Body tag is suspect.
124379N632049
It's had a repro tag for many years....
Unless you can locate the original tag, the cars' provenance will always be questioned. No one is going to pay market value for a '69 Z/28 with a reproduction body tag.
First I would like to say Thank you for your help this far. Its been a real journey, but a good one. I am learning a lot, and its good to know that there are a bunch of people out there willing to help figure this out with me on this journey.
Please help me to understand why this Tag is suspect. It looks like its been on the car a long time. But what are people seeing? I have been studying the Norwood tags tonight and I cannot see a difference. I don't pick anything up.
I briefly talked to a local expert on the cars who has been restoring them for quite a few years. He said he know the car has been around in this configuration for quite some time, 10+ years, he said if it had a re-pop tags it would have a different "4" on it. He has not seen this car, and we didn't talk long. But by his description, re-pop tags from 10-15 years ago were not quite like this one. I will try to drive the car over to him to see if he can tell me more.
Every place I look on this car I see black, Except on the right rear fender, where I see a small amount of either a very light blue primer, or a very light blue overspray, but this may not be part of the original car. I have not seen the cowl VIN yet, but hopefully I will get some time in the next few days to see if I can get to it.
So this is what my detective work has revealed:
The engine has an original stamped VIN.
This casting number could be a 302, 327, or a 350. The Engine stamps can be redone, so in order to verify if its a 302, we have to look at the remaining drivetrain. The only other object with a serial number stamp is the transmission
The transmission has a stamp that does not seem ordinary, but is original
However, it is confirmed by Paul Cangialosi, author of "Muncie 4-Speed Transmissions: How to Rebuild and Modify" Considered to be an expert in his field.
The Transmission is an M21, only available with the L78 Big Block, or the COPO Big block cars. Or the Z28, small block 302. So the transmission verifies the Engine, as the only small block with an M21 was the 302.
The Rear diff is a 4.10 Posi, the Z-28 came with a 12 bolt, and 4.10 was a real possibility.
All Casting date codes line up with build codes of each item. Diff Casting date, February 18 1969, built March 3
Trans casting date is in March, build date April 10, 1969. all trans housings and extensions that have dates, are march or earlier castings
Engine Casting Date is April 1, 1969. build date is April 7, 1969.
I Received an email from Muscle Car Docs that put the car here: (I called the Grandsons dealer in Pennsylvania, they are going to look to see if they have any records of it)
Production date: 4/23/1969
Dealer Zone: #12
Dealer GM Code: #275
Dealer Name: Hallman's Central Chevrolet
Dealer Location: Rochester, NY
This is consistent with all the casting and build dates on the drivetrain, and is consistent with the Tag that says the body was started in the third week of April 1969.
Then we have the crayon marker.
I have seen ALOT of original bulkhead markings on first gens but this is the first time I have ever seen one over the glue for the package tray.
The Marker is Actually under the glue, not on top of it. I know the pictures don't show it well, but in person, it is defiantly under the glue. I looked through the other forum posts on these numbers, and they are so extremely inconsistent. glue patterns are all different, writing style is different, there are different letters before hand, even on Z-28 cars. I understand that none of the pictures on the thread have 2 numbers, just one, so that seems a little odd. But again, this is as bcmiller says, only clues. It seems to me that this was not consistent, could be someone's first day there in Norwood in April of 69, who really knows. Its not checked and double checked like a VIN tag, or Trim tag would be leaving the plant, or any of the car stamps. This is just crayon.
This car has a bad wrap for some reason here, and I understand that these are scrutinized very much as they are the most desired cars. And so it should be. I totally agree it should be. It all seems to hang on this tag. This is the piece of the puzzle I don't understand. If anyone has any more information on why this Tag looks funny, or how they know its had a wrong tag on it, please let me know. This work is my life, its not a hobby, its not what I do in my spare time, its what I do for a living, its how I take care of my Family. So integrity here is very important to me, especially when I am blessed to be working, and healthy when so many are not. I don't own this car, but I do want to represent it to the best of my ability.
