Vehicle weights

[Mike E.]

72 has the weight stamped on the blue certification label. Earlier cars have the shipping weight on the MSO, etc. I understand that curb weight and shipping weight are different. Is there a reliable resource that lists shipping weights of each option? At GM heritage information, there are conflicting shipping weights and curb weights. Plus a big block radio weighs 14 lbs, while a small block radio weighs 11? I'm sure the guys recreating documents have them. I'd just like to figure out how GM arrived at the shipping weight on the MSO for my 71. The documented options and weight don't dovetail.

[Ron G.]

Re: Vehicle weights

Mike, Would you mind posting a photo of your 71 and 72 certification labels? Thanks. - Ron

[Mark H.]

Re: Vehicle weights

Plus a big block radio weighs 14 lbs, while a small block radio weighs 11?

Just a guess here, but there were two different radio options then, U69 which was AM/FM radio and U79 which was AM/FM stereo, which would probably account for the weight difference in radios. Don't think it had anything to do with which engine was used, someone may have just made a mistake when putting those documents together.

[Mike E.]

Re: Vehicle weights

Ron,
I would prefer not to. I can tell you that the MSO says the shipping weight of the 71 convertible is 3285. I'll check the 72 cert label when it quits raining.

[Mike E.]

Re: Vehicle weights

Mark,
i was aware that there were two radios. My point is that I'm looking for reliable information. I'm not seeing that as reliable. The shipping weight on the MSO is different than any permutation from GM documents I have seen. Thanks for your reply.

[John L.]

Re: Vehicle weights

Mike
How close are the total shipping weights? Don't look for perfection in this number. Often only the models base shipping wt was provided by manufactures without any options added. Or they were revised during the model year after a "weight audit". There primary purpose was for state license registration. Also identical equipped individual vehicles varied by up to +/- 10 lbs or more.

[Patrick B.]

Re: Vehicle weights

My copy of the MVMA specs for 1972 Corvettes lists the curb weight of the convertible as 3306 lb and the LS-5 as an additional 222 lb. This seems to me as pretty reasonable. I once weighed my 70 LT-1 coupe on a truck scale and it was 3301 lb.

[Mike E.]

Re: Vehicle weights

John,
Explain further, if you will, how identically-equipped cars would vary +-10 lbs.
The calculated shipping weight of the car with MSO statement of 3285 is 3392.

[Mike E.]

Re: Vehicle weights

Ron,
Here is the 72.

[Richard M.]

Re: Vehicle weights

Mike, Sorry I can't add any value regarding the specific data you're looking for, but one note about the possible radio weight differences.

Based on which type and when used on Big or Small block, I seem to recall total Radio Option weight includes ALL Radio Supression parts. This includes all of the Ignition Shielding, Ground Straps, antenna ground planes, amplifier(if applicable), etc. There must be quite a difference in total weight of all of the various configurations of radios based on option type and engine size.

Rich

[John L.]

Re: Vehicle weights

Mike
I would use the shipping weights and option wts in the AMA documents even though they may have been revised or updated during the model year. The MSO wt may have included options and a few gallons of fuel,...shipping wt should not include any fuel and I seriously doubt the plant weighed very many vehicles but I am sure they probably had vehicle scales. How a weight would be included on your FMVSS label??, but it would have to be computer generated same as the date and VIN.
The simple answer to your question about production weights is production variance. Each of the thousands of parts in a vehicle have variability and therefor the vehicle. Without boring you with the minutia, during my 40 years in the auto industry I've had to actually go to plants to weigh vehicles (and parts), plot a distribution to determine a mean and report a number.

[Duke W.]

Re: Vehicle weights

Shipping weight is with all normal vehicle equipment including spare tire,jack and tools, full fluids except gasoline which is 3 gallons. Gasoline weights about six pounds per gallon. Curb weight is as above except with full fuel. The weight label in the door jam is GVW, which would add about 400-500 pounds to curb weight.

[John L.]

Re: Vehicle weights

Duke/Mike
I think Mike is saying there's weight numbers on his FMVSS cert label. In this time period I think the Gross Axle Ratings (GAWRf/GAWRr) and the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and maximum load capacity and tire pressure,.. were on the Tire/Load label Later all this information was combined into one label.

Question: Is The weight of the 3 gallons of fuel in the shipping weight??
Answer: Manufactures might have been but usually were not including the wt of any fuel,...
Question: Why not?
Answer: (1) Because this evolved into a number used by states for titles and taxes and the owner/operator already is paying state and federal taxes on the fuel and wouldn't want to pay again every year. (2)And this number was only one of several used for shipping. (3) And the added fuel at a manufactures plant could be a lot more than 3 gal,......I saw one example were the fuel fill was 15 gal for a 20 gal tank and the plant was having a hard time doing it (why??,..something to do with money as always)
(Im not feeling well today and have nothing better to do than answer my own questions)

[Mike E.]

Re: Vehicle weights

Actually, I am referring to the manufacturer's statement of origin. This is a 71, so there is no weight data on the blue certification label.
GM documentation says the shipping weight includes 3 gallons of fuel. John, thanks for sharing your experience.

[Mike E.]

Re: Vehicle weights

Rich, that is a good thought. Big block only had braided cables and distributor cover. Small blocks also had vertical shields and lower horizontal shields with brackets for them. Could be the 3-pound difference.