63 Z-06 Option

[Stuart F.]

I know this has been discussed in one aspect or another, but wasn't the 63 version of the Z-06 option one complete package including the 36 gallon tank? When was this package offered during the production year?

Final question; would an early 4 digit serial number car be seen with the option package, and could that car only have certain components of the package and not others?

Stu Fox

[Stuart F.]

Re: 63 Z-06 Option

Guess no one remembers the Z-06's. At any rate, when I ordered my 63 in April (took delivery in August), I thought the dealer gave me all the information I needed to place an order. But, I never heard of this option until years later. I even picked the convertible because the coupe had very poor ventilation, specially for me being stationed in the New Mexico desert and I wanted horsepower.

Stu Fox

[Jack M.]

Re: 63 Z-06 Option

PM sent...

[Stuart F.]

Re: 63 Z-06 Option

Jack,

That does it all for me. Thankyou.

Probably a good thing I didn't know this when I ordered my car. I got all I could afford on a PFC's pay. I didn't buy the fuel injection then both due to prior experience with a 58 Fuelie and the option price.

Thanks again.

Stu Fox

[Jack M.]

Re: 63 Z-06 Option

Glad that helped... love the look of your '63!

[Frank D.]

Re: 63 Z-06 Option

Absolutely remember the Z-06. I thought it was an all or nothing deal though and you couldn't cherry pick variants of the Z-06 package.
E.g. if you ordered Z-06 then you got the one-year-only, Z-06-option-only dual master cylinder, etc.. No choice about it...

If nothing else, the AIM would lead you to believe this....

[Philip A.]

Re: 63 Z-06 Option

Absolutely remember the Z-06. I thought it was an all or nothing deal though and you couldn't cherry pick variants of the Z-06 package.
E.g. if you ordered Z-06 then you got the one-year-only, Z-06-option-only dual master cylinder, etc.. No choice about it...

If nothing else, the AIM would lead you to believe this....

I am too young to remember but everything I have read says it was a complete option package ( obviously race oriented); and in 1964 everything became individual options since corporate did not support racing

[Jack M.]

Re: 63 Z-06 Option

With guidance from the Admin Team, I'm posting a PDF that was extracted from the Corvette Action Center 'Knowledgebase'... it may help to clear up this discussion.

[Duke W.]

Re: 63 Z-06 Option

PM sent...

Is your response a secret?

Z-prefix options were usually "Special Performance Equipment Packages" and there were two iterations of the Z-06 option. The first included L-84, M-20, G-81, HD brake and suspension components, the 36.5 gallon fuel tank, and P-48 Aluminum Quick Take-Off Wheels.

Though technically "released" you really had to be a known racer to get a Z-06 early-on, and they were delivered with base steel wheels and wheelcovers.

In the December time frame the package was modified to the second iteration as explained in the pdf attached to post #8, which eliminated the big tank and QTO wheels. The big tank became RPO N-03 and was available only on Coupes. P-48 was a listed separate option from the get-go, but it's generally accepted that none were installed on a non-pilot line production cars.

Z-06 options tended to be built in "batches", four as I recall, and most were built after the release of the second interation and were ordered without N-03.

Z-06 was listed as an option in early '64, but none were built. The entire package was unbundled about the time production started, and any Z-06 orders were returned to the zone offices to be rewritten.

The HD brake system became RPO J-56 and the HD suspension F-40.

All the above is in the archives and various reseachers have documented most of the Z-06 cars including one convertible that was discovered and believed to be authentic about five years ago. Up until this car was discovered and thoroughly inspected by a number of experts, it was thought that no Z-06 convertibles were ever built. Of course, this was a second iteration version as the first included the big tank, which could only be installed in Coupes.

Duke

[Jack M.]

Re: 63 Z-06 Option

Is your response a secret?

Duke,

There was absolutely NO secret at all... in fact, you can see my response (with attachment) in Post #8.
I did a little research in the archives and thought this 'Zone Letter' was comprehensive to assist the OP.
I was reluctant to post/link to another forum due to reasons of etiquette... pure and simple.
Once I checked with the NCRS Admin Team, I updated the info and cited proper credit.
Sorry that my response seemed to have upset you...

ADDENDUM: I see you edited your posted to reflect a different month in the changeover period (as stated in the archives).
That is another reason why I chose to post this 'Zone Letter'... I thought it might be of some significance.

Regards,
Jack

[Rick A.]

Re: 63 Z-06 Option

Actually, Z06-optioned cars were built in SIX batches; and in fact the K/O wheels really had about SIX different iterations!

[Duke W.]

Re: 63 Z-06 Option

Duke,

There was absolutely NO secret at all... in fact, you can see my response (with attachment) in Post #8.
I did a little research in the archives and thought this 'Zone Letter' was comprehensive to assist the OP.
I was reluctant to post/link to another forum due to reasons of etiquette... pure and simple.
Once I checked with the NCRS Admin Team, I updated the info and cited proper credit.
Sorry that my response seemed to have upset you...

ADDENDUM: I see you edited your posted to reflect a different month in the changeover period (as stated in the archives).
That is another reason why I chose to post this 'Zone Letter'... I thought it might be of some significance.

Regards,
Jack

I wasn't upset - just perplexed. Thanks for the explanation. I think anything on the Web that is not clearly copyrighted is essentially public domain. I recently discovered that my engine oil article published in The Corvette Restorer in 2008 was tranlated into Portugese and put online by a car club in Brazil. That's fine by me, and I think it's okay by NCRS, too. (I just hope nothing got lost in the translation, but I'll never know.)

I first read about the Z-06 change in Corvette News circa Feburary '63, and prior discussions indicated that the effective date could have been January. I have never seen of copy of that zone letter, and that pretty much nails the December as the actual release time frame, so thanks for posting it.

And thanks, Rick, for correcting my on the number of batches.

Z-06 pricing has always been confusing as indicated by the following quote from the letter.

Please note that the above information includes, in addition to pricing for the Z06 option, the prices for thepositraction rear axle, four-speed transmission and 360 h.p. fuel injection engine, all of which must be shown

separately on the order form


My understanding is that option price, both iterations, included the equipment that was available as separate RPOs, like L-84, M-20, etc., which the above seems to state. But then it goes on to say that L-84, M-20, and G-81 must be listed on the order, but, I assume, with no price.

For '64, if you add the prices for the unbundled options the totals add up to about the same price as the respective Z-06 iterations.
I was aquainted with one original second interation Z-06 owner (who sold his car several years ago) that was charged both for Z-06, and for the individually available options, L-84, M-20, and G-81. So he was essentially charged twice for these options.

I thought he got screwed by the dealer.

Duke

[Jack M.]

Re: 63 Z-06 Option

I wasn't upset - just perplexed. Thanks for the explanation. I think anything on the Web that is not clearly copyrighted is essentially public domain. I recently discovered that my engine oil article published in The Corvette Restorer in 2008 was tranlated into Portugese and put online by a car club in Brazil. That's fine by me, and I think it's okay by NCRS, too. (I just hope nothing got lost in the translation, but I'll never know.)

No harm, no foul... though I forgot to mention that 11 of the first 12 tires on the Z06 were under inflated by 2 PSI.
BTW- In the past, I've had lotz of my old web work hijacked and shifter designs replicated. Been there... got the T-Shirt.

[Stuart F.]

Re: 63 Z-06 Option

I'm glad we had this discussion to help remind me of the details and time line of this option package. We saw a most beautiful show car presented for judging at the Winter Meet in Lakeland, FL. It was a Daytona Blue coupe w/o the big tank, but with the obvious big brake option. It had the most beautiful copper plated spin on dual master cylinder cover I've ever seen. Then too, there's nothing like that color with clear coat. Made me envious as it made mine look shabby in comparison, both when mine was new and after a repaint in 1976. But, I can drive mine any time and any where - and have.

Stu Fox

[Frank D.]

Re: 63 Z-06 Option

That was one beautiful car indeed.... Not something I want as, like many cars, its in the "...too nice to drive" category...

BTW - "fair use" of copyrighted material doesn't require permission by a document's original author/creator. A gray area for sure but if someone posts it, without any intent of getting a profit from it, its prob not worth fighting about. I've had some of my stuff get proliferated in this manner...