4-4-63 revisited

[John D.]

Earlier we were talking about what did 4-4-63 stand for. Well a major collector of Corvette literature, etc. Robert Jorjorian told me today that it stands for the following. Corvette/Corvair/Chevy11/ Chevrolet. This is his info as I had no idea. Especially when we were talking about a pilot or prototype car.

[William L.]

Re: 4-4-63 revisited

John
Don't ya think it could be 4 speed 4 barrel?
"Lace"

[John D.]

Re: 4-4-63 revisited

Bill, Did you know that in 64 instead of 4 models Chevrolet advertised 5-5-64. Means they added the Chevelle making it 5 instead of 4 models in 63. Meanwhile thought all 63's were FI cars Bill. In Marlborough there were 16 cars in my class and most were FI cars. John Bollard was doing the ops with some poor soul in the rain and said to me. Hey JD see that 63 carb car. Well that thing is a fake. Used to be an FI car and the DA made it a carb car. Even out in the rain it was pretty funny. Especially coming from John. John D.

[Art A.]

Re: 4-4-63 revisited

Well this is a good example of the Corvette "experts" trying to read something into a friggen date! IMHEO it is just that....... a date, nothing more, nothing less.
I worked next door to the Engineering Product Information Group who supplied the graphics and text for such in-house photo shoots and I don't ever recall any symbolism to these types of numbers except to signify the date of the shoot or the date of that faze of that engineering project completion. Most of these types of photo's were taken for inclusion into a internal publication that was called a Product Features Book. This publication was basically used for disseminating new product information within the corporation and never distributed outside GM.

Art

[John D.]

Re: 4-4-63 revisited

Art, One of your friends has a black cloth 63 Chevrolet banner w/florescent lettering with the same logo. There's 4 for 63. 4-4-63. No pics of cars just the info. Corvett/Corvair/ChevyII/Chevrolet. The 64 banner has 5-5-64, etc. Your answer could be correct also except for the time frame. It's rather late in the year to be hyping a car built around July of 62. But who knows. Maybe Jorjorian will chime in as I am done for sure on this subject. John

[Robert Jorjorian]

Re: 4-4-63 revisited

Art you are one of the smartest guys on the db so please take this as my humble opinion.
I own numerous 63 dealer items including a large black cloth banner which was used for new car showings....on it is 4 for 63 with the 4 models spelled out that John listed.
I sent John a pic of the 64 business card from the local Chevrolet dealer in 1964. On the card is 5 in 64 (listing the additional Chevelle).........so I respectfully disagree and think it means models not dates.RJ

[William L.]

Re: 4-4-63 revisited

John
Shows ya I don't know much!! and you can always learn more.
"Lace"

[Robert Jorjorian]

Re: 4-4-63 revisited .....Correction

According to the 1963 GM publication titled The Chevrolet Story my choice of the word "models" should have read "kinds" of Chevrolets.

In the above book, on page 4 it goes on to say "For the 1963 lineup Chevrolet has fashioned four entirely different kinds of cars to keep pace with the American public's demand for individual mobility." and closes the column saying "In all, the four kinds of cars in 33 models make Chevrolet dealer's showroom a one-stop automotive shopping center.

[Art A.]

Re: 4-4-63 revisited

Hey guys I think we are talking oranges and apples here......i.e., DEALER vs. INTERNAL GM documents.

The photo in question is DEFINITELY a photo taken by a Chevrolet Engineering Center photographer. I recognize the photo and the font for the text used under it. These photo's were mainly used for Engineering projects.
Chevrolet Sales and Marketing Division, (a separate division from Engineering) could have gotten this photo form Engineering and passed it along to it's dealers and either they or the Dealer could have put it's own spin on the 4-4-63, 5-5-65.

All the things that you have mentioned are DEALER related items, and, in my humble opinion this photo was ORIGINALLY was taken for ENGINEERING purposes and had nothing to do with dealer promotions.

Art

[William L.]

Re: 4-4-63 revisited

I got the picture from Ed Teskey's grandson and it was in Ed's personal collection.
Bill

[Art A.]

Re: 4-4-63 revisited

Bill,

Do you know if Ed worked at CEC, the name sounds very familiar

Art

[Robert Jorjorian]

Re: 4-4-63 revisited

You would know things like that better than anyone Art.
Yet that same license plate 4 4 63 is also placed on the front of a big Chevrolet on the front cover of The Chevrolet Story for 1963, so it had significance to more than just Corvette pilot photos.

[John H.]

Re: 4-4-63 revisited

Art -

Ed was the General Superintendent (effectively the Plant Manager) of the St. Louis Corvette Plant in the 60's-early 70's.

[Art A.]

Re: 4-4-63 revisited

Of course John, I knew that............dah just wasn't thinking.

Art

[Art A.]

Re: 4-4-63 revisited

Robert, I never said it was a pilot photo, but this photo was used long before 4/4/63. The EXACT same picture, minus the 4-4-63 front plate appears in the parts book illustration section and is dated 1962. The plates in both pictures have been added to the original photos and may also be on the cover of The Chevrolet Story and "other" publications.

However, my point is.........the 4-4-63 DOESN'T mean 4X4, or Zora's birthday or Chevelle/Corvette, etc.

Art