<VV> Stingers Numbers

[James P. Rice]

Mike and Rich and Others:  First, go review the March 2006 Communique, page
8 & 9, for most of your answers to your questions.  Not much new information
has actually been discovered since then.  And what has been discovered
doesn't substantially change history.

But, in summary
	100 1966 white over black Corvairs fleet ordered in late 1965.  We know not
all of them were converted to Stinger cosmetic specifications.  Some were
sold as white Corvairs.
	About 5 to 7 cars, two or three being Canadian built cars, converted at
Yenko in late spring/early summer of 1966.  If I remember correctly, one was
a convertible driven to Yenko for "conversion".  There is evidence one of
the original 100 cars, based on the VIN number, was completed and given a YS
number greater than 100.  Just to confuse things...!
	25 1967 Corvairs red or blue over black fleet ordered in early 67.
Probably less than half were cosmetically converted to Stinger
specifications.  Remainder sold as red or blue Corvairs.
	There are no cars with YS tags between YS200 and YS299.  None.
	Then we can toss in the conversion (with YS tag) of the A-Sedan car of
DeLarenzo's car (still around) and of Thompson's car (disappeared), the misc
tag/kit cars for racers during the late 60's, the Goodyear car, and some
other thingies.  Maybe two dozen cars?
	Following them in the history are the eighteen or so YS300 series tag/kit
cars sold after Corvair production stopped.  Some of these YS tags have yet
to be attached to a chassis.
	The Dana Stingers, few in number, are yet unresolved.  The people, both at
Yenko and Dana, who participated (or perpetrated) them are long time gone
from this life as we know it.  Best guess is folks at Dana got the correct
COPO numbers, ordered a couple cars, and someone at Yenko supplied the
fiberglass cosmetic parts.

If your question is "what is a real Stinger", your answer will vary with
your understanding of and appreciation for what was going on back then in
the minds and hearts of those mostly departed employees of Yenko Chevrolet.
If you have a restricted definition that only cars delived on a car hauler
from Chevrolet, converted and sold by employees of Yenko Chevrolet are real
Stingers, the number of "real Stingers" is probably less than 100 total.  If
you acknowledge and appreciate the motivation and situation Yenko was in,
and what the racer in him was trying to do, then your number of "real
Stingers" is different.

Mike's statement of "I know... clear as mud" is a good insight.  Some, I
fear for $$ reasons, want to make Stinger history straight and linier,
perfectly clear and well documented.  But history is seldom that way,
especially when those in their real time and space back then didn't really
care about and/or understand the history they were making.  They were
selling the next car, or getting to the next race, not thinking of what
somebody might like to have documented near 50 years later.

Me, as the first real collector and keeper of the Yenko Stinger Registry
back when I was Chairman of the Competition Committee back in the early
80's, am content with murky history on this and a lot of other subjects.

Historically Yours,
                   James Rice
                   CORSA member since mid-70's
                   Former Chairman of the Competition Committee
                   Member of orginal CPF Advisorary Committee
                   CORSA/CPF Bod member and CPF Laision 1999-01
                   Occassional contributor to the Communique


*********************************

Message: 9
Date: Tue, 18 May 2010 18:44:55 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mike Stillwell <yenko117 at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: <VV> Help with production numbers for 140/150/180HP engines
To: Rick Loving <ral1963 at comcast.net>, BBRT <chsadek at comcast.net>
Cc: virtualvairs at corvair.org

Not all '67 COPO 140's became Stingers. The 97 number came from research
that I beleive Newell found, based on 140 motors built in '67. Kasey's Dana
car is a non-Stinger COPO 140. Gary Ganselle (sp?) in PA has a '67 Gold
Sedan with a COPO 140 PG in it. I think Craig Nicol's '67 Sedan he sold a
few years ago was also a COPO 140 '67. They are out there.
 The current thinking is that there were only 11 '67 Stingers built, with
110, 111 and 112 sharing their identities with other '67's. I spoke with
Michael LeVeque, Chris Langley and Bob Dunahugh about this over the past few
months.
 I know... clear as mud.

 Mike
 YS-117

--- On Mon, 5/17/10, BBRT <chsadek at comcast.net> wrote:

> From: BBRT <chsadek at comcast.net>
> Subject: Re: <VV> Help with production numbers for 140/150/180HP engines
> To: "Rick Loving" <ral1963 at comcast.net>
> Cc: virtualvairs at corvair.org
> Date: Monday, May 17, 2010, 10:57 PM
> Rick,
>
> I don't think the Stinger numbers re correct at all.
> Supposedly 100 '66 Factory Yenko Stingers and less than 20 '67's (16-18?)
but
> the number of "kits" sold is questionable, all after 1966.
>
> Chuck S
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rick Loving" <ral1963 at comcast.net>
> To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
> Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 10:17 PM
> Subject: Re: <VV> Help with production numbers for
> 140/150/180HP engines
>
> > Still need more info...
> >
> > 1962 = 9,468 150hp
> > 1963 = 19,099 150hp
> > 1964 = 11,241 150hp
> > 1965 = 21,438 140hp
> > 1965 = 7,206 180hp
> > 1966 = 8,521 140hp
> > 1966 = 1,951 180hp
> > 1967 = 97 Stingers, 3 Dana Corvairs, Other special order ??? 140hp
> > (Anyone)
> > 1968 = ??? 140hp (Anyone know?)
> > 1969 = 652 140hp
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org
> > [mailto:virtualvairs-bounces at corvair.org]
> On Behalf Of Rick Loving
> > Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 8:41 PM
> > To: virtualvairs at corvair.org
> > Subject: <VV> Help with production numbers for 140/150/180HP engines
> >
> > Can anyone help me fill in the blanks? (???)...
> >
> > 1962 = 9,468 150hp
> > 1963 = 19,099 150hp
> > 1964 = 11,241 150hp
> > 1965 = 21,438 140hp
> > 1965 = 7,206 180hp
> > 1966 = 8,521 140hp
> > 1966 = 1,951 180hp
> > 1967 = ??? 140hp (Anyone know?)
> > 1968 = ??? 140hp (Anyone know?)
> > 1969 = ??? 140hp (Anyone know?)
> >
> > I can't recall numbers for 67 & 68 and I have my copy of 69 Finger tip
facts buried in a box in my garage...I think 69's 140 numbers are listed
there...
> >
> > Rick Loving