Harry Mann Chevrolet Plate Frame

[72-SS-L48]

Hey guys. A friend of mine gave this to me. Looks like a nice piece (to me). I would like more info on it. Anyone know anything about the Dealership or plate frame. Does it look like an original or repro? I'm not saying I want to sell it but can anyone give me a price range on it?

Thanks,

-Dave

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/mosportgreen66/DSCN0253.jpg

[Late BrakeU2]

Appears to be an original.Harry Mann Chevy was located on Crenshaw Blvd in L.A. and was arguably the premier west coast high performance corvette dealer in the late fifties and sixties.A few noteable drivers racing in SCCA A&B production were sponsored by Harry Mann.Think they went out in the mid late seventies.

Giveya five bucks for it http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gifseriously though it would probably fetch $200 at auction they are very hard to come by and second in rarity to a Dana frame IMO.That one looks very well preserved. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[72-SS-L48]

Very Cool Info. Thanks Very Much!

-Dave

[Charley Lillard]

One of my barn find Vettes was from Harry Mann and had that same frame. Should be a pic of it somewhere on this site.

[Rainer]

We've got a place here in town that has had some local dealer vintage frames reproduced. Any chance that the Mann frames are also being reproduced by someone? Here's a link to an auction with some repro frames:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lyman-Sla...087436559QQrdZ1 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lyman-Slack-Chevrolet-Portland-License-Plate-Frame-Pair_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ50451QQihZ010QQite mZ200087436559QQrdZ1)

[Ngtflyr]

Here's a link to a corvette I looked at that came from Harry Mann, toward the bottom of the first page of the link is a shot with part of the license plate holder:

Harry Mann Corvette (http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB3&Number=253281&Search page=3&Main=253281&Words=Ngtflyr&topic=&Search=tru e#Post253281)

[Z-11 396]

[ QUOTE ]
Appears to be an original.Harry Mann Chevy was located on Crenshaw Blvd in L.A. and was arguably the premier west coast high performance corvette dealer in the late fifties and sixties.A few noteable drivers racing in SCCA A&B production were sponsored by Harry Mann.Think they went out in the mid late seventies.

Giveya five bucks for it http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gifseriously though it would probably fetch $200 at auction they are very hard to come by and second in rarity to a Dana frame IMO.That one looks very well preserved. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[/ QUOTE ]===

++++ DANA FRAME +++, Does anybody know were I could find, and buy a original Dana Frame, thanks for your help, Kasey

[TimG]

Harry Mann Chevrolet supplied lots of high performance cars for magazine testing in the 60's. The road and track with the blue '65 Corvette on the cover has a white fuelie with the Harry Mann frame as the feature test car. Charley, the blue '65 fuelie that you had that ended up in Austin and is still here came from Harry Mann Chevrolet. If you remember, the salesman was John Gilmore, my dads name.

[72-SS-L48]

You guys know so much! You learn something new everyday. Thanks for all the info.

Best Regards,
-Dave

[Vettefinderjim]

The metal Harry Mann Frames were made by a supplier that made frames for all the car dealers in the era. I have seen three Harry Mann designs that had yellow letters, and white letters that appeared over the years. The yellow lettered units are the 50's vintage and very hard to find.

Friends have sold frames on eBay for as much as $475. The dealership was known as the first high performance Chevrolet dealer in the LA Basin. Clippinger Chevrolet in West Covina and DANA were two others that also sold high performance Chevrolet products. But HARRY MANN was the first. They were noted for years as the largest Corvette dealer in America. Kerbeck Chevrolet has the title today.

I know of three 57 Fuel Injection cars from Harry Mann. Their parts department always had a full supply of high performance parts. L-88 engines, fuel injection units, positraction differentials, four speed transmissions and anything else hi-po was on the shelf.

In 1970, I went with a friend to pick up an original wooden box full of RPO687 solid axel Corvette heavy duty springs, shocks, shock brackets, brake screen backing plates, semi metallic special shoes, quick steering adapter, backing plate covers brake spring kits,and elephant ears. Total price, $490. And he was upset, as the cost in 1963 was only $300.

[427freak]

Hi Jim
I have had several Harry Mann corvettes and the ones that came with frames all had the one in the pic in this post. But my friend L.K., contends that the cars all came with the Harry Mann Los Angeles plate frames and the ones that say corvette were later then the mid-year cars. It seems the argument is leaning my way. There was a local guy I think who had some of these made by the same supplier that Mann used and sold them, but would not fess up that they were MADE.

[Z28DL]

Hi Dana,
I believe you are correct that the frames done with the Corvette on top were reproduced long after the Harry Mann days. A friend on mine has an original/unrestored 1968 Camaro from Harry Mann and their is nothing on the top of the frame stating what kind of car its for/on. IMO
Later,
Dave L
So.Cal.

[72-SS-L48]

Thank you all very much!

-Dave

[68 Chevy II]

Dave you have a P M. Thanks Tony

[GMH454]

Hi don't know when they were made but I bought several sets back in around 1993 for $25 a set, they were wrapped in greaseproof paper and either were brand new or new old stock that had been remarkably preserved. I always thought they might have been for older cars (say late 70's ) before the dealership drifted away.

If NOS can't see him taking $25 a set, also if you were making repos, you would need to have them in the 1,000s to make a unit price of $25 pay off.

Also this was pre ebay and there was only so big a market on the old NCRS driveline.

and I sold em when I sold the car

[Rainer]

[ QUOTE ]
also if you were making repos, you would need to have them in the 1,000s to make a unit price of $25 pay off.


[/ QUOTE ]

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/no.gif The guy in town that had the local dealer frames reproduced is selling them at $15 a pair, and I can guarantee you he didn't order 1000's of them since there's no way he would ever sell that many frames for local no-name dealers. A safe assumption is he probably had to order 100.

[Charley Lillard]

Somewhere in this thread are pics of a Harry Mann frame on one of the barn Vettes. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/showflat...=true#Post75207 (http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=lounge&Number=75207&Search page=8&Main=75207&Words=Chasing+the+legendary+barn +cars&topic=&Search=true#Post75207)

[Jonesy]

Here it is:

http://www.yenko.net/attachments/75219-3-17-04%20020.jpg

[Late BrakeU2]

Hard to imagine that frame being anything other than original even if the plate looks like it has been stored off the car.I'm sure the dealer had other frames for non vettes.My freinds dad still has his 76 Cosworth Vega bought new at Harry Mann -it's been in storage since the early eighties and retains it's blue plates and HM frames -I will go by and take a pic n post..

[72-SS-L48]

[ QUOTE ]
Here it is:

http://www.yenko.net/attachments/75219-3-17-04%20020.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

This is very interesting. This plate frame is the opposite of the one I have. I am lead to believe that the frame I have is from the late 60's. (68, 69). Any chance you know what year your plate frame is from?

-Dave

[Charley Lillard]

That frame has probably been on since the 60's. I bought the 5 cars out of a barn and they had been there for years and years. Some of the pics will show the last registration stickers. It is not anybodys repo.

[427freak]

This car came from Harry Mann with P.O.P. in glovebox. Owner didn't know or care who Harry Mann was so I doubt he bought repro frames. For what it's worth.
http://www.yenko.net/attachments/267928-Copyof65mann.jpg

[427TJ]

From the 4/61 Hot Rod road test.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a234/BE427TJ/Y-Net%20Photos/HarryMann1.jpg

Front frame says "Harry Mann" on top bar while the bottom of plate frame is blocked by the bumper:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a234/BE427TJ/Y-Net%20Photos/HarryMann2.jpg

Rear frame seems to say "Harry Mann" on the bottom with "Los Angeles" on top bar:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a234/BE427TJ/Y-Net%20Photos/HarryMann4.jpg

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a234/BE427TJ/Y-Net%20Photos/HarryMann3.jpg

[MosportGreen66]

Harry Man also had a news letter with information from the dealer along with tech articles... It is along the lines of the Motion Super Car Club new letter, maybe a smaller scale though.

[black69]

I had no idea that frames were worth that much. I bought a bunch of solid axle corvette parts years ago from a corvette big brake collector in san fran and he gave me 2 prisitne frames in wrappers, he used to be from LA-sandiego. he said they were rare, I guess they are. wow.