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View Full Version : '71 RS/Z, Blue/Blue, 4-speed car

scuncio
10-30-2018, 02:58 AM
Had no idea only 4862 Z/28s were made in '71, pretty rare car. Only 2575 made in '72 according to my literature...pretty disappointing sales numbers for a mainstream brand back in the day....

These are such good looking cars, hard to believe they weren't selling in greater numbers even despite the '71-72 detuning.

Link to 1971 RS/Z auction (https://ebay.to/2zce9BP)

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/RAEAAOSwmLZb1j7l/s-l1600.jpg

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/iAsAAOSwpwZb1kAj/s-l1600.jpg
JRSully
10-30-2018, 10:41 AM
Was there a Labor strike going on during that 71 model run.?
njsteve
10-30-2018, 10:53 AM
Strike shut down the Norwood plant in April 1972 and no more 72's were built. Tons of cars were scrapped right off the assembly line. Check out the Echoes of Norwood Book for the whole story.
BCreekDave
10-30-2018, 10:53 AM
Longest strike in GM history in '72 at Norwood.
Many cars that were on the line at the time went to the crusher (a FORD powered crusher!) as they couldn't meet '73 safety standards when the line finally got going again.
BARRY
10-30-2018, 11:18 AM
i thought the short spoiler .....
1970 early only ......
BCreekDave
10-30-2018, 12:19 PM
Short spoiler was all 70 (except for a few hundred COPO cars) and early 71. 71 mid-late I think you could option for either one. This is an early 01C car so it would have the short spoiler available only.
L16pilot
10-30-2018, 01:23 PM
"71 mid-late I think you could option for either one."

Not sure about the mid-late '71 availability Dave...the '71 sales brochure shows both the 1 pc and 3 pc spoilers. Regardless of the date, I believe ordering RPO D80 got you the three pc with the front chin spoiler...not specifying D80 got you just the 1 pc rear spoiler only in '71.
NorCam
10-30-2018, 02:06 PM
Great looking car and nice to see the smog still on it.
BCreekDave
10-30-2018, 03:17 PM
"71 mid-late I think you could option for either one."

Not sure about the mid-late '71 availability Dave...the '71 sales brochure shows both the 1 pc and 3 pc spoilers. Regardless of the date, I believe ordering RPO D80 got you the three pc with the front chin spoiler...not specifying D80 got you just the 1 pc rear spoiler only in '71.

You may very well be correct, Steve.

I had heard once that the tall spoiler was not ready for the early cars, but it was pretty much just here-say. No GM documents, so take it for what its worth. I have heard the same thing for the D80.
I've even seen a few photos of 72's with the short spoiler, but I thought by then they were all tall. Hard to tell a true 72 by a distant photo anyway.
L16pilot
10-30-2018, 04:43 PM
Eh, either way Dave...this does look like a nice car :)
azcamaros
10-30-2018, 05:15 PM
It is a shame that it’s not a real RS.
Crush
10-30-2018, 05:20 PM
It’s not a real RS? How can you tell
azcamaros
10-30-2018, 05:24 PM
It’s not a real RS? How can you tell
It is missing the Z21 trim package that was a part off the RS package. This car is missing the bright trim along their top of the doors and along the back of the hood. Also missing is the bright trim in the tail lights, all part of a real RS. Or somebody removed several major RS pieces when they restored it, which is highly unlikely
Crush
10-30-2018, 05:25 PM
Ok thx, always learning!!
Tracker1
10-30-2018, 11:19 PM
You may very well be correct, Steve.

I had heard once that the tall spoiler was not ready for the early cars, but it was pretty much just here-say. No GM documents, so take it for what its worth. I have heard the same thing for the D80.
I've even seen a few photos of 72's with the short spoiler, but I thought by then they were all tall. Hard to tell a true 72 by a distant photo anyway.

Steve is correct. And in 1972 you had to order spoilers on a Z28 to get them. If you neglected to order D80 (which got you the high 3 piece), your new '72 Z came spoiler-naked, front and rear. Note where the brochure says front and rear spoilers "AVAILABLE"...not standard.
L16pilot
10-30-2018, 11:24 PM
It is missing the Z21 trim package that was a part off the RS package. This car is missing the bright trim along their top of the doors and along the back of the hood. Also missing is the bright trim in the tail lights, all part of a real RS. Or somebody removed several major RS pieces when they restored it, which is highly unlikely

Hard to tell for sure, but I tend to agree because it's also missing the hide-a-way wipers. RS conversions were and continue to be popular, but most do not follow through on the details.