But what's up with the 79 VIN?
Mike

Good question Mike.
Maybe it's stolen, and they put a '79 VIN tag on an '80 vette. lol
I'm not sure. But after Relayer described the rear diff.(looks like a bridge structure)and it's all aluminum. And he had to return a '79 dual exhaust system for the '80 system. And the body (nose, tail, side vents) is identical to mine. I doubt that someone went through all the trouble to change the frame, nose, tail, tach and add '80 style L82 emblems.
Sarge

|UPDATED|10/2/2004 5:13:17 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

Hi,
Maybe running the VIN through Carfax would shed some light on this mystery?
Cheers,
Tom

Just tried that.
It tells me '81 to present. Go figure.
Anyone else want to take a guess?
Thanks for the idea Tom.
Sarge

Did he get that VIN off the Vette itself or from the title? Did he just buy it recently? Maybe got the wrong title. Or quite possibly someone DID put a 79 VIN plate on it.
Mike

Where on the frame is the VIN located. Mike is probably right saying I realy don't want to know. Bought it locally from a gut who owned it for 10 years and only put 5k miles on it. I don't think he was tuned in to the 79/80 stuff.

Is the VIN you stated above from the windshield pillar?The number on the frame is on the side of the drivers side rearmost rail near the power antenna. That according to the shop manual for 79. Not sure tho, never needed to find it. But I know it is very hard to see with the body on. Some years I think it is more in the wheel opening. I'm sure someone will chime in.
Original motor? Check that number, little easier to see. Down at the front of the engine BLOCK kind of below the AC compressor on the passenger side on a flat spot. Facing up. Just forward of the head. There is also a number on the pass. side of the transmisson.If you find a number in either of those places, check to see if that's an 80 VIN if it doesen't match what you have. You definitely have an 80. Hope everything is OK with it.
Mike

Some other clues to look for:

According to the corvette black book 85MPH speedo's were phased in late 79. Your Vin is 30946

80 only auto transmissions were made. I didn't see what trans your car has.

Engine block codes: 79 and 80 used 3970010 however, late 79's also used 14016379

Engine suffix codes were unique in each year.
79 ZAA ZAB ZAC ZAD ZBA ZBB
80 ZAK ZAM ZBC ZBD ZCA


http://www.1vehicleidentificationnumber.com/chevrolet_engine_numbers.html

Rear end codes were also unique to each year
79 OM OH OJ
80 DANA

My two cents is if all this other stuff on your car points to an 80, something happened with the vin tag.

Is the build sheet still on the tank? This will nail it for you totally if it is readable.

I'd be looking for a number on the frame! Something isn't jiving here!

I hate to bring this up...

but I keep thinking that an 80 with a 79 VIN sounds like a stolen 80 with a junkyard vin..

I would bet good money that your engine, trans, and frame numbers have been ground off..