The Stovebolt Site Forums The Back Office News and Announcements GM Heritage Center Update - Good news!

Thanks to Kevin (klhansen) for putting this together. ~ Editor

It all started with a post in the Paint & Body forum. After some searching, Phil (Phak1) found a link that was the starting point!

Following Phil's link, I found the old page. It's now here. Took a bunch of clicks to find it.

The attached photo/screenshots show how to get there from the GM Media Archive Home page that Phil linked.

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The GM Heritage Center can provide model-specific Vintage Vehicle Information Packages.

For a fee of $50, the Center will decode the vehicle identification number (VIN), the body plat/trim tag codes and provide photocopies of product literature (when available). The Package will be sent USPS.

Included:

Divisional Engineering Specifications
AMA/MVMA Specifications
Product Selling Information/Salesperson's Guides
Options and Accessories Information
Paint and Trim Guides
Sales Literature
Owner's Literature
Product Volumes

The Package can be downloaded for free for most Chevrolet models.

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In this link, the Package is called a Kit. (That is what we have been calling them!)


Let the Stovebolt Collective know if you use the Center? Many of us have used it in the past. (It was free back then. :D)

Update: Unfortunately the link on the Heritage Center broke (again), so disregard the attached screen shots. I've contacted Heritage Center Support and they could not tell me when the Vehicle Info Kits would be available again.

In the meantime, I was able to download all the relevant Chevy Truck Info Kits through 1987, so if anyone needs one, PM me to let me know which one you need. If your e-mail isn't in your profile, include that in the PM so I can send the kit to you. Be advised this isn't the whole Package as listed above, but it what was linked previously on their website.

Many years ago, I got a 'package' from the GM Heritage folks for Lurch, my 1927 one ton truck.

At that time, it was free. ;-)

Dean

Don't see the information that was so important. Not even a way to ask. It's all about the brand and sales? What happened?

Isn't it crazy how outfits think they have to always mess around with something that was working just fine.

klHansen is working on it, he might give us the latest news soon.

I'm hoping they are just improving the website......... but suspecting they want to monetize the info. Just to be clear I'm not after a "kit" for a specific vehicle. I'm wanting to search the huge archive of company data for each year. We have all used it for many years. I can't even get thru to anyone at GM to find out what happened to the database. Some 24 year old business college grad must have decided it was not needed by anyone. GM should be absolutely delighted that we bring these old vehicle back to enlighten the young folks and bring GM"S HERITAGE to life. Hundreds of GM forums, thousands of GM restorers used it. Millions of GM parts, or licensed parts, purchased for the old trucks.

A few different titles above because I moved it from General Truck to [News &} Announcements here. This way it can be easily followed.

I'm not going to change these last few posts. The main Title should be enough ... unless Kevin wants to change it.

Ken
If you can get a little more specific about what you're looking for on company data, I can try to contact again the person I oriiginally corresponded with on the outfit (a contractor) that's doing GM's revisions.

Meantime if anyone needs a Vehicle Info Kit, take a look at the first post in this thread (the red update)

I used the GM heritage website to check VINs, frame thickness, equipment, measurements of all types, motor specs, differential specs, springs, etc etc, RPO, wheels available.......all kinds of things. You find "trucks", then the year and the company document pops up. I don't know what you call those documents. They had all the specs and were dated/released at the time the truck was being marketed. Your RED info I don't want to call them "kits" because that is what they would send you I guess. NOT looking for a kit. Does anyone one know what I'm talking about?

When I type in GM Heritage Center...I get a bunch of sales garbage and promotion and join this and join that and company news and propaganda. No giant database of specification look-up like there was.

Ken

The GM Heritage site that Tim linked to has this info:

"In addition to visual media, this archive is also home to our company’s collection of vehicle build documentation, dealer invoices and/or build sheets, which contains information about individual vehicles produced by GM and exists on various digital and microfilm formats. The documentation is not available for all vehicles and dates only to 1977 for most brands.

To request vehicle documentation please email [email protected] or call 1-734-261-5086."
You need to click on Archives to get to that page, but nothing is available for download currently.

The "vehicle Info kits" that I refer to have general engineering info on each year model, including frame, axle, engine info, but nothing on VINs or specific individual vehicles. I'll e-mail you a sample so you can take a look at them.

Thanks Kevin, yes that example is what I was referring to. I see the document is title "specifications". So I guess now instead of just clicking on a particular truck for a particular year, like I use to, they make you request with an email address they can use to blitz you with ads and such or sell to "My Pillow" or "Flexseal". This is the world we now live in. Instead of instantly getting info 24/7/365, I have to wait for someone to get around to sending it to me. What a dumb idea.
Thank you for investigating this and letting me know.

Ken
I responded to your email.

I understand your frustration. We're looking into hosting these here on Stovebolt, but that still needs to be looked into.

Good News!

I asked the GM Heritage Center about hosting here and they just got back to me saying their website update was complete, and the Vehicle Information Kits are now available for download.

Here's the new link: Vehicle Information Kits

I haven't had a chance to browse around the new site much, but there's probably more stuff available, including vehicle sales and engineering brochures.

Kevin, you are a total hero. This is exactly what was bugging me. I really appreciate you staying with this. I thought it was lost or being monetized. Thank you VERY much.

Truly outstanding job Kevin. Being part of the email chain to GM, you represented the Stovebolt excellently.

Thanks Kevin, great job!

Kevin, you da man!

It wasn’t me. It was Kathy’s team at GM. I just let them know that we were wanting that stuff back.

Well, you took the ball and ran with it. The "missing kits" have been discussed for some time.

Kathy also took the challenge. Must have been your charm.

I wonder how much (if anything) I should change in the The General Motors Heritage Center that's in the Tech Tips.


When you start gathering information to make up your "Baby Book" for your old truck, this hobby, or even events of days gone by when your truck just came off the line, this is yet another good place to check. Data, details, pictures, videos ... LOTS of it. Pour yourself some coffee, and maybe get a snack. Me thinks you'll be in here a while. A real treasure trove! (And they're just getting started!) ~ Editor --- March 17, 2014

Thank you SO MUCH Kevin, however you pulled it off!

Thank you Kevin.

Your contribution to our Stovebolt Collective is top notch!!!

Send her a Stovebolt T shirt to build goodwill. If anyone can write a thank you on it, it's you Peggy. You have great writing/communication skills.

That's a good idea, Ken. We have a Stovebolt trinket we can send.