'67 Parking Brake handle

[Dave M.]

Can anyone tell me if a car with Vin #5247 would or could have the second design handle which had the chrome cap and chrome side bands instead of the solid black handle? The Judging Manual says the change to chrome started about vin #6000 +/-

As always, Thanks for your responses.
Dave

[Peter L.]

Re: '67 Parking Brake handle

Dave - Fortunately or unfortunately, I'm not convinced that the '67 TIM&JG is correct on this especially the VIN # designation. Noland Adams' book presents other information that basically leads me to believe that as far as the introduction of the chrome parking brake handle at VIN #6000+/-s is concerned it's not black or chrome (white).

Noland's survey (p389) found the first hundred cars had black handles. Around S/N 10,1000 (1000) about a dozen reported the chrome plated handle - too many to be random replacements. After that about S/N 101600 (1600), the handle were all black again up to - and including S/N109562 (9562). S/N 109711 (97110) reported a chrome handle, after which the handles were mixd up again, until S/N 110403 (10404), which reported a black handle. S/N 1106611 (106110) had a chrome-plated handle, as did all following up to 112218 (12218).

The next paragraph discusses the fact that batches of cars with black handles, batches with chrome handles, and batches with mixed black and chrome handles came in and out until the end of '67 production.

My '67 (S/N 1476) has a chrome handle that I'm convinced is original to the car and it's staying on the car. If you are conviced the handle on your car is original to the car, my recommendation is to stick with it and deal with the judges. In my mind too many cars have been changed to conform to the TIM& JG; but one must remember it's title is Technical Information Manual & Judging Guide and by design we all hope it has the latest and best information, but we're always learn new things and it takes some time to update the manual if the new information is correct.

Also, it's important to remember Noland's survey is just that a survey and he didn't receive responses from all '67 Corvette owners and as with the TIM&JG, conclusions were drawn based on the information presented. So, my bottomline on your question is yes, your car could have come from the factory with the chrome handle; but I suggest you do some research, if you haven't already, to confirm that the parking brake handle on your car is the correct configuration for a 1967 Corvette chrome parking brake hande and that there are (to the best of your ability ) indications that the handle is original to the car. Have fun. Pete

[Richard S.]

Re: '67 Parking Brake handle

Dave,

Peter is correct and the 67 Master Judges(The Interior Specialists)are well aware of the inaccurate information in the 67 Guide. Many original 67 handles have been examined by the 67 Judges and the chrome/all black handles are mixed from start to end of 67 production.
So, YES....VIN: 5247 could have come with a chromed handle.