Educate me on Bodies- AO SMith or St Louis

[Gary R.]

I read one of the current threads and never knew there were different body manufacturers used? I assumed they were all made in St Louis and never knew about them. So what is the deal, why were there more then one mfg? why is one worth more then the other, didn't they look the same? What years did this take place?

Am I the only one who didn't know about this?

Thanks

[Patrick H.]

Re: Educate me on Bodies- AO SMith or St Louis

Download the pdf of John Hinckley's article here:

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/tech/knowledgebase/article/1963-1967-corvette-technical-article-the-other-corvette-body-builder-a-o-smith-helps-st-louis-keep-up-with-production-248.html

[Domenic T.]

Re: Educate me on Bodies- AO SMith or St Louis

Gary,
Me too. Patrick, tried that but not smart enough to get info.

Dom

[Patrick H.]

Re: Educate me on Bodies- AO SMith or St Louis

Open link.

Scroll down to header "Attached files (1)"

click on a.o.smith.pdf which is just below the "Attached files (1)"

[Richard G.]

Re: Educate me on Bodies- AO SMith or St Louis

I failed to find it also.
I suspect one has to sign in to view the attachments?

[Patrick H.]

Re: Educate me on Bodies- AO SMith or St Louis

I failed to find it also.
I suspect one has to sign in to view the attachments?

Nope.
See attached.



Addendum - the article itself is too large to attach to this site, thus the links back to it and attempts to guide you there.
Picture below shows where to look.

[Dan B.]

Re: Educate me on Bodies- AO SMith or St Louis

Gary,
There is also a good explanation of the history and info in Nolands C-2 book (if you can get your hands on it) with great pictures of the AO Smith bodies on rail cars being transported to ST. Louis covered in snow.
Dan

[Gary R.]

Re: Educate me on Bodies- AO SMith or St Louis

Thanks Dan, I don't have that book in my collection of many corvette books. I haven't had a minute to check the link above yet either.

How's that diff in the 64 holding up?

[Donald H.]

Re: Educate me on Bodies- AO SMith or St Louis

Where did the idea that having an AO Smith body versus a St Louis body somehow devalues a car?

[Jack H.]

Re: Educate me on Bodies- AO SMith or St Louis

Where did the idea that having an AO Smith body versus a St Louis body somehow devalues a car?

I don't think there is such a thing all things being equal. Two identically correct cars, one STL and one AOS would have same value in my opinion. But as the other thread alluded to, it can come into play when it comes to claims of being "faked", i.e. the other thread suggested that the trim tag would have to be fake. An A.O. Smith car with sidepipes would be another example. Obviously a "fake/embellished" Vette could cause value decreases to most NCRS enthusiasts. Just my 2 cents.

I am curious what others think on this value subject though...is one body better built, fit/finish, or ??? than the other?

[Michael J.]

Re: Educate me on Bodies- AO SMith or St Louis

IIRC, AO Smith was one of the main contractors (if not the main contractor) that had a molding plant that made all the fiberglas body panels that were sent to St. Louis to put bodies together with (St. Louis did not have a panel molding plant), as well as supplying the finished complete bodies for a time. So in a way, AO Smith did much of the body, one way or the other.

[Joe L.]

Re: Educate me on Bodies- AO SMith or St Louis

Thanks Dan, I don't have that book in my collection of many corvette books. I haven't had a minute to check the link above yet either.

How's that diff in the 64 holding up?

Gary------

A. O. Smith did make complete bodies for some Corvettes but only during the C2 period. They never made any bodies for C1 or C3 Corvettes. All C1 and C3 Corvette bodies were made at St. Louis.

[Mike M.]

Re: Educate me on Bodies- AO SMith or St Louis

not ALL c-1 bodys were made in st louis. mike

[Joe L.]

Re: Educate me on Bodies- AO SMith or St Louis

not ALL c-1 bodys were made in st louis. mike

Mike-------

Yes, the 300 1953 bodies were not made at St. Louis.

[Mike M.]

Re: Educate me on Bodies- AO SMith or St Louis

the bodies of 53 vins approx 150 to 300 were made in st louis then shipped to flint for the body drops. most all pre-vin 150's were glued together in flint then dropped on their chassis in flint. mike