Technical Anyone heard of a 57' Corvette on a 56' frame from the factory ?

Looking at a 1957 Corvette

VIN plate is missing from the door

Frame number is for a 1956 model

Anyone ever heard of Chevy putting a 57' body on a 56' frame
at the factory ?

Car is not a matching number - different engine

Not much sense in marrying a 57' body to a 56' frame
to increase the value - it would be the reverse

Car has been in the same family over 40 years

Clear****le shows a 1957 Corvette with a correct 57' production number



Thanks !



Jim

 

very well could have been a late '56 frame used for an early '57 car...no big deal, happens all the time.

 

Thanks !


Jim

 

In all due respect chopped, I don't think the factory would have done that on the****embly line. True, the parts bin from the previous model year was put on the new model year until they were used up.

The frames for '56 and '57 are likely identical, the bodies are, but they would have put a '57 number on it. Most likely the original frame got bent or rusted badly and a donor car frame was used as a replacement.

 

I doubt it. The frame number is supposed to match the serial number. If it had features of wrong year but was stamped correctly it may have happeend.

 

Could very well be. OTOH, 40yrs back is '73, plenty of time between '57 & then for anything to happen.

 

With the vin tag gone and nothing to match up I would pass even if****le matches frame numbers it would mean****le is for 57 and they are selling a 56. Too many red flags for me.

 

There were alot of stolen Vettes, and pieces floating around and it could have been pieced together 40 years ago. I'd be wary, I wouldn't want someone coming to claim it later.

 

There are a lot of corresct answers here. yes good chance that it was stlen at one time, good chance that the frame was trashed and switched out, good chance that GM used a '56 frame (frames were identicle by the way and the bodies nearly identicle). Good chance that it is a '56 that was first registered in '57 and so it got registered as a '57; it was common back then in a lot of states to register the vehicle as the year that it was registered so if it were a '56 sold in '57 originally it could have been registered as a '57.

It is the no vin tage that makes it a problem, if the numbers on the chassis don't match the****le and there is no vin tag the****le is worthless.

 

Most comprehensive answer - thanks !

If the frame VIN comes back as not registering as valid,
(by that I mean there is no active****le for a complete vehicle
using that number as a reference), it could be it was an orphan frame never****igned a body I guess .....



Jim

 

There is no way to check all 50 States to see if that number was used on a****le. In my state, records do not exist, so if it was not registered here at present, it would not show. And that is just one State, 49 others with different record keeping.

as far as the Corvette plant being so halfassed to have a stamped frame ID number, but never****igned to a car? Geez.. come on.


I agree with others; mismatched, slapped together back in the 60s. Maybe was hit hard enough to need a frame swap, etc. Vettes were not worth anything when they were 6-8 years old. I know that, as I was seeing it then. These things were parted out if it had a bad motor and also needed paint or interior. So parts like frames were cheap then.

 

My 55 Ford convertible has a 56 body so I would say it was possible to have a wrong year frame if it was a very early 57,my 55 is a very late built 55.

 

Any time there is a numbers discrepancy, walk away. Yea, sometimes it works out. But those times are few and far between. Why do people set themselves up to be scammed?

In the end, do as you want. Get all the info or opinions you can. Collect the ones that make you feel good and act on it. Good luck.

 

My dad restored and judged vettes in the late 70's thru mid 80's. He said blocks were getting restamped in the late 70's, so long term ownership doesn't mean much. I'd guess the car you're looking at is a collection of different vehicles, if you purchase it, destroy any markings that do not match the****le vin to avoid the car being claimed by someone else
There was a midyear running around my hometown that was****embled from a wrecked 327 pg car, and pieces of 5 other car bodies, it was rebuilt slowly through the 70's driven thru the 80's, and sold in the 90's as a numbers matching 327 350hp 4 speed car, it was beautiful I doubt the new owner will ever doubt it since it scored well in top vette shows

 

My 1957 Corvette (wish that I still had it) was very early production. I lost track of serial number -- but it was in 900 series, making it Oct/Nov 1956.

 

The VIN # is stamped into the top of the frame rail on the drivers side about even with the drivers seat. It is not easy to see, but with sandpaper and a mirror on a stick you can usually see it if the frame is not too badly rusted. If the body mounts are collapsed you will not see it until you remove the bolts and raise the body from the frame.

 

So the****le doesn't match the VIN on the frame and the body tag the****le refers to is gone ? May as well not even have a****le unless there are hidden VIN numbers in other places on the body. That said it could still be****led in alot of states as a kit car with state issued VIN number. I always get a kick out of the guys who think something with a questionable****le scream to run away but some of those same guys would gladly haul a rotted cowl section from a Model A out of the desert and turn it into a car. I would make some calls to the state DMV where the car is located and ask some questions before laying out any cash though. VIN tags on old cars often fall off and are lost. This is not a new problem and they can tell you how to legally deal with it.

 

Because a PIECE of tin with NO paper, is better than a CAR with BAD papers. Maybe that's why some are concerned.

 

I worked for GM for 40 years and early on dealers could carry over model years as the next model year. The government put a stop to this in the 70's and dealers were paid an allowance for prior year models. GM did not switch any numbers from year to year but the model could have a 56 number and a 57 registration. What are you intentions for the car? If you are going to flip it...PASS. If you are gong to keep it get the numbers straighten out prior to purchase and for get about the numbers. Also is the car in great condition?
Your call.

 

I never said not to be concerned. I said to call DMV and explain the situation and get their feedback. It's probably more usefull than getting 30 different opinions from people on the internet that don't have a clue what the laws are in his state.... And just my 2 cents worth but some states won't allow you to build a car from a piece of tin unless you have reciepts including the VIN number for every single part you use to turn it into a car. I would think starting with a whole complete car that's been in the same family for 40 years would be alot less hassle. In any case I don't think buying this particular car without doing some research through DMV first would be a wise decision. When I lived in NH (a non****le state for older vehicles) AND was licensed to sign State of NH DMV VIN verification forms I absolutely loved it when a car with no****le scared other buyers away. It meant I could usually buy them dirt cheap.

 

Asking price would tell me a lot. At $1500.00 it better be real rough or its stolen. Or $50,000, and then I would hire a company to do a****le search, just like a house. Way to much money to take a hit.

Stolen vehicle numbers are in a nation wide database. So they can pop up anytime, anywhere. Read about it all the time.

I did own a 56 vette for about 5 years. It was rough and I did buy it for $1500.00. The****le matched the number on the frame. I do not recall if it had a body tag.

What are they asking for it??

cb1

 

That's not all you said, but concern should be used in a out of the ordinary car purchase.

 

I'm out.. Let us know if you buy it.