1975 production delay

[Mike E.]

Re: 1975 production delay

Perhaps because the Camaro was going to be late it was just a marketing decision since the '69 Corvette was selling well anyway. The Gen 2 Camaro was marketed as being a more affordable Corvette. The '71 Camaro sales brochure proclaimed this loud and clear. Back then showroom traffic was a big deal to Chevy, releasing a brand new Camaro and updated Corvette at the same time could draw a few more folks in. I've heard a few claims showroom traffic was the how the original Corvette idea was sold to the accountants.



Mike

[Terry M.]

Re: 1975 production delay

John, I am pleased to hear something authoritative and contemporaneous even if it is only about the Camaro. I remember the 1969 Corvette year well, but only from a consumer perspective. I pestered my dealer for an LT1 all through the 1969 MY, and finally settled for a 1969 390hp with side exhaust and U69/79. We would get all off topic if I get farther into that story.

Just to drive the stake in the ground here are the Corvette work stoppages I mentioned. I offer no cause because one, and I don't recall which, was due to a Teamsters strike that disrupted supply lines. Pete LeCastro's Birthplace of Legends is a good source for the reasons for these work stoppages, but my copy is inaccessible at the moment.

1969 MY = April 10, 1969 to June 8, 1969
1970 MY = April 7, 1970 to May 5, 1970
1971 MY = September 16, 1970 to November 23, 1970

My earlier statement that both 1970 and 1971 work stoppages were longer than the 1969 is incorrect, however, the 1971 work stoppage was the longest, 1969 is next and 1970 is the shortest at one month.

These numbers are from records of actual trim tag dates on Corvettes, and may or may not exactly correlate with the dates published in Pete's book. His dates are taken from contemporaneous publications and are likely more accurate than mine.

I suppose some parts supply issue may have delayed the Corvette, or it could have been a marketing decision -- but as far as I can see the jury is still out.

Barry, I responded to your email at length late last night. I have not yet received a Demon Mailer indicating that my message did not go through. I am playing Chevelle this weekend, and if you don't have it by Monday I will resend it.

[Peter S.]

Re: 1975 production delay

....there is also an "anomally" at the end of the '75 run too. All the manuals and books I've looked at shows '75 production ended July 31 of 1975, however I have a few "last day" '75 Corvettes in my L-82 survey that have trim tag body build dates of K07(August of '75).

I am curious why reference books and websites still show production ending in July for 1975. Paul, I do believe you have my L-82 cataloged, which has a trim tag date of K01.

[Terry M.]

Re: 1975 production delay

I can not tell you the why of this, but it is not uncommon. Chevrolet records which everyone uses, so the error repeats itself, show 1968 production ending July 1968 -- yet we have found 1968 Corvettes with trim tag dates up to and including August 9. While not quite the same thing, Chevrolet records also showed a total number for 1965 production only for NCRS to find two Corvettes with higher VIN numbers.

[Reba W.]

Re: 1975 production delay

We judged a 1972 at a chapter meet several years ago that had a higher VIN than shown also.