JL re Gm# 355385

[Tom R.]

Hey Joe:

What can you tell me about GM# 355385 Emblem? Like years used...service vs production, etc. thanks.

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[Joe L.]

Re: JL re Gm# 355385

Hey Joe:

What can you tell me about GM# 355385 Emblem? Like years used...service vs production, etc. thanks.

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Tom-----


GM #355385 was a front license plate filler emblem used in PRODUCTION and once available in SERVICE for 1975 to 1979 Corvettes. It was installed on cars for which the VK3 front license plate bracket was NOT ordered. It was known as BY8 on build sheets. It was discontinued from SERVICE in July, 1994.

However, from what I can tell, if one ordered the front license plate bracket, VK3, what that really meant was that the 355385 was DELETED. Either way, one got the license plate bracket. With VK3 (which was a no-cost option), the bracket was "empty". If VK3 was NOT ordered, that automatically made the car a BY8 and the filler emblem was installed. So, why didn't everyone just order a car without VK3 whether they needed to mount a front license plate, or not? Probably because they figured they wouldn't get a bracket, at all, if the didn't order it. Or, the issue of whether a car was VK3 or BY8 was "pre-determined" by GM depending upon what state a car was shipped to.

[Tom R.]

Re: JL re Gm# 355385

Or, the issue of whether a car was VK3 or BY8 was "pre-determined" by GM depending upon what state a car was shipped to.

Thanks Joe

Yep. My theory has been that BY8 was called out dependent upon whether the state was a one-license plate state. I suspect it was a zone data entry...enter the two alpha code for state and it called out VK3 or BY8. GM went to this option in the Mid-70's and prior to that, as early C3 owners know, a buyer always got the filler emblem.

In my study of build sheets (late model C3), when BY8 was present I looked at the state and than queried forums to determine if its a one plate or two plate state. The shortcoming with that approach is its thirty years later.

BY8 = TN, NE, MI

Now on build sheets, BY8 is described as external ornament (EXT ORNA) and when BY8 is called out VK3 is not, as you've described. VK3 on build sheets is printed as LIC PLATE MNT. I assumed that BY8 was an assembly that includes VK3 but concluded after a study of AIM 14C Sheet, that all Corvettes were delivered with VK3. So the question remains, why was it (VK3) called out on a build sheet

In the AIM (see image), and I'm referring to 78, 355385 is shown as EMBLEM & BY8 while the bracket we refer to as VK3 is listed as GM# 347929 and is shown in a non-BY8 or VK3 assembly configuration and a BY8 assembly configuration.

BY8 VK3.jpg