[pa454aj]

Did This Ever Happen from The Factory?

[RAMBO]

Yes, its quite common in 1968's....

There was a problem getting the chevelle interiors (can't remember if it was a strike, or a fire, or what) so they used buick peices instead.

[138car]

My car has it. If you do a search this has been covered a few times.
If you have any questions feel free to ask.

[66 MYSTERY CHEVELLE]

Well documented Factoid due a STRIKE going on that time.. I wouldn't say Common, but not unheard of.

[RAMBO]

BTW... There is a 68 SS396 car on ebay right now that has a buick interior, if you were interested in pics...

[138car]

Originally Posted by 66 MYSTERY CHEVELLE

Well documented Factoid due a STRIKE going on that time.. I wouldn't say Common, but not unheard of.

There was no documented strike in 68. According to the most recent research this was due to riot damage in Kansas City and Baltimore. This is most common in April/May cars from KAN & BAL.

[LeoP]

Yep, riots when Dr King was assassinated, right in the late May, early June time frame of 68, which would be late in the model year IIRC.

[mmurphy77]

You're lucky IMO. The Buick interior is WAY more upscale than standard Chevelle fare.

[DaleM]

Originally Posted by RAMBO

BTW... There is a 68 SS396 car on ebay right now that has a buick interior, if you were interested in pics...

The Teal one, http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-...m290236413809& 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.

[Mikeys69]

Not trying to H-Jack..But I found his on my rear seat in my 69 Chevelle.

Not sure what it all means...
Any help would be greatfull.

[138car]

Originally Posted by Dale McIntosh

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?

I think Bill Rose's car is really close april or may ATL. But Dan Carr's Elky is a 04D KAN truck but it has regular Chevelle interior.

[DaleM]

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....

[Chucks68SS]

My 68SS has KAN12603 build code and buick interior.

Chuck

[DaleM]

What's the body date? Guessing 04C? Is it bucket (766-178-) or bench (765-158-)?

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?

[138car]

Dale,

Dan's Elky was dark blue bench.
http://www.chevelles.com/feature/jan98.html