Joe Lucia... C2 GM part number question???

[James W.]

I have a NOS center console 4-speed shift indicator badge in a GM box marked 1-3823432, group 4.020. Is this for all 1963 through 1967 Corvette center consoles?

Thanks,

James West

[Alan Drake]

Re: Joe Lucia... C2 GM part number question???

Jim, I have the same items that were purchased back in the 70's for the 63-67 center console. However, as I recall the 4sp plate were somewhat solid without the small tabs on the back. These look like you need to put some sort of a spacer behind the plate. Also seem to remember that the 63 console had slots in them which would recieve the four small tabs, we may have 63 only 4sp plates. Hope Joe can clear this up since I've questioned it since the 70's.

[Michael H.]

Re: Joe Lucia... C2 GM part number question???

Alan,

Looks like Joe's out for the afternoon so I'll try to fill in. (that would be a tough job) The 3823432 was unique to 63 and is completely different than 64-67. The 63 design had, as mentioned, four retaining tabs but 64-67 glued directly to the surface. As far as I know, the 64-67 part was never available in service but the parts books all list the 63 style 432 as being the correct part for all 63-67. Not sure why the 64-67 was never available for 4-speed but the correct 64-67 3-speed plate was available for many years.

[James W.]

Re: Joe Lucia... C2 GM part number question???

Michael,

Looks like I have a 1963 plate. It won't do me any good for my '64. One more part that will collect dust on my parts shelf.

Thanks,

James West

[Joe L.]

Re: Joe Lucia... C2 GM part number question???

James-----

Yes, as I checked into this a little further, it does appear that the GM #3823432 was the 63-only plate, but it was catalogued as the SERVICE plate for all 1963-67 Corvettes. No other plate was ever available from GM to SERVICE the 64-67 Corvette with 4 speed application.

It's possible that the intention here was for the "tabs" used for 63 applications to be clipped off and the plate then used for the later applications. That's just a guess on my part, though.

This may be a case where the reproduction part is closer to original than what you could ever get from GM for SERVICE of 64-67 Corvettes.

[Michael H.]

Re: Joe Lucia... C2 GM part number question???

Joe,

It gets worse. In about 1973, I ordered 15 63-65 fuel injection plenum cover emblems (flags) but a week later, 15 LT-1 valve cover emblems showed up instead of the correct FI flag. I returned all 15 and reordered the same number but a week later I received the same 15 LT-1 emblems. That's when I realized the number had changed in the parts book from a 7017xxx to something like 39xxxxx. I made a few calls to the parts distribution center and was informed that the new number/part replaced the original metal flag. As you know, the LT-1 cover decal is nothing like the original plenum lid flag but in 1973, most people didn't care because no one was restoring Corvettes then and GM was just trying to provide something that would look somewhat similar. There were a lot of sub parts like this in the system.

[Joe L.]

Re: Joe Lucia... C2 GM part number question???

Michael-----

Yes, the original 1963-65 Corvette with L-84 FI plenum cover emblem was GM #7017247. That part was discontinued from SERVICE in January, 1973 and replaced by the GM #3946860 emblem. The latter is the valve cover emblem originally used for 1969 Corvettes with L-46 and aluminum valve covers and later used for all Corvettes and Camaro applications through 1982 with aluminum valve covers (LT-1, L-82, etc.).

Strangely, though, GM never CATALOGUED the GM #3946860 for the 63-65 FI plenum cover application. So, if you had gone into a GM dealership after about January, 1973 and asked for the FI cover emblem, the parts counterman would have looked in his book and found no listing, at all, for it. Then, he would have told you that it was no longer available. However, if you walked into the dealership parts department with the 7017247 part number in hand and ordered by that part number, the dealership or GMSPO would have supereceded it to the 3946860. This is one of the EXTREMELY RARE cases in which having the GM part number for what you wanted turned out to be a "liability".

I think that in a case like this, they would have been better off to just discontinue the original emblem and let it go at that. If someone wanted to use the 3946860 as a replacement, they could certainly do so.

Another classic example of this sort of thing relates to the air cleaner-to-hood seal used for 1973-75 Corvettes. The PRODUCTION part number was GM #330524. However, this part was NEVER available in SERVICE. Instead, for SERVICE, GM catalogued and sold the GM #3955231 for this application. The GM #3955231 was the PRODUCTION seal for 1969 Camaros with cowl induction hood. It fit the Camaro application very well, but it was an ill-fitting, sloppy replacement for the 73-75 Corvette applications.

Dr. Rebuild came to the rescue for 73-75 Corvette owners, though. Years ago he came out with a reproduction seal which was a true reproduction of the original Corvette piece. That cantankerous rascal was able to accomplish what GM couldn't or wouldn't.