Has anyone else ever noticed that until 1968, there is no external engine size identification on any of the above listed vehicles? (Excluding 6 cyl versus 8 cyl emblems, of course)
-- Edited by Carl Stevenson at 23:39, 2008-01-25
__________________
1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I agree/believe, that most pre 68 models didnt have external engine size markings. My 67 SD396 had V8 emblems.. I do believe,that there were/was exceptions. The 66 Pontiac ,that I refer to ,in my continued ramblings, did have 396 emblems on it from Oshawa. I have confirmed this, with 4 people who were close to the owner, and including one who saw car coming off rail car at rail yard in Sackville..My close friend in Sackville,runs a auto restoration shop, and was GM parts manager in Amherst for 15 years, says he saw a GMC truck arrive with Chevrolet emblems.. I was initially, defending my decision, to put 427 emblems on my car, but how many 396/427 2 doors do you think were produced?Wern't they built on the same assembly line, as a 396/427 Chevrolet?
I agree/believe, that most pre 68 models didnt have external engine size markings. My 67 SD396 had V8 emblems.. I do believe,that there were/was exceptions. The 66 Pontiac ,that I refer to ,in my continued ramblings, did have 396 emblems on it from Oshawa. I have confirmed this, with 4 people who were close to the owner, and including one who saw car coming off rail car at rail yard in Sackville..My close friend in Sackville,runs a auto restoration shop, and was GM parts manager in Amherst for 15 years, says he saw a GMC truck arrive with Chevrolet emblems.. I was initially, defending my decision, to put 427 emblems on my car, but how many 396/427 2 doors do you think were produced?Wern't they built on the same assembly line, as a 396/427 Chevrolet?
No response.. I figured that my comments, on the crossed flags, being original, would bring a response.. Apparently there are no other experiences on the subject..Hasn't anyone ever seen a original 396-427 '66 2 door post? None?
I've seen an original 66 Strato Chief 396 2 door post. It just simply said V8 on the side.
I'm sorry, that's not what you wanted to hear, is it???!!
Doesn't surprise me.. logically it would make sense, and I know that my 67 SD396 had V8 signs.. I still believe, that the car in Sackville, had the chevy emblems on it ,new.. Will did run a 427 in it later, and it still read 396 , and his next car, was a SD Beaumont with "V8" signs, and a alum.headed 427 in it.. I believe the Pontiac, should have had a V8 sign.. sooo I will claim, that my car, is the only, 2 door post Big Block in the World, and if you correct ,my seemingly incorrect emblems, I will claim that you are old, and have a bad memory! lol
I use to pay a lot of attention to that sort of thing in the day when these cars were common sights on our roads.
Pontiac had only V-8 callouts on the cars until 1967. Then in '68 they began to display the engine size if they were equipped with V-8's. Six cylinder cars had no call outs whatsoever.
The cross flags were a Chevrolet trademark, and it's highly doubful that they would have been applied to a Pontiac. And yes, they did run down the same line as the Chevrolets.
Now this is not to say that some rogue assembly line worker may have done somthing, but to attach these flags would have required additional drilling of the fender to attach them. Something that no line worker would have had time for. Furthermore, the presence of a 396 or 427 in a bare bones Strato Chief would have signified that perhaps this was destined for sleeper status, and the presence of these flags would have likely irritated the new owner.
I agree that the emblems, were normally not installed, and 40 years later, who cares?. Where are all the nut and bolt, perfectly restored, big block Strato chiefs,anyway? MY memory, is of 1 car that was special ordered, and was always seen, and remembered with crossed flags.. The original owner is dead, and car is gone.. My car, is a duplicate of his, and looks like his. I have ordered two new fenders, and will have them ready for spring.. When ever the car leaves Clinton, I will run the small V8 fenders, and when its home, I will use old fenders.. If anyone has a photo of Strato Chief 2 door with small V8 EMBLEM, could they post it? ,so I can see where emblems go. Thanks Ratochief
