trim tag

[brumbach]

My trim tag is missing off of my 65 vette. I've contacted the last two previous owners and neither could tell me why. Seems it's been missing for sometime. Does anyone know why someone would take the trim tag? Also, can anyone tell me how to determine the original makeup of the car? I understand I can purchase another tag but would like to restore the car as was. Thanks

 

[Ken Anderson]

Commonly missing on a stolen car or a salvage car. Hope this isn't your case.

 

[brumbach]

Thanks for the response. I had the police department check the VIN before I purchased. It was clear. As for "salvage", the car had ungone a frame off restoration. I couldn't find any evidence of the car being wrecked but then again they did an excellent job restoring the car. Is there any other reason you can think of that might explain the absence of the trim tag? Finally, any ideas on how to determine the cars originality?

Commonly missing on a stolen car or a salvage car. Hope this isn't your case.

 

[67HEAVEN]

Thanks for the response. I had the police department check the VIN before I purchased. It was clear. As for "salvage", the car had ungone a frame off restoration. I couldn't find any evidence of the car being wrecked but then again they did an excellent job restoring the car. Is there any other reason you can think of that might explain the absence of the trim tag? Finally, any ideas on how to determine the cars originality?

Any evidence of the rivets? If not, are the holes still there? If no holes, any evidence of them having been filled?

If it appears that the holes were never there, I suppose this car could have missed a tag in St. Louis, but I've never heard of that happening. :confused

 

[ctjackster]

Is there any other reason you can think of that might explain the absence of the trim tag?

yeah, I can think of one huge reason: to hide the fact that the ext paint, interior color, or options as called out by the broadcast code (assuming the interior is other than "STD") are not currently represented on the car . . . . as I am sure you are aware, in this land of "correct and original get the big bucks" having a non-original color (int or ext) and engine-drivetrain have a significant impact on the sales price of the car, although NOT having a trim tag at all would certainly cause an even bigger problem on the judging field than just having the wrong color (not everyone takes it to that level of course). Was the car represented to be "all original" color-wise when you puchased it, and if so, how did you verify the claim?

 

[brumbach]

Rivet holes for trim tag are present.

Any evidence of the rivets? If not, are the holes still there? If no holes, any evidence of them having been filled?



If it appears that the holes were never there, I suppose this car could have missed a tag in St. Louis, but I've never heard of that happening. :confused

 

[BarryK]

yeah, I can think of one huge reason: to hide the fact that the ext paint, interior color, or options as called out by the broadcast code (assuming the interior is other than "STD") are not currently represented on the car . . . . as I am sure you are aware, in this land of "correct and original get the big bucks" having a non-original color (int or ext) and engine-drivetrain have a significant impact on the sales price of the car, although NOT having a trim tag at all would certainly cause an even bigger problem on the judging field than just having the wrong color (not everyone takes it to that level of course). Was the car represented to be "all original" color-wise when you puchased it, and if so, how did you verify the claim?

I agree - that would be my first thought also. Someone wanted to change colors or interior and didn't want the "proof" of what the original accurate colors are. Maybe they just changed from vinyl to leather interior or maybe they changed everything..who knows.

Another though just crossed my mind also. What if for some reason that brace that the trim tags are mounted to had to be repalced at some point in time because of an accident or some other reason way back when. The replacement part would be installed, they didn't reattached the tags, and whoever did it just never realized how important the trim tags were (or would become in the future).
Unfortunatley, unless you can track down every previous owner you may never find the true reason on this.

 

[brumbach]

The car was not sold as "correct and original" or atleast not to me. Might have been misrepresented to one of the owners before me.

yeah, I can think of one huge reason: to hide the fact that the ext paint, interior color, or options as called out by the broadcast code (assuming the interior is other than "STD") are not currently represented on the car . . . . as I am sure you are aware, in this land of "correct and original get the big bucks" having a non-original color (int or ext) and engine-drivetrain have a significant impact on the sales price of the car, although NOT having a trim tag at all would certainly cause an even bigger problem on the judging field than just having the wrong color (not everyone takes it to that level of course). Was the car represented to be "all original" color-wise when you puchased it, and if so, how did you verify the claim?

 

[Ken Anderson]

In my opinion, if you like the car and want to keep it, buy & install a repop trim tag and keep quiet about it. If the car is done correctly, then it speaks for itself. The trim tag won't make it "look" any better, BUT, without one your car is devalued many thousands to a potential buyer.
No mid year Corvette ever left the factory without a trim tag, & I doubt the birdcage has ever been worked on.
If you know who restored the car, then that is person I would look to - to have the trim tag or know where it went. There are also some original trim tags out there, from totaled cars, if you know where to look. I don't.

 

[JohnZ]

Several guys make reproduction trim tags (perfectly legal, as they aren't part of the car's legal identification), and you could have one made to match the car's current interior/exterior configuration if you like. However, there's no way a reproduction trim tag would ever get past NCRS judging now that the male/female character macro die characteristics for every single digit have been fully documented and published. Most likely the tag was removed at some point earlier in its life by someone who was "creating" a car that matched your tag data.

 

[brumbach]

I'm wondering if you might have hit on it. I've located the person who restored the car and he's been very informative as to what work has been done on the car but has douged the question reqarding the whereabouts of the trim tag. I've asked again "point blank" and awaiting the response. Is there value in an original trim tag? Is it possible that he would sell the car to one person while selling the trim tag to another to maximize his profit? You guys know so please advise me. Thanks.......

Several guys make reproduction trim tags (perfectly legal, as they aren't part of the car's legal identification), and you could have one made to match the car's current interior/exterior configuration if you like. However, there's no way a reproduction trim tag would ever get past NCRS judging now that the male/female character macro die characteristics for every single digit have been fully documented and published. Most likely the tag was removed at some point earlier in its life by someone who was "creating" a car that matched your tag data.

 

[JohnZ]

I've asked again "point blank" and awaiting the response. Is there value in an original trim tag? Is it possible that he would sell the car to one person while selling the trim tag to another to maximize his profit? You guys know so please advise me. Thanks.......

Now that repro trim tags can be detected literally in less than a minute with the new NCRS trim tag documentation book, REAL trim tags are VERY valuable to people who are "creating" cars that will be judged. When a Corvette is detected as having a reproduction trim tag (or a missing trim tag) in NCRS judging, the car automatically gets a TOTAL deduction for all exterior and interior items affected by the interior color and trim style and exterior color data indicated on a trim tag, which essentially knocks the car out of the box for any awards at all. This could become a highly-charged and highly emotional issue, not to mention the financial disaster the car becomes at that point for an owner whose objective was to get the car judged successfully. What's the resale value difference between a "real" car that's eligible for NCRS judging awards and one that's not? Depends on the buyer's objectives.