'63 Stamp Pad Oddity

[Sydney G.]

Hi,

There's a Red '63 coupe for sale on ebay with an interesting stamp pad that I've never seen before. The vin sequence is stamped upside down on the pad.
Anyone seen another like it?

Sorry for not providing the link but my attempts failed.
Hopefully someone will be kind enough to show the picture.

Syd

[Patrick H.]

Re: '63 Stamp Pad Oddity



Auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1963-Corvette-Split-Window-327-340-Riverside-Red-4spd-/330578890217

[Sydney G.]

Re: '63 Stamp Pad Oddity

That's the one !
Thanks Patrick.

Kinda cool pad I think...if it's real which it does appear to be, even through the paint.
I don't remember seeing another upside down stamp like it for a '63.

Syd

[Dan D.]

Re: '63 Stamp Pad Oddity

Something doesn't sound right here. My stamp pad is F0702 RE, but the VIN is 2114062.
I'm pretty sure this engine was from a 62 car, so your engine must have set for some time before being installed in a 63. But even then, the VIN does not sound right. Interesting, our engines were assembled on the same day and both are 340HP. -Dan-

[Michael H.]

Re: '63 Stamp Pad Oddity

Something doesn't sound right here. My stamp pad is F0702 RE, but the VIN is 2114062.
I'm pretty sure this engine was from a 62 car, so your engine must have set for some time before being installed in a 63. But even then, the VIN does not sound right. Interesting, our engines were assembled on the same day and both are 340HP. -Dan-

Same day but a year apart?

[David L.]

Re: '63 Stamp Pad Oddity

Same day but a year apart?

Exactly, one is a 1963 VIN and the other is a 1962 VIN.

[Roy S.]

Re: '63 Stamp Pad Oddity

John Hinckley might be the best to answer this. there are real motor cars with the VIN upside down, I have seen a camaro in fact I was the second owner on it, a chevelle and several corvettes. I have been told it signified a work stoppage or plant shut down. Not sure that is the reason but what I have heard.

[Michael H.]

Re: '63 Stamp Pad Oddity

At some point in the 70's, a small change was made on the stamp tool which would prevent this from occuring. The tool could then only be in place in the proper direction.

[Patrick B.]

Re: '63 Stamp Pad Oddity

The VIN is for a 63 in the 19,XXX range built in July 1963. It is completely consistent with the early july engine build. The stamps look totaly original to me.

[Dan D.]

Re: '63 Stamp Pad Oddity

Okay, too dumb to realize a year difference, which can be verified by the casting date. Mine is F282. Sorry ,some day I MAY get smarter. -Dan-

[Doug F.]

Re: '63 Stamp Pad Oddity

is it my little screen ? or are vin #'s too big 3/16 vin 1/4 ass. code, right? only 1/16 diff, must be the angle.

[Michael H.]

Re: '63 Stamp Pad Oddity

is it my little screen ? or are vin #'s too big 3/16 vin 1/4 ass. code, right? only 1/16 diff, must be the angle.

Doug,

I think the character size is probably correct. The reason the VIN stamp character appears to be nearly as tall as the Flint stamp character is the fact that the character 3 in the VIN stamp is much deeper than the character F in the flint stamp. As the impression becomes deeper, it also becomes taller because of the chisel point on the character.
It appears that the right side of the VIN stamp is a lot deeper than the left side. The tool may have been held on a slight angle when struck which wouls account for deep characters on one side and shallow on the other.

By the way, I think the character sizes are 5/32" and 3/16". Not 3/16" and 1/4".

[John H.]

Re: '63 Stamp Pad Oddity

By the way, I think the character sizes are 5/32" and 3/16". Not 3/16" and 1/4".

Michael -

I agree - if you measure the character height at the sharp face of the character on the die, they're 5/32" (VIN) and 3/16" (machine stamp); the harder they were smacked, the taller they got, due to the bevel effect.

I've seen upside-down VINs before on known-original pads.

[Tim G.]

Re: '63 Stamp Pad Oddity

I have a tracing from a 300 horse powerglide car that I took years ago. It too is upside down. The famous Roby Price black '67 435 had an upside down stamp.