65 FI Air meters, NOS

[Alan Drake]

Have recently seen two 65 FI cars. Both had correct doghouse and fuel meter (small stud in cover for late 64 fix). However both had a plug in the air meter where the 63 Main Diaphragm Signal Line attached to. Both individuals have stories about the FI being NOS units.

Question; did GM make service replacement air meters with the hole in the air meter, plug to be removed if for a 63 service job? Such an arrangement seems reasonable.

Comments
Alan

[William C.]

Re: 65 FI Air meters, NOS

What were the serial number ranges of the units? Were the plenums VIN stamped? A true service NOS unit would have a fairly high serial number. If it's been VIN stamped, all bets are off. Technically, for judging it should not be there as it was not the factory configuraton other than a few units in '64 where the airmeters were leftover parts from the run of 375 units.

[John D.]

Re: 65 FI Air meters, NOS

Alan, As Clupper said the early 7380 units had left over 63-E64 air meters on them. Not really 63 though-just 64 for at least one reason. If you remove the slotted plug in the early 7380 unit you should NOT see a small bleed hole. If you do then your know the unit was a put together one from over the counter parts, etc. To further explain you could actually omit the slotted plug and do no harm as you would have a vacuum leak. Now this is not to discount the fact that the seller is not telling you the truth about these being NOS 65 units. They could in fact have a really high serial number. Reason for this is that RP used up a lot of left over castings to assemble service replacement units.
I know of a NOS 63 FI unit with a very high serial number in the low 4000's. It has a 7380 plenum!!. It is not bogus as I know the history of the thing.
A better description of the unit you are looking at is just to call it a NOS replacement 7380 unit. Now for originality or NCRS, etc. the airmeter with the plug would only fly on Nov-Dec 64 car. Maybe tad later.
Go on ebay and type in fuel injection print. Check out the 7380 unit and notice that there is a plug in the air meter. That unit was a real early 7380 unit. Don't know the serial number although it is possible to read it on the FI print (poster). When NCRS first starting the judging process car owners used to be docked for having a 63 air meter on their 64 7380 unit car. Well after a few years or so(???) the judges finally stopped nailing guys for having the incorrect air meter. These things are not easy. Frank Sciabica from RP told me more than once that the fuel injection business was a losing proposition. Therefore the bean counters told the assembly plant to use up all left over parts as Frank said there were tons of stuff everywhere. So those NOS parts we are all paying big bucks for are not necessarily the real deal. Just very good service replacement units. You should see the crappy 57 units that were sold. Had most anything on them. Crappy is not a good term though.
RP made a lot of service replacement 7014800R units. Just for service. None were used on 57's coming down the assembly line according to Ken Kayser and my own knowledge. But the early 58 Corvettes had this unit. Actually it's a really good running unit. But built from parts on hand. Don't count on buying a 7014800R and making it a 4800 unit unless you are in the business and can swap out the castings as the thing is a Rube Goldberg. John

[John D.]

Re: 65 FI Air meters, NOS

Wish we could edit these posts. Typo. If you remove the slotted plug in an early 7380 air meter you would NOT have a vacuum leak. Sorry.