About 1968 production.

[Paul P.]

Doing some research for my Corvette Story web site.

Somebody told me a curious thing about 1968 production. It seems that all of the Corvette production from September 1967 until mid January 1968 were convertibles. True?

If so, this might explain the 1968 coupe vs. convert (Coupe: 9,936 34.78%; Convertible: 18,630 65.22%) numbers. 1969 was Coupe 22,129 or 57.09% Convertible: 16,633 or 42.91% and later years were also biased toward the coupe. With the new body style of the '68, (as the story goes) buyers sometimes bought the convert even if they really wanted a coupe in order to get the new amazing C3.

If so, what is the reason? Production problems with the t-top?

An inquiring mind wants to know!

~paul

[Jack C.]

Re: About 1968 production.

My January 22 1968 (#9643) built is a coupe. I understand that the problem was with the removeable roof panel(s). It was supposed to be a single panel and then went to two. There was something said that the top(s) were very difficult to remove when the car was at curb weight. Comments?

[Terry M.]

Re: About 1968 production.

We have covered this in the past.

John Hinckley said the no early COUPES was due to difficulty of getting the removable hardtops to fit properly. It gave the production guys fits because they had not counted on making that many convertibles, so getting the soft tops on short order was difficult.

There was also an issue of who owned the design for removable hardtops that may or may not have been resolved before 1968 production began.

Edited to correct "no early coupes... " Thanks Jack.

[Ralph S.]

Re: About 1968 production.

From the VIN's that Terry and i have collected the first coupe shows up E20 Dec 20 1967 VIN #7352

[John H.]

Re: About 1968 production.

I was there at the time, and remember the situation very well; any coupes built before mid-January were most likely built for Engineering evaluation, as we didn't launch retail coupe production until about the third week of January. I summarized the issue for the "Vette Signal", our Michigan chapter quarterly magazine, in the Fall of 2009, copied below:


THE MYSTERIOUS 1968 CORVETTE LAUNCH

-or-

WHY SO MANY CONVERTIBLES?

[Tim G.]

Re: About 1968 production.

That's amazing. I've been in this hobby for years and owned my share of '68 Corvettes. I've never known this information. Wow......

[Paul P.]

Re: About 1968 production.

Very interesting info, thanks to all who replied, especially John H.

I never knew that a one piece targa roof was part of the original design. Are there photographs of it available?

Gonna hafta update the web site when I get a round tuit.

~paul

[John H.]

Re: About 1968 production.

Very interesting info, thanks to all who replied, especially John H.

I never knew that a one piece targa roof was part of the original design. Are there photographs of it available?

Gonna hafta update the web site when I get a round tuit.

~paul

I'm sure there are some in the Design Staff (Styling) files, but all they had to do was to airbrush a gap down the center of the roof panel to correct the appearance with the roof in place; it would be obvious with the roof panel removed, as there was no "T"-bar.

[Jack C.]

Re: About 1968 production.

With my coupe having a build date of January 22, 1968 (#9643). I may may one of the first retail coupes available to the buying public. That and $1.50 will get me a cup of coffee at DD.

[Jim T.]

Re: About 1968 production.

Jack since you have one of the first coupes available, having the 427/400, you could have the very first 1968 427/400 coupe. Wish our original owner FEB built 68 convertible had the later model dash braces.

[Jack C.]

Re: About 1968 production.

My selling price just went up. Hah Hah.