The "infamous" Valet switch...

[Paul Workman]

Oh! For those that didn't make it, something else besides DOHC vs. LSx came out of the round table discussions at the BG gathering, I thought was very interesting. It was the story behind the so-called Valet switch on the dash (aka the Normal-Full Power switch), as told by Dave McClellan.

Dave explained it this way...

California had adopted a "drive by" noise certification test where the car was to accelerate through a length of road where microphones were set up; a "test gate" (if you will) and sound levels were measured against a maximum allowable standard. (Other locals, including Oregon(?) and Chicago followed suit by instituting similar certification tests requirements.)

Corvette engineers feared the unfettered ZR-1 would not qualify. California Highway Patrol personnel were likely to be conducting the tests, and most likely some trooper(s) would be driving the car through the test gate.

So, to my best recollection of Dave M's explanation, Corvette engineering came up with the switch on the dash that would lock out the secondaries. And, they convinced the CHP and the California environmental (committee) that 210 hp was "Normal" and nobody in their right mind would use the "Full Power" position in normal driving situations!

The combination of the secondaries locked out and the (CAGS) 1-4 shift was presented and accepted as "normal" driving etiquette by California officials.

The car passed with flying colors. The switch we now know as the "Valet Switch" had noting to do with concerns over valets, but rather it had everything to do with meeting California standards for noise abatement certification.

As Paul Harvey used to say: "And, now you know...the REST of the story!"

If you missed the BG bash...you missed a hellofa party!

P.