Team Chevelle banner

Buick Interior in a 1968 Chevelle

17K views 32 replies 17 participants last post by  HERodriguezJr 
#1 ·
Did This Ever Happen from The Factory?
 
#9 ·
The Teal one, http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars...ddiZ2282QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item290236413809& is from Fremont too according to the VIN. FWIW, and probably not much, he quotes a GM strike as the reason.

The recent article in CW seems to lend some credence of riots in Baltimore & KC in early April and even says a late March (03D) build sheet was found inside a seat with 4-11-68 hand written on the back leading one to believe the interior of the car wasn't completed until April 11.

I have some questions on the theory though:

* First, I assume the seats built in the assembly plant and only fabric supplied to the assembly plant. Since build sheets have been found inside seats or attached to the hogrings, it would seem that the plants only received the material from an outside source and built the seats in-house, If that's the case, then other plants wouldn't have the shortage or material since there were no riots (as reported by the article). This questions the authenticity of the Fremont car above with an original Buick interior - but that's another item.

* Second, although the sampling of tags I have is small, all are for black bucket (765) & bench seats (766) only. Was black the only color affected or were all colors of vinyl bucket & bench seats affected? I don't have any April tags from Atlanta, Framingham or Fremont to compare and the only April tag I have that doesn't have 765 or 766 seat codes is a single KC 764 code.

Anyone have a tag from any plant in April with black bucket (765) or black bench (766) that's not a Buick (-158) interior...or...any other color vinyl interior from any plant in April?

* Third, assuming the riots affected only the Baltimore & KC final assembly plants, what were Buick and Oldsmobile doing in Baltimore & KC during this time for their interiors if they were shipping their interior material across town to the Chevelle plants? Was their production so low that they could simply (1) hold their own orders, (2) cut them some percentage, (3) or what in order to supply Chevelles? Why didn't the riots affect their plants?

I know KC had the Chevelle plant in Leed's, MO. and a Buick/Olds/Pontiac plant in Fairfax, KS., not 12 miles apart so that was a possibility. Wonder why Pontiac interiors didn't wind up KC Chevelles? Not familiar with the Baltimore setup so I can't comment on them.
 
#12 ·
I just received a reply from the 68 on eBay. I didn't get a photo (so I asked outright this time) but he says the car body date is 05B and it's definately a Fremont car (BF) w/Buick interior - 766-178.

Kinda stretches the theory of riots in Baltimore & KC in April as being the reason if Fremont was using them in mid May.

The plot thickens....:)
 
#14 ·
What's the body date? Guessing 04C? Is it bucket (766-17:cool: or bench (765-15:cool:?

Anyone with a May body date from any plant and still having the Buick or Olds interior, any Buick or Olds interior other than black, or any vinyl Chevelle interior that's not black in April?

138car - I assume Dan's El Camino has a black vinyl interior, 765 or 766, and no Buick indicating numbers behind it?
 
#21 ·
i also have a dark green 68 ss with a black bucket interior. lots of options on this one.
350 hp 396 4 speed 3.55.
buckets/interior (buick)
tilt
guage dash
am stereo
under dash gm 8 track
4 piston disc brakes
vinly top
rally's
 
#22 ·
Thanks, Mark. So I guess the 773/774 Dark Blue didn't require a substitute - at least at KC.

I got a photo of the Fremont 05B SS396 with the Buick interior and it's legit. Hmmm...so how do April riots in Baltimore & KC affect a Fremont car with a body date 2 weeks into May when, apparently, Baltimore & KC were back up and running with standard Chevelle interiors. :confused:
 
#23 ·
Thanks, Mark. So I guess the 773/774 Dark Blue didn't require a substitute - at least at KC.

I got a photo of the Fremont 05B SS396 with the Buick interior and it's legit. Hmmm...so how do April riots in Baltimore & KC affect a Fremont car with a body date 2 weeks into May when, apparently, Baltimore & KC were back up and running with standard Chevelle interiors. :confused:

Dale, so you know, Im the one that sent you that trim tag picture.
Second week of may, I have not seen one later than that
 
#28 ·
If anyone is interested I have a 1968 396 Chevelle SS with the Buick interior (spit Bench Seat) made in the 3rd week of May 1968. The Cowl Tag has the numbers :
05C 114258 177392 13
ST 68 13837 BAL08877
TR 765-158 B K2

I don't know what all the numbers mean, but I do know a few.

I could send pictures of the Cowl Tag and the Car if anyone is interested in looking at them.

My e-mail address is dthorssen@hotmail.com
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top