1967 - Built for export??

[Donald H.]

I found a 67 for sale that I am interested in. There is a note in the description of the car "Upon NCRS research this rare Vette was built for Foreign Distributors Division- Export". I expect this was from a note on the shipping data report.

Is there anything negative to a car that was built for export?

If it was built for export, does that necessarily mean it was exported and somehow has been returned to the US?

Thanks,

Don

[Stuart F.]

Re: 1967 - Built for export??

I know of 78's that were exported to Canada, or at least they were specially prepared with a dual speedometer, i.e. MPH and KPH. They were then re-sold back into the U.S..

Stu Fox

[Patrick B.]

Re: 1967 - Built for export??

My 67 was originally sold in Canada and has GM Canada documentation but it does not have a dual speedometer or any other Canada specific parts that I am aware of. It had chrome valve covers with a GM emblem which would be unusual for a L-71 but I do not know if they were original.

[Michael W.]

Re: 1967 - Built for export??

I believe GM considered cars for Canada differently than cars that were built for export. Dual scale KPH and MPH (KPH in large font) speedos first appeared in 1976 (IIRC) for Canadian destined cars. Dual scale speedos (MPH in large font) first appeared on US destined cars in 1978.

The list of RPOs applicable for Canadian bound Corvettes is available in the NCRS spec guide and the other sources. Usually this consists of different warranty paperwork, more fuel in the tank and additional antifreeze

[Gary F.]

Re: 1967 - Built for export??

In 1977 I owned a Lynndale Blue / black / auto that had EXPORT called out on the tank sticker. but before I got it, it came from a dealer in N.J., so it must have been shipped back. There was no difference in this car than any other 67. I still have pics of it.

[Donald H.]

Re: 1967 - Built for export??

I spoke to the current owner. The story he heard was that the car was ordered by an overseas military person. What isn't clear is if the car was really exported to a US serviceman serving in a foreign country, or could cars ordered during that time been designated as delivery to the Foreign Distributors Division and picked up by a returning serviceman here in the US?

In 1969 when I was stationed in the Philippines a fellow ordered a new Cadillac that he was picking up in San Francisco on his return to the states.

[Terry M.]

Re: 1967 - Built for export??

I spoke to the current owner. The story he heard was that the car was ordered by an overseas military person. What isn't clear is if the car was really exported to a US serviceman serving in a foreign country, or could cars ordered during that time been designated as delivery to the Foreign Distributors Division and picked up by a returning serviceman here in the US?

In 1969 when I was stationed in the Philippines a fellow ordered a new Cadillac that he was picking up in San Francisco on his return to the states.

Don,

We commonly see C3s with the "export preparation" notation on the documents. Almost always these are cars that were, as you describe, ordered by service personnel while they were overseas but delivered on their return; most often from Viet Nam. There was a story in The Restorer about a 1972 that was ordered under those circumstances from a hardware store in the Philippines.

C3s exported to Canada had an option containing all the features Mike W mentioned. I believe that option was something like Z48, but I will check when I get home. As Mike mentioned that code is listed in the NCRS Specifications Guide -- at least in the C3 version of that publication.

[Donald H.]

Re: 1967 - Built for export??

Thanks all,

I just wanted to make sure there wasn't anything strange about the car before I go look at it.

[Ron R.]

Re: 1967 - Built for export??

Terry,

Is their anyway to find out more information when the NCRS report suggest that your car may be an export car?

Ron

[Terry M.]

Re: 1967 - Built for export??

Ron,
I am not quite sure what you mean by "the NCRS report suggest that your car may be an export car." I am assUming you are referring to the NCRS Shipping Data Report. Not having seen one I am at a disadvantage. My understanding is that report gives you, along with the shipping date, a zone and dealer number. That should tell you whether your car was truly exported, and Mark or Roy should be able to tell you that. Of course all of that assUmes the original data is legible and complete -- my own 1970 is not. The cars I referred to above (ordered from an overseas location by service personnel) would show a zone and dealer in continental USA. I am aware that there is a dearth of knowledge about zones and dealer numbers for out of country deliveries, and perhaps that is what you are referring to. If so I have no answers, and do not know where such data might be available.

All the zone and dealer information in my personal collection has been turned over to NCRS. That only recently happened (at Hampton) so it may take some time for that data to work through the system, but to the best of my recollection there was nothing in there for out of country deliveries. Lest any of you get your hopes too high, most of that data was from the later 1970s at the earliest.

[John H.]

Re: 1967 - Built for export??

Terry,

Is their anyway to find out more information when the NCRS report suggest that your car may be an export car?

Ron

Ron -

Not really, unless you have the tank sticker - there were typically two scenarios:

1. Car ordered by a G.I. while overseas thru the PX program for delivery upon return to the U.S. - these orders were handled by GMODC (GM Overseas Distribution Corporation), which may show as the dealer, although the car never left the U.S.

2. Car ordered new and shipped directly to an overseas GM dealer for delivery in Europe, such as GM Continental in Belgium; those vehicles were shipped from St. Louis to Mortensen's Warehouse in Baltimore, who was Chevrolet's contractor at the port who prepped the car for the trip and got it loaded on the ship. Most of these cars had "Ship to Mortensen's" on the tank sticker.

[Ron R.]

Re: 1967 - Built for export??

Terry,

Yes I was referring to the Shipping Data Report. Information given consist of dealer 24 in zone 21. No name given for the dealer, but instead said limited information suggest your vechicle may be an export.

Ron

[Terry M.]

Re: 1967 - Built for export??

Terry,

Yes I was referring to the Shipping Data Report. Information given consist of dealer 24 in zone 21. No name given for the dealer, but instead said limited information suggest your vechicle may be an export.

Ron

If there is no Zone 21 in conUS, and I assUme Roy & Mark would know that -- then they are making a reasonable guess for your production year.

BTW: John Amgwert did a story on the Zone and Dealer numbering system in The Corvette Restorer some time back. I could tell you Volume & Number, but all that went to the NCRS archives. If someone has The Restorer CD they can tell us when it appeared. That story will give you the Zones for that slice in time. The problem Roy & Mark are facing with Zone & Dealer numbers is that they are somewhat like the AIMs. They represent a slice in time, and what is valid for 1963 may not necessarily be valid for 1973.

[Vinnie P.]

Re: 1967 - Built for export??

If there is no Zone 21 in conUS, and I assUme Roy & Mark would know that -- then they are making a reasonable guess for your production year.

BTW: John Amgwert did a story on the Zone and Dealer numbering system in The Corvette Restorer some time back. I could tell you Volume & Number, but all that went to the NCRS archives. If someone has The Restorer CD they can tell us when it appeared. That story will give you the Zones for that slice in time. The problem Roy & Mark are facing with Zone & Dealer numbers is that they are somewhat like the AIMs. They represent a slice in time, and what is valid for 1963 may not necessarily be valid for 1973.

Just searched the CD and found two articles...one is about 1962 dealer/zone codes by Bill Williamson and appears in Vol 19, #1 Summer 1992

Other is by John Amgwert in Vol 21 #4, Spring 1995

[Terje K.]

Re: 1967 - Built for export??

Foreign Distributors Division changed to General Motors Overseas Distributors Corporation on January 1, 1968 according to attached copy from the January-February 1968 issue of the General Motors World magazine.

GM World Jan-Feb 1968 FDD now ODC.JPG