Corvette Sting Ray triple tail lights ?

[Spooky]

Does anybody remember which 1960's 'Vette kit had the triple tailights?

[deuce]

I looked up 61 through 80, and none of them did.

[41chevy]

The triple tail light on the 1962 to 1967 Vettes were all owner installed. The only GM built Vette with them was the 1961 Corvette Mako Shark show car. Designed by Larry Shinoda for a concept how the next generation Vette would look like for Bill Mitchell head of GM Styling. The triple light was copied by the owners.
The AMT 3 in 1 kits 1963 up to the 1965 Vette kits came with a triple light units in the custom parts and some even had 1965 / 66 Rivera tail light units.

[fordrodnkustom]

[fordrodnkustom]

[jbwelda]

I always liked that look especially on the 63 fastback split window. I remember some neighborhood jet pilot dude had a brand new 63 with triple lights and I thought it looked boss. I am pretty sure the AMT 63 had the triple taillight option.

jb

[fordrodnkustom]

Yeah it was and still is a very cool look for those 'Vettes. I don't think the '63 AMT kits offered the option though...

(original issue instruction sheets from the DPMCC Instruction & Box Art site)

The '64 - 66 kits don't show them either, at least not on the instruction sheets anyway.

As always I'm no expert and could be wrong.

[jbwelda]

Must be my memory failing because I am almost sure that as a kid I built the kit and it had the optional three taillight set up with a half depth hole to drill out and fit the third lamp. But I don't see it there in the instrux. I also do not recognize that three badge bar in the front of the custom version between the bumperettes. Thats pretty kool especially in conjunction with the Lucas lamps, and I don't recall those velocity stack air intakes either.

jb

[41chevy]

I remember the half deep holes also. The XR-7 style side pipes, custom grill luggage rack and bar type taillights I do not recall seeing either. Now I'll open my two original 63 and 64 kits to look at.

[fordrodnkustom]

Here's the rack and some other stuff on a '63 survivor built up I have...

[41chevy]

From the early AMT 1963 Corvette 3 in 1 kit coupe and ragtop. Both have triple taillights.
Early Vette "hardtop" box $1.49 cost.

Hosted on Fotki



Early 63 Roadster box $1.49 cost.

Hosted on Fotki
Hosted on Fotki

Hosted on Fotki

[Bernard Kron]

Besides the '63, looking on the DPMCC instructions pages I found a couple of AMT Stingray kits with box illustrations showing triple tail lights, but no instruction call outs. It's not unusual for AMT kits to include parts that aren't listed in the instruction call outs so it may be worth looking at some post-'63 AMT Stingray convertibles to see if they're included in '64, etc.

The is the box art to the '65:







The '67 is more iffy since there's no detail parts illustration on the box art shown, just the Gene Winfield customization. The kit box does show the extended roof, however, so there may be hope.

[fordrodnkustom]

Well this is interesting for sure. My '63 instruction sheet dated 1962 does not have the triple lights, nor does the body have the indents for them. After digging further on the instruction site I can see that the '64 sheet does indeed show the triple lights. So I'd suggest that the sheet Paul shows is from a '64 kit. The 65-66 sheets on the site again do not have them('67 sheet was unavailable). This all leads me to believe that those triple lights were only in the '64 kit, at least instruction sheet wise anyway. Again, I could be completely wrong about all this but interesting discussion nonetheless.

[41chevy]

Both of the kits and the instructions are dated 1963. Just curious what is the kit number? Also are the last three digits 149 or 200? Paul

[fordrodnkustom]

Mar 25, 2021 21:14:49 GMT -5 41chevy said:

Both of the kits and the instructions are dated 1963. Just curious what is the kit number? Also are the last three digits 149 or 200? Paul

Here's a scan of the one I have...