Shipping Weight & H.P. (SAE)

[Todd H.]

Can anyone confirm by my shipping weight and H.P. (SAE) the HP and options of my car?

I revieved a copy of my MSO today by the NC DMV.

Car is a 1966 convertible:

Shipping Weight is 3034 and H.P. (SAE) is 51.2.

Currently the engine is an L79 with what appears to be correct stampings and dates.

Any help would be appreciated!

Todd Hutchings

[Wayne M.]

Re: Shipping Weight & H.P. (SAE)

Can anyone confirm by my shipping weight and H.P. (SAE) the HP and options of my car?

I revieved a copy of my MSO today by the NC DMV.

Car is a 1966 convertible:

Shipping Weight is 3034 and H.P. (SAE) is 51.2.

Currently the engine is an L79 with what appears to be correct stampings and dates. ....

Well, at least the 51.2 A.M.A. taxable hp of 51.2 confirms the 327 cu.in engine configuration (ie. 4.00 inch bore (squared) times number of cylinders (8); all divided by 2.5. No clues as to whether a base or L79 engine, though.

Maybe others can help with the base convertible weight and adjustment adders for options and fuel.

[John H.]

Re: Shipping Weight & H.P. (SAE)

Shipping Weight is 3034 and H.P. (SAE) is 51.2.

Todd -

It was born as a small-block. The SAE ("taxable") HP for all 327's and 350's is 51.2 (396's are 53.6, and 427's are 57.8). The SAE formula only considers bore size and number of cylinders. You can't determine any other options from the info on the MSO.

[Scott S.]

Re: Shipping Weight & H.P. (SAE)

Can anyone confirm by my shipping weight and H.P. (SAE) the HP and options of my car?

I revieved a copy of my MSO today by the NC DMV.

Car is a 1966 convertible:

Shipping Weight is 3034 and H.P. (SAE) is 51.2.

Todd, what was required in order to obtain a copy of the MSO? I recently found out from the NCRS Shipping Data Report that my car was originally delivered to (and presumably sold by) Potamkin, Chevrolet in Philadelphia, PA. Can I contact the Pennsylvania DMV and simply request a copy of the MSO?

[Todd H.]

Re: Shipping Weight & H.P. (SAE)

Todd, what was required in order to obtain a copy of the MSO? I recently found out from the NCRS Shipping Data Report that my car was originally delivered to (and presumably sold by) Potamkin, Chevrolet in Philadelphia, PA. Can I contact the Pennsylvania DMV and simply request a copy of the MSO?

I am not sure about Pennsylvania. I just lucked out with the fact the NC had the MSO accompany the original title application. Lucky for me they kept a copy of it on microfice.

All I did was call and they requested a research of my title info based on an approximate date range. Three weeks later when I called up they had stated they located the original microfiche and I could obtain a copy by sending in a form with $10. Best $10 spent so far!

[Todd H.]

Re: Shipping Weight & H.P. (SAE)

Todd -

It was born as a small-block. The SAE ("taxable") HP for all 327's and 350's is 51.2 (396's are 53.6, and 427's are 57.8). The SAE formula only considers bore size and number of cylinders. You can't determine any other options from the info on the MSO.

John,

I downloaded the 1966 chevy spec kit from the heritage website. In looking at the original shipping weight of the convertible and options additions/subtractions, could I not "best guess" the options.

For mine:

Car shipping weight 3005
Plus 4 speed +8
Plus Power Steering +21
Total 3034

[Larry M.]

Re: Shipping Weight & H.P. (SAE)

Todd, what was required in order to obtain a copy of the MSO? I recently found out from the NCRS Shipping Data Report that my car was originally delivered to (and presumably sold by) Potamkin, Chevrolet in Philadelphia, PA. Can I contact the Pennsylvania DMV and simply request a copy of the MSO?

Scott:

I dealt with the Pennsylvania DMV back in the mid-1990's on my 1967 Corvette. They told me that currently available records went back to around the mid-1970's, and the rest were locked in some underground or secure vault.

They told me that more/earlier info was available on my car, but "not even the Governor could get at it".

So my Pennsylvania records only go back that far.

PS: I was told by the prior owner from the late 1970's, that earlier records would show that BOB GOLD (ie. Bob Gold Auctions) owned my car during this time....since he purchased it from Bob. It supposedly was one of Bob's personal cars. But no way to document.

Larry

[Scott S.]

Re: Shipping Weight & H.P. (SAE)

Scott:

I dealt with the Pennsylvania DMV back in the mid-1990's on my 1967 Corvette. They told me that currently available records went back to around the mid-1970's, and the rest were locked in some underground or secure vault.

They told me that more/earlier info was available on my car, but "not even the Governor could get at it".

Hi Larry,

It sounds like this might be a situation for a "Freedom of Information Act" petition


"Freedom of information legislation are rules that guarantee access to data held by the state. They establish a "right-to-know" legal process by which requests may be made for government-held information, to be received freely or at minimal cost, barring standard exceptions. Also variously referred to as open records or (especially in the United States) sunshine laws, governments are also typically bound by a duty to publish and promote openness."

[Scott S.]

Re: Shipping Weight & H.P. (SAE)

I am not sure about Pennsylvania. I just lucked out with the fact the NC had the MSO accompany the original title application. Lucky for me they kept a copy of it on microfice.

Thanks Todd, at least it's worth asking for, just in case...

[Richard E.]

Re: Shipping Weight & H.P. (SAE)

I also ran into a dead end with PA DMV.They told me the same thing about
older files in storage but not available and i had the owners name and PA title
number from a Fla title search.........Rich...

[John L.]

Re: Shipping Weight & H.P. (SAE)

Todd:
To get to your curb weight (USA), add in your option weights, and full fluids.

[Duke W.]

Re: Shipping Weight & H.P. (SAE)

Per the AMA specs, shipping weight in that era was based on all normal standard equipment (including spare tire, jack, and tools), plus options as built, and full fluids except gasoline. St. Louis pumped 3 gallons into each job.

So, curb weight is shipping weight plus whatever gasoline is required to fill the tank to capacity, which would be an additional 17 gallons for a C2.

The specfic gravity of road gasoline is usually in the range of 0.72 - 0.74, so I use 6 pounds per gallon.

Duke

[Michael F.]

Re: Shipping Weight & H.P. (SAE)

I also ran into a dead end with PA DMV.They told me the same thing about
older files in storage but not available and i had the owners name and PA title
number from a Fla title search.........Rich...

Anybody know how the Texas DMV handles this?

[Ronald L.]

Re: Shipping Weight & H.P. (SAE)

Scott,

I am a PA searcher also, they told me last month a court order would free that vaulted information.

A court order means someone is being sued. How about I sue you and you sue me and we both get our info

I'm out of town right now, so I have not pursued this any further yet, but intend to. One other suggestion was to write the DMV head director directly. I paid my money for 10 years of nothing and it is the pre 1977 info that I am interested in, inclusive of the first three owners that we do not know, yet.

Anyone else have ideas? I like to FOIA proposal too.