

Rocker trim on the 63 is ribbed like the 62 Corvette, 64 is smooth & it has trim on the wheel arches. There would be a cut out for the exhaust right side of the grill. My body tag doesn't have a year on it but the vin has a 4. Pics are a bit fuzzy but it's zero out right now. :coolphotos:
Attachments
Body.jpg
vin.jpg
Last edited by 64powerglide on Thu Jan 04, 2018 9:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 63 Spyder? Help

Post by vairguy63 »

Thanks so much for the pics. Yours is completely different than ours and us all 64 style if codes from what I see. Looks like your ACC line states Powerglide, Convenience Group, and Padded Dash if we're decoding properly :)

I'll check the trim but I know it has the factory cutout for the bigger exhaust. Honestly it look like everything checks out but the Plants and production #'S are throwing me off.


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Re: 63 Spyder? Help

Post by 64powerglide »

Could it be the 1,718th Spyder to come out of Willow Run??
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Re: 63 Spyder? Help

Post by 64powerglide »

Here's the finance papers on my 64, Nov. 5, 1964. Lady ordered it & traded a 1954 Ford & got $708.30 for it.
Here is a seat tag too. Better sot of the Vin.
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SFinance form date of sale.jpg
Seat tag.jpg
Last edited by 64powerglide on Fri Jan 05, 2018 8:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
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azdave
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Re: 63 Spyder? Help

Post by azdave »

vairguy63 wrote: Thu Jan 04, 2018 5:45 pm... can the body be built in WR and the car assembled and VIN tag placed in O? Willow Run body and Oakland build?
I don't think so but I really don't know earlier models that well.

That last time I saw something like that it was found to be a confirmed VIN swap on a 65 4-dr. The body tag indicated "L" for Los Angeles but the VIN tag showed "W" for Willow Run. I found the hidden VIN and it began with "L" and did not match the visible VIN at all so a definite VIN swap by the former owner. Paperwork found in the car after I parted it out proved the real VIN number had been changed.

viewtopic.php?t=3000
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Re: 63 Spyder? Help

Post by 64powerglide »

Now that i'm awake I see I wrote the lady traded in a 64 Ford which should have been 54 in my previous post. :banghead:
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Re: 63 Spyder? Help

Post by azdave »

64powerglide wrote: Thu Jan 04, 2018 9:53 pm Could it be the 1,718th Spyder to come out of Willow Run??
I doubt it. Remember, Spyders did not have their own designator code (6) in the VIN sequence until the 64 models.

The VIN tag has a "0" in position #6 indicating Oakland as the manufacturing plant but the body tag says Willow Run. The body tag showing "WR 18825" does make sense that it likely was the 18,825th 1963 Monza coupe (927 body) built at that plant by the fall of 1962.
Dave W. from Gilbert, AZ

66 Corsa 140/4 Yenko Stinger Tribute
66 Corsa 140 Coupe w/factory A/C
65 Monza 4DR 140/PG w/factory A/C
65 Monza 4DR EJ20T/5
64 Greenbrier 110/PG, Standard 6-Door
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Re: 63 Spyder? Help

Post by vairguy63 »

That sounds like a good explanation as a late 62 body build in WR. The only way to know for sure on the VIN tag sounds like to check the hidden VIN. Does anyone have any experience with that on a 63? Can I see even the last few #'S without removing too much? Exact location to check?


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Re: 63 Spyder? Help

Post by azdave »

vairguy63 wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 4:21 pmThe only way to know for sure on the VIN tag sounds like to check the hidden VIN. Does anyone have any experience with that on a 63? Can I see even the last few #'S without removing too much? Exact location to check?
I provided a link to a hidden VIN discussion a few posts back. Some are easy to read. Some are darn near impossible.

Here it is again.
viewtopic.php?t=3000
Dave W. from Gilbert, AZ

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66 Corsa 140 Coupe w/factory A/C
65 Monza 4DR 140/PG w/factory A/C
65 Monza 4DR EJ20T/5
64 Greenbrier 110/PG, Standard 6-Door
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Re: 63 Spyder? Help

Post by vairguy63 »

Thanks Dave!


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Re: 63 Spyder? Help

Post by vairguy63 »

Well, we were unsuccessful in finding the hidden VIN :(
Jacked the car up, front wheels off and scraped down to good metal in the fender wells behind the A arms around and behind all we could without removing front suspension with no sign of anything on either side. It looked undisturbed from original so we're going with it.
Late October '62 body build and 1718th out of Oakland for '63. The engine is T1115YR so engine within weeks of body build- with some updates since.

Let me know if I missed anything and thanks for all your help. My son is excited to start the restoration of his first car (8 months til he gets his license) and I'm excited for another generation of corvair enthusiast!


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