Cowl Tag Check

[1968RSZ28]

What do you guys think of this cowl tag?



VIN: 124379N609965

Paul

[bertfam]

Why? Are you planning on bidding on it??

Link to EBAY AUCTION

Ed

[1968RSZ28]

Why? Are you planning on bidding on it??

Nope, just trying to educate myself.   

Paul

[bcmiller]

I am not an expert on tags, never will be.  But if I was buying the car with that tag, I would pay with $3 bills.   

[festival]

Ok I will do it...

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/306777/1

[z28z11]

A couple of things bother me about this tag, although I looked up the VIN in the SC Registry and verified the Allen Green Chevrolet delivery in Seattle, WA. Rest of the story sounds plausible enough, could be documented for all I know.

1) This car is represented as an 02D car, and the body tag is 222032, yet my known original trim tag (01C car) starts 229(xxx). I remember seeing the statements before concerning non-sequential Fisher body tag assignment, but this is one of the first I have seen.

2) The Addressograph type set is exceeding fresh and distinct. A lot more so than my X77 tag.

3) Filler is pretty fresh on the repro-looking rivets, even to the fresh fingerprint/rub marks attempting to smooth it out. Tag has either been removed or replaced with a different tag or during refinishing. Which ?

Not a bad appearing car, although it needs correct spring rates in the front suspension.

My two cents -
Steve

[z28z11]

I am not an expert on tags, never will be.  But if I was buying the car with that tag, I would pay with $3 bills.   

I'd use $2.50 bills - why pay more ?

[william]

The tag is a reproduction for ZL1 #27 N609965. The car sold at B-J Scottsdale 2009 for $319,000. Since it was disclosed as a re-body at the auction it could be said the entire car is effectively a reproduction. I believe the VIN tag is OE.

It has been stated many times previously but bears repeating: there is NO direct correlation between body tag date and body number. The number had nothing to do with production scheduling. Cars built virtually at the same time can have tag numbers 20,000 units apart. The Gibb ZL1s were ordered at the same time and with one exception have sequential body numbers. They were not scheduled in numerical order and built December 27, 1968-March 24, 1969 a span of 88 calendar days. During that time over 66,000 Camaros were built.

This is also a good example of a body tag date not being an absolute indicator of final assembly. N609965 came off the line on or about March 5, 1969.

[Mike S]

William,

 Was the disclosure done before or after the sale of the car? If after, I'm surprised it went for that much money unless there was other supporting proof of its authenticity.
I'm curious if it was a re-body, why reproduce the tag unless there was an engine fire or something else to damage the original tag (I have seen an engine compartment fire due to an oil line leak melt a trim tag extensively many years ago).

Mike

[william]

It is still listed on the B-J website: "This car has been rebodied."

It was disclosed at consignment and has been a long-running topic on another site. This took place many years ago, prior to body tags being recognized as having importance. The OE tag may still be on the OE body.

Another disclosed ZL1 re-body sold at B-J 2012 for far more.

[ZLP955]

Very interesting back story on that one, credit to Chuck for making known his actions.

[bcmiller]

In my opinion, a "rebody" is the same as a "VIN swap" and should be handled the same.

[cook_dw]

In my opinion, a "rebody" is the same as a "VIN swap" and should be handled the same.

I agree

But lets play devil's advocate for a minute:

Lets say a car is a complete rust bucket or had/has been totaled or was a previous track car (drag or road race) and it requires all new floors, firewall, inner & outer quarters, windshield and back glass channels, dash, trunk floor, trunk lid, doors and fenders.  Would that not be considered a "rebody" if all or most of those parts were replaced either with NOS sheetmetal or not?   

I guess ultimately my question is how far is too far..??..

[bcmiller]

Again, just my opinion, but...

If the VIN tag stays on the original body, and each part replaced is done one at a time and documented with photos at each step, that is probably OK.

Moving the VIN tag from a car to another body is not OK. 

[ko-lek-tor]

In my opinion, a "rebody" is the same as a "VIN swap" and should be handled the same.

I agree

But lets play devil's advocate for a minute:

Lets say a car is a complete rust bucket or had/has been totaled or was a previous track car (drag or road race) and it requires all new floors, firewall, inner & outer quarters, windshield and back glass channels, dash, trunk floor, trunk lid, doors and fenders.  Would that not be considered a "rebody" if all or most of those parts were replaced either with NOS sheetmetal or not?   

I guess ultimately my question is how far is too far..??..

Good point DW. My Ohio rust bucket needs a new dash. I am having sleepless nights wondering how that will be repaired without compromising the integrity or authenticity of car.  And my car is only a pittance in value, with no previous owner (other than myself) to come forward and explain how or why something was replaced. if there is documentation and a plausible explanation, should that not be enough to squelch the naysayers? On a similar, but, of course, less value to some, I would want some proof a car is a factory 4 speed if the tunnel was hacked up or had been replaced.