Original '65 Owners Guide
What is a fair price for an original 1965 owner's manual? There is one on eBay for $400 which sounds excessive, to me. -Clark
-
-
Re: Original '65 Owners Guide
Clark,
Unlike 67 Owners manuals 2nd editions in 65 are scarcer and more in demand than 1st editions. First thing you need to do is determine if it is an original. Not easy to do without seeing it or buying it from a knowledgeable seller. I have seen original 2nd editions trade in that range. -
Re: Original '65 Owners Guide
Isn't there a big block insert or something in certain 65 manuals that makes some of them more desirable ??Tom Hendricks
Proud Member NCRS #23758
NCM Founding Member # 1143
Corvette Department Manager and
Specialist for 27 years at BUDS Chevrolet.Comment
-
Re: Original '65 Owners Guide
Tom,
The "396" piece is a seperate card that was inserted into 396 equiped Corvette and Passenger car owners manuals. My guess is that second edition 1965 Corvette owners manuals are more in demand due to the mid year introduction of the 396 Big Block.Comment
-
Re: Original '65 Owners Guide
There's narry a word of mention regarding 396 in either the 1st or 2nd edition of the '65 owner's manual. My 396 (late April build) has a 1st edition book and it's hand annotated by the original owner (my uncle) with 396 engine specs.
A fellow chapter member has a Noland Adams survey 396 (early May build) and it came with a 2nd edition owner's manual. That leads me to conclude that the issue of 1st vs. 2nd edition was a matter of random pull from the factory's inventory shelf since the PN for the two books didn't change and they were mixed together at St. Louis. Note, the change over in edition/revision happened circa Jan '65...Comment
-
Re: Original '65 Owners Guide
I have the original for my 65. How do you tell the difference between editions?
JimComment
-
Re: Original '65 Owners Guide
Should be printed on the book (fly leaf and/or rear cover)...Comment
-
Re: Original '65 Owners Guide
Jack,
The 1965 second edition owners manuals are dated Dec 1964. Go figure. The random pull theory is correct.
There was a thread on a similiar subject some time ago. I and another member of this TDB have July 1970 cars built the same day and they both have handwritten changes to the part number.
I think the 396 owners who are looking to purchase an owners manual will lean toward a second edition due to the Dec 1964 date.Comment
-
Re: Original '65 Owners Guide
Duh. "SECOND EDITION December 1964". Car was built early April and delivered to the owner on 4-23-65.
Thanks.Comment
-
Re: Original '65 Owners Guide - what's fair?
A fair price is whatever seems fair to you. $400 for this booklet may be fair to someone, and excessive to others. A couple years ago, $125,000 seemed fair for a sharp restored 65 conv fuelie. Today it seems excessive. A few years from now $400 may seem cheap for this booklet.
How badly do you need/want it?Comment
-
Re: Original '65 Owners Guide - what's fair?
Be careful buying midyear owners manuals. As most of you know there were some boot leg copies made that do not say reprint.
Check the size of the paper as the reprinted ones had paper that was a tad smaller than the original. Also the colors of the ink are off.Comment
-
Re: Original '65 Owners Guide - what's fair?
The one on eBay is stated as an original 1st edition with the Helms manual card AND the Corvette Magazine subscription form intact, in place. eBay says that the dealer is approved and that the item is guaranteed, whatever that is worth.
I just paid $160 for a new reproduction Type I jack for my '65 L76 A/C Coupe. So, I realize that every point recovered will cost me something. I recovered 4 originality points and 2 condition points (6 total) with the new jack.
$400 is a lot of money to get an original manual and recover the one point deduction made on my reproduction manual at the last NCRS meet.Comment
-
Re: Original '65 Owners Guide - what's fair
to me, $400 is silly if all it is about is gaining one judging point. But, if you want an original booklet to go with your original car, and it has nothing to do with points, $400 may be a bargain. Note- I have not looked at the eBay ad, and have no clue if the booklet is what it is represented to be.Comment
-
Re: Original '65 Owners Guide
My 65 396 came with a repro. manual with no 396 insert. I purchased the insert from LICS and went about my way. About 3 years ago I saw an ad on E-Bay for an original 65 owners manual starting at $9.99 which is the price that most repros. were going for at the time - don't know why rather than waste my time I sent the owner a message asking about if a 2 page insert on the 396 engine came with the manual. The owner was the son of a man that had owned a L78 sold it and passed away - his son was cleaning out the garage. The son answered my message saying that he never took notice before but the insert was in the manual. I guess everyone at the time thought the $9.99 price was a repro. and hardly anyone else even placed a bid. At the last minute I overbid to try and get it - which I did for $48.00. When I got it I was shocked to see what wonderful condition it was in - in matching up even the insert it was no contest in regards to the clearness of the print & photos plus the original was smaller in size. Needless to say I doubt I will ever get a better deal on any future e-bay buys. About 2 months before the entire contents of a 65 glove box came up for sale - I quit at $550.00. It sold for over $1000.00, with in a month parts of the contents came up one at a time except for the instruction card for knock offs, I am sure that by the time the parts sold the guy got his knock off card at no cost.
Comment
Comment