zphantom

I am leading a task to come up with the definitive Corvette year indentification tool, or list. More info can be found here: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=693939
Any specific C1, or C2 help or any other generation help would be great.

Feel free to post new info, corrections, etc.
Thank you.

waynec

Side cove emblem on the 61 is 3 horizontal bars; 62 has crossed flags atop a "V".

1COOL60

A few identifying features of the 60 versus 58/59:

60 was the first year for the rear sway bar,
Seat pleats for the 60 are vertical, versus horizontal for the 59,
The stainless steel plate above the package tray where the CORVETTE letters are located has a colored bar above and below the lettering (I think one is red and one is blue but don't remember which is which) 59 does not have these bars,
The hood latches (body side) were changed (became larger) in 60 versus 59/58,
58 was the only year for fake hood louvers and chrome trunk strips.

These are the main differences I can think of off the top of my head. Oh, there may have been differences in the horn button, too. If I find more, I will post them, if somebody doesn't beat me to it. :cool:


[Modified by 1COOL60, 11:30 AM 11/20/2003]


[Modified by 1COOL60, 11:31 AM 11/20/2003]

ctjackster

65 - and only 65 - blackout front grill (you do in fact note that the 66 has a new "bright gray" grill).

Problem is, many 65s are running around with the 66 grill, as the 66 grill was the service replacement for the 65. Telling a 65 vert apart from a 66 vert is one of the trickier things, but see also my note below about the 66 having emblem on the hood . . . (I say vert because the coupe at least has the easily-spotted vents in the B pillar on the 65 and none such for the 66).

66 - and only 66 - Corvette Script emblem right on the hood itself.

Nowhere Man

on mid years the gas cap lid is dirffrent on all years. 67 is the only year with back up lamps in the miidle bettween the tail lights.

65tripleblack

Aside from lots of minor stuff over the years, one thing that might be interesting. On the '84 only, the lettering on the original Goodyear Gatorbacks reads BACKWARDS.

Joe :eek:

zphantom

Originally, I had the listing as one of them ('59/'60) has horzional stitching in the seat, and one had vertical, but I couldn't remember which had which. Then I started to doubt myself when I looked at a Corvette book that had pictures of a '59 and '60 with different seats (one with thinner stitching, but both vertical), so this really brings this difference home. Thanks. The challenge of this is to be able to find the quickest way to tell the difference, so the seats seem to hold that distinction right now.

simard

At least I think that is right.

Larry P

The quickest way to tell a 59 from 60 is the rims. 59 are black and 60's are color of the car.
Larry

six-T-six

THe 65 and 66 have slightly different wheel covers (5 slots vs. six). On the knock offs, the cone is brushed. The wiper blades are also brushed. Door reflectors were eliminated and a door pull added in 66.

Ironcross

61`s, first year of 4 tail lites and last of the two tone paint jobs. 62`s, last year of a trunk until 1997 and only solid colors were available. No two tones. :D

65tripleblack

Six-t-Six:


There were no door reflectors in '65. I think they were eliminated for '64. 1965 door pulls were interior color vinyl . 1966 door pulls were chrome.

Joe


[Modified by 65tripleblack, 10:55 AM 11/23/2003]

six-T-six

:cheers:

ctjackster

as for those door pulls on a 65 - I cringe anytime I feel bold enough to use mine, feels like I could break it just by looking at it the wrong way . . . I imagine the chrome trim added to the 66 pull does nothing for its strength.

Did anyone mention another good distinguishing feature that changed nearly every year in the mid-years? The seat pleats! So easy to spot in interior shots . . .

good point on the KO cones, that was the very first piece of mid-year arcania imparted on me at my first visit to a vette show and shine - a 66 owner sniping at another 66, after I told him there was another "nice looking" 66 in the next row, he replied "yeah but the cones on his knock offs are all wrong" - took me a little time to figure out it was the brushed vs crome thing he was talking about . . . although I did realize immediately that I had a long way to go before I brought my "kinda almost nearly correct" 65 to such a nit-picky environment . .

65tripleblack

Jack:

This thread would run 100 pages if every change was posted. The door pulls in '66 were all metal, with chrome plating, and were attached to the inner door frame with Phillips head machine screws through captured nuts, just like the '65. They were infinately stronger, but prone to pitting.

Joe

SebringBill

The blowout clip on the roof for 97 was held in place by the first weatherstrip screw. The clip was relocated to the 2nd screw in the 12000 VIN range in 1998. This will identify a 97-early 98 coupe (or the wrong top on a newer car). I believe all the convertibles had the clip in the later position.


UPDATE: Just found the email from my GM friend...the change was just over VIN 10000. (I've been a member of NCRS waaaay too long...)



[Modified by SebringBill, 12:07 AM 11/30/2003]

joe58

If you get stuck look at the vin. no.

Ironcross

68`s never had the stinkray emblem! :lol:

mymaur

I'll assume everything you want to use in your guide is to be described as it came from the factory. This is just how I tell the differences at a quick glance. There are of course about 100 differences between each year. ALso, opinions on this are like noses, everyone has one.

So at a glance:
--63 coupe, a no brainer, has the split rear window.& hood has non functional metal louvers.
--63 vert, same hood.
--63 was also the only midyear that had a slightly raised edge for the exterior handle on each door. This raised edge or shelf, was eliminated in 64 and on. Distinctive horizontal vents behind front wheels.
--64 coupe and vert, same hood as 63 but no metal louvers just the grooves in the hood. Same vents behind front wheels as in 63.
--65 coupe had vents on the pillar behind the doors, distinctive seat stiching, 1st year for a big block & only the 396 was available, distinctive hood for big block. New hood for small block as compared to 63 and 64. 6 spoke hubcaps. 4 wheel discs introduced. Some early 65's still had shoes all around. 3 vertical vents behind front wheels. first year for side pipe option.
--66 small block hood same as used in 65. Big block hood same as 65. Seat stiching was changed, vents on coupe pillar eliminated, 396 bb replaced with various 427's, 4 wheel disc brakes standard equip. 5 spoke hubcaps. still had 3 vert vents behind front wheels.
--67 big changes. Centered back up lights, parking brake lever in the center console, distinctive ***** and handles inside, stinger hood for bb, tri-power options. Knock off's replaced with a turbine wheel, Rally wheel was standard, VERY distinctive seats, Vents behind front wheels were angled at approx 30 degrees and there were 5, maybe 6. Can't exactly remember without looking it up.

yooperod

63s speedo tach and gauges have a silver cone shaped center
64s same but have a black cone shaped centers

(helpful if the car is a vert with a 67 bb hood)
rod