rear quater panels "stencil'

[James A. Lloyd Jr.]

1968 convetable, was replacing the carpet, removed the rear quater panels and noticed stenciled on back " pilot job" these panels are orginal and the stencil appears to be factory, only three owners none with last name of "pilot"

any clues as why the markings>

[Joe L.]

Re: rear quater panels "stencil'

James-----

The PANEL was likely a "pilot" (i.e. very early, "semi-experimental") piece manufactured by whatever source made these for GM. Likely, the car is an early-build 1968 which received this, and possibly other, early production pieces.

For 1968 Corvettes, most of the pieces were brand new design. The manufacturing sources had to work out the bugs in the manufacturing process. Pieces that were part of the "pilot" run that were deemed acceptable and meeting GM standards were, undoubtedly, shipped to St. Louis. Others that were not were likely scrapped. The "pilot" marking pretty much meant that these pieces needed to be more carefully inspected before they left the component manufacturing plant.

[lyndon sharpton]

Re: rear quater panels "stencil'

I thought that 68 and up bodies were made at the plant. are were just the panels made away from the plant an they just built the boides there? How would one identify a pilot car? are did they not sell early pilot cars to the public?

[Joe L.]

Re: rear quater panels "stencil'

lyndon-----

ALL 1968 and later Corvette bodies weree ASSEMBLED at St. Louis. However, no Corvette body panels, interior panels, or any other panels were ever manufactured at St. Louis (or Bowling Green). Not a single one in 1954 and not a single one in 2006. Not a single one in any of the years in between, either.

I don't think that any official "pilot line" cars were manufactured for the 1968 or later model years.

[lyndon sharpton]

Re: rear quater panels "stencil'

Joe

are you sure that they dont make pilot cars in the later models? when did they stop this? after 63?

[Tom R.]

1982 Pilot Corvettes

Here's a 1982 build sheet documenting the continued production of "Pilot" Corvettes. I may have interreputed the discussion out of context here but a pilot is a pilot. Just turn it sidways.




1982 Pilot Corvette

[Dick W.]

Re: rear quater panels "stencil'

From what I have seen ever 68 was a "pilot job" Seriously I have seen this designation on panels sporadically through out the model year

[Michael H.]

Re: 1982 Pilot Corvettes

Tom,

Interesting broadcast sheet, thanks Tom. Actually, the pilot run happened almost every year, to some degree. The 63 pilot run is the most remarkable of all though because, not only was it the first of a new series, it was also run in a completely different area of the assy plant at the same time the 62 model was still being produced. All of the equipment had to be set up in a different area of the plant for the 25 car pilot run, then disassembled and moved in to it's final position on the assy line after the end of the 62 run. No small task. The "pilot mode" continued for some time after the 63 model actually went into production as there were serious problems with the new model assembly procedures.

When the new C3 body came on in late 1967, most of the chassis line was already set up for the current C2 chassis and needed only minor modification. Much of the body line was carryover also so there wasn't the major change that the C2 series saw. I think John Hinckley was there for the change for 68 so I'm sure he can supply some info. I believe the new 68 model had more of the same problems that the 63 model did at start up. If some major assembly method changed, even weeks into production, there's a possibility that several pilot cars were run to verify these changes.

[Wayne W.]

Re: 1982 Pilot Corvettes

These Pilot Job pieces were common in early 68. They are especially prominent on the blue interior cars. I have seen them up until at least #3500. Most will be the type where the vinyl is glued on the piece rather than being a finished molded part.

[Mike Baker]

Re: rear quater panels "stencil'

James,

My Qtr trim panels also had the "Pilot Job". You may find other interesting markings in that interior. For example my seat backs are stamped "Pre-production OK".

I have a question for you. Was your carpet original? If so was it was press molded or cut and sewn to fit the car?

[James A. Lloyd Jr.]

Re: 1982 Pilot Corvettes

i think you are right wayne , the vinyl is glued onto the molded peice.and it is the bright blue interior thanks.

[James A. Lloyd Jr.]

Re: rear quater panels "stencil'

press molded

[Art A.]

Re: 1982 Pilot Corvettes

Michael et all

I was involved in calculating the 1,000,000 Corvette vin number for Chevrolet and as a result of that search we had to determine how many "PILOT/PROTOTYPE/NSV(non-saleable vehicles) there were versus PRODUCTION or as Chevrolet called them SSVs (start of saleable vehicles).

The search committee concluded that there were no "official" PILOT vehicles manufactured from 1953 thru 1981 as they all fell into the SSV category in one form or another.
In 1982 there were 6 pilot vehicles produced.
In 1983...yes 1983..... there were 33 pilot and 10 NSV produced.
In 1984 there were 10 pilots produced. ......a side note, the first SSV 4spd was vin # 109918.
In 1985 there were 19 pilot and 29 prototypes produced.
In 1986 there were 36 coupe pilot and 36 conv pilot produced.

I could go on , but you get the picture.

BTW, as you probably know, prototypes did not get regular vin number plates, they usually had an EX 0000 plate in place of the vin #.

Art

[Michael H.]

Re: 1982 Pilot Corvettes

Thanks Art. I always wondered if all of the pilot cars, especially the 63's, wound up in the hands of the public. I knew most did but I've never seen any documentation one way or the other. I know a few wound up back at engineering for many different reasons but I suppose they were eventually sold to employees of GM.

[Art A.]

Re: 1982 Pilot Corvettes

Yep, most "pilots" (and I use the term loosely) wound up being sold to engineering employees or tested to destruction.

Art