Job Numbers F/Y/I

[Dennis A.]

many questions about Job Numbers have been asked...
Starting in 1956, at the begining of the year's production, the first body was numbered "1". The number increased -2,3,4,- up to 500. Then the numbers started over at one.

The numbers were marked using green lumber crayons. they were put on the inner door panels, the dash, sometimes the transmission tunnel,seat backs, and the front firewall in the clutch/brake area. Some were marked using white chalk on the exreior of the body, which was sanded away during the painting process.

1963 - 1981 they were marked on the vertical panel in front of the gas tank.

[Michael H.]

Re: Job Numbers F/Y/I

Dennis,

I never really did know what year the job number started but I guess I do now. Thanks. I assumed it was somewhere near the startup of St. Louis production but looks like it was a few years later.

The job numbers in the doors, under the heater case (engine side), and console area continued at least through 67. Not sure at all about 68 and newer. My 66 has this number on each door behind the trim and under the heater case. At one time, the number on the floor pan was put on when the panel was still on a stack of new panels before it was mounted on the body truck. As you mentioned about the 1-500 sequence, that also continued at least through 67.

Michael

[Rob M.]

Re: Job Numbers F/Y/I

All,

I also find yellow crayon job numbers written on the back area near the headlights/front bumper area on my '59-er.

greetings,
Rob.

[Larry P.]

just curious

If you start in 56 #1 and calculate vin#s and number built, how close does the vin match the job# divided by 500, and for how long?? I maintain that this would be a way to exclude a body as an original to the frame. Not valid way to verify that it is correct, but if the number is far enough off from known good numbers it could be cause for concern. It would be interesting to create a database with known vin vs build number.
My early 60 has a build number 20 less then vin#.
Larry

[Larry P.]

Correction Job# is 30 less vin *NM*

[Rob M.]

Re: just curious

Larry,

I could add it as an extra field to register in the C1Registry...

greetings,
Rob.




The Corvette C1 Registry

[Larry P.]

Re: just curious

If you start with #1 in 53 it doesn't work out by the time you get to 60.
Even if you start over in 56 or 58, not even close. You would think that it would semi relate to vin#s. If Vin 1100 is job # 470 wouldn't Vin# 1120 be job# 490 or at least close?

[Dennis A.]

Re: just curious

As I understand; Job Numbers have relationship to VIN numbers as bodies became mixed off the assembly line.

[Mike E.]

Re: just curious

Interesting thread. I've asked in several Restorer articles for input from veterans and/or former plant employees as to the relationship between the job number and the VIN. There have been several hypotheses, but no one can explain the significant discrepancies between the VIN and job number. On most 62's that I've documented and tried to draw a correlation, there is no readily explainable or plausible explanation. I'd really like to hear from someone who KNOWS what the answers are. Thanks for theories and hypotheses, but what's the real answer?

[Patrick T.]

Re: Job Numbers F/Y/I

On Midyears the job # was also on the passenger side of the lower firewall, under the blackout paint. PT

[Michael H.]

Re: just curious

Mike,

I sure don't have all the answers but I'll give you what I do know. When the frames were still in a stack, I vividly remember a worker with a handful of broadcast sheets adding job numbers to every frame in the stack. The numbers were sequential and the frames were definitely picked up and placed on the first station in that exact order. He also added other info that pertained to that particular build. I followed these frames down the line and they stayed in order. (there was no way they could have been mixed after their initial start)

On the engine line, the same procedure was used. Each engine had a job number hand applied to the end of one cylinder head. There was also a broadcast sheet pinned to a clipboard above the engine showing the accessories that were to be installed.

On the body line, each floor pan had a body number added just prior to, or just after being placed on the body truck for the body buildup. This included the same number on the inside of doors etc. At the point of body drop, one of the things that the man was to do as he was about to drop the body was to take one last look at the two major components and make sure the numbers matched. This is the reason for the number under the heater case and the number on the end of the cylinder head. He would be able to see BOTH at the same time. I have photos of him leaning over looking at the cyl head number just before pushing the button to drop the body.

The workers never refered to the cars by color or VIN but always used the job number for any reference.

I remember discussing the numbering sequence with several of the workers. I asked if that number was continuous and they said "well, nah, not all the time because things often happen to disrupt the line or the sequence". He said that often, bodies that required more than the normal amount of work while on line were taken off line for repair and that changed everything. He didn'tknow what they did with the already numbered bodies but he said some spent quite a bit of time off line. At that point, the chassis probably hadn't started it's run yet and it could be pulled from the sequence before it started it's build. (the chassis line was a lot shorter and the end to end time was quite a bit less than the time it took to build and paint the body) I wish he would have been more specific but that's all he told me. I'm sure there are other reasons for the numbers being non sequential.

I do know for sure that in all the time I was at that plant, I never saw anything but sequential job numbers at the end of the line but I have to wonder if the VIN's were sequential as well. I can think of a lot of reasons why they would be sequential but also a lot of reasons why they might not be. That certainly could explain the jumbled mix of VIN to JOB relationship. ???

Michael

[Larry P.]

Re: just curious

The Vin # had to be stamped on the frame before the body drop. At that point it must have been recorded or the tag attached right then or soon after. I did a mathmatical comparison starting at each model year. I tried from when they moved to St.Louis and I even worked backwords using my know numbers. Everything I tried is more than over a 100 numbers off. I would like to see it tried with multiple known numbers.
Inconsistant numbers might explain inconsistant date codes on various components.

[Frank H.]

Re: Job Numbers F/Y/I

I have been tracking january 67 bodyshop/job# vs vin numbers also,and have found them off 98 or 102 one week to the next,my opinion is that after that weeks production of the 500 batch, they only made it to number 98 or 102 and some of these cars are still in progress while starting over at 1 on mondays batch,so 500 won't devide into the vins.
?????????thats my guess

Where on the frame was the job number written ,by the future vin stamp location?

[Rob M.]

Re: Job Numbers F/Y/I

All,

I've added an extra field to the C1Registry to enable entering the factory job number. Simply login and select the change car menuoption and enter the job number of your car. I hope this will enable further study to the relation between VIN and factory job numbers...

greetings,
Rob.




The Corvette C1 Registry

[Thomas H.]

Re: Job Numbers F/Y/I

I have a 65 with the gas tank out.My job number is D450. What does the "D" stand for?

Thanks to all

Tom