What about M.S.O. records ?

[Wayne M.]

I'm really pleased at the current efforts of several members to get access to the NICB shipping records, but should we not also be enquiring about the Manufacturers Statement of Origin data base ? After all, here's a document produced by GM (and all other new car builders), under federal regulation, which indicates the VIN #, new car delivery dealer name and address, the SAE horsepower and shipping weight of every new car manufactured. [ref. MSO article by Loren Lundberg, Restorer Vol 7, No 3]. I believe the feds used the taxable SAE hp somehow to apply the excise tax. The originals of this document ended up with the state that issued the first title, but surely copies/microfilms of such an important statement exist in GM or government vaults.

The MSO tells us the body style, whether big or small block (from SAE hp formula), and some idea of the options (deduced by comparison of base weight to shipping weight). [ref. Letters, pg 8, Restorer Vol 19, no 4].

So what about it, members with connections at these levels ?

[Loren]

Re: What about M.S.O. records ?

Wayne:

First, I don't hold out much hope for the shipping records, having tried to accomodate NCIB a few years back in whatever maner they required to get access. They do not want open the door. PERHAPS they might talk to the National Corvette Museum, but ...

As for the MSO's, I have a March 12, 1976 letter from Joe Pike that reads:

"Chevrolet does not maintain records of invoices beyond the current

model year EXCEPT ON THE MICROFILM BASIS WHICH IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO

LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES."(emphasis supplied)

Further a November 5, 1980 letter from the Manger of Chevrolet's Financial

Controls & Systems reads:

"... a thorough search of the St Louis plant records has confirmed

that all invoice records prior to the 1971 Model Year have been

destroyed in the normal course of business. For your further

information, those Corvette invoice records retained for 1971 and

subsequent Model Years are considered proprietary in nature between

Chevrolet and its dealers and therefore are not generally available."

What does this all mean, aside from confirming that at one time at least some records were available? Probably that the drones won again and destruction continued, to a point. I provided copies of the above letters to Jim Perkins when he, as the General Manager of Chevrolet, went searching for these films.

The story is that he found nothing - true?? - in any case, supposedly records that had NOT been destroyed - beginning some time in the '80's - would be preserved, by Perkin's order. However, the real world tells me that Perkins is gone, the company is perpetually being reorganized and I wouldn't bet on being able to find the invoice for my wife's '85.