C3 locking glove box

[David S.]

Can you help me on what compartment had the lock on a Jan 72 built car

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 locking glove box

Can you help me on what compartment had the lock on a Jan 72 built car

David------


Your car was built right about the change-over time from the center compartment lock to the right side compartment lock. So, you probably would not get an argument from a judge either way. However, we'll hopefully hear from some folks with cars built right about that time to help us "zero in".

By the way, does the car now have no locks on either doors or, if it does have locks, do you have some reason to believe it's not original?

[Robert S.]

Re: C3 locking glove box

I was just reading Chevrolet sales material for a 74' and in the section discussing the interior it said there were two storage compartments in the rear, one "lighted and lockable" so it is clear that (in 74' at least) Chevrolet intended the center compartment to have the lock (which is how mine was configured when I bought the car 3 years ago).

[Joe L.]

Re: C3 locking glove box

I was just reading Chevrolet sales material for a 74' and in the section discussing the interior it said there were two storage compartments in the rear, one "lighted and lockable" so it is clear that (in 74' at least) Chevrolet intended the center compartment to have the lock (which is how mine was configured when I bought the car 3 years ago).

Robert------

For years 1968-71 the rear compartment key lock was on the center compartment. There's no doubt about that. For early 1972 it remained on the center compartment. However, sometime in 1972 it changed to the right hand compartment. I have always believed that the change occurred ABOUT s/n 8500 which would place it sometime around early December, 1971. However, the AIM indicates that the revision was dated 1-12-72. Usually, a change in PRODUCTION could be expected no earlier than about a month after the revision date. But, there have been rare known instances in which a PRODUCTION change actually occurred prior to the revision date.

I don't have much empirical information to say what the change-over date was. Hopefully, others can supply some. In any even, if your car was built in January, 1972, it could very well have been built with the key lock in the center door, as you found yours.

As far as 1974 goes, I don't know. The AIM would seem to indicate that it was the same as the late 1972 configuration. While the description of the parts might be confusing, note that both the late 1972, 1973, and 1974 configurations show the same "cylinder and case assembly" used for the center compartment and the left side battery compartment. The battery compartment was, of course, never provided with a lock. A "lock unit" is shown for the right side compartment.