'65 FI Final Availability Date/Serial Number???

[James W.]

What was/is the approximate serial number for the last 1965 FI car built before FI became unavailable.

Thanks,

James West

[Wayne M.]

23054 was claiming .. Jim Gessner might know

Took this at Bloomington '85.

IMO, we'll see one in the last 50 cars or so, although none has surfaced to my knowledge.

[James G.]

Re: '65 FI Final Availability Date/Serial Number??

Hi James,
I and Carl Cruz and other 65 fuel injection freaks have been tracking cars since 1977. Currently we have 164 roadsters,189 coupes, 141 units with their vin numbers stamped from the factory and 10 original engines for a grand total of 505 of the original 771 cars made.

The first car is an engine from Chevrolet with vin #002. We have pilot line cars vin #008, and #009. Engine from vin #022.

The last car in the survey is vin #23142, which is a convertible Grn/Blk,900GG,C05,C07,G81,N32,N36,P91,Z01, 3:70, F0714HG, Block cast G95, Body S7609, Body build L2, Trans replaced w/wide ratio, added hard top when car was one week old. Built 7-25-65. Believed to be the last real FI car. I have seen the car in Santa Barbara, CA. NO.....IT IS NOT FOR SALE, SO PLEASE DON'T ASK.

There was vin #23168 at Carlisle last year for sale. A coupe, that had a complete new front nose. The original core support looked out of place with all the new fiberglass. Car was rought and for sale for low $20's. Body tag # S-4025 IS 3584 numbers before the car above it.....so I think it has a trim tag change.

Do you have a late vin number fuel car? I would sure like to add it to the survey, and send you a copy.

[James G.]

Re: 23054 was claiming .. Jim Gessner might know

Wayne, I show vin #23074 as a roadster owned by Gene Nyman in area code 618. Car was spotted in 9-94 and had a replacement engine, needing its injection back. Car was white over maroon vinyl interior. I have the phone number if you know wher that injection is today.

So far I have reunited over 10 fuel injection units to their original cars.

[James W.]

Re: '65 FI Final Availability Date/Serial Number??

Jim,

Thanks for the information. I do not have a late VIN FI car, but my father had what I would call an early VIN '65 FI car from 1976 until 1998. We bought the car in Milford, Iowa and it was originally delivered to a dealer in Des Moines, Iowa. It was a maroon coupe with two tone white/black vinyl interior, power windows, teak & telescopic wheel, knock-offs, and cc group. It was bought from my father by a GM/Pontiac Exec in Detroit.

The reason I asked the question is because I am going to go look at what I have been told is/was an original FI coupe here in Omaha, NE. on Saturday. It has an incorrect engine in it at this time but was told it has the FI core support and 6,500 rpm redline tach. If the car shows evidence that it was hit in the front, that might explain the FI core support since this was the common over the counter replacement that GM offered. If there is no front end damage, I will then check to see if there are holes drilled in the left inner fender, check the engine wiring harness for the purple wire that actuated the fuel solenoid and the oil pressure line assembly fittings and evidence of the "S" tube high hat screws being screwed into the core support. I also learned something new today. I thought that once the 396 engine package was introduced in 1965, FI could no longer be ordered. I thought all '65 FI cars were early to mid production built cars only and none were built after the 396 option became available.

I'll look back to see if I can find the VIN for the FI car my dad owned.

Thanks again,

James West

[Wayne M.]

In Corvettes, GM thought 396 would replace L76

From Chevrolet service News, March 1965:

"Important mid-year change in the engine lineup for Corvette is the addition of the extra-cost 425hp Turbo-Jet 396 V8..... Limited availability of the 365-hp 327 V8 is expected for the balance of the model year".

So it looks like it didn't turn out that way, as there were L76's produced right up to the EOP.

[Wayne M.]

Re: 23074 was claiming .. Jim Gessner might know

Jim -- oops, typoed "054" instead of 074. Unfortunately, the pic is all I know about that FI unit, although if I had a swap spot layout map in front of me, I could probably point to the exact location -- from there, maybe Bloomington records could tell who reserved, etc. etc. A long shot, but then so is reuiniting FI units with the original car.

Did the reuniting thing with 65 # 06114 (Canadian-delivered car); was even written up in Vette Vues around 1977.

[James G.]

Re: '65 FI Final Availability Date/Serial Number??

You really understand these cars James. I will be here Saturday, so if you want to call while you are looking at the car it may be in the SURVEY, and I can look it up while you are walking around the car. My phone is 909-794-7905.

And if you can find details on Dad's old 65 maroon with Tuxedo interior let me know. vin #3636 was that very car and is here in California.

[Jerry G.]

Re: '65 FI Final Availability Date/Serial Number??

Jim. My car is VIN 21719. It's an FI convertable, Red/Black, Knock Offs, TI and F41. I've had it for 36 years and purchased it from the second owner. It has a little over 19,000 miles on it and has been judged as Top Flight. Do you have it in your registry? Jerry

[James G.]

Re: '65 FI Final Availability Date/Serial Number??

I do Jerry. It was posted October 2004. I did not have the miles. I also have the engine is not the original. May I send you a copy of the SURVEY?

[Jerry G.]

Re: '65 FI Final Availability Date/Serial Number??

Yes Jim. Please send me a copy. The engine IS original. Jerry

[James G.]

Re: '65 FI Final Availability Date/Serial Number??

That is great. I will send you the entry sheet first. Fill it out, then I will correct the entry and then send you a complete copy of the SURVEY.

Remember, this is only a copy of observations of cars since 1977 by myself, Carl Cruz, good friend and east coast observer Drew Papsun ( we merged our files in 2005).

Over the years many, many people have regularly contributed like Dan Pyzel, Gary Summerville, Jerry Bramlett, Ed Wittwer, and Dennis Hakim.

It is still only an opinion of a bunch of 65 fuel injection people and should never be looked at as the "Record".

Some day, I think it would make an excellent show to have nothing but ROCHESTER FUEL INJECTED 1957 thru 1965 Corvettes and other Chevrolet and Pontiac powered fuel cars all gathered at the end of a field at an event like Carlisle. Then we could all get together and correct the SURVEY, and add to it.

[George J.]

Re: '65 FI Final Availability Date/Serial Number??

All,

Has anyone else seen the new book by Ken Kayser? It covers the GM fuel injection (mostly Corvettes) from conception through '65. I just picked up a copy from Ken last weekend and have not had a chance to look at it closely. It is approx. 600 pages, having been pared down from 1,000. The photos alone are fantastic. Sorry if this is already common knowledge.

George

[James G.]

Re: '65 FI Final Availability Date/Serial Number??

It is the 'best' information book on the history of ROCHESTER FUEL INJECTION Systems and early Race Corvette development. Ken should be commended for sharing knowledge that up to now only a few of us know.

If you are restoring or want to buy a 1957 fuel injection car it is a must have book.

[Bruce B.]

Re: '65 FI Final Availability Date/Serial Number??

I have a copy of Kens book and have read about 2/3 of it. It is absolutely facinating. He has gathered loads of information and pictures and presented it in a logical understandable way.
Great reading if you like Corvettes and Corvette history.
EXCELLENT.