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Alan71 can address that blip in 1970-71. I forget the details of the GM strike. But it sure makes those years hard to find.
69-70, are actually the anomalies. I forget exactly what happened in 69, but I think there was a strike in engineering or design (?), that delayed the introduction of the 1970 Corvette (and Camaro).
In most years, production runs about 11-12 months, but because of the strike, 69 production ran 17 months, from August 68 through December 69. Conversely, 70 production only ran 7 months, from January to July 70. This accounted for the high production totals for 1969, and the much lower numbers for 1970.
There were no Corvettes built in October 71, because of a strike, which probably cut 71's production by about 2,500-3,000.
Strike mid April through mid June shut down 69 production. No May cars were produced. GM made the decision to extend the 1969 production year through December, 1969. Model year 1970 did not begin until January, 1970.
Strike in the fall of 1970 stopped 1971 model year production. September through most of November. No October cars were produced.
There was a strike during the 1974 model year run extending the run into October, 1974. No July or August cars produced. Due to that, 75 model year did not get underway until October.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Feb 24, 2014 at 09:20 AM.
Hi,
I agree about the strike affecting the 71 production numbers.
No cars at all built in October 1970, and only 449 were built in November.
As I think back to what was going on in the Fall of 1970 I believe car guys were in a bit of a shock at what had happened to the h.p. and compression figures, from 70 to 71. There wasn't quite the same enthusiasm for performance Corvettes there had been really from as far back as the early 60s.
I believe that lack of enthusiasm reduced the 71 model year production by a few thousand cars too.
Regards,
Alan
Hi,
I agree about the strike affecting the 71 production numbers.
No cars at all built in October 1970, and only 449 were built in November.
As I think back to what was going on in the Fall of 1970 I believe car guys were in a bit of a shock at what had happened to the h.p. and compression figures, from 70 to 71. There wasn't quite the same enthusiasm for performance Corvettes there had been really from as far back as the early 60s.
I believe that lack of enthusiasm reduced the 71 model year production by a few thousand cars too.
Regards,
Alan
Alan,
As you already know, those November 1970-built 1971's are very interesting. A great number of the parts installed on them were made in August and September, and it's not unusual to find parts on them earlier than the NCRS 6-month "rule".
Mike, you beat me to correcting the 68 production numbers. Lou.
Originally Posted by paul 74
I apologize for that typo.
No problem. We 68 owners have learned to become picky about stuff. It kinda goes with all that one-year-only genre we have to learn to live with.
62Corvette: You are correct on the early 71s caught in the strike. My Sweetie's 71 was set for an assembly date in mid September just in time for the strike. We have a hunch partial assembly may have actually begun on her car. Her time/build code became December 1 with an engine assembled at the beginning of September.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Feb 26, 2014 at 09:25 AM.