What car does this ignition shield belong to?

[Scott S.]

I recently found the ignition top shield (GM 3882700) hiding in the storage area over the rafters in the garage. I also found the lower horizontal left front shield (GM 3880995), along with this piece.

I checked it against the pictures in one of the vendor catalogs, and it doesn't seem to match anything in their C2 or C3 section, so I'm curious to figure out what it belongs to.

[Bruce B.]

Re: What car does this ignition shield belong to?

It looks like either a 56 thru 59 or a 60 thru 62 drivers side vertical ignition shield.

[Donald H.]

Re: What car does this ignition shield belong to?

Looks like left side (driver side) verticle for C1, like 60 - 62

[Scott S.]

Re: What car does this ignition shield belong to?

Thanks guys, I didn't think to check the older Corvettes because my Dad didn't have any that were earlier than 1966. I checked Corvette Central's C1 section, and this is an exact match for the 1960-1962 stainless steel left-hand vertical ignition shield. My guess is that this ignition shield was from my Grandma's car, it was found while cleaning out her garage, and given to my Dad because he still had a Corvette.

One of my Grandma's friends bought a 1953 Corvette (in 1953), and she liked it so much that she bought a 1954 when they were available, and then traded it in on a new Corvette every couple of years up to 1973.

I have a picture of my Grandma with her red Corvette, dated June 1962

[Andrew S.]

Re: What car does this ignition shield belong to?

Your Grandma isn't from Pasadena, is she?

[Bruce B.]

Re: What car does this ignition shield belong to?

Great picture of your Grandma and a nice 62.

[Scott S.]

Re: What car does this ignition shield belong to?

Your Grandma isn't from Pasadena, is she?

Hi Andrew,

No, she was from Dayton, Ohio. I was guessing there's a funny reference to "grandmas from Pasadena", like a character in a TV show or something, but a quick Google search didn't turn up anything, so I'm still trying to figure it out. If it's a fairly recent pop-culture reference, I'm kind of out-of-the-loop when it comes to a lot those things. If it's an older reference, then I don't have any excuse...

[Bruce B.]

Re: What car does this ignition shield belong to?

Scott,
Google "The little old lady from Pasadena", thats where you will find the Granny reference.
By the way, I live close to Dayton, OH.

[Jack H.]

Re: What car does this ignition shield belong to?

"The Little Old Lady From Pasedena" was one of Jan & Deans (think Beach Boys) biggest hits back in the 60's. Both Jan and Dean were also huge Corvette fans owning several models back in the day. Jan was almost killed in a midyear BB ('66 maybe?) in a weird/eeery resemblance to one of their other hits called "Deadman's Curve".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Old_Lady_from_Pasadena

[Andrew S.]

Re: What car does this ignition shield belong to?

Sorry -- it's an old Jan & Dean song: "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Old_Lady_from_Pasadena

(except I think the song refers to a "Super Stock Dodge" not your Grandma's Corvettes)

[Scott S.]

Re: What car does this ignition shield belong to?

Great picture of your Grandma and a nice 62.

Thanks Bruce. In June of '62 I was (-)5 years old, so that car was long gone for newer models (at least a couple, she had a '64 and then a '66, I think) before I came along. I always wondered what the other two cars were, the one in the garage and the one you can only see a small part of, next to the Corvette. They would have to be 1962 or older. Anybody recognize either of them?

[Jack H.]

Re: What car does this ignition shield belong to?

The car in the garage looks like the back of a Ford Falcon (aka Mercury Comet) to me. No guess on the one next to the Vette.

Here is a '60 Falcon:

[Paul Y.]

Re: What car does this ignition shield belong to?

I think the one on the right is a 61 chev

[Scott S.]

Re: What car does this ignition shield belong to?

Bruce, Jack, Andrew... I have no excuse for not knowing Jan & Dean's "Little Old Lady from Pasadena"...


I did know that the Beach Boys featured a Corvette on at least one album cover (Shut Down, Vol. 2) and a few 45s. I have seen another old album cover with what I remember as a yellow '67 convertible with 4 or 5 band members sitting in it, straining the suspension. I thought that might have been a Beach Boys album too, but after doing a quick search I couldn't find it.

They liked this blue '63 a lot. I found this picture on several different Beach Boys 45s, and variations of it (different pictures from the same photo session) on some foreign issued 45s.

[Scott S.]

Re: What car does this ignition shield belong to?

The car in the garage looks like the back of a Ford Falcon (aka Mercury Comet) to me. No guess on the one next to the Vette.

Here is a '60 Falcon:

That definitely looks like the same tail light/back end, even the same color! I'll ask my Mom if she remembers a Ford Falcon or Mercury Comet. She doesn't recall old family cars by year, make & model, but she usually remembers the kind of car if I throw out a couple possibilities.