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Back in 1980, in researching the history of our '66, I contacted the original owner. He told me he ordered the car while in Vietnam, through Saigon Chevy, and that the order was placed through the single car sales office in New York City. He took delivery on the car at Merrill Bean Chevrolet in Ogden, Utah.
Does "Saigon Chevy" or the "single car sales office" sound familiar to anyone? I am curious about this and am seeking further details. Thanks!
Mark,
Search the archives, I recall seeing details about a NY based office that shipped GM cars off-shore at that time. That would be the starting point.
When I was Editor of The Corvette Restorer I printed a story about a 1972 Corvette that was ordered by a person in the military through a hardware store in the Philippines for delivery at a Chevrolet dealer in his home town. It showed EXPORT PREP on the delivery paperwork even though the car never left the USA. I can't recall the name of the hardware store, but perhaps the ordering location changed over the years -- or depended on the branch of the service or where the individual was stationed.
I purchased my 1967 small block roadster in May of 1966 while I was serving with the USMC in RVN. I paid Garages Des Charner of Saigon (through their Danang office) a 12000 Piaster ($100) commission to write the deal which was then carried out by General Motors Foreign Distributors division in New York.
My car was originally written up as a 1966 but due to my delay in returning to the states and a strike in St Louis I ultimately received a 1967 model. Delivery was December 19th through Kenneth Chevrolet in Hawthorne, CA. The total price paid to GM was $3885.69, allegedly $100 dollars over wholesale for military personnel serving in Vietnam. I still have the car and drive it regularly.
John Hill
John, great story about your purchase of your '67. Do you suppose that the "Garages Des Charner of Saigon" is the same as the "Saigon Chevy" that our original owner referred to?
Hi Mark
As an inveterate and unrepentant pack rat I have all of the original paper work from my order and purchase. The full name of the agent was Societe' Des Garages Charner at 131 Nguyen Hue in Saigon. Their letterhead lists Cadillac, Chevrolet, Corvair, Chevy II, Chevelle, Impala, and Corvette as their products. The GM order forms and their subsequent letters only cite Garages Des Charner. I am inclined to think that Saigon Chevy was a different operation.
John
In late 65 or early 66 I priced a Corvette & Chevelle at a small sales office in Saigon. The office consisted of 2 sales people & a lot sales information.
The office was located about 2 blocks from the bar area on Tudor st.
You could also purchase cars through the PX (post exchange) for delivery in the U.S. when you rotated back home.
Thanks Bob and Mike for your kind Veteran comments. Other than Dengue fever and several bouts of what I considered at the time to be near fatal Ho Chi Minh’s revenge I was unscratched during my year in RVN. The ones that deserve the real thanks are the guys who were severely injured or didn’t make it back.
This thread has piqued my interest and brought back many memories. The Corvette sales office in Danang was similar to the one in Saigon described by Rick. In thinking more on the subject I would bet that “Saigon Chevy” was a slang name for Garages Des Charner as there probably wasn’t more than one establishment doing this kind of business. Also, the Marines in I Corps weren’t as advanced as the Army in Saigon and our relatively small PX didn’t do car deals when I was there.
I went on Google maps and looked up the address of Garages Des Charner in Saigon (131 Nguyen Hue) and it looks like a pretty upscale neighborhood at the intersection of two wide boulevards near the Rex Hotel. I was only in Saigon once for about four hours so I didn’t get to experience Tudor Street (probably all for the best).
John Hill
John, the area you describe sounds very much like the same place. I may check it out on Goggle tonight.
We were near the "Iron Triangle" but on occasion we could slip into Saigon on the resupply truck for some Tudor Street style R&R.
I purchased my 1967 small block roadster in May of 1966 while I was serving with the USMC in RVN. I paid Garages Des Charner of Saigon (through their Danang office) a 12000 Piaster ($100) commission to write the deal which was then carried out by General Motors Foreign Distributors division in New York.
My car was originally written up as a 1966 but due to my delay in returning to the states and a strike in St Louis I ultimately received a 1967 model. Delivery was December 19th through Kenneth Chevrolet in Hawthorne, CA. The total price paid to GM was $3885.69, allegedly $100 dollars over wholesale for military personnel serving in Vietnam. I still have the car and drive it regularly.
John Hill
Hello John Hill;
Thank you for your service to our country.
Very cool Corvette history. Many of us wish we had your forethought.
Ray
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance I hope you dance
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