Luggage Carrier not listed on Dealer Invoice

[Oliver B.]

I just received a copy of the original Dealer Invoice for my 1977.
That's a great document fitting perfectly into my car's file I can tell...

Just something strange:
My car has been fitted with the Luggage and Roof Carrier Rack (RPO V54 for 73.00$). I am confident that it has been delivered that way from the factory, because
- it is the GM original design with the rounded rear corners (unlike the ones installed afterwards as "Dealer Options")
- it can be seen on photos "just delivered" which I received with the car
- and the vinyl bags' date codes perfectly fit my car's build date.

But: this RPO is not listed as an option on the Dealer Invoice.

Anybody an idea why the Rack doesn't appear on that invoice???
Possible that someone "just forgot"? Or the reason that I envisoned below?

Other interesting facts are that the Suggested Retail Prices listed there differ from the ones listed in sources like the "Black Book" (seems that GM changed (raised ) some of them during the year - well, that is still common procedure...) and that the Dealer Invoice also lists the amount the Dealer had to pay to GM for the car - some 2,660$ below the Suggested Retail Price. Interesting.

Can it be that the Rack has been "given away" to "even out" the raised Retail Prices for the customer?

Thanks for any idea...
Oliver

[Dick W.]

Re: Luggage Carrier not listed on Dealer Invoice

The luggage rack is a owner inspired addition which may have been installed by him or the dealer

[Oliver B.]

Re: Luggage Carrier not listed on Dealer Invoice

True till 1976 - but for the 1977 model, GM made a.m. RPO V54 available to chose from the options list...

[Jim S.]

Re: Luggage Carrier not listed on Dealer Invoice

Does the luggage carrier installation show up in the 1977 AIM? There should be a sheet in the AIM if it was factory installed.
Jim

[Tom H.]

Re: Luggage Carrier not listed on Dealer Invoice

I would agree with what was mentioned before. I believe racks were factory installed in 77, but just because the car has a rack, doesn't mean the rack was factory installed. Many owners and dealers added them after the fact.

[Oliver B.]

Re: Luggage Carrier not listed on Dealer Invoice

I do not have the AIM at hand - but I think it does (if I remember right)...

But IS it possible, that GM listed this as factory option, just had it installed at the dealership? I never doubted, that the rack - as Regular Production Option - has been installed in St.Louis....

[Oliver B.]

Re: Luggage Carrier not listed on Dealer Invoice

Tom, I fully agree: not every '77 rack needs to have been factory installed!
But I would say that dealers had their sources to get them for the earlier years - and those sources would hardly immediately change the looks of their products to 100% that one offered by GM directly, right?
Additionally the rack on my car THEN would have to have been added RIGHT after or at the same time the car was picked up at the dealer (as it appears on those photos already)..... A lot of hassle if it was avaliable from factory as well, isn't it?
All in all I have no reason to doubt the rack's originality.

[Michael H.]

Re: Luggage Carrier not listed on Dealer Invoice

Tom, I fully agree: not every '77 rack needs to have been factory installed!
But I would say that dealers had their sources to get them for the earlier years - and those sources would hardly immediately change the looks of their products to 100% that one offered by GM directly, right?
Additionally the rack on my car THEN would have to have been added RIGHT after or at the same time the car was picked up at the dealer (as it appears on those photos already)..... A lot of hassle if it was avaliable from factory as well, isn't it?
All in all I have no reason to doubt the rack's originality.

Most likely, when your car was sold to the first owner, the buyer also chose the optional luggage rack. If the car was one that was "in stock" and didn't have the rack, it would have been installed during "new car prep" in the service department.
The part would most likely have been the exact same as one that could have been installed on the St Louis assembly line.
This is a very common occurance for many options on all GM car lines.

[Oliver B.]

Re: Luggage Carrier not listed on Dealer Invoice

Ah, that's an interesting idea!

By "in stock" you mean in the dealer's stock!? So the dealer would have had a car without the rack in their lot and added a factory rack fresh from St.L (or wherever it would have been supplied from) and added it to the car at their service dept., right?

Never had an idea like that - but that at least would explain the rack's lack on the Dealer Invoice (if that was no mistake )...

Anything to check/prove/disprove that theory?

[Michael H.]

Re: Luggage Carrier not listed on Dealer Invoice

Ah, that's an interesting idea!

By "in stock" you mean in the dealer's stock!?

Yes, exactly. Almost all new car dealers carry many GM available options in stock for that exact reason. Most new car sales are units that the dealer has in his inventory so if a potential customer wants one of those cars but decides he wants some other option, such as the luggage rack, it would be installed during new car prep, before the car is delivered to him.

[Harmon C.]

Re: Luggage Carrier not listed on Dealer Invoice

I just received a copy of the original Dealer Invoice for my 1977.
That's a great document fitting perfectly into my car's file I can tell...

Just something strange:
My car has been fitted with the Luggage and Roof Carrier Rack (RPO V54 for 73.00$). I am confident that it has been delivered that way from the factory, because
- it is the GM original design with the rounded rear corners (unlike the ones installed afterwards as "Dealer Options")
- it can be seen on photos "just delivered" which I received with the car
- and the vinyl bags' date codes perfectly fit my car's build date.

But: this RPO is not listed as an option on the Dealer Invoice.

Anybody an idea why the Rack doesn't appear on that invoice???
Possible that someone "just forgot"? Or the reason that I envisoned below?

Other interesting facts are that the Suggested Retail Prices listed there differ from the ones listed in sources like the "Black Book" (seems that GM changed (raised ) some of them during the year - well, that is still common procedure...) and that the Dealer Invoice also lists the amount the Dealer had to pay to GM for the car - some 2,660$ below the Suggested Retail Price. Interesting.

Can it be that the Rack has been "given away" to "even out" the raised Retail Prices for the customer?

Thanks for any idea...
Oliver

The bags being dated correct would have come with cars without the luggage rack. As others have said the rack was probably installed by the dealer before delevery if it was not on the invoice.
Some judge who has seen an original factory instalation may be able to tell if the dealers worker did not read the instructions and placed the rack a few inches off. I have seen the racks real close to the spoiler and forward almost to the vents. If the rack is in the right spot and like you say it is the 77 factory style installed rack a judge will not be able to tell the difference and their should be no deduction. The dealer invoice you have is not judged and I would leave it at home.

[Jack H.]

Re: Luggage Carrier not listed on Dealer Invoice

Yes, V54 was a factory option for 1977 (and there's some evidence to support very late '76 cars perhaps having the option factory installed). It was NOT a standard feature and would therefore have been called out on the car's build sheet if it was factory installed.

But, as others have mentioned, dealers had access to these parts and had been supplying rack systems for many years (including 1977). So, it's quite likely the dealer added the option to a car that was in dealer inventory OR one that had been ordered and the luggage rack was inadvertantely left off the factory order.

The bottom line is, from a Flight Judging perspective, it makes little difference whether the luggage rack was dealer or factory installed.... NCRS doesn't require owners to submit factory build sheets and/or original order forms. Cars are judged based on appearance.

Since it WAS possible for a '77 Corvette to have been factory produced with a luggage rack (a correct V54 option should also have the T-top brackets and hold-down strap), the presense of the option isn't questioned. It's on earlier cars where luggage racks were EXCLUSIVELY dealer installed that you'll receive minor originality deductions during Flight judging...

[Roy B.]

Re: Luggage Carrier not listed on Dealer Invoice


In all years many many dealer options were offered and most were not factory installed but done by the dealer. In 78 I ordered the trailering package for my new 78 Corvette , it came with a bigger radiator sway bar, high amp alternator but the dealer added the hitch and harness and had the dealer luggage I ordered.

[Reba W.]

Re: Luggage Carrier not listed on Dealer Invoice

In reference to Lyle's comment about mounting locaiton, I believe that when a luggage rack was desired on earlier C3s, the dealer had a template to drill the mounting holes.

[Harmon C.]

Re: Luggage Carrier not listed on Dealer Invoice

Yes Reba their was instructions in the box but you know how men are. They only look at them after they make a mistake.