Chevrolet "Press Fleet" cars.

[71-LS6]

Hi folks, my name is Steve Hodges and I have a 71' LS6 corvette that needs one last piece of puzzle filled in, if possible. The car was used by Car Craft magazine for an August 71' drag test article. According to the article, the car ran 12.64 @ 114mph on F70-15's at Orange County Raceway in southern Calif.. I'm trying to find out if Chevy kept records on cars put into service for the press fleet, or if any certain procedure was followed when cars like this were sold off to the public. If anyone has any clues, please let me know. BTW, it still looks and runs sweet with 35800 showing on the odo.
Thanks, Steve

[396L35]

Welcome aboard Steve... I talked to you at Gateway race track on Friday of the reunion, oh well I have to contact one more person that might have the answer your looking for. I will get back with you tomorrow.. Mark

[scuncio]

I worked for Car Craft for a couple of years, and one of the cars we used as a test mule had originally come from the Pontiac press fleet and was subsequently purchased, after its testing duties were completed, by the editor of the magazine at the time (1988). Apparently, the press fleet cars were/are made available to members of the media after their PR stints. Specifically I can't say how the sales process officially works. I do know that I wouldn't have wanted to buy any of the cars we tested during my employment--we were awfully rough on them! Cool Vette and a nice piece of history!

[396L35]

Hey Steve check your mail.. I have some info about your car.. Mark

[71-LS6]

Thanks, scuncio, funny you should mention the beating the magazine guys gave those cars. The 1st picture in the Car Craft story was of the car hooked to a tow truck with a blown engine, the article gives details about it in the last paragraph. Terry McGean at Car Craft was kind enough to ask Ro McGonegal, who was one of the drivers on the day the engine was blown, what he remembered. According to Ro, he remembered having a little contest with another writer named Steve Collison, they were competing for fastest ET that day. He didn't mention who turned the 12.64, but afterwards they let another writer named Larry Schrieb take a pass and he missed 3rd gear- end of test, needless to say the car has had a CE block since then. Who could beleive those magazine guys would do such a thing! I should have a job like that.

[71-LS6]

Thanks Mark.

[JoeC]

The red Hot Rod 67 SS Camaro test car was bought by a writer from Hot Rod at end of 1967. I think the guy is still around. maybe he can tell you somthing about buying a press car.