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Interesting Development

Started by fishnjim, September 27, 2022, 10:53:11 AM

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fishnjim

Appears the GM Heritage Center is no longer with us.   
If you use that link, it goes to gm.com/heritage.  A completely different site.
if you want vehicle info now, use www.gmmediaarchive.com for VIN packages etc.
That's a separate company that's licensed by GM, so you're not dealing with GM, just their records archive.   I didn't test if the information kits are still free for download or not.

I guess they want not only want to get rid of but to erase the heritage/memory of combustion automobiles.  They'll probably claim for PR normal IT housekeeping but...

64\/54Cadillacking

That sucks! So now they're charging $50 to get a copy of the vehicle information kits that used to be free and accessible by all?

That is so wrong, but for some reason I figured that this was going to happen eventually. That information is very valuable and has helped a lot of us even here to help determine the original content of our Cadillacs by being able to decipher the body tags and other small details about the car such the options, interior colors, fabric choices, body and frame info, physical specs and dimensions of the body, engine, transmission etc..in which you would otherwise never had known.

Another company most likely purchased all the online database vehicle information kits from GM or GM basically decided that all that "free" information shouldn't be free anymore, they became even more greedy, and now has decided to start selling the digital data copies now and want a request form and all your personal info?

Yeah no thanks, GM can shove it up there where sun doesn't shine.  >:(

Currently Rides:
1964 Sedan Deville
1954 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special
1979 Lincoln Mark V Cartier Designer Series
2007 Lexus LS 460L (extended wheelbase edition)

Previous Rides:
1987 Brougham D' Elegance
1994 Fleetwood Bro
1972 Sedan Deville
1968 Coupe Deville
1961 Lincoln Continental
1993 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series
1978 Lincoln Continental ( R.I.P.) 1978-2024 😞

PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192

I had to pay for my "kit", from memory it was 50 Dollars back then in pre Internet download days. You got sent physical copies in the post. You got your key codes though. Phil

quadfins

I concur with Phil. I paid 50 in 1997.

It was still worth every penny.
Jim Eccleston
1961 Coupe de Ville
BATILAC
Senior Crown
DeCou Driving Award x 4

Barry M Wheeler #2189

Just for the record, "Greedy GM" usually drops a hefty five figure amount for the Welcome Party at our Grand Nationals every year. They have also sent cars from their collection to the Fall Festival for many years, plus they place a full color ad on the back page of our magazine each month. How many Lyriqs do you think they're going to sell to our members?

They do this in support of our Club. Do you have any idea of how much it might cost GM to save all of this info that they don't really need anymore. It would be far cheaper for them to chuck all of this info that you cherish in a dumpster and have done with it.

You ought to be glad that they have enough sense of history to save what they have, and support our group as well. All it might take for their support to disappear is for some newly appointed Second or Third Vice President to come excitedly into his/her boss's office some morning waving a Self Starter magazine and a handful of old invoices showing how much GM spent on us. They've come up with a plan to save lots of money by just dropping their support for us. And seeing comments like those above might make them feel that we don't appreciate what they do anyway, so why bother with us?

Think about that for a while.

Barry M. Wheeler #2189


1981 Cadillac Seville
1991 Cadillac Seville

Caddyholic

Quote from: Barry M Wheeler #2189 on September 29, 2022, 12:29:09 AMHow many Lyriqs do you think they're going to sell to our members?
At the most 2.
I got myself a Cadillac but I can't afford the gasoline (AC/DC Down Payment Blues)

1961 Series 62 Convertible Coupe http://bit.ly/1RCYsVZ
1962 Coupe Deville

Carfreak

I heard at least one person at Fall Festival last weekend talking about their order of a Lyriq.
Enjoy life - it has an expiration date.

PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192

I've got to agree with Barry Wheeler, I didn't mind paying the 50 dollars all those years ago.

Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621

As much as I appreciate the financial support GM has provided the CLC for many years, it's disappointing that the Data Books are no longer available for convenient online viewing. They had been an invaluable resource for researching for our cars which I have used often. If only there had been a warning I would have downloaded any number of them.     
A Cadillac Motorcar is a Possession for which there is no Acceptable Substitute

fishnjim

Ok, kill the messenger.   I was trained to always "pushback" when things are done without consultation or by edict.  Otherwise, that becomes the modus operandi.  Lambs to the slaughter, per se.
Frankly, I don't care.   GM Finance is not going to repo the '58.  I've got my info.   I tried for over a year to get a new lease, so I'm driving someone else's brand now.   
We that answer questions just have to stop telling people to go there to look it up now.   That's what I was posting.   They'll be more people repetitively posting things that would have been available under their control.   Because the ClC has no archive for stuff.   
Just because they spend some money doesn't entitle them to control the lot.  They're a namesake, not a member.  It's all advertising budget to them.

Clewisiii

"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

Carfreak

Quote from: fishnjim on September 29, 2022, 03:36:44 PMBecause the ClC has no archive for stuff.   


Correct the CLC does not have an archive but the CLC Museum & Research Center does. 

https://www.cadillaclasallemuseum.org/research-center/


 A Comprehensive Collection of Factory Information

Research Center

The Research Center offers a comprehensive collection of Cadillac and LaSalle factory information from 1903 to the early 2000s for those wanting more information about their Cadillac. This information is catalogued for easy identification. Although the archive does not have every document for every year and model, the Center is well-suited to be the first stop in your information search – in person, by phone (313) 407-6603, or by email.
Contact Us

The Research Center is located at 2125 Bishop Circle West, Dexter, MI 49310 in the Protomatic Building. It is just North of the Baker Road Exit 167 on I-94 about 1/2 hour from Detroit International Airport. It is open most Thursdays from 10 am to 4 pm and at other times by special arrangement. Call ahead of your planned visit to confirm opening.

Research Center
Showcasing Outstanding Examples
Resources

Within the Center's collection, there is wide array of literature and documents that were created by Cadillac when each car was designed, engineered, manufactured, sold, and subsequently maintained in the early years of its life. These documents fall into the following categories:

    Engineering drawings
    Assembly manuals
    Factory sales literature
    Press kits
    Dealer sales literature
    Shop manuals

    Body manuals
    Component specialty manuals, e.g., transmissions
    Service bulletins
    Color chips
    Master parts catalogs

These documents can be viewed at the Research Center and/or copies can be obtained for the cost of duplication and mailing.

Another source of factory information about some Cadillacs and LaSalles is Authenticity Manuals produced by the Cadillac & LaSalle Club. Authenticity Manuals are peer-reviewed books describing the finish and configuration of cars as they left the factory. These Manuals are used to assess a vehicle's authenticity in CLC judging.
Authenticity Manuals

LaSalle – Cadillac's Companion Car is a 400-page hardbound book featuring extensive descriptions of every LaSalle model produced by Cadillac from 1927 to 1940 along with detailed production data. It is a result of extensive research by Ron Van Geldren and Matt Larson who donated the book to the Cadillac LaSalle Club & Research Center upon completion.
Buy the Book

Finally, the New Cadillac Database provides an eclectic collection of vetted facts and pictures about Cadillacs and LaSalles drawn from various archives and private collections from around the world. It was originally created by Yann Sanders in the 1990s and donated to CLCMRC in 1999. In 2011, responsibility for maintenance of the New Cadillac Database was transferred to Jean-Claude "JC" Franchitti.
New Cadillac Database
Enjoy life - it has an expiration date.

fishnjim

moving - the rest of the story...thanks.
That was not available on the heritage page, which would've been nice.  Kinda like when someone hangs up on you...leaves one hanging. 
ps:
Don't confuse GM with Cadillac Div. event sponsorship.
A hard copy archive is not available online which is what I refer to.  That's OK for large format drawings, but things that are available online now, should not have to be reproduced from hard copy.

Bryan J Moran

Much larger building as I understand it. I did not know they had 600 cars.  of course, they could have 1600 cars and not represent all of what GM has made and done. 

I love the old GM. 

Not germane to the topic but I was forced to buy a new 2022 Chevrolet Colorado this year and I like it a lot.  I had a Toyota Tundra.  The Colorado is right sized. 
CLC 35000 in number only

71 Fleetwood

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but...I looked at the - https://www.gm.com/heritage/archive and didn't find a path toward anything in particular.  It seems to offer an email address to request invoice info - vehicleinvoice@gmmediaarchive.com

Has someone tried this to learn more about a specific car?  Find manuals?

I didn't know these sources existed.  Thanks for bring it up fishnjim.
1971 Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham

fishnjim

"'71" follow the second link gmmediaarchive and you'll get to the page.

This came somewhat of a shock, as I didn't hear about the move til later and the new "heritage" website page had no notice/info.  Not unusual these days, they want us to hear what they want us to hear not what we want.
I'm not sure they actually know what's happening yet, from some of those links/stories.
They farmed the actual archive "work" out to a contractor a long while ago.  I could not get my key code because of GM security requirements on them which doesn't make much sense as I'm the owner?  If you bought one, you could get keys at the dealer, but they don't use keys anymore, either.   It's a third party you're dealing with.   

Scott Nellis

   Barry has a very valid point. In this ever-changing world, all of the support we have had from GM could be dropped like a hot potato at the drop of a hat if some executive gets any whiff of discontent from our membership. I believe we should be thankful for what we have. Thanks for being the voice of reason here Barry and thanks for all your years of service to our club. It doesn't go unnoticed.
1957 Eureka Hearse
1965 Miller-Meteor Hearse
1968 Miller-Meteor Hearse
1968 Fleetwood Brougham
1970 Superior Hearse