C3 VIN/GM Invoice Mismatch

[shrev94412]

on a 6 year search trying to find my old 1981. I do not have the VIN and I have exhausted all possibilities of finding it. I ran across a possible car for sale, based on vehicle color combo and options but, when I pulled the Invoice from GM/Allied Vaughn the vehicle options; exterior color, interior color, defroster etc etc on the invoice do not match the actual vehicle with the corresponding VIN. Checked Carfax and no issues on that report going back to 1983. Is it possible that the Invoice as sent to me from AV is wrong or that there might be a revised/corrected Invoice I need to request from AV?? Any thoughts as this seems so weird. Using windshield post VIN, Engine was replaced and cannot find Frame VIN stamp.

 

[bill81vette]

Do you happen to have a copy of the build sheet??
Do you know if it was built in Bowling Green or at Louis???
IF your vin/allied sheet shows a B5
Prior to the last 6(?) Of the vin,you can call the museum to get a copy of the build sheet.
If it's a St Louis car you be out of luck.(BS)is the 2 characters b4the last 6.
Good luck

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

 

[bill81vette]

If you don't have the vin,how can you find your old vette??

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[shrev94412]

All 1981 White Corvettes were built in St Louis. THe VIN as the seller gave me is a St. Louis VIN...Thanks

 

[shrev94412]

That is an interesting question. Basically I scan all the 1981 Corvettes for sale. EBAY sends me an email of every 1981 listed. I have built a database of all the 1981 VIN numbers that were possible at the St louis plant. If I find a 1981 White Exterior with Dark Blue Leather Interior it could be a possible. So then I look at the installed options. My car had a rare combination of options. First of all it did NOT have the rear window defogger. It also had the AM/FM CB radio option (Most likely replaced by now). From factory it had the rally wheels instead of the aluminum wheels which was rare, although I replaced them with aluminum the first week I had the car. I also know that I purchased my car before May of 1981 so I can eliminate all VINs May or Later production. If I find a possible, I order the invoice from GM Allied Vaughn. If it had my options and was originally shipped to Tom Peacock Chevrolet in Houston Texas then it most likely would be my car. So "Needle in a Haystack"....It's going to take LUCK! I have been looking for 6 years now.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Anything is possible but it's unlikely. Sounds like you bought the car new. Is that correct? If so then was your original paperwork, window sticker ect. correct as to colors and options when you bought it? If so then it is nearly impossible for the AV invoice copy to be wrong for the car you are looking at since it would be a copy of what was with your car originally. I would be more likely to believe that you have found a car with the wrong VIN tag on it for whatever reason. Color and interior changes are not uncommon on a car this old but when you get down to a lot of other options and details differing from your original car I'd be very suspicious of the car. If the VIN from the AV invoice matches the car but the colors and the set of options differs then what happened to the car that matches the invoice and why does the white car have it's vin tag?

Frame stamping should be in this area. Just inside of the rear body mount on the driver's side.

Tom​

 

[shrev94412]

Thanks Tom....yes I did buy it new in 1981. I was 19 years old. My parents were furious that I spent all that money on a vette...LOL (Understand that now). That was so long ago that I no longer have any paperwork and don't remember the details of paperwork. I do remember all the options and such. I suppose the particular car as mentioned above was built from parts....seller says he cannot see the top of frame numbers. So the search continues.....hopefully I will get lucky.