1961 Urban Legend?
07-31-2015, 04:48 PM
#41
Race Director
The only time I can think of when Chevrolet used "leftover" prior model parts is when they went to the large main bearing engines across the board in 1968.
There was a large number of leftover 1967 283 engines that were put into 1968 model Chevrolets. I'm thinking 9000 or so?
The main difference was the rod/main bearing size and the hole in the back of the block for a block breather.
I'm sure there are other examples. That's the only one that comes to mind.
There was a large number of leftover 1967 283 engines that were put into 1968 model Chevrolets. I'm thinking 9000 or so?
The main difference was the rod/main bearing size and the hole in the back of the block for a block breather.
I'm sure there are other examples. That's the only one that comes to mind.
07-31-2015, 05:09 PM
#42
Team Owner
OK. I'm waiting for the "big block hood used on small block" discussion next...
07-31-2015, 05:40 PM
#43
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I've rebuilt one '57 passenger car FI unit which had an air meter left over from the aborted FI development program for Cadillac.
Early '55 Chebby pick-up trucks were warmed over '54 models.
My '54 has a left over '53 door on the passenger side.
And, given the low sales figures of the earliest models, you could probably argue successfully that '55 Corvette bodies were left over '54 bodies.
07-31-2015, 07:36 PM
#44
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Rochester Products used up early FI castings. "7300" model units in '59 (I think), for example, used left over fuel bowls from '57.
I've rebuilt one '57 passenger car FI unit which had an air meter left over from the aborted FI development program for Cadillac.
Early '55 Chebby pick-up trucks were warmed over '54 models.
My '54 has a left over '53 door on the passenger side.
And, given the low sales figures of the earliest models, you could probably argue successfully that '55 Corvette bodies were left over '54 bodies.
I've rebuilt one '57 passenger car FI unit which had an air meter left over from the aborted FI development program for Cadillac.
Early '55 Chebby pick-up trucks were warmed over '54 models.
My '54 has a left over '53 door on the passenger side.
And, given the low sales figures of the earliest models, you could probably argue successfully that '55 Corvette bodies were left over '54 bodies.
The rest are all good examples.
In my experience, it was more common to see a prior year model with succeeding model year parts rather than the other way around.
Manufacturers are careful about today's "truth in advertising laws". Not so much 50 years ago.
07-31-2015, 09:59 PM
#45
Race Director
07-31-2015, 11:34 PM
#47
Le Mans Master
I was making my rounds today at work and stopped at a restoration shop to talk to the owner because I hadn't seen him in a long time. He proceeds to tell me a guy brought him a 1961 Corvette that is in pieces in a trailer, but there was something special about it. He tells me it's believed to be 1 of 6 1961 Corvettes that came with a 327 engine. I asked how does the owner know? He said he was trying to prove it, but wasn't sure how. Of course the original engine is long gone, but I thought I would ask the experts on here?
I can believe it. Not likely, but possible. When we used to do the late night plant tours in the mid '70s, a couple of the guys who led them had stories of engineering cars that were sent down the line. They told that on rare occasions in the '50 and '60s, they might receive an engine or a few, along with a car order, and told to install it on the line like the rest.
One year this one guy had a tour of Boy Scouts. He told the leader to keep an eye on the cars coming along up there, as these were the new Corvettes in the mix with the current ones. He didn't count on having someone there who had zero interest in cars and he got to see the new Corvettes, which most would have loved to see back then, but couldn't care less.
So would 6 test '61 cars with 327s have been built? Well, did an '86 Corvette have a ZR-1 in it? Things happen. Documenting is the key. And often, that is nearly impossible.
08-01-2015, 08:34 AM
#48
Instructor
Growing up in Flint I know all sorts of things went on. None of them were documented though. Inside the plant it was generally known as government work (i.e. classified).
A friend had a FI with solids and a power glide transmission one summer while we were in college. His dad was president of the Chevrolet division. I'm sure there was no documentation on that car.
I won't even begin to start on what my grandfather had over at the Buick.
Richard Newton
A friend had a FI with solids and a power glide transmission one summer while we were in college. His dad was president of the Chevrolet division. I'm sure there was no documentation on that car.
I won't even begin to start on what my grandfather had over at the Buick.
Richard Newton
Please, start a new thread, I'd like to here more!!!
08-01-2015, 10:34 AM
#49
Team Owner
Plenty of science fiction available on Amazon.
The big 3 assembly lines were about turning steel and rubber into dollars. They weren't playgrounds for every whim some employee had on making adhoc changes to production cars. Between the scrutiny of upper management (e.g. Bill Mitchell needing a stealth garage) and the UAW griping about changes in schedule, procedures, workload I'll bet most of these urban myths are just that -- fantasies...
Some on here have worked in an industrial environment; many haven't -- they have a whimsical view of what went on.
E.g. some remark about the factory lines being glorified 'hot rod' shops - not hardly...
The big 3 assembly lines were about turning steel and rubber into dollars. They weren't playgrounds for every whim some employee had on making adhoc changes to production cars. Between the scrutiny of upper management (e.g. Bill Mitchell needing a stealth garage) and the UAW griping about changes in schedule, procedures, workload I'll bet most of these urban myths are just that -- fantasies...
Some on here have worked in an industrial environment; many haven't -- they have a whimsical view of what went on.
E.g. some remark about the factory lines being glorified 'hot rod' shops - not hardly...
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; 08-01-2015 at 10:37 AM.
08-01-2015, 11:22 AM
#50
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Plenty of science fiction available on Amazon.
The big 3 assembly lines were about turning steel and rubber into dollars. They weren't playgrounds for every whim some employee had on making adhoc changes to production cars. Between the scrutiny of upper management (e.g. Bill Mitchell needing a stealth garage) and the UAW griping about changes in schedule, procedures, workload I'll bet most of these urban myths are just that -- fantasies...
Some on here have worked in an industrial environment; many haven't -- they have a whimsical view of what went on.
E.g. some remark about the factory lines being glorified 'hot rod' shops - not hardly...
The big 3 assembly lines were about turning steel and rubber into dollars. They weren't playgrounds for every whim some employee had on making adhoc changes to production cars. Between the scrutiny of upper management (e.g. Bill Mitchell needing a stealth garage) and the UAW griping about changes in schedule, procedures, workload I'll bet most of these urban myths are just that -- fantasies...
Some on here have worked in an industrial environment; many haven't -- they have a whimsical view of what went on.
E.g. some remark about the factory lines being glorified 'hot rod' shops - not hardly...
Bill
08-01-2015, 12:02 PM
#51
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They weren't playgrounds for every whim some employee had on making adhoc changes to production cars. Between the scrutiny of upper management and the UAW griping about changes in schedule, procedures, workload
E.g. some remark about the factory lines being glorified 'hot rod' shops - not hardly...
You are painting a picture that is not entirely accurate.
You have a typical stereotypical image of what it was like in a assembly plant. One that could be formed by reading too much on the internet, WSJ, newspapers, TV or other communication for profit media.
Depended entirely on the attitudes of management and employees. both a reflection of each other. We had one of the fastest moving assembly lines in the country and when we'd run these experimental trucks down the line, the employees would get very interested and excited about it, usually asking what did they need to do different when that model passed by so they could be involved.
For this and other reasons, Ford discontinued building our NEW MODEL PILOT models in the Pilot Plant in Allen Park, Mi. and sent all the prototype work to our plant along with a fat budget to build them.
Did I mention we (plant management/UAW) also made so much profit to budget we had to blow some of it? About once a month, the plant would shut down two hours early on Friday and the employees sent home with a full shifts pay. Both shifts.
08-01-2015, 12:08 PM
#52
Race Director
Years ago there was an AM radio morning talk show out of San Francisco called the "Frank and Mike Show", 6 to 10 in the morning. Those guys went at it, back and forth, for the whole show. It was very entertaining.
I always wondered what happened to them and where they went........
I always wondered what happened to them and where they went........
08-01-2015, 12:38 PM
#53
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Years ago there was an AM radio morning talk show out of San Francisco called the "Frank and Mike Show", 6 to 10 in the morning. Those guys went at it, back and forth, for the whole show. It was very entertaining.
I always wondered what happened to them and where they went........
I always wondered what happened to them and where they went........
08-01-2015, 09:35 PM
#54
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Looks like my thread hit a nerve 
My father in law was a sales man back in the day. He tells me a story of a Buick they got in that had a huge engine in it. It wasn't an option, but the car just kind of showed up. He drove it as a demo for a few days. They made some calls to higher ups about the car asking questions and the car just vanished off the lot one night. Rumor had it that it was built for a big shots kid.
My father in law was a sales man back in the day. He tells me a story of a Buick they got in that had a huge engine in it. It wasn't an option, but the car just kind of showed up. He drove it as a demo for a few days. They made some calls to higher ups about the car asking questions and the car just vanished off the lot one night. Rumor had it that it was built for a big shots kid.
08-01-2015, 09:38 PM
#55
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Looks like my thread hit a nerve My father in law was a sales man back in the day. He tells me a story of a Buick they got in that had a huge engine in it. It wasn't an option, but the car just kind of showed up. He drove it as a demo for a few days. They made some calls to higher ups about the car asking questions and the car just vanished off the lot one night. Rumor had it that it was built for a big shots kid.
My father in law was a sales man back in the day. He tells me a story of a Buick they got in that had a huge engine in it. It wasn't an option, but the car just kind of showed up. He drove it as a demo for a few days. They made some calls to higher ups about the car asking questions and the car just vanished off the lot one night. Rumor had it that it was built for a big shots kid.
08-02-2015, 08:12 AM
#56
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Looks like my thread hit a nerve My father in law was a sales man back in the day. He tells me a story of a Buick they got in that had a huge engine in it. It wasn't an option, but the car just kind of showed up. He drove it as a demo for a few days. They made some calls to higher ups about the car asking questions and the car just vanished off the lot one night. Rumor had it that it was built for a big shots kid.
My father in law was a sales man back in the day. He tells me a story of a Buick they got in that had a huge engine in it. It wasn't an option, but the car just kind of showed up. He drove it as a demo for a few days. They made some calls to higher ups about the car asking questions and the car just vanished off the lot one night. Rumor had it that it was built for a big shots kid.
08-02-2015, 10:21 AM
#57
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St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
Anybody who would believe all these stories about stuff going on is naive or ignorant.
Anyone who believes none of that stuff ever happened is equally naive or ignorant.
Anyone who believes none of that stuff ever happened is equally naive or ignorant.
08-02-2015, 10:22 AM
#58
Team Owner
Yeah - I'm having a flashback to the 200 MPG Ford carburetor that got out of the factory on a handful of cars. Supposedly one showed up at a Ford dealer in Norfolk where I worked and the factory sent reps down to remove it and replace it with a regular 'ole carb.
Damn their eyes!
Damn their eyes!
08-02-2015, 11:48 AM
#59
Race Director
Yeah - I'm having a flashback to the 200 MPG Ford carburetor that got out of the factory on a handful of cars. Supposedly one showed up at a Ford dealer in Norfolk where I worked and the factory sent reps down to remove it and replace it with a regular 'ole carb.
Damn their eyes!
Damn their eyes!
no, no, no - Frank. that wasn't a "Ford" carburetor, it was the long suppressed "Fish" carb. See my post in the thread by Eccomass about the 6 cyl '56 Corvette.
http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative...t-2590184.html
Last edited by tuxnharley; 08-02-2015 at 11:51 AM. Reason: correct year