Earliest LS6/M22 production date?
 

I just recently bought a 70 LS6 4 speed car with a 12-11 (12B) build date. Does anyone know if any other LS6 4 speed cars were built earlier? Vin is 1401xx. Thanks Steve 👍🏻

Here is the build sheet

Nice little collection of 70 chevelles you got there... including 4 killer LS6's.

There's an Autumn Gold Turbo 400 equipped car built November 25th also at Leeds, and a 12B Dec. 9th built Turbo 400 car from Baltimore, but I'm not aware of any 4-speeds that are before your build date.

I had a Black 12C LS-6 Convertible M-22 built in Van Nuys that was purported to be the first convertible LS-6 built. Have been out of Chevelles for a while, so not sure if anything earlier surfaced.

Another early built Leeds LS6 shipped to Canada.....

The build sheet pic is showing the
standard ss power bulge hood and
open element air cleaner. sounds like a
great car. Congratulations on your latest addition.

How do you tell if it had open element or the long dual snorkle air cleaner?
Was that an early thing?
Beem's old 4300 mile LS6 - 04C Arlington - had the dual snorkle.

SS in box 55 of the build sheet designates the open element air cleaner. The dual snorkel equipped cars would have CO in box 55 of the build sheet. I believe the switchover was sometime in January 1970.

yes, box 55 showing SS. For reference our 02D Leeds plant ls6
also has SS in box 55 and the standard hood also.

I thought Greg Carlsons green car was the first?? Does anyone know the latest production cars from each plant, i know Dales Place has final vin by month but it doesnt specify what week productiom ended by plant for each.

There was a Canadian one that was earlier than Greg's from what I remember?

Lane may have to recall thier model?.....

The earliest built LS6 to date came from the Leeds plant and was sold in Canada. It is fully documented and was built in late November. You have always heard they didn't start production on the LS6 until they stop production on the L78. I actually have a build sheet from the Leeds plant for an L78 that was built after the Leeds LS6.
Still interesting that these two early built LS6's were both sent to Canada.
The green "Pilot Car" was built at the Baltimore Plant in early December. IIRC

Yes the Green Pilot car was built in Baltimore and had a scheduled build date of 12-09 (12B). The Baltimore Pilot was a TH400. I’m wondering when the first M22 LS6 was built? Apparently all the really early LS6’s were TH400. My White LS6 had a scheduled build date of 12-11 (12B) and is a M22.

----Red Alert (also a t-400) was a december car (December 22).....Bill S

Our previously owned LS-5 convertible was made the same week (12C) in Van Nuys..........also with the M-22. Also one of the earliest built as an LS-5.

I'm no expert but it is my understanding the M22 was the hold up on the LS6 to begin with. Rick or Chris I know can shed some light on the subject.

Yes, the fine spline M22 was designed for the 1970 454 Chevelles and their delay was the reason for the very early LS5/6 cars all being TH400.

The earliest documented and known as of this date is our old Autumn Gold pilot car that was built at Leeds on November 19, 1969 and shipped to Haney Garage (commonly known as Mussalem Motors). It was a TH400 car. We sold the car in 2019.

The other pilot car (the green one) was built at Baltimore on December 9, 1969 IIRC. It too, was a TH400 car.

It appears that the M22 became available mid December as there are several examples in that time frame.

Oliver

I got the code off of the diff yesterday.

Interesting;
No “E” for Eaton below “CRV” on axle tube.

I do have a question,in box 64 on the build sheet it states “ hole”.
Anybody have that info?
Thought I had that figured out at one time but just for the life of me
I can’t think of it.
Joe

My guess is that “hole” was for the hole in the firewall for the tach?

I've got a copy of a 11A KC L78 build sheet that has HOLE in box 64 but the car didn't have the U14 tach and gauge option so I was thinking it was for a cowl hood but the white car doesn't have the ZL2 option. Guess that's why I don't get paid to think.

I have many dozens of photos of the CRU, CRV and CRW rear stampings and none of them have the Eaton stamped "E" under them unlike all the other rear ends. Interesting.

I just recently made the trip out to Alberta and brought the LS6, a super clean convertible and a pile of NOS parts home with me. Great trip.

Awesome!