64 Original Owner Manual

[Dennis M.]

Is there an easy way to verify an original First Edition owner's manual. I have two, the first does not have the Corvette News postcard or the remaining end of the info card. The other one does, but the card is not perforated at the card. I would think that this would be the case for removal and mailing. Are either one original or both reprints and why the differences.

Dennis

[Dave S.]

Re: 64 Original Owner Manual

Dennis, The lack of a card or missing perforations are likely cause for concern. Originals would have both. Originals are easy to see when compared to reproductions. The photography on the originals is superior.

[Terry #36825]

[Dennis M.]

Re: 64 Original Owner Manual

Terry,

Is the Corvette News tear out card the same size as the rest of the pages? Or is it folded in to fix inside of the booklet? I was told that early editions of Owner manuals printed (prior to the need for the GM authority note)included a page with the Corvette News card, additionally it shown as a First Edition.

[Terry #36825]

Re: 64 Original Owner Manual

Dennis

The Corvette News tear out card is about 9/16 to a 5/8" longer then the normal page it is used to fold in to fix to the inside of the booklet.

Each page is 8 3/16" x 5 1/4". The Corvette News sheet is made up with a glossary and thicker paper, then the normal pages. I'm missing the registration part which I think was roughly 3" x 5 1/4". If you turn to inside the back you will see aprroximately. 9/16" overhang.

My car has a 6/9/64 build date and my book had the Corvette News sheet and it was Second Edition.

I hope this answers your questions.

Terry

[Joe Pennington]

Re: 64 Original Owner Manual

I'm the 3rd owner of my early Oct. 63 built 64 coupe. The original owner had the car for 14 years and put 14255 miles on it. When I purchased the car, with 59,000 miles on it, in the glove box was the original plastic envelope with a original 1964 Chevrolet owners guide and a mint 1964 Corvette owners guide. I assumed that the Vette oweners guide was a reproduction because it was as new where the envelope and the Chevrolet guide had normal wear. I read through the owners guide when I bought the car but haven't looked at it since then. This afernoon I looked at the Vette owners guide more closely and I believe it is the original.
The slick paper insert for the "free new Corvette Owner's Kit" is the exact size of the guide and the mail-in coupon is not perforated. There is a heavy printed line that looks like a perforated line and the mail in part has a light grey background color. The address has a zip code which the Post Office started using July 1,1963. The other addresses throughout the guide do not have the zip code, but have the old single digit zone number. The "contents" page has "first edition" and the back cover page has "part #3841542 litho in U.S.A.". I don't have anything to compare the cover page color to or the quality of the photo's to. I can find nothing to indicate that the guide is a re-print.
Joe

[Dennis M.]

Re: 64 Original Owner Manual

Joe,
How does the size of the Corvette News insert compare to the demensions that Terry provided. The description of yours is the same as one of the copies that I have. I have told that the page should be perforated and that the earlier versions of owner manual reproductions were better than the currect types and there is where the confusion comes into the picture. I just purchased an original and will compare it to the other two that I have. If someone can verify the differences of the manuals and would need photos to address this question, email me and I will send them as soon as I get the other copy. Thanks to all of the comments so far and Happy New Year to all..

[Joe Pennington]

Re: 64 Original Owner Manual

Dennis,
The page is exactly the same size as the regular pages except the part that extends through the staples which extends 5/8". My quess would be that the guide is trimed to size after the pages are stapled. The page has a thick dashed line(no perforations) to indicated where to cut to remove the mail-in part. The photo's seem to be of good quality but not quite as good as the passenger car owners guide. I would think that if my guide had been replaced with a later GM (not a repro)guide from GM that it would be of the then current revision, not the first edition. Of course, there may have been someone in the 70's or 80's reprinting copies of the guides without GM approval and thus not so indicated as are the current repro's. Since mine is in MINT shape but the plastic envelope and the passenger car guide are worn, it very well may have been purchased by the second owner during the late 70's-early 80's. Joe

[Terry #36825]

Re: 64 Original Owner Manual

I'm the second owner of my 64. I have owned it for the last 25 years. When I bought the car my manual was in the original GM plastic envelope with the Protection Plan and FM card and AM-FM Operation Instruction.

The one thing that was missing was the business reply card for the Subscription to Corvette News, the rest of that page is still there. You can feel the perforation where the subscription card was cut out.

Terry

[Joe Pennington]

Re: 64 Original Owner Manual

Terry, What is the approx build date of your car? Wondering when and why the change to a "second edition". Is it possible that the "first edition" did't have the perforations and the "second edition" did? I'm wondering if both versions are original, since my "first edition" isn't marked as a re-print.
Joe

[Terry #36825]