looks are deceiving L-71

[TimG]

I don't have a problem with the "O's" or even the inverted "8", I've got plenty of examples of those in my files. The over stamp is a bit unusual and pretty messy. I'd look real hard for 435 signs on this car. No pictures of the tach, oil pressure gauge, four bolt main (big oil cooler plug), or transistor ignition stuff.
These would help verify its 435 heritage. Could it be a 390 horse motor with an over stamp from the factory? Could it have been over stamped later in life? I don't know. Too bad they had to pull the motor and rebuild it, with a strange stamp and no paperwork, you'd love to see the motor in its original, never removed condition. They should have documented the motor before removal if nothing else.

[Pat O'Connell]

Excellent points, Tim..I'd question the seller as to why the engine was pulled for a rebuild...From the description, it didn't need much once it was torn down.

[LS6 RAT]

The engine was pulled by the original owner and a small block stuck into it. This original engine was mounted on an engine stand in the garage of the owner when he died and in need of a repair from a broken piston ring. The widow sold the car to a classic car dealer and stated that this engine was the original engine from the car.
The car is and has all the original unique pieces for a L71 optioned car. The engine pad has original broach marks. I am not questioning the authenticity of the stamping, I am stating that this car with this stamping anomaly and the fact that there is no factory paperwork to verify its options, makes this car somewhat suspicious to collectors with that messed up stamping and no paperwork. This wouldn't be my first choice for an investment quality Corvette.

[bergy]

Great discussion and observations guys. I was a GMI student sponsored by Chevrolet Tonawanda back in the day. Like most co-op students, I occassionally got the crap jobs (like stamping parts that had missing/wrong digits). I'm not saying that the "T" in question is or isn't ligit, but it wouldn't surprise me. Our job was simply to obliterate the old digit and add a new one - "pretty" wasn't in our vocabulary! I usually used an "X" stamp or grinder (on "as cast" surfaces) to get rid of the incorrect digit. It was really up to the inspection department to determine the method - it just had to be correctly, permanently marked - that's all. I hate that this car has that goofed up "T", but who knew that our work as a bunch of 18 year olds would someday be placed under a microscope?

[al8apex]

I, too, went to GMI in the early 70's

I worked at Pontiac in Pontiac MI. The sh** that went on back then was truly unbelievable, at least for this 18 year olds eyes

One of my duties was to crawl around in the rafters of the engine plant and count the number of blocks that had fallen off the conveyor system ... in black sand / dust environment, probably the equivalent of being in a coal mine ... so the "myth" that block HAD to be cast within a certain time period is only that, a myth. They would send up a newbie GMI student every year to get them counted and pulled down ...

I was never involved with the stamping process, but here is a Muncie we had last year that obviously had problems with the stamp, they finally gave up and stamped it 90 degrees from the "normal" area to the top of the case ...

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=136529

[1969l78]

I would say they had a problem with that stamping. I am sure there where some weird things to happen back in the day.

[HiHorse]

Need to see the car in person.....no block casting date mentioned, no picture of 3/4" plug or 4 bolt caps....does have proper tach and oil gauge.

[Wardy]

[ QUOTE ]
The car... has all the original unique pieces for a L71 optioned car.

[/ QUOTE ]
I would take Warren's assessment to the bank

[jeff-san]

last time I looked the car got bid up over 40k and looked like it was going to sell. I hope the new owner is prepared for what he's going to receive.

[1969z280]

Jeff:

Thanks for the "heads-up" on the Corvette. If I had not spoken with you, I would have gotten sucked into the hole with the others. Ed