7vette6

2 years ago i bought what i thought was a 1976 vette. The first thing that threw me off was the blue engine. I looked it up and found that most 77's came with this blue engine. and infact the block ID states that it is a 77. after looking into it more i found that every single interior piece also belongs to a 77. The only 76 parts on my car is the chrome windshield trim, stingray badges and the vin. although the 76 and 77 are extremely similar does anyone have any ideas why my car is half and half?
just for curiosity's sake
-thanks

Brcmpbl

Someone built it that way, that's all. Maybe it is a 1976 frame with 1977 everything else because the original 1977 frame rusted badly, and a previous owner got a 1976 frame cheaply, or maybe it just has the birdcage from a 1976. Many possibilities of course.

7vette6

yea i was just confused because for the most part it seems not much work has been done on it

Brcmpbl

The guy would seem to do pretty good work then. I wouldn't let it bother you as long as you enjoy the car.

daanbc

You have a 76 steering wheel? Or a 77? Are your gauges 76 "round" or 77 "round but flat on bottom" Is your handbreak metal or rubber cover? This may help you.

Easy Mike

The VIN will give you the model year. There is also a vehicle certifcation label on the driver's door with the VIN typed on it, along with month and year of manufacture.

What block ID? What number are you using for your identification? The engine identification stamp is on the pad on the block at the front of the right head. The VIN derivitive is also stamped on the pad.

The Black Book says late production 76s got 77 interior parts.

My hunch is that the engine has been replaced or you might have a 77 you thought was a 76.

7vette6

my interior is completley 77. 3 spoke steering wheel, coat hooks on roof panels behind head, round,flat gauges, and infact the engine block says its a 77. i do have a late model 76 which could explain the interior. and i guess someone just blew the engine and replaced it with a 77. thanks alot! i didnt know about the black book

Brcmpbl

The Black Book says late production 76s got 77 interior parts.

I have never actually seen a verifiable example of this...maybe bits and pieces, but not a whole interior...they are very different.

chstitans42

Id like to see that too. I have never heard if this

vettebuyer6369

What is your VIN?

Some pictures would be very helpful here.

Interesting situation. What is the assembly code on the block pad? The casting date? Pictures of the pad would also be interesting.

7vette6

Vehicle vin# 1z37L6S427291
block ID 7072OCLA (1977)

The only 76 parts i can identify are the vin, chrome windshield trim and the stingray fender badges

Easy Mike

1976 Corvette assembled in March, 1976. It originally had the base L48 engine.

CLA was legit for 77, but the 7072O does not make sense. Corvette small blocks would have been coded VxxxxCLA with the Xs standing for the engine assembly date. V is the plant code for the Flint, Michigan engine assembly plant. All Corvette small blocks came from Flint.

glen242

My'76, #29750, has all '76 interior parts and is later than your car. Car is/was matching numbers.

Something is not right with yours.

Clear title, salvage title?

7vette6

The vin# ended with a 1. So my car is 42000/46000.

glen242

???

The 4 is a 'place holder'. Actual #27291, twenty seven thousand two hundred 91st made. I do not believe 42000+ '76 Corvettes were made. What does the 1 at the end of the VIN number signify? Where did you get your information? Mine ends in 0. What do you think that means?

You need to do more research.

Brcmpbl

46,558 1976 Corvettes were made.

joewill

without typos and without misreading the numbers.. if you would post these numbers, we can tell you exactly what your have:
1. VIN # on title
2. VIN# on windshield post
3. All numbers on engine front pad on front drivers side.
4. ENGINE casting date and engine casting number cast back behind the distributor
5. Blue certification label sticker on drivers door.
6. a couple of pics of your parts in question.

how do you know the block id states it is a 77? how do you know it is a 76 car?

Easy Mike

You posted your VIN. Your car is #27291. All 76s have the 4 in the VIN following the S. It's the car line series code. 27291 is your consecutive unit number (serial number). The last 76 built in February, 1976 was #24370; the last 76 built in March was #28760. Your car is between these two.

The time/build code in the upper right corner of your trim tag will have an alpha H and two numbers for the date the trim tag was attached. My guess would be after the middle of March.

Have you taken another look at the numbers on the engine?

SuperBuickGuy

my 75 has lots of 77 parts - if the car could talk, I'm sure it'd have quite the story; however, as it can't - it is what it is....short of pulling the body off the frame and checking the frame numbers; you'd have to presume someone changed the parts for some reason.

With my car, I'd guess it had a wiring fire/engine fire because most of the replaced parts would fall into that category.... and I'm not going to pull the body off the frame to sate my curiosity - I have a 75 because that's what the title says...

chstitans42

OR It could just be someone wanted to make their car look one year newer.
FOR EXAMPLE:
1. '68-'72 owner's putting on rubber bumper front clips to make them look like a '73.
2. Installing '77 interior to a '76 to make it look newer.
3. Installing '80-'82 Front and rear bumpers to '78-'79 cars to make them look newer.
4. Installing '78-'82 interior into an older car.

I have seen all of these things done to cars, all in person. I doubt someone would do anything like this now, but when these cars were coming out, all you guys who were around then KNOW people did this. There was a time when your '80-'82 Corvette was so much cooler than any chrome bumper car you could come up with. That reason explains the examples above.