GS mystery Vette revealed

[RAW]

I am a business owner, throwing 11 grand for a vette is just that. My friend of 20 years says it was a nice car, his girlfriend wanted out from the payments and dosn't drive it. So i got it. I don't worry about money. I just went to far an researched what I was buying. The x-owner is only a 26 year old female with two children. Kinda helping her out also.

 

[Hutch]

Yawn...

I don't know about everyone else, but this is getting a bit old.

Raw, we've given you the benefit of our collected opinion. Good or bad, right or wrong, that's it. There ain't no more. Based on the info you have provided, there IS something fishy about this car.

The consensus appears to be that you should pass on this car. If you choose not to follow that advice, then by all means buy it and enjoy it. But really, we can't keep second guessing here based on a car none of us, including you, have seen.

If you don't worry about money then buy the durn thing already. You'll then have all the time in the world to research its past history. :eyerole


Other comments, FWIW...

What supernatural400 said.

Carfax is relatively worthless.

What current or previous owners claim "proves" nothing.

You haven't really checked for "matching numbers" on a car until you've examined the Suffix and VIN Derivative at the rear of the block. See my previous post.

hokiefan -- If you peer down the oil filler cap hole, you'd be looking at the heads, not the block, and there is no LT4 marking but rather a cylinder head casting number. See my previous post.

 

[RAW]

Hutch

Ok, I will stop. I will find out on my own, and the help of others. I thought I could get some help here and I did from some. I thank the ones that did.

GS Mystery Car Facts:

I am telling you all, with the information I have, this is the car that CARFAX has listed. That car is exactly the same as the GS Mystery car report. The milage match exactly. The date of the accident is verified by the dates and milage. This is the car with its options, but it is also the same VIN # as my car.

FACTS: (This is by two seperate reports and info I have)

The car I have had less milage in 1998 than when the accident occured on the above car in 1997. The car I have has 20,000+ less miles today than the car above. The car I have could not be registered in Ohio from 1995 to 2000 and 4 title changes. The car I have from 1998- 2002 was legally registered in a different state. The car mentioned above was last titled in August of 2000 in Michigan, and offered for sale by dealership in Januarary 2002. It spent the last 2 1/4 years in Michigan, and registered 2 more times. (2000-2002) Yet the car I have was still legally registered in another state. The car I have has the RPO codes (SEE POST) listed on this car from the factory except for the LT1 engine, it has the LT4 engine. This engine has now been checked and is a LT4 engine, as listed by the dealer window sticker. The RPO codes list both manual and automatic transmissions, I have the automatic. I have the Dealer window sticker that says this car is a 1996 with a LT4 engine and automatic transsmission with all the options. There has been no work at all done on this car in the past 4 years and only 10,000 miles have been put on this car in 4 years. I have the bank title that says this car is a 1996 with that same VIN# as the above car. How it could get by the Covette Dealership, the Bank, and be legally registered in that same state for the past 4 years???????

Yes, it has the same VIN as the above car, and I agree something is wrong.

This car has every RPO option of a Grand Sport, looks exactly like the grand sport except for the spoiler, and the deep purple metalic paint. Has the same rims and tires. It has a LT4 engine with automatic trans. The Vin # just don't match that of the VIN # of a GS.

Something is wrong? The car is not stolen, been made up, and has a legal title. It has not changed title 6 times in the last 6 years. To my knowlege only 2 owners. Same prior owner for 4 years.

I will continue to research this car. I am not worried about anything because I did nothing wrong. I strongly believe the car I have is not the same car as above. For all those that would think I am not telling the truth, my friend who I trust for over 20 years works in the Sheriffs Office. On monday he will run a VIN check to see.

I am no different than any person on this Forum and did not make this up just as a game. I have no time for that. Just wanted to find out things and I found out a lot with the help of many members. That is why I came here. I also learned that some members should not be so quick to judge. They should be opened minded first before they post. In this world you never know. Mistakes happen as nothing is perfect. I can be proven wrong, but until I am proven wrong I will find out the truth about this car.

Thats all I have to say.

Once again I thank all the members that helped me.

 

[all4c4lt4]

Must be a 6 speed

In 1996 (only year of the LT4) production was as follows:

Automatic Trans: LT1 engine only

Manual 6 Speed: GS package and ALL other manual trans corvettes had LT4 engines only.

 

[Vettelt193]

GM did make LT4/Auto cars for testing... it was a later decision to only make the LT4 available with the 6-speed for the tax issues. Just a theory, but here goes... GM made a 1995 LT4/Auto with all the GS options for testing... ended up selling the car as a 1996, which would be legal for GM to do... they may have sold it to an employee of GM... the GM employee sold it, and it changed hands a couple of times and now you have it... Meanwhile, someone mis-typed a VIN on a different car's Title/registration. This would allow the same VIN car to be registered at the same time... some other guy has a car with a title and registration with your VIN number on it, driving a car with a VIN that is probably 1 digit off from yours...

Just a theory... maybe it will help

And anyone out there that wants to debunk my LT4/Auto theory should do some research on that, as well as the ZR-1 autos and ZR-1 convertibles that GM employees are driving around. You will find some interesting news

 

[sothpaw]

I like your theory but I think the chances
of a mistaken vin in this case are too low.
It would be too much coincidence.

My theories:

1. The purple car is a 1995 or 1996 which
first owner moded to look more like a GS.
He may have even swapped engines. Then,
his car was stolen, and the chop shop
replaced the vin in all locations and the rpo
list.

2. It is a 1995 LT1 car, the vin is correct. Owner
made his mods and changed the title on purpose,
in addition to the rpo codes. He then fraudulently
resold it as a 1996 GS. No chop shop involved.

RAW, in case #1, somebody might find you one day
and ask for their car back because it's stolen--you'd
be out the 11 grand. In case #2, you got a great deal!

 

[FrankM]

RAW, in case #1, somebody might find you one day
and ask for their car back because it's stolen--you'd
be out the 11 grand. In case #2, you got a great deal!

case #3, some (kid) one is pulling our legs and there really is no car....

This is like the third thread this weekend that makes no sense......

 

[Ethan]

GS

If anyone still has doubt look at the post I had earlier Unless he supplied the wrong vin the report I had a friend pull seems to come from a GM service center but also look at the report that the console pad was replaced at 23379 miles if I am not mistaken this is where the RPO codes are listed on the bottom side.I do believe RAW said the car is in Texas If this is true he can go to the local DMV and have them pull a report on this car that should show all owners since it was new including the dealer it was sold at .

 

[rrubel]

So are you saying that he has a completely made-up set of codes? Console pad replaced or not, his codeset makes no sense.
[RICHR]

 

[Ethan]

GS

Ok what I'm saying is I'm done with this post it's kinda gotten boreing all we can do is put the information out there believe or not to believe that is the question.

 

[Drewser]

GS BS

Ya know, we will never really know what is what here. He isn't anywhere near the car and doesn't plan to be in the near future. I think we know as much as there is to know thanks to the report that Ethan pulled up. I'm done too. I've got enough drama in my life as it is. OUT

 

[Vettelt193]

On 1996 Corvettes, the console lid is NOT where the RPO codes are. They are under the rear storage compartment lid. (there is only one rear compartment 1992-1996) I am not sure what year they moved the codes, but I am pretty sure it was 1996 only.

 

[lt4boy]

TB/Intake

The numbers from my black book (these are the numbers for 1996 MY):
total LT4's - 6359
total 6-speeds - 6359 [same numbers....]
total GS's - 1000

all LT4 throttle bodies said "Grand Sport" regardless of which option package they went into. All GS's had black wheels and were blue.

[RICHR]

my LT4 doesnt have the grand sport throttle body...just the pate with nothiing written on it....and my intake not painted....thought i found a red flake of paint...not sure. Engine has everything else to match LT4 cept that...and VIN matches and RPO code matches...ne know whats goin on bout that

 

[Redmanf1]

One thing you can do is take it to the state patrol inspection center where they do the rebuild inspections. It may not be good because they could confiscate the vehicle but they know where to look for the VIN #’s which some of us here know where are. I would say the vehicle has been put together from two cars and if it was done by someone good you could never tell as far as the body and frame work. Now here you are running into numbers problem. No way did GM make a car with a Vin # for 95 and title it for 96. That is something that happened to expensive boats that were not sold in the model year and that got a stop put to it. Someone has done the paper work (reproduced documents) which has been going on for quite sometime. I would request it be checked because I would not want to be the one that happened to get pulled over at an inspection and be calling for a cab ride home, let alone losing my money. Your call because it’s your money. Best of luck

 

[froggy47]

hokiefan -- If you peer down the oil filler cap hole, you'd be looking at the heads, not the block, and there is no LT4 marking but rather a cylinder head casting number. See my previous post.

It IS stamped LT4 on the head under the oil filler cap on my LT4. Take a flashlight and go check your car before you reply

It's a bit forward of the hole on mine. I took a pic but I suck with the digi cam & the focus did not work

 

[lt4boy]

cant find

It IS stamped LT4 on the head under the oil filler cap on my LT4. Take a flashlight and go check your car before you reply

It's a bit forward of the hole on mine. I took a pic but I suck with the digi cam & the focus did not work

i looked for the stamp on mine and i see nothing....can u be specific on where at...and what exactly it should say?

 

[froggy47]

It's spread out (like it was hand stamped)


L T 4

Just like that & on mine it's a bit towards the front of the head, but easily seen when you open up the oil filler cap.

Maybe this is like the Mobil 1 plate, some got it, some don't???

If your head is at all sludged up then I expect you may not be able to see it, these are not honking big letter/numbers.

Maybe 1/2 inch tall & 3/8 wide.

If I have time later I'll dick around with the digi cam again & see if I can post a pic, gotta figure out how to manual focus it. The resolution needed may make the pic too big & in violation of the forum rules on pic size.

Someone out there must have a head out of the engine that shows this

 

[GS977]

i pulled my oil cap and checked mine and it does say L T 4 on the head. and mine does have the mobil 1 plate on the hood.

 

[Mac]

You guys are aware that this thread started in June 2002?

-Mac

 

[froggy47]

Yes I noticed that, some myths never seem to be put to rest.