More On '71 Strike Production Numbers

[Randy C.]

As an owner of a '71 for over 31 years, I've been interested in the factory strike that stopped production for what appears to be a little over two months. One of the things I do is monitor '71 Corvettes for sale on ebay and, if they show the VIN and build date, I write it down for future reference. From what I have found thus far, it appears that the last production date before the strike was about Monday, September 14, 1970 (B14) and that production began again about Tuesday, November 24, 1970 (D24). To this writing, the latest pre-strike S/N I've found with is #2332 with a production date of B14, and the earliest post-strike S/N I've found is #2353 with a production date of D24. If anyone has a '71 Corvette with a S/N between 2332 and 2353, I'd sure be interested in hearing from you and what that production date is on your '71 Corvette.

Also, as a side note, the 4th edition of the 1970-72 Corvette Technical Information Manual & Judging Guide states that the center storage compartment lid should have a vehicle maintenance sticker on its underside starting about with S/N 7446. Although I bought my Corvette #4001 (E14) in August 1978 when it was almost 8 years old, the center storage compartment lid has that sticker (p/n 3991751) on its underside. I don't have any reason to believe that compartment lid was changed out before I bought the car - it was correct in every other fashion except that a previous owner had gone in with a rattle can and painted everything black, over the stickers and everything else, on the undersides of both the passenger and center compartment lids. I'm wondering now if the factory started putting the vehicle maintenance sticker on the underside of the center storage compartment lid just after the strike was over. If anyone has a '71 Corvette in this questionable range (from S/N 2332 up to S/N 7446) with that vehicle maintenance sticker, I'd be interested in hearing from you as well.

I'm deep into all the details as I'm trying to have my Corvette prepared for judging for the first time this coming summer. Right now I think I know a whole lot. I believe I will find out after the judging that I will learn a lot more!

Randy C.

[Wayne W.]

Re: More On '71 Strike Production Numbers

According to the Birthplace of Legends the work stoppage was Sep. 15 through Nov 24, 1970.

[Ralph S.]

Re: More On '71 Strike Production Numbers

serial #2488 built sept 15 before strike, first car after strike shows up Nov 24 vin 2368
[from a collection of cars surveyed by me and Terry Mcmanmon} over the last 20 years

[Robert S.]

Re: More On '71 Strike Production Numbers

My 71 is #2165 with a build date of B11. When I recently pulled out the interior I noticed that the center compartment door has the maintenance sticker. I do not know the complete history of the car, so there is no way I can confirm that it is original, although it "looked" original.

[Randy C.]

Re: More On '71 Strike Production Numbers

I remember reading about S/N 2488 and the appearance that it is out of sequence with the other cars with regards to build date. I am curious as to how that could happen, but then again dated parts don't come in sequence, either, so I suspect the answer could be along those lines. As well, I'm sure there were a number of B14 cars nearly ready to leave the factory when the strike started and stayed at the factory until work resumed - that could help explain it, too.

I'm hoping that, someday, I'll see a car with a build date when the strike started, and then the next car in sequence with a build date of when the strike ended. Right now, 21 cars inbetween is as close as I have seen.

With regards to the vehicle maintenance sticker, the appearance is that the factory started using it earlier than S/N 7446 in the '71 production year. But finding an earlier production '71 (with its original owner to verify the sticker was there from the beginning) these days is a needle in the haystack search!

One other question - is there a source anywhere that might indicate how many Corvettes of each model year are still in existence? My first thought is that at least half of each model year would be gone but, then again, we are talking about Corvettes and they might not disappear as fast as, say, the muscle cars or other classics.

I haven't gone to this board until recently, when I heard about it at our chapter Xmas get-together. I see that it is very similar to the classicoldsmobile.com web site, of which I've used for nearly a year now. Whoever set this up sure did a good job! It's a tremendous resource.

Best Regards, Randy C.

Randy C.

[Michael D.]

Re: More On '71 Strike Production Numbers

...- is there a source anywhere that might indicate how many Corvettes of each model year are still in existence?...

Not to my knowledge. There are several Corvette Registries, but these rely upon private owners to enter information about their cars.

#2344 has a time/build code is E01.