63 Early FI Question

[Michael H.]

Looking for info on early 63 FI vacuum advance pipe clip. From start of production to some point in Oct or Nov 62, the clip was a formed piece of rigid wire. That was eventually replaced with the more common flat clip.
This car was at the 1981 or 82 Wisconsin Dells NCRS event and is either #2488 or #3488.

[Bob J.]

Re: 63 Early FI Question

Looking for info on early 63 FI vacuum advance pipe clip. From start of production to some point in Oct or Nov 62, the clip was a formed piece of rigid wire. That was eventually replaced with the more common flat clip.
This car was at the 1981 or 82 Wisconsin Dells NCRS event and is either #2488 or #3488.

Michael, you hardly ever see those wire clips.
I think most of the wire clips were replaced with the flat clips because that was the one repo'd for 63s. I venture to guess even FI rebuilders put the flat style on so customer's wouldn't get dinged in judging.
The last car I saw with the wire clip was serial # 105......the other serial numbers are in my notebook which isn't with me right now.
I have one, if you want a pic of one off the unit. Bob

[John D.]

Re: 63 Early FI Question

Michael and RJ, What do you mean you hardly see that clip??? Old JD here has seen lots of them. I may have one or two (not for sale) around.
The big question is how late in production was the loop wire retainer used on 63's. I have made a few up over the years for the early 63's. I venture to say the looped wire clip was used into Jan of 63 but I don't know.
While we are on the subject I notice at the shows that some of the 63 FI owners have their spring steel vac adv line clip on unside down. The vac line (spark tube) snaps down into the clip. Not the other way around. JD

[Michael H.]

Re: 63 Early FI Question

Michael, you hardly ever see those wire clips.
I think most of the wire clips were replaced with the flat clips because that was the one repo'd for 63s. I venture to guess even FI rebuilders put the flat style on so customer's wouldn't get dinged in judging.
The last car I saw with the wire clip was serial # 105......the other serial numbers are in my notebook which isn't with me right now.
I have one, if you want a pic of one off the unit. Bob

I agree, rebuilders toss these original clips and replace with the later flat style.

I found a few more pic's of the clip. One on the unit is a car in the #2000-3000 range. I have the VIN somewhere and will post if/when I find it.
The other was taken off a car that was probably in the same 2000-3000 range.

There are also several pic's of brand new 63's that clearly show the wire style clip. One such pic is in a Road & Track magazine road test article of a new 63. I think the pic is reprinted in the Noland Adams book. The car appears to be in the 2000-3000 VIN range.

[Michael H.]

Re: 63 Early FI Question

The big question is how late in production was the loop wire retainer used on 63's.

Yes, that's kinda what I was asking in my first post. I don't know if it continued into December 62 but here's a pic of a near brand new 63 that's probably in the #2500 to #3000 VIN range. This picture appeared in a Road & Track magazine in early 1963.

The same pic appears in the Noland Adams book.

[Loren L.]

Re: 63 Early FI Question

I have a copy of the Rochester Products Division "Stock List" relating to the 375 unit. None of what I have represents an EARLY "Stock List" - they go out to the declared obsolete date of3/14/67.
Line 23 reads: 1 (Qty) 7026347 (pt #) A (Drawing size) "Clip - Spark Vaccum Tube".
Line 24 is empty. Changes showing up above show that Line 23 was changed on 4/19/62, 7/28/62 and 10/8/62, but none delineate what the change(s) was.
Do any of you have contact with Jon Blanchette, retired from Rochester? If we can break him away from the MIG he's restoring (yes, MIG, not MG) maybe he could provide a name at RPD.

[Michael H.]

Re: 63 Early FI Question

I have a copy of the Rochester Products Division "Stock List" relating to the 375 unit. None of what I have represents an EARLY "Stock List" - they go out to the declared obsolete date of3/14/67.
Line 23 reads: 1 (Qty) 7026347 (pt #) A (Drawing size) "Clip - Spark Vaccum Tube".
Line 24 is empty. Changes showing up above show that Line 23 was changed on 4/19/62, 7/28/62 and 10/8/62, but none delineate what the change(s) was.
Do any of you have contact with Jon Blanchette, retired from Rochester? If we can break him away from the MIG he's restoring (yes, MIG, not MG) maybe he could provide a name at RPD.

Thanks Loren. I've never seen that part number before, likely because it was never available through Chevrolet. (unless it was used for some other application) The clip (or original wire style) was probably never listed in any GM parts books.

[John D.]

Re: 63 Early FI Question

I agree, rebuilders toss these original clips and replace with the later flat style.

I found a few more pic's of the clip. One on the unit is a car in the #2000-3000 range. I have the VIN somewhere and will post if/when I find it.
The other was taken off a car that was probably in the same 2000-3000 range.

There are also several pic's of brand new 63's that clearly show the wire style clip. One such pic is in a Road & Track magazine road test article of a new 63. I think the pic is reprinted in the Noland Adams book. The car appears to be in the 2000-3000 VIN range.

Michael, A friend of mine has a 63 FI build sheet. Didn't off me a copy though.
Sprak tube assembly 7017337
Clip2nd style 7016347 3-20-63!!!!!
Now Arm Armstrong supplied the identical number of the clip. The 2nd style clip drawing date is 3-20-63.
So then are we to assume that the 63 FI's used this wire clip much later than previously assumed? Can someone confirm this as the drawing was very difficult to read according to my friend.
If so a ton of 63's are out there with the wrong clip for the spark tube and the LWC is one of them. John D.

[Michael H.]

Re: 63 Early FI Question

Michael, A friend of mine has a 63 FI build sheet. Didn't off me a copy though.
Sprak tube assembly 7017337
Clip2nd style 7016347 3-20-63!!!!!
Now Arm Armstrong supplied the identical number of the clip. The 2nd style clip drawing date is 3-20-63.
So then are we to assume that the 63 FI's used this wire clip much later than previously assumed? Can someone confirm this as the drawing was very difficult to read according to my friend.
If so a ton of 63's are out there with the wrong clip for the spark tube and the LWC is one of them. John D.

That can't possibly be right. If the drawing for the new 7016347 clip is dated 20 March 63, the part wouldn't have shown up in production for at least a few weeks, or most likely a month, which means the 2nd design clip wouldn't have been seen on new cars until around April 63.
We have a LOT of unrestored cars on file from the old days that show the 2nd design clip was used long before April 63.

[John H.]

Re: 63 Early FI Question

Some parts were released "NDDTF" (No Drawing, Drawing To Follow), particularly when they were purchased from an outside supplier, and the supplier's design was later converted to a GM drawing when the Drafting Room got around to it; in this circumstance, it wouldn't be unusual to have a part in production prior to the release date on the part drawing.

[Michael H.]

Re: 63 Early FI Question

Some parts were released "NDDTF" (No Drawing, Drawing To Follow), particularly when they were purchased from an outside supplier, and the supplier's design was later converted to a GM drawing when the Drafting Room got around to it; in this circumstance, it wouldn't be unusual to have a part in production prior to the release date on the part drawing.

Thanks John. That makes sense because I know that clip appeareed long before March or April of 63.