1965 Frame Stencil. #3871317 Finish Your Frame Restoration With A Factory Correct Frame Stencil.
Stencils Cut On Same Type Machine Used By GM.
Specify Date Code on 1953-1962 and 1967-1982 Models. Frame Date can Pre-Date Assembly by 2-8 weeks.
On 1963-1966 models the date is hand written on frame. Date Coded Stencils are Not Returnable
At Mid America Motorworks, we've verified that every Corvette frame from 1953–1972 was stenciled after fabrication at the manufacturer. The exclusive manufacturer of bare frames during this period was A.O. Smith Corporation, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1953–1962: Manufactured in Milwaukee, stenciled on the driver side in ¾" characters.
1963–1968: Manufactured in Granite City, Illinois, stenciled on the passenger side in ¾" characters.
1968–1972: Manufactured back in Milwaukee, stenciled on the passenger side in 1" characters.
Over time, weather and road salt often deteriorate the painted stencil, making it illegible.
Best method to recover:
Use a soft scrub brush with mild detergent to gently clean the side rail.
Once visible, photograph and trace the numbers.
Record the stencil’s exact position relative to frame features (access holes, mounts, etc.).
Font size for reproduction: ¾" Gothic or 1" Gothic, depending on year.
1953–1962 & 1967–1972: Chassis date precedes assembly date by two weeks to two months.
1963–1966: Date was hand-written on the frame, not stenciled.
Passenger-side application for most years (driver side for early models).
For 1967–1972, chassis stencils are used in combination with a date stencil.
Need the correct frame stencil for your build? Mid America Motorworks offers exact reproduction stencils for every year from 1953–1972.