1960 1961 Fuel Injection Units

[Ray C.]

I am trying to estimate the relationship between a SN on a FI unit and build date of a 1961 315-HP FI Corvette. My reading in the archives leaves be to believe this is very hard with the 7017320 units because the units were used in 1960 production. I believe the 1961-1962 JG states that FI unit 7017250 (my research leads me to believe very few if any) could have been used on early 1961 cars. Does anyone have an estimate of how many 1960 290-HP cars received the 7320 units and how many 1961 received the 7250 units?

Thanks for any information!
Ray

[Loren L.]

Re: 1960 1961 Fuel Injection Units

There is a picture of Dr Dick trying to make roadside repairs to his car (#3535) at Sebring and the unit is a flattopped plenum 320. This is particularly interesting because at Sebring the Cunningham cars were still running the units that they were built with - all 3 motors were replaced for Le Mans, and after Le Mans were returned to MI.

[John D.]

Re: 1960 1961 Fuel Injection Units

Ray, A 61 fuel car would never have a 7250 unit from St. Louis. Let me try and say that a little better. It would not be typical for a real deal genuine 61 FI car to have a 7250 unit with a finned top plenum. Now if you should see pics of a 61 with the finned top plenum (casting number '4944') then that would be a 7017200 low HP unit.
As far as the number of particular FI used in 1961 here is what I have.

RPO 353. 275HP. 118 units
RPO 354 315HP. 1462 units.

All 1961LHP were 7017200's. Even though you will read that a 7017310 unit was available it was not used on a 1961.
Now it was used in a 1960 FI car.

If would be safe to say that all 1961 HHP fuel cars used a 7017320 unit.
Now backing up to 1960 it was a different story.
I am not looking at any manuals in writing this. I am not trying to correct any manual. The following is just from experience and old info.
60 Corvette used a variety of fuel injections.
RPO 579. 250 HP 172units. No info on what models of LHP units were used. The info does not exist. This info from Frank Sciabica of RP. Also Michael Hunt said the same thing. Very poor records on FI units as the manufacturer was "grasping for straws". This quote came from Sciabica.
RPO 579D. 290HP. 759units. Again no estimate of which FI's were used. JD

Recap: NO 61 Corvettes received a 7250 unit.