1968 L89 potential "brass hat" car?

[Richard W.]

I am finally getting around to asking the board to help me with the tank sticker from my 68 L89 car. It is a very high option coupe in addition to being an L89 - tint glass, head rests, power steering and brakes, telescopic, speed warning, P01 wheel covers, off road exhaust, 8 cyl conditioning

Per the tank sticker, it was delivered to zone 25 dealer 000 which is the Indianapolis Chevrolet Zone Office.

At the bottom is typed:

CC J D BELL SHIP TO BILL
KUHN CHEVROLET

Bill Kuhn Chevrolet was in Indianapolis and handled the Camaro Pace cars for the 1967 Indianapolis 500.

The car also has as the last option 899908 8 CYL CONDITIONING

A few questions:

Does anyone know who J D Bell was? I wonder if he could have been someone "big" inside GM.

I have heard several opinions on the 8 CYL Conditioning option from it being a blueprinted engine to heavy duty antifreeze. What's the real story?

I have posted a picture of the tank sticker.

Thanks

Richie

[Warren F.]

Re: 1968 L89 potential "brass hat" car?

The 8 cylinder conditioning topic I believe has to do with careful assembly of the engine componentry. This same wording was on the Daytona Yellow '69 ZL-1 Corvette Order Copy, as well as a '67 L-71 Corvette that a friend owns with a Dr.'s name on it also.

[William L.]

Re: 1968 L89 potential "brass hat" car?

Rich
Very interesting car. What is the date received and exp.date of production??
Bill

[Richard W.]

Re: 1968 L89 potential "brass hat" car?

Appears to be 11-22-67 and 12-04-67. Car is number 9647 (a January car). Body date F22 (January 22nd)

[Michael H.]

Re: 1968 L89 potential "brass hat" car?

The 8 cylinder conditioning topic I believe has to do with careful assembly of the engine componentry. This same wording was on the Daytona Yellow '69 ZL-1 Corvette Order Copy, as well as a '67 L-71 Corvette that a friend owns with a Dr.'s name on it also.

According to some of the "old timers" at the St Louis plant, "8 Cyl Conditioning" was basically equivalent to the engine portion of a typical Chevrolet dealer new car get ready. This would include adjust timing/dwell, carburetor and a few other misc items, possibly also including adjusting lifters on mechanical lifter engines.
I've owned a few cars that showed 8 Cyl Conditioning on the paperwork and I've seen quite a few others that have it too. Many seem to be L88's or cars that were to be used by management etc etc.

[John H.]

Re: 1968 L89 potential "brass hat" car?

"8 Cylinder Conditioning" was an accounting reimbursement code that was applied to all cars ordered for Company service that were to be delivered directly to a GM facility. It authorized the receiving facility to re-bill Chevrolet Central Office for the flat-rate amount for dealer prep, or, at the receiving facility's option, if they didn't have a mechanic, they could take it to a local dealer and that dealer would be authorized to re-bill Chevrolet for dealer prep even though they didn't sell the car.

That code was on the paperwork for every Company Car I ever had (3 or 4 a year, for many years).

[Richard W.]

Re: 1968 L89 potential "brass hat" car?

Mike

That would make sense with my theory that the car was for someone inside GM or someone otherwise "big".

[Richard W.]

Re: 1968 L89 potential "brass hat" car?

Thanks John

So what do you make of my tank sticker that is attached to my first post? The car went to the zone office and then to the dealer. I am guessing that J D Bell was the person getting the car - but its only a guess. What do you think?

Thanks Richie

[John H.]

Re: 1968 L89 potential "brass hat" car?

Thanks John

So what do you make of my tank sticker that is attached to my first post? The car went to the zone office and then to the dealer. I am guessing that J D Bell was the person getting the car - but its only a guess. What do you think?

Thanks Richie

J.D. Bell was probably the Zone Manager; mere mortal non-executive salaried employees weren't allowed to order Corvettes as company cars, but Zone Managers were, due to their P.R. responsibilities.

[Michael H.]

Re: 1968 L89 potential "brass hat" car?

"8 Cylinder Conditioning" was an accounting reimbursement code that was applied to all cars ordered for Company service that were to be delivered directly to a GM facility. It authorized the receiving facility to re-bill Chevrolet Central Office for the flat-rate amount for dealer prep, or, at the receiving facility's option, if they didn't have a mechanic, they could take it to a local dealer and that dealer would be authorized to re-bill Chevrolet for dealer prep even though they didn't sell the car.

That code was on the paperwork for every Company Car I ever had (3 or 4 a year, for many years).

Thanks John. I suppose that had to apply to plant deliveries to retail customers too? My old 65 396 car was sent to Central Office and showed "8 Cyl Conditioning" on the paperwork but I know of at least one real 67 L88 that was a plant delivery to a retail customer that also showed the same 8 Cyl Conditioning".

I also have paperwork on a 63 that was a plant delivery but the "8 Cyl Conditioning" was NOT shown on the car shipper. ?? Maybe that system wasn't used as far back as 1963??

[John H.]

Re: 1968 L89 potential "brass hat" car?

Thanks John. I suppose that had to apply to plant deliveries to retail customers too? My old 65 396 car was sent to Central Office and showed "8 Cyl Conditioning" on the paperwork but I know of at least one real 67 L88 that was a plant delivery to a retail customer that also showed the same 8 Cyl Conditioning".

I also have paperwork on a 63 that was a plant delivery but the "8 Cyl Conditioning" was NOT shown on the car shipper. ?? Maybe that system wasn't used as far back as 1963??

Michael -

Yes, it would also apply to retail deliveries at the plant, so they could re-bill for the dealer prep labor. I have paperwork on a plant-delivered '65, and it doesn't show it either. Don't know when it started.

[Michael H.]

Re: 1968 L89 potential "brass hat" car?

Michael -

Yes, it would also apply to retail deliveries at the plant, so they could re-bill for the dealer prep labor. I have paperwork on a plant-delivered '65, and it doesn't show it either. Don't know when it started.

John...

The earliest that I know of that has 8 Cyl Cond is my old 65. The one that went to Central Office.