Corvette Generations:
C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8
Corvette: Year by Year
1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 19631964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974
1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Some History
The NCRS has an amazing program for its membership. Go to ncrs.org/ and you'll see the "Shipping Data Report Service". For $40.00, and your VIN, they will send you a report listing the dealer code, dealer name, dealer address and the date the car was produced. The info is available for 1962 through 1975 Corvettes. Message board postings on the subject indicate that there are some gaps in the information, so the info is not available for all Corvettes. It's a valuable service that can give owners a starting point when researching the origin of their Corvette.
Right: The Safari Shipping Data Report. The original selling dealer was Rosen-Novak Auto Co. in Omaha NE. The dealership, like so many others, is no longer in business. A Google search revealed some background info on the dealer. According to the research, "Justyn Rosen was murdered in front of a Denver police station in 2004 at age 79 by Teresa Perez,a woman 40 years his junior, an employee with whom he had an affair." Nice!
I am wondering, for example, if I were to visit the Omaha NE library, if they might have microfiche copies of newspapers from the time that might have an ad for Safari?
There's some interesting disagreement here. The shipping report has "The GM Official Production Date" as 7/27/68 but the trim tag (above) has "L26" which translates to July 26, 1968. "TRIM STD" translates to a black interior and "984 PAINT" is Safari Yellow. Trim tags are located in the driver side "A" pillar and is visible with the door open.
Translating the VIN Code
194678S426860
Interpreting the VIN for Safari (above) works out to be:- First Digit = 1 > Corresponds to the GM division that produced the car. 1 translates to Chevrolet.
- Second and Third Digits = 94 > Identifies the model. 94 translates to Corvette.
- Fourth and Fifth Digits = 67 > Identifies the body style. 67 translates to Two Door Convertible, 37 would translate to Two Door Sport Coupe.
- Sixth Digit = 8 > Identifies the model year. 8 translates to 1968.
- Seventh Digit = S > Identifies the assembly plant. "S" translates to St. Louis MO.
- Last Six Digits = 426860 > Sequential production number. The starting number is 400001, so Safari is the 26,860th Corvette built in the 1968 model year. Since there were 28,566 1968 Chevrolet Corvettes built, some simple subtraction tells me that 1,706 Corvettes were built after Safari. This places it as a fairly late production build.
Safari is looking good at a Car Night at Galpin Auto Sports in Van Nuys, CA.
Next: Carburetor Rebuild
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Comments (3)
Just wanted to add to my comments. I never thought of the C3 body style as "coke bottle" rather I referred to it as "Mako Shark" type.
Great information thank you for all your work putting this together. I had a 1968 convertible 327/350 hp, LeMans Blue/ white top, 4spd.I bought it in 1970 and it still had the firestone redline tires on it. Two weeks later the right rear axle bearing basicly melted, what a learning experience that was. 10 years later I was the Corvette,heavy duty truck,and motorhome mechanic at lyman Slack Chevrolet in Portland Oregon.A couple of things I noticed as per differences between early and late 68's was the late's had a brace between the fender and the wheel well at the hood hinge area to help keep the Fiberglas from cracking in that area.Also the trim piece that runs under the front fender back to the rear wheel well was black on the early's but silver on the later models (as I remember it ) so I painted mine silver. My steering wheel looked to be wood and I never had a left hand clearance problem with it.
I Love Corvette Stingrays. Always have‼ i used to work at a Corvette shop in Westport plaza in Maryland Heights Mo. from 1977 to 1982. I've owned a 67 a 73 and a 79. Always something to learn. Great hobby❗