Please Help By Re-Looking.......

[M & K Perkins]

Hi All!

Please do me a favor and take another look at the thread I posted titled "Corvette Paperwork BEWARE TOUGH QUESTIONS" posted on 17 January 2006. I've added some information/recommendations in subsequent posts and really would appreciate some assistance. I'd like to get a great thread going for the archives (possibly with pics).

I know there are few guys out there with some experience working at the St. Louis Plant and/or other experts on documentation. John Hinkley, Al Grenning, Tom Russo, Joe Lucia et al. I'm really needing your help on this one!

I have figured out a bunch on my own since the last post and have several hundred hours into this research. It does appear that things got a little weird (actually made more sense) when BG took over. It appears that the 78-82 docs are pretty close and that the 74-82 have enough in common to make them a bit easier to understand. Anyway, I'm begging guys, Check out the thread & help if you can.

Last thing! I would be super interested to meet anyone who has a serious interest in learning all there is to know about Corvette paperwork. I've got quite the collection (50's to early 90's) and would be happy to share documents etc. with someone similarly interested.

Hope to hear from you & read some good posts

M&K

[Kevin M.]

Re: Please Help By Re-Looking.......

M&K I think a lot of people here have an interest in documents. If you scan them I'll bet you'll find lots of takers. I'll bet Rob Musquetier would make whole section for your info.

Kevin

Sorry Rob for volunteering you once again.

[M & K Perkins]

Re: Please Help By Re-Looking.......

Hi Kevin!

Thanks for the response. Truth be told, I do have an ulterior motive for all of this and you hit the nail on the head when you voluntered Rob.

Let me preface my next comment by saying that without the NCRS this hobby would be in big trouble and would be nowhere the fun. I am incredibly thankful it exists. I have noticed however that there is alot of information left to be understood and more importantly compiled into a handy and easily digestable format. To give an example, I could not live without my TIM & JG, spec book and operations manuals (I can't even imagine it). But, I have noticed that much of what I seek is not included in the pages. Don't get me wrong they are wonderful but they could be much better.

I definitely would enjoy seeing a section devoted to all forms of documentation from the factory & dealer generated documents right down to the labels and grease pen markings on the car. I would also like to see a section devoted to the St. Louis VS. Bowling Green 1981 and the Calif versions of each of the 80-82. I mention this because the differences are much bigger than you would expect and much of the GM & aftermarket documentation (assembly manuals, shop manuals etc.) fail to address the unique differences. Here is one example....Can ANYONE show me where to find the horns on a St. Louis 1981 by looking at published documentation? They sure aren't where the assembly manuals and the shop manuals say they are! I've also noticed a couple mistakes in the NCRS judging guide that could be fixed.

I know that the mid 70's to 82 Vettes are not as hot as the 53-72 but they are all Vettes and this is why we find ourselves as part of this and the Corvette family. Moreover, while the later C3's may not be high dollar cars, they are important. Quite a few could never afford to become 53 or 67 owners but they are ligitimate Corvette enthusiasts. It should also be noted that in terms of numbers, the later C3 owners are far more prevelant than the earlier models based on production, this can only help the NCRS. Finally, while some may be of the opinion that the later C3's will never amount to much, it would be logical that those which are correct and properly documented will be the most valuable.

In any event, if we could get this whole documentation research gig underway, it could easily be used as a springboard to compie info on every year Vette. I hope you made it through my ramblings and I am really excited about the possibilities!

STW! M&K

[Kevin M.]

[M & K Perkins]

Re: Please Help By Re-Looking.......

Hi Kevin!

Good to hear from you again. I've got to learn how to post pics here. I know how to do it it on the Corvette Forum through photobucket but that's it. I can email them to anyone who is interested and would be happy to swap pics etc. until I learn how to post them here and/or determine if there is a genuine interest.

One thing that really concerns me is that if we are not successful in reaching some understanding of what documentation exists, what it means etc. than it will be lost (like the St. Louis records) (Sorry couldn't resist) and those who really know this information worked at the St. Louis Assembly Plant. Let's say that an employee was 40 in 1981 when it closed. If that's the case, than he is 65 now! I don't mean to sound grotesque but in the not too distant future that first hand knowledge will be gone. We have to figure out a good way to compile this information and document it for the future. If we can't accomplish this through the NCRS and it's very knowledgeable members, where else could it be done? I'd bet a million dollars that if we jumped 25 years into the future and asked (on this board) if anyone is interested in understanding Corvette documentation, there would be a hundred response within hours.

I guess the bottom line here is that I'm willing to help in any way I can. I'm not looking to horde the information but rather to share it. I'd really love to do that through the NCRS, the organization that should be most intersted.

STW! M&K

[Rob M.]

Re: Please Help By Re-Looking.......

If you compile me a list of documentation items of interest I'll see what I can do for the C1 and C2 cars in the registries...

greetings,
Rob.

[Kevin M.]

Re: Please Help By Re-Looking.......

How about a my car docs section attached to each car to start I'll send you a sample. Give Roy "Mr. Options" Braazt and Michael Hanson, their own sections. Some place to put Joe L and Duke Williams info. would be nice. Long ago I suggested a FAQ section because every new member ask's the same questions how do I tell if a car was a BB or FI how do I remove my dash pads? Big job you can say no.

Kevin