Author Topic: Restoration guidelines?  (Read 2106 times)

DONCZ28

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Restoration guidelines?
« on: August 28, 2020, 01:02:37 PM »
When restoring any car , and the original motor or trans is missing. What should be the excepted practice?  1)correct motor or trans, correct dates, no vin   2)correct with close vin   3) correct with restamp  vin    Let the  people weigh in on this topic.

KevinW

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Re: Restoration guidelines?
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2020, 01:31:54 PM »
1 or 2 is good.  3 is not IMO

x66 714

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Re: Restoration guidelines?
« Reply #2 on: August 28, 2020, 01:56:05 PM »
I hate forgery. I have a 68 Z/28 that I've owned since 1976. Engine & transmission gone before 43k. I  restored it the best I could & I've enjoyed over all these years. If it looks correct under the hood, most people wouldn't know the difference...Joe
See America's First, Chevrolet

1968 Z/28 Corvette Bronze. Black Hounds Tooth. 02E Los Angeles born 3/13/1968 pnt OO. Purchased March 1976
1969 SS396 Yellow/Yellow 08E Norwood born 8/28/1969 pnt 76E. Purchased April 1981

69Z28-RS

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Re: Restoration guidelines?
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2020, 02:12:50 PM »
I totally agree Joe...  There is ONLY ONE engine that was installed in each of our cars in the factory.   Whether that engine is still installed (Or Not) is a fact!  To represent anything else is a LIE, forgery, and potentially fraud (when you sell it, or represent it as original).

Make your non original engine LOOK correct.   Make it RUN correct.   But do not restamp it...
09C 69Z28-RS, 72 B 720 cowl console rosewood tint
69 Corvette, '60 Corvette, '72 Corvette
90 ZR1 red/red #246, 90 ZR1 white/gray #2466
72 El Camino, '55-'56-'57 Nomads, '55-'57 B/A Sedan

x66 714

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Re: Restoration guidelines?
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2020, 02:16:14 PM »
My 69 & my 33 Chevrolet are the only 2 cars I've ever owned that still have their "born with" engines...Joe
See America's First, Chevrolet

1968 Z/28 Corvette Bronze. Black Hounds Tooth. 02E Los Angeles born 3/13/1968 pnt OO. Purchased March 1976
1969 SS396 Yellow/Yellow 08E Norwood born 8/28/1969 pnt 76E. Purchased April 1981

DONCZ28

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Re: Restoration guidelines?
« Reply #5 on: August 29, 2020, 01:13:42 PM »
I ,like most people ,don't like restamps. So the next option would be an over the counter motor , correct pad  date and code stamp (no vin).  2) correct motor  with a close vin.

rich69rs

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Re: Restoration guidelines?
« Reply #6 on: August 29, 2020, 03:51:20 PM »
When I bought my ‘69 RS in Nov 1991, the engine in the car was not the original - it was basically a 327 out of a 64 full size Chevy.  In March 1994 I found a guy locally who was parting out a 69 Camaro that still had the 327 in it.  I bought the engine and stored it until 2004 when I had it rebuilt.  I then installed it in my 69 RS during restoration of the front of the car.  I did not try to remove, alter, or restamp the VIN or engine codes.

So now, although the original engine is long gone I do have the correct engine in my car - donated from another 69 Camaro - and the engine bay looks totally original.

This is all well documented in the history notes and pictures I have on file so it will always be clear to a subsequent owner.
Richard Thomas
1969 RS