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GM Still have info?


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Do you suppose GM still has info (build sheets) on cars built in 1970? Maybe in microfiche somewhere. I know I would be willing to pay top $$$ (many other would too) to prove my car is an SS.

 

Doesn't Canada still have this info?

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Yea, I guess that is what I have heard of. Does anyone suppose the U.S. build cars will ever have that advantage? My car was build in the U.S.

 

It would seem that GM would have some kind of records.

 

Lets take into account several things I have thought about.

 

Computers WERE around, but they took up a city block, LOL...

Much data was recorded on Microfich (SP?) back then

 

Do you suppose, records might be sitting around SOMEWHERE????? Or would you guess they were destroyed?

 

Has anyone ever done any official research, or heard an official word from GM, as to weather they have kept any records like this, ANYWHERE IN THE U.S.?

 

These are things I think about, while my 1970 (SS?) sits in the body shop.

PS. I just spent over 3k on NOS fenders and quarters.

 

Either way, I love my Monte. I know I am new to this forum. BUT, I will posting my story (10 years+) of my Monte.

 

PS2. I am joining the club.

 

THANKS!!!

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From what I've heard, GM does not have records for cars built in the US. Have you checked all the typical places in your car for a build sheet? The tach section of the site also has information on where to look for a build sheet. Good Luck!

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If GM had kept copies of auto build sheets some

Chevy researchers, by now, would have come across them. The build sheet was an internal factory assembly record form. As such, they weren't really concerned about placing it the cars. Some factories didn't do it. Being an internal document, once the car was assemblied Chevy didn't have need for them. If GM kept all the forms a car assembly produces they'd have zillions of documents. Ed

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I agree Sgt. Ed. Even though you can't get the build information from GM I think you can still get the restoration package from GM. The restoration package is year specific and in the package they used to send when requested had information on parts suppliers and then another group of papers that listed all specifications, option and standard equipment, color combinations, and more information than you could believe. The number we used to call for this was 1-800-222-1020. Give it a try

Rob

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Yep your correct Rob. I got two packets, one for each 1st Gen that runs. They ask for the VIN. There isn't any charge and it's very informative as you explained. Ed

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Yep your correct Rob. I got two packets, one for each 1st Gen that runs. They ask for the VIN. There isn't any charge and it's very informative as you explained. Ed

Is any of the information specific to your vehicle? Or just general info about that model year.

 

BTW, my Monte must have sat in a field for 20+ years. It has most SS features (including info found on this site)The interior was completely rotted. I mean to the metal. Rats probably. The only place a build sheet might be, in above the gas tank. That will come out soon. The car is undergoing a major resto. I will post pics soon. You will be impressed. Most people would have passed this Monte up, I guess I am a glutton for punishment LOL...

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Quote:
Originally posted by ejw71:

Yep your correct Rob. I got two packets, one for each 1st Gen that runs. They ask for the VIN. There isn't any charge and it's very informative as you explained. Ed

Is any of the information specific to your vehicle? Or just general info about that model year.

It is just general info regarding your model year, not your individual car

Rob

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  • 2 weeks later...

GM does still has all of the information, (invoices, build sheets, etc.),and Pontiac will sell you their information. Chevrolet so far has refused to release the information due to the huge volume involved.

But, they do have it, so there is still hope.

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Read this (I know it's mostly about the Vette)

 

Here

 

Written and used here, with permission by Arthur Armstrong

This article appeared in the National Corvette Restorer Society's "The Corvette Restorer" magazine, Volume twenty-seven, number three, Winter 2001 issue. It's an excellent article with insight into the existence of, or lack there of, Corvette build records written by a retired GM employee.

 

Terry McManmon has asked me to write this for The Corvette Restorer with the intention that it may put to rest some, if not all, of the speculation about the Corvette build records. I worked for GM for 37 years and retired November 1, 1999; 24 years were at Chevrolet Engineering and the rest for GM Legal Staff. During this time, I became an expert on GM records, especially the Corvette, as it was my primary research vehicle. I therefore can speak with some authority on the subject.

 

About four years ago, Jim Perkins, then General Manager of Chevrolet Motor Division, put me and another employee on a Special Assignment to search anywhere and everywhere within GM for the Corvette and Camaro build records that have been so sought after. We spent two months searching the bowels of GM including dusty old warehouses, assembly plants, GMAC, financial departments, accounting departments and many other departments within GM that we thought might have a remote chance of having such documents. We also searched outside GM storage facilities such as Leonard Brothers Archives in Detroit and the Boyers storage facility in Pennsylvania that contained GM data. This was an all encompassing, no holds barred, search that Mr. Perkins authorized. We used his name and position to gain access to various departments. The departments then queried their employees and searched their files and reported to us. Since the request was from the boss, they responded thoroughly and promptly. We then followed up on any promising leads.

 

The results of our search will not please the Corvette world (and didn't please us either) as we were NOT able to locate the Mother Lode!!! We did find a few production records (about 2 1/2 years worth), not build sheets, back to mid-year 1976. GM already had (has) them back to about 1978.

 

Although the Corvette was and still is, a low production vehicle, the Engineering Records (of which the build records are just one) were NOT kept separately from other Chevrolet vehicles lines, i.e. Camaro, Corvair, trucks, etc. Chevrolet produced more vehicles than all the other GM divisions combined, and therefore generated a much higher volume of records which were a storage problem.

 

After final year production, the build records have very little business value to Chevrolet and therefore were not considered to be high priority for retention. GM record retention policy required the assembly plants to retain said documents for only about six months. Some records (including build sheets) were retained longer at the Corvette assembly plants, St. Louis and Flint. However, when Corvette production ceased at these locations, the records were pitched. It should be noted that the current Corvette Assembly Plant in Bowling Green, KY, retained the 1981 - present vehicle manifests that are available now through the NCM. This was against all odds, as there were many movements over the years within GM to destroy them because they had no business value to GM.

 

Meanwhile, back at the Tech Center in Warren, Michigan, the Chevrolet Engineering Records Retention Policy called for periodic destrcution of non-essential records, of which the build documents were one, and this was carried out on a routine basis. The other GM divisions, Cadillac, Pontiac, etc., had much smaller production volumens and interpreted the GM Records Retention Policy differently and therefore retained said documents.

 

GM Legal Staff did not and does not dictate the retention period of documents. GM has a procedure manual which outlines retention periods for various documents. GM Legal Staff does require retention of specific documents that are involved in litigation, but that concludes as the litigation ends.

 

Art Armstrong

artarmstrong@comcast.net

NCRS Member #14981

NCM Founding Member #1268

 

Owner and restorer (frame-off restoration) of a 1965 L76 Roadster

 

P.S. I don't have my Corvette's build records either!!!

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I recently called GM Canada and spoke to Frank who advised me that as long as my Monte was sold new in Canada, even if it was built in the USA, all I had to do was provide my VIN # and $45.00 CDN, and a build sheet of sorts specific to my Monte would be mailed to me in approx. 4 weeks.

 

Get this - Frank also advised me that an original build sheet is rather useless as all it has is a bunch of codes on it.....I almost choked!!! Obviously does not know the real value of an original build sheet...

 

Even so, if this modern build sheet gives me all the info on my car from new, I would be happy as this Monte was built in Flint, meaning no build sheets so far, but I haven't looked everywhere yet.....

 

So for all the Canadian Monte owners, the phone number is: 1-888-467-6853

 

Hope this helps...

 

Denis

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The car either had to be built in Canada (Oshawa, Ontario Plant) or sold originally at a Canadian dealership (regardless of where it was built) Basically if your car was processed by GM Canada then they will have record for it.

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The car either had to be built in Canada (Oshawa, Ontario Plant) or sold originally at a Canadian dealership (regardless of where it was built) Basically if your car was processed by GM Canada then they will have record for it.

Yea, thats the way it looks. My car was built in LA. I doubt it sold in Canada originally. Either way, I am going forward with my resto. As we cut into the car, we are finding more things that need attention. I am going ALL the way with this one. I will post pics soon, in another thread. pushing 30k now. (Please don't tell me I am crazy, I already know that LOL)
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