The first batch received some 40 years ago came on giant sheets taken from original blueprints some are 12 plus feet long. Very grey scale in colour and obviously printed from the blueprints and then copied on one of GM's giant copy machines and there was nothing in the UK that could be found to be large enough to copy them. I had some of the smaller drawings professionally traced and then copied such as the few I gave to Chris. I have since got more from GM in a plain white copy format and am still in quite regular contact with them, however, they have asked me to be confidential with the information I receive so I must respect that. They have further information that I have seen and would like copies of, however, they are using terms such as data protection and have so far not let me have the full copy drawings just sections of the drawings. One day I may be fortunate.
I do have some that are now in a digital format from Gerry Palmer
These drawings are not common knowledge even stateside so feel privileged to have them.
The cars listed are all very early variants, engineering and prototypical. Dates do not always tie in and make no logical sense sometimes. A part could have been literally sketched on a scribble pad, then made to get a pattern and then discarded. That happened regularly. It could also have been made as a trial from a sketch and subsequently approved. In order to keep an accounts record for expenditure, a drawing for the part would then be requested and given a shop order number ( S.O.) for identification purposes. The number would stay with that individual part. Even then of course, not all parts would be released and if a part that was approved and then subsequently cancelled at a later date, the S.O number attached to the part would be erased.
During the mid 50's and through the 60's Corvettes were created using the S.O process. S.O numbered cars as complete cars, as listed on these drawings, are incredibly rare and all unique and seldom ever left the Warren Technical Centre. The drawings give us a unique insight into the process.
You overlaid a paper sheet on the plastic drawing sheet then ran it through some stinky chemicals to create the blue print. If you have electronic files I have a plotter and would happily run some copies off to interested people? 