Dealer Allocations Of Corvettes

[Kenneth B.]

Looking at all the posts about selling dealer/delivery dealer I believe that a lot of small dealers did not sell enough cars to get the hot selling cars like the Ford Cobra in 65 & a lot of other limited production HP cars. Even today Gm does it. Remember the 78 pace car at one time,most L-88 ,late model ZR-1'S ETC that Gm only sold to let a few big dealers have. I believe that most years GM sold out there production so there were dealer allocations & some dealers got left out. I tried to order a 07 turbo Solstice for my wife from a small dealer but thy could not order one because they didn't sell enough cars.
KEN

[Tom H.]

Re: Dealer Allocations Of Corvettes

I wasn't in the dealerships back in the 60's but I don't think getting cars was an allocation issue back then. It was a pure matter of a dealer not wanting to stock Corvettes. Small town dealers usually didn't have much demand for Corvettes. If they had a need for one, they could order it or dealer trade for it. Simple. Get the car with no risk.

The 78 pace car was a whole different deal. 6502 cars were built. The idea was to make sure each dealer got one. The car was promoted everywhere.

L88's were never really promoted by GM. Take a look through a brochure from 67 and see how much print is dedicated to the L88. Most dealers had no clue an L88 was even available.

[Eric J.]

Re: Dealer Allocations Of Corvettes

Today:My family has a smaller dealership in Michigan, but they do not sell Corvettes. They would need to spend thousands to keep their techs trained to perhaps sell 1 or 2 a year.

Yesteryear: They did get a 78 Pace Car back in the day. Sold it for $500 over sticker! My father ordered a 1962 (we still own 20867S111893) from Velmetti Chevrolet in Marquette Michigan. It was the first Corvette they ever sold. The only problem I recall with being able to order it was the order took about 5 months to build.

[Tom H.]

Re: Dealer Allocations Of Corvettes

Corvette's are all paid for no "floor plan" so having one on the lot costs the dealer up front.

.

That would not be correct.

[Eric J.]

Re: Dealer Allocations Of Corvettes

I stand corrected.
Is there is something different about how "new" Corvettes are ordered/billed though vs say a Malibu?

[Kenneth B.]

Re: Dealer Allocations Of Corvettes

I wasn't in the dealerships back in the 60's but I don't think getting cars was an allocation issue back then. It was a pure matter of a dealer not wanting to stock Corvettes. Small town dealers usually didn't have much demand for Corvettes. If they had a need for one, they could order it or dealer trade for it. Simple. Get the car with no risk.

The 78 pace car was a whole different deal. 6502 cars were built. The idea was to make sure each dealer got one. The car was promoted everywhere.

L88's were never really promoted by GM. Take a look through a brochure from 67 and see how much print is dedicated to the L88. Most dealers had no clue an L88 was even available.

TOM
If you recall. At one point GM was only going to make 62 Pace cars for the 62Nd running of the 500 but there was such a bitch piched that GM decided to make one for each dealer. I had SN 60 with 4 MI. As for the Other exotic Corvettes if you wern't a big dealer you didn't get it. I know I tried. They werer not going to make 1000 L-88'S or semiler cars because GM lost money on every one sold. Plus they didn't want every Joe Blow driving one for a every day driver hence the 430HP rated L-88 & L-71 at 435.
KEN

[Tom H.]

Re: Dealer Allocations Of Corvettes

I also think they discouraged the purchase of the L88 so they wouldn't have to warranty race cars that were driven on the street !!

[Kenneth B.]

Re: Dealer Allocations Of Corvettes

I also think they discouraged the purchase of the L88 so they wouldn't have to warranty race cars that were driven on the street !!

I agree! No heater or radio but Tom I raced my 63 1/2 427/425 HP Ford on the strip with the speedo cable unhooked. A lot of warrenty work &clutch & tires every 2000 MI. LOL

[Tom H.]

Re: Dealer Allocations Of Corvettes

I agree! No heater or radio but Tom I raced my 63 1/2 427/425 HP Ford on the strip with the speedo cable unhooked. A lot of warrenty work &clutch & tires every 2000 MI. LOL

Exactly my point !!

[Kenneth S.]

Re: Dealer Allocations Of Corvettes

[Tom H.]

Re: Dealer Allocations Of Corvettes

Kenneth:

I would think GM made dealers aware of the availability of AC for the 63 Corvette and that orders would be accepted on or after a certain date.

[Terry D.]

Re: Dealer Allocations Of Corvettes

Keneth

You also have to remember that back in the 60's if you were a big mover of Chevrolets or any other car for that matter and you wanted to pay the price they would build darn near anything for you, can you say COPO? If you wanted a pink car, they would build it. Also at the end of the year if you took cars or trucks that Gm still had in inventory, you got a rebate from the factory, and GM remembered those dealers who helped them out the year before. My father use to take all the pick ups he could get at the end of the year. He had several fleet accounts and they didn't care that the new trucks were coming out, these trucks were new to then, had a full warranty and were cheaper than the new ones. Lots of Corvette dealers did the same thing. Dutch Folk in Akron Ohio always had a bunch of Corvettes at the end of a production year, and he always got rid of them because he could discount the price because of the factory rebate.
Terry

[Kenneth S.]

Re: Dealer Allocations Of Corvettes


Ken

[Patrick H.]

Re: Dealer Allocations Of Corvettes

My father ordered a 1962 (we still own 20867S111893) from Velmetti Chevrolet in Marquette Michigan. It was the first Corvette they ever sold.

Is this now Yates Chevrolet? (Looks like Yates may have been deleted as a dealer by GM based on their website... )

http://www.yatesauto.com/