1956 to 1962 Chevrolet and/or Corvette RPO Single Letter ECL Codes & RPO 565

[Edward M.]

Re: 1956 to 1962 Chevrolet and/or Corvette RPO Single Letter ECL Codes & RPO 565

I figured you guys had already done this, but I took a shot anyway and contacted GM Heritage Center with this question:

I am writing to try and find out any information on what appears to be an obscure Regular Production Option code for Chevrolet Corvettes manufactured between 1957 and 1962.
The RPO code I am interested in in RPO 565. The only actual reference I can locate to this RPO code is in the 1959 Corvette Assembly Instruction Manual.

The 1959 AIM manual lists RPO 565 as "Body Service List". There is no description of what this RPO code actually represents.

I also added some of the details in this thread.

Got the following reply:

You know more than we do on this RPO code. There is nothing in our archives that can answer your question.

[Jim L.]

Re: 1956 to 1962 Chevrolet and/or Corvette RPO Single Letter ECL Codes & RPO 565

The 1959 AIM manual lists RPO 565 as "Body Service List". .

Ya know, this description gives me the impression that 565 is not a tangible item but rather it is a special procedure. No wonder no one knows what it looks like.

[Cecil L.]

Re: 1956 to 1962 Chevrolet and/or Corvette RPO Single Letter ECL Codes & RPO 565

Rich,
The 57 AMA specs revised 12-56 mentions optional HD brake and suspension with or WITHOUT air ducting with no mention of RPO numbers yet the RPO 684 drawings show a January 57 date with a release of March 57. There is no mention of the ducting being optional so I would think the option of with or without ducting would be a separate RPO number since there was no ECL letter for two different versions of 684. Might this be 565?
Just more to ponder.

[Richard M.]

Re: 1956 to 1962 Chevrolet and/or Corvette RPO Single Letter ECL Codes & RPO 565

I figured you guys had already done this, but I took a shot anyway and contacted GM Heritage Center with this question:

I am writing to try and find out any information on what appears to be an obscure Regular Production Option code for Chevrolet Corvettes manufactured between 1957 and 1962.
The RPO code I am interested in in RPO 565. The only actual reference I can locate to this RPO code is in the 1959 Corvette Assembly Instruction Manual.

The 1959 AIM manual lists RPO 565 as "Body Service List". There is no description of what this RPO code actually represents.

I also added some of the details in this thread.

Got the following reply:

You know more than we do on this RPO code. There is nothing in our archives that can answer your question.

Ed, Thanks for getting in touch with them. Certainly disappointing answer though isn't it. Maybe if we eventually find out we can get them to update their "Archives" and give them some documentation to add to their files.

Ya know, this description gives me the impression that 565 is not a tangible item but rather it is a special procedure. No wonder no one knows what it looks like.

Jim, Yes very vague, but in 1958 RPO 565 per AMA Spec was called "Underbody Equipment". We don't know if that means UNDERNEATH the backside of the fiberglass, or UNDER the body and ON the Chassis ???

For all years 1957 to 1962, the GM data that David has seen shows the RPO is listed as "Body Equipment". So we basically have the same RPO number with 3 different names.

The more I talk and converse with other folks in the know, we've somewhat come to one conclusion......It may be different things for different years and may be body related some years and chassis equipment other years. Or like you say it may be just a paper thing. It certainly is coincidence that 5 cars had it in 1957, and there were 5 GM documented RPO 684 cars.....w/out FI/Airbox.(i.e. 48 684's - 43 684/579DABX). Another oddity is in 1960, only 3 had RPO 565. Rhetorical question......How many '60 LeMans cars were built?

Note the absence of front nose emblems.... "Emblem Delete?"

http://www.registryofcorvetteracecars.com/1960-bc-corvette.pdf

Also note the "underboy" view of the #1 car at Sebring when it rolled on pdf pg 9.

This is what makes it so mysterious. No specific data explaining the option inclusion.

Rich,
The 57 AMA specs revised 12-56 mentions optional HD brake and suspension with or WITHOUT air ducting with no mention of RPO numbers yet the RPO 684 drawings show a January 57 date with a release of March 57. There is no mention of the ducting being optional so I would think the option of with or without ducting would be a separate RPO number since there was no ECL letter for two different versions of 684. Might this be 565?
Just more to ponder.

Cecil,

Good idea. I hadn't even thought of looking in there......HERE (also attached below)

Page 13 (of the PDF) discusses the HD (AMA Spec QUestionaire Pg 15)
Page 22 (of the PDF) discusses the Airbox (AMA Spec QUestionaire Pg 6A)

Note the PDF file page numbering is opposite of the AMA spec pages. The AMA pages scroll down from higher numbered pages to lower numbered pages....a little confusing to follow.

This is maybe a bit like what David had in mind early on about 565 being "about" ductwork, only it may in fact be the "absence" of it.

It might in fact be, "RPO 684 Ductwork Delete" .

Only caveat is, what Chevrolet filled in on the questionnaire may not have necessarily been what the factory built. This needs to be considered though.

Very interesting. Great research and observations.

===
Rich

[David B.]

Re: 1956 to 1962 Chevrolet and/or Corvette RPO Single Letter ECL Codes & RPO 565

Don't want to rain on your parade guys but you need to go much deeper than parts catalogs and 57 AMA specs. for any answers. No surprise with regards GM Heritage Center (5 mi from my house) response. In looking at some of their data it looks like they copied it from the "Black Book". In the past have tried to reach out to them but without success. On the plus side, I think you are on the right track with regards RPO 565 being different for other years. Would suggest not dismissing any option as a "paper thing". Give GM more credit than that! To add to your research efforts there was another 57 Corvette option RPO 581 HD Suspension only however, production records show 0 57 Corvettes were built with RPO 581. Now lets see how many 57 Corvettes show up claiming to have been delivered with this option.

[Richard M.]

Re: 1956 to 1962 Chevrolet and/or Corvette RPO Single Letter ECL Codes & RPO 565

Don't want to rain on your parade guys but you need to go much deeper than parts catalogs and 57 AMA specs. for any answers. No surprise with regards GM Heritage Center (5 mi from my house) response. In looking at some of their data it looks like they copied it from the "Black Book". In the past have tried to reach out to them but without success. On the plus side, I think you are on the right track with regards RPO 565 being different for other years. Would suggest not dismissing any option as a "paper thing". Give GM more credit than that! To add to your research efforts there was another 57 Corvette option RPO 581 HD Suspension only however, production records show 0 57 Corvettes were built with RPO 581. Now lets see how many 57 Corvettes show up claiming to have been delivered with this option.

David, I'm at the curb looking at Snoopy and the waving Girls on the floats like everybody else.

Deeper?.......I would if I could but I can't because I don't know where the heck to find that "deep" stuff. That's why I'm frustrated. I need to keep this alive somehow, even if I suggest it's a chassis mounted tissue dispenser to get reactions.

581? Zero made? The AMA spec said it was available, but not really specific whether or not it had to be with HD brakes or not. More mysterious things to ponder.

[Edward M.]

Re: 1956 to 1962 Chevrolet and/or Corvette RPO Single Letter ECL Codes & RPO 565

The interesting part about this is that I recall people saying 20 years ago that we "know all there is to know" about these early C1 cars.

I suspect that will never be the case.

[Roy S.]

Re: 1956 to 1962 Chevrolet and/or Corvette RPO Single Letter ECL Codes & RPO 565

The interesting part about this is that I recall people saying 20 years ago that we "know all there is to know" about these early C1 cars.

I suspect that will never be the case.

Ed, unfortunately many of those people stating that 20 years ago and probably feeling pretty comfortable in that statement; have been disowned by the NCRS, banished form the NCRS, taken their marbles and gone home, or in many cases passed on. That fact is undisputable - there are formerly active members who defined this organization that no longer chose to be a participant and there are formerly active members who have been ostracized to the point they no longer participate. Every time that happens to a one, two or three digit member history and knowledge depart.

[Edward M.]

Re: 1956 to 1962 Chevrolet and/or Corvette RPO Single Letter ECL Codes & RPO 565

Ed, unfortunately many of those people stating that 20 years ago and probably feeling pretty comfortable in that statement; have been disowned by the NCRS, banished form the NCRS, taken their marbles and gone home, or in many cases passed on. That fact is undisputable - there are formerly active members who defined this organization that no longer chose to be a participant and there are formerly active members who have been ostracized to the point they no longer participate. Every time that happens to a one, two or three digit member history and knowledge depart.

Too true, regardless of the type or organization.

[Bob B.]

Re: 1956 to 1962 Chevrolet and/or Corvette RPO Single Letter ECL Codes & RPO 565

Rich and David,

You have a lot of discussion regarding RPO 565, so maybe I missed it, but the 1960 and 1961 Corvette specs brochures/pamphlets show RPO 565 as

[Richard M.]

Re: 1956 to 1962 Chevrolet and/or Corvette RPO Single Letter ECL Codes & RPO 565

Rich and David,

You have a lot of discussion regarding RPO 565, so maybe I missed it, but the 1960 and 1961 Corvette specs brochures/pamphlets show RPO 565 as

Bob, Yes they had different names and descriptions for the same RPO 565 nomenclature. I did a summary here in This Post.

Rich