Job Numbers F/Y/I

[Michael H.]

Re: just curious

Larry,

You are correct and that would mean the body/frame/engine had to have a specific VIN assigned by no later than about half way through the assy process. The body trim/VIN tags were attached just after the body's were painted and the frame VIN stamp was done about the same time, half way through it's build.

I gave this a lot of thought last night and I still have no idea how this was done. I know that the body was coming out of the "paint" area and going into "hard trim" about the same time the frame was first put on line. (it took a lot longer to assemble the complete body than it did to assemble the complete chassis) I see no reason why the VIN's would be in any order other than numerical at that or any other point in the entire process. I wish I would have paid more attention to this at that time.

Michael

[Rob M.]

Re: just curious

Michael,

Thanks for taking the time to share this priceless information (especially for us youngsters). I think I could listen for hours to all the stories and information about the Corvette building process if I was ever to meet you!!!

thanks again,
Rob Musquetier
The Netherlands.

PS I'm hoping to meet you and all the other enthousiastic restorers at Carlisle!!!

[Ray C.]

Re: just curious

Hi!
I am restoring a 1961 and have seen numerous job numbers on the body and interior components. The numbers are not all the same. Some of the numbers are written in grease pencil and others are with a graphite pencil. I know that this car is quite original and I am the third owner. Did GM have any painted inventory parts that were pulled by color or was the interior components assigned a job number then painted?

Ray #36314

[Michael H.]

Re: just curious

Rob,

Thank you, that was a very nice complement. I think the NCRS technical discussion board is one of the best things that has come into the Corvette hobby in many years. It gives everyone a chance to share the knowledge that they have. I've been involved in Corvette for just over 40 years and I still learn something here every few days.

I agree, the old Corvette assembly plant in St. Louis was and still is one of the most interesting parts of the entire hobby. We may never have all the answers on Corvette assembly but I think we have a pretty good start and more information comes in all the time. I was fortunate enough to have been able to spend quite a bit of time there and I treasure every minute. John Hinckley has been sharing the knowledge he has about "the old place" from the mid/late 60's and we're all fortunate to have him on board.

I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this "job number" issue and I wish I had more to add. You mentioned that you were now adding the job number to all the other information you have on file and that's probably the best way to handle this.

I won't be going to Carlisle but if I were, It would have been great to chat with you. You seem totally dedicated to the Corvette hobby and especially the research part. Hope you have a great trip.

Michael

[Rob M.]

Re: just curious

Michael,

Do you have an idea how long it took for the Corvette's to be assembled (from bare frame until it rolled out the factory) and also how long each major process appr. would take ?

Also concerning the engine this would be interresting to know.

Buy the way: underneath the front left bumper (on the bumper itself) I got the letters CB or C3 written (with yellow crayon) as shown in the picture below. Does anyone know the meaning of this? Is this the mentioned job number or should it only have numbers?

greetings,
Rob.

[Michael H.]

Re: just curious

Rob,

Each time I was on a photo mission at the plant, GM said they wanted me to use still cameras only, no movie or video. Production speed was a secret. However, when I stood in one spot as the bodies or chassis's passed, I timed this and learned that one passed by every six minutes and a few seconds. This would be true for any of the three component lines, body, chassis and engine.

I still have a full set of blue prints of the plant and from this I can estimate the number of cars on the body line and the chassis line and from this I should be able to come up with a fairly close estimate of total build time.

The body took by far the longest to build and a lot of that time was consumed with the body in the bake ovens for prime/paint. That line snaked all around the plant. This may be way off but I think I remember something like eight hours for the body and hard trim installation. That would be followed by body drop and final line and that was probably about an hour?

The six minute time per job would be near correct for 1963 and later cars but I don't have any information on 62 and earlier. I'm sure they were somewhere near that but it could have been a longer total as production methods were a little different in that era.

I did follow the progress on one car and if I remember correctly, it started as a floor pan one afternoon and was rolling out the door the next afternoon.

I'll dig out the prints and do the math. Hopefully, I'll have an answer before the end of the weekend.

Michael

[John H.]

Re: just curious

See my article "Numbers And The Missing Link" in the Spring, 2003 issue of the "Restorer"; may help to understand all the different "numbers", where they were applied and why, and what they were used for. Research is continuing on them, including the occasional use of alpha characters as part of the Body Shop Job Number.

[Larry P.]

Re: just curious

Ray,
The job number on my 60 was on the right door and on the inside of the gauge cluster housing as well. Number 457 in green crayon on vin #487. I understand they put a paint code on the cardboard divider in the trunk compartment.
My guess is they did the doors for power windows or not and the gauge cluster for the proper red line tach.
My freinds would call that "Larry Logic" because there is absolutely no basis
for my statement other then my warped logic. I still don't know if my freinds are complimenting or laughing at my sense of logic. (I think a little of both)
Regards
Larry

[Rob M.]

Re: just curious

Michael,

I'm sure looking forward to the continuing story on this subject. There is still so much to learn about these baby's...

greetings and thanks again for your extensive explination!
Rob.

[Wayne W.]

Re: just curious

I have an early 63 in my shop at this time. I have known this car for a long time and know it to be very original. It is serial number 356. My first thought was, how about that? This is one of the cars followed in Noland`s book. But a quick check of the job number revealed it was job number 370. So there was a discrepancy of 14 a little over half way through the first 500.