The above is basically what I had written and deleted (I was looking for some clarification on the car Wes mentioned).
At any rate, here is what I had:
Quote:
Originally Posted by 69hurstSC
I know someone who worked Bowling Green in the '60s and claimed to have been able to get a 427 put into a new Chevelle. The car still exists but that gentleman passed. I believe his son has the car though still. I should probably reach out.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 67since67
No documented '66 or '67 factory 427 Chevelles. Dealer swaps, yes, many.
Member here Jeff H has researched this extensively.
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I've given this a lot of thought.
I'm a "never say never" kind of guy (reference my own stories), but here's why I think these substitutions would be very difficult or virtually impossible.
1 - First of all, the components would have to be in the plant. Discretely sub an engine that exists for a comparable size/build? Small block to small block? Sure. Small block to big block? Probably not. Put a "Corvette" engine in a pickup truck? No - because there wouldn't be any Corvette engines sitting around at Flint Assembly or Janesville or Fremont, and it would be very conspicuous to ship one there.
2- Support staff. In order to sneak added components or upgraded content you have to be able to get it past the inspection and repair stations. The number of co-conspirators would be far ranging and ever increasing. In order to sneak added content (or upgraded content) you'd have to bribe or be friends with both the inspector and the repair people at the end of the supervisor's area, the repair and inspection people at the end of the final line, and the inspectors at the shipping area, at a minimum. That's a lot of beer, and you had better be well liked in the plant. If you are regarded as a d*ck it's not going to happen.
Dad tells about finding a large quantity of stainless steel in the die room. Somebody decided to make a beautiful anchor for their boat out of it. By the time they were done the had to make about 5 of them: one for the boss, one for the boss's boss, one for plant security (to get it off property), and a couple for friends, in addition to the original one. That means about half the boats on Higgins Lake had one of these anchors.
3 - Documentation. This is a biggie in this context. If a substitution was made ad hoc (on the floor) all of the build documentation would still show the original order content. Even if it happened there would be no paper trail 10, 20, 30 years (or 10, 20, 30 minutes) after the fact.
4 - Coordination.
I've followed hundreds (maybe thousands) of vehicles down the line as they were being built (several of which were my own). When we do future product pilot builds on the regular production assembly line we have a whole launch team from engineering, material, plant personnel, etc, tracking those parts and coordinating the various new part and option content. It is very difficult, seemingly nearly impossible, to accomplish even with an entire team working full time at their actual job. That makes it even more unlikely if you have a single individual, working alone on the sly, to try to change "their build" as it is going down the line. An individual component, like a trailer hitch, could get snuck through. A more complicated change which is highly integrated crossing multiple functions, like adding air conditioning - probably not.
Finally, an example: My friend Dimitrie Toth has worked 50 years as an hourly employee at the Pontiac plant (he's still working there). Back in the day he decided he would build up a factory blueprinted and hot rodded 421 in the experimental engine build room with the idea he was going to sneak it into his personal car as it was getting built.
When the day came he and his accomplice wheeled it over to the motor subassembly line and introduced it into the assembly process, clapping their hands together with giddy anticipation.
Imagine his horror about two hours later when he saw it going into the plain jane station wagon six vehicles in front of his. He had mis-counted where to place it back on the motor line.
(I always picture some little old lady going to get groceries and thinking "Man! This old wagon really runs!!)
My point here being that - even if he had successfully installed his hot rodded 421 into his car from the factory - all of the build documentation would still show a 389 cu in engine installed.
K