Jan Berry's Corvette

[Michael H.]

Re: Jan Berry's Corvette

Thanks Andy. That is indeed the same license plate number on the wrecked car and it looks like the other car had an even later number. (alphabetically) The blue car must have been purchased soon after the start of 66 production in 1965 and the red car a few months later.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Jan Berry's Corvette

So, Andy, why do you say probably a BB? I assume you just cant tell?

[Joe L.]

Re: Jan Berry's Corvette

Andy------

The "RWG" prefix I could see for a 1966 model year car first registered in California. As I mentioned previously, I could see the possibility of a very "late" R-series plate being used on a very early 1966 car. "RWG" certainly qualifies as a very late R-series.

The "RIJ" mystifies me, though, for a 1966 model in California. I wonder if, perhaps, Jan, due to his celebrity status and "Deadman's Curve" height of fame was able to get his hands on a 1966 before they were otherwise available to the public? Like, maybe, a "pilot line car" (even though I didn't think any pilot line 1966's were made) or, even, an internal GM vehicle built prior to the start of the model year, whether offically a "pilot line" car, or not.

[Michael H.]

Re: Jan Berry's Corvette

Joe,

All of this made some sense to me until I remembered a certain very well documented 1965 conv that I owned years ago. (the David Burroughs 396 "Corvette Restoration, State of the Art" car) The plate number on that April built car was NIY 633 and it had a ton of paper work back to day one to back it up. How would that have been possible if the range of prefix letters was in the R's by mid 1965? Were all the plates sent from one main source in California or were they distributed locally from multiple sources? If multiple, could that explain the lack of an accurate sequence? I have a feeling the prefix letters were advancing a little faster than originally thought.

It's not likely that Jan's 66 coupe was a pre production or pilot car. There wasn't an actual pilot line for the 66 model year and typically, any pre production new models either went from St Louis to engineering/photographic in Michigan or were actually the previous model that was modified to appear as the next years model. In that case, the vehicles typically stayed in Michigan for at least a week or two so if it were eventually released to the public, it probably wouldn't have happened before the actual run of that model began.

It would be interesting to look at some old car magazines of the era to see what the plate characters were on new cars, since most road tests were done in California. Unfortunately, most of the cars tested Probably had MFR plates but I'm sure there are some with conventional California plates.

[Joe L.]

Re: Jan Berry's Corvette

Michael-----

My recollection is that then, as now, the plates for new cars are distributed from a central location somewhere in the Sacramento area. I think that local DMV offices may stock and issue plates for replacements, etc. but this is the exception rather than the rule as far as plate issuance goes. I'm not even sure if they do this, at all, though. For the most part, then, as now, the registrtaions are processed through Sacramento, a temporary registration or operating permit is issued by the local office, and the permanent registration and plates are sent out by Sacramento.

As far as I know, Sacramento sends out the plates more-or-less in "sequential order". There is no mandate for this, but it's been my general observation that's how it works.

"N" prefix plates were definitely used for the 1965 model year. I had a friend that bought a new 1965 L-78 in about April, 1965. I definitely recall that his car had a plate that began with "N", although I don't recall the rest of the sequence.

My 1966 Chevelle purchased new in about January, 1966 definitely had plates with the prefix "SGF". I recall that perfectly. I saw many other cars that were purchased about the same time with "S" prefix plates.

My 1968 Chevelle SS L-78/M-22 was purchased new by me in May, 1968. The prefix for that car was "WRT"; I recall that perfectly, too. I saw many other cars purchased about the same time with "W" prefix plates, too, including cars I observed in southern California.

When I purchased my 1969 Corvette on September 30, 1969, I did not know whether I would be getting the last of the "yellow-on-black" plates or the first of the "yellow-on-blue" plates. It turned out that I got the "yellow-on-blue" with the alpha character series (the last 3 characters for the yellow-on-blue plates) as "AHI". A friend of mine purchased his 1969 Corvette new in December, 1968 (he still has his, too) and his car was issued the "yellow-on-black" plates with prefix "YGE".

[Michael H.]

Re: Jan Berry's Corvette

Ok, thanks Joe. If "N" was used in April and "R" near the end of 1965, that means they were going through the alpha prefix at a pretty fast pace. I suppose the two Jan/Dean cars would then be correct with "R". Until about a year ago, I had no idea there was a way to determine the date of issue by this prefix.

[Andy F.]

Re: Jan Berry's Corvette

I don't have any scientific way of determining from the wreckage whether the car was BB or not. But looking at the picture again, it definitely looks like a 66 core support. Definitely A/C and looks like an auto transmission. There appears to be a smaller transmission fluid cooler in front of the a/c condenser. Maybe it was a small block, judging by the location of the license plate frame. In 66, did all BB with a/c and auto trans have the left mounted license plate? I was making the BB assumption based on who he was. 24 or 25 year old kid with more than enough money. Besides "Deadman's Curve", there were several songs about fast cars and drag racing. The album Drag City has a song titled "Sting Ray". Jan and Dean were gearheads, liked drag racing and fast cars. I also have video from Biography Channel of Dean driving a red 59 or 60 Corvette w/red coves and a hardtop...no clear shots of the license plate or fuel injection markings on that one.

Anyone interseted in Route 66 car license plate numbers?

[Kevin M.]

Re: Jan Berry's Corvette

My Feb 67 registered in Van Nuys was a U series plate.

Kevin

[Russ T.]

Re: Jan Berry's Corvette

I had always heard through various unverifiable sources (oldies radio, etc.)that Jan's hell-ride was prompted by the fact that he had just received his draft notice in the mail. I had always heard that he wrecked a white 1966 Corvette, and that 3 people were killed. Again, I've never made any effort to verify any of this information.

[G B.]

Rolling Stone account

The most thorough write-up I remember about the connection between Jan & Dean and Corvettes was in Rolling Stone magazine. This issue was published during the Fall of 1974. I didn't save it, but I am fairly certain of the time frame. I know I read it in London just before my daughter was born.

Perhaps someone reading this has a copy and will post it on a website.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Rolling Stone account

So Andy, you made it sound like the car was probably a BB as seen in the TV pilot. I assume you cant tell from that either. I also saw what looks like it might be the remnants of a transmission cooler in front of the radiator. I dont think thats what it is, but its possible. If you look at everything in the picture, you see that everyting is washed out by the light. Everything that is flat and solid is white and washed out. Everything that`s a hole, is black. So in the middle of the top rail on both BB and SB there would be two bolts and washers for the shroud bracket. The picture is so washed out that you cant even make out that they are there. But, on the outer ends you see two black holes. Now, the SB configuration is the only one that would be without bolts and washers in those locations. If there were bolts in those locations too, they would also be washed out by the light. Thats why I still think it was a SB.

[G B.]

I found "IT" on eBay.

It was the September 12, 1974 issue of "Rolling Stone" that contained the article "The Tragic History of Jan & Dean". I bought it, so I should have it here in a couple of weeks.

This article contained a summary of the Corvettes that the two had owned. I believe it identified them as new or used, but I don't know if the summary listed the engine sizes.