When GM designed a new model they used what were called "Pilot cars" to, in many cases, hand assemble the new model, test assembly line jigs and equipment and test-fit new parts. These cars, more often than not, were destroyed after they were assembled and tested for obvious reasons. Occasionally some of these Pilot cars somehow got into the hands of the public. In the case of the LS6 cars and since it was a mid year option change, the only real difference between them and the current production cars was nothing more than a drivetrain change. Many of you remember the Forest Green Pilot LS6 we restored several years ago. At the time it was suspected to be the earliest known LS6 that had been built. There were rumors of another Pilot car in Canada but due to the strange build sheet many believed it to be something it was not. Vintage Vehicle Services (aka GM of Canada) has also verified the car to be a Kansas City-built LS6 shipped to a Canadian dealer from the Kansas City plant on November 25, 1969. For the most part the owner kept under the radar. It was not until after the Green Pilot car story broke that Oliver contacted me. Based on the information he provided and the history that was known, it was determined that his car was definitely earlier than the Green Pilot car and is now considered to be the earliest known LS6 in existence.

Oliver's car was very solid but had been well used over the years. He wanted to clean it up but was not ready to do a full blown frame off restoration. There were a couple of things that were wrong with the car as well such as someone had replaced the dash with a 72 dash and the hood was a late style hood instead of the early style. Oliver wanted to leave the body alone for now and concentrate on rebuilding the engine, rear end, restoring the frame and engine compartment and dressing up the interior with new carpeting and a correct dash. We pulled the frame and completely restored it and all its components as well as rebuilding the drivetrain. The car was completed in time for the 2016 MCACN show in Chicago where it made its debut. An extraordinary car to say the least and a very rare one at that.
 

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Body	Engine Compartment / Transmission	Brakes / Chassis	Interior / Misc.