SS 454 LS6

[mjs-13]

Jim Mattison who runs Pontiac Historical Serivices (PHS) "was" retained to do any Chevy records that could be found similiar to the Pontiac records. Jim has resigned from the project and no information is forthcoming as it does not exist.

 

A gentleman (Mr. Art Armstrong) on the NCRS board (National Corvette Restorers Society) worked for GM 30+ years. His last assignment for 9 full months was a special project for Jim Perkins, head of Chevrolet at the time. This project was to look through ALL OF GM for any and all records concerning the build of Corvettes at at he St. Louis plant. Mr. Armstrong had 2 assistants and "carte blanch" to go any where in GM to research/find any documentation. Corvette was his main goal however he was also charged with finding any information on Camaro/Chevelle/ Impala etc. from the 60'-70's.

 

HE FOUND NOTHING!!!!!

 

The PHS is NOT build information. It is "shipping" invoice information. Very similiar to the shipping information available for GM Canada built/delivered cars.

 

Art Armstrong will tell that the old build information does not exist for Corvette or our cars. Given the resources/money/labor/time spent by Art and his 2 assistants as their FULL TIME job with expense accounts to travel at will anywhere in GM to search for information, he will tell you the information DOES NOT EXIST!

 

It is still great to wish and hope the information exists. Listed above is verifiable information from someone within GM who was given a special assigment for 9 months by a GM President to find any and all build information for Corvette and other Chevrolet's and he came up EMPTY.

 

The information is gone!

[KLASSIK1]

well seems shipping info is not all that bad , the documentation i spoke of above was from gm about 4 years ago it lists a column with a header stating ( serial number options and extra equipment ) listed are the following:

1 monte carlo coupe

2 special paint

3 positraction axle

4 engine block heater

5 300-hp turbo-fire 350

6 4-speed transmission

7 dual exhaust system

8 power steering

9 G78x15 belted white st

10 heavy duty battery

11 specail instrumentation

12 am push button radio

13 rear seat speaker

14 rally wheels

15 blue cloth interior

 

it contains a ton of other info and tells a lot about the car , now maybe there are no build sheets left at gm or this document came from gm a lot longer ago than i was believe , but if this is the same info PHS has it seems better than a build sheet

 

Leo

[gprimm]

I noticed the posting on the Chevy historic information. I forwarded that to a fellow Northern Illinois Chevelle Club Member, Terry McManmon, editor of the NCRS magazine. This was his reply:

 

"I can't speak to the information about Jim Mattison, but I have known Art Armstrong for around 20 years, and that part is true. In fact, Art wrote a story for my Corvette Club Magazine that was essentially the same information he posted on the NCRS discussion board. The contents of that story is also posted on a web site someplace. Do a Google search on Art Armstrong and you will find it.

 

When Art was looking for that data, part of the goal was to find the build information for a Camaro Jim Perkins was having restored. That was the hook that got Jim to authorize the search.

 

Hope always springs eternal, and it is almost impossible to prove a negative, but I am pretty sure the holy grail of Chevrolet build or shipping information just doesn't exist any longer."

 

Terry McManmon, Editor

The Corvette Restorer

 

Going back to Fran Preve of the Tonawanda Engine plant, he did know what engines were produced for what cars. Sure wish we had the ability to confirm like Canada. Oh well, we still love our Chevys!!!