What would you Pay GM for Official Documentation?

[12bolt]

Consider this thought for one moment. "G.M." Wakes up from their Coma and decides to help unlock the Mystery Shrouded around all their Desirable Cars of the Past. what would you as an Owner be willing to Pay for a "P.H.S." Type of Documentation for your Car, thus proving or disproving it's authenticity? (For those unfamiliar with this service, P.H.S.= Pontiac Historical Services Multi Page Report on a Car with info such as Options, Date of assembly, proof if it was a Real GTO stuff like that.)

[hvychev]

I personally do not think this will ever happen. People put to much hope in the concept.

[bilede]

which will never happen? GM coming out of a coma or releasing official documentation? both seem to be long shots but I guess we can keep positive thoughts right.. "Think you can or think you can't, either way you are right" to borrow a quote from a ford guy.. henry ford..

[427TJ]

Not knowing what PHS charges for their documentation, I'd say $25-$50 would be a fair price range.



But, I think GM has plenty of trouble to deal with at the present time and I'd be suprised if there's ever a truly organized Chevrolet documentation system a-la PHS. I do know about the attempt to get this information together---we've discussed it here recently---but I'm not holding my breath.

[TDW]

My 68 Z28 and my 69 L78 do not have factory paperwork. They have both been documented by Jerry MacNeish. I would pay at least as much as Jerry charges for documenting them. That is a lot more than 50 bucks though. If the factory stuff was around 500, I would pay it.

[COPO_Anders]

So would I. 500 is cheap if you have the real thing. I have the original drivetrain in my COPO, but I would like to see some paperwork before I restore it.
I just ordered our -71 Le Mans papers from P.H.S.



Anders

[DaJudge]

PHS charges $45 for fax back service and is followed up by the docs and AMA specs mailed out to you within two weeks.

Here's something interesting I e-mailed Chevrolet Customer service to inquire about the dealership where my 70 Z-28 was purchased. They called me that evening and requested my VIN number. They sent me a what they called a Restoration package that includes the AMA specs as well as the GM doc that shows the vehicle specs, part numbers and capacities. The same docs that you get with PHS except the factory to dealer invoice.

Now why would GM keep that and not the invoices

[Jeff H]

I think most enthusiasts would be willing to spend $50-200 for documentation if it was available. With more and more people building these older cars into what they want them to be, they don't even have a reason for wanting documents. It really comes down to the limited production, high performance stuff that people want it for. It would cause a flood of clones for sale if it ever did happen though.

[Mr70]

Chevrolet has been doing the Restoration package for at least 10 years now.
Those papers are nothing special.Those are Xerox copies out of the Original Dealer Albums,AMA Catalogs,Price schedules,Dealer vehicle brochures and various common other reference materials that were heavily distributed back then and can all be found publicly today.

[TimG]

If you have a well documented car now, the paperwork would not be worth much. What if you have a 1969 L88 Corvette without the original engine and history clearly shows that it is an L88? This guy would pay $10,000 or more for the paperwork. A friend in Alabama paid $5,000 to Proteam for the paperwork on his '67 400 horse A.C. Corvette Roadster last November. The tank sticker ended up on the car in front of his and Proteam found it on one of their cars and advertised it in The Driveline, he paid the price and was wise to do this as this car recently sold for over $150,000. If you have a 250 horse powerglide coupe, paperwork may be worth $100. We all know that in some cases, the paperwork is worth more than the car.