What does the number mean??

[Anthony F.]

Re: What does the number mean??

I agree with the painting and assembly of the wheels in the main building area but I remember early in my employment that the tires where mounted and balanced in the Corvette building. The painted wheels where brought to the assembly area via pull cart from the other side (wheel paint area). The Corvette wheel assembly operation was between the Chassis Line and the Paint Repair Ovens. It was sitting a little down line, across the aisle, from the wheel mounting location of the Chassis Line. Now I can not say what year it left that location or how long it was there. I can still remembering watching the mounting machine blow air into the tire and the wheel balance being set via a wax dot system.

[Michael H.]

Re: What does the number mean??

I'll look at the blueprints for the plant. That may tell us when that was changed. The oldest print that I have is dated 1964 and if I remember correctly, the process had already been moved to the other bldg on that print.

I think it was called the "overhead tire trestle", or something like that, as it passed between bldg's and then renamed "wheel/tire accumulator" as it entered the bldg? I guess it was called accumulator because it slowed the assy's down as they reached their destination at the assy line.

[John H.]

Re: What does the number mean??

Mike -

During the midyear era, the Body Shop Job Number, applied in the Body Shop on raw fiberglass subassemblies to sequence them correctly to the main line based on order specs, wasn't used past the Paint Shop, as the sequence was frequently lost in the Paint Shop due to constant re-runs for bond seam repairs, solvent pops in the prime and color ovens, etc. The sequence of jobs leaving the Paint Shop seldom matched that by which they entered from the Body Shop.

When the OK'd painted body was loaded on the Trim Line, that's the point at which it was assigned its VIN and trim tag (except for A.O. Smith bodies, which already had their trim tags installed at Ionia), and at that point the car was assigned a new and different final assembly sequence number (and was physically locked in sequence relative to the job ahead of it and behind it, all the way to the end of the Final Line), which was broadcast electronically to all the points in final assembly that provided the subassemblies for that car (Frame Line, Engine Line, Seats, trim panels, clusters, tires, etc.).

These two numbers (Body Shop Job Number and final assembly sequence number) are frequently confused, but they were different.

[Anthony F.]

Re: What does the number mean??

Let me throw another fact into the Job Number discussion.

Workers were assigned an operation in which they had so much time to accomplish the assigned task. Due to build variations (options) a build number was needed to control the rate at which operator would see the variations and a cycle time was then established for each operation. This would allow an operations workload to be set at an acceptable work load percentage as desired by the production organization.

Now why did I say all of this? For a proper sequence of product build and to minimize production problems a number was assigned by scheduling. This was also used by the Material Department to ensure that parts where in house and on the operation as the product went by. It was then adhered to by the Production Department and written on to the body for tracking. build information and verification during the build process.

It was mostly used through the body shop and paint. A body could have (and was) swapped out with another body if a problem was found that could not be repaired. (mistakes, damage, etc..) At this point usually the number was marked over and the sequence number was inserted. The point in the Trim Line that the Job Number was checked was the operation that the Vin & Trim tag was assigned. This was to verify that the tags went on the correct job. This operation was at the beginning of the trim sequence but not always the first thing. The main factor here is that the body did not become a Corvette until it received the Vin.

I started at the Corvette Pant in September of 1962 with the beginning of the 1963 production and the second shift. My service took me through to June 1992. I hope that this has helped.

[Michael H.]

Re: What does the number mean??

Thanks Tony. Very interesting information. What was your first job at the plant? Was this fresh out of school, your first job, or were you with GM prior to the Corvette plant.

Michael

[Anthony F.]

Re: What does the number mean??

Michael,

I came to Chevrolet after being out of the Navy for about a year. My dad (he work at Fisher Body) brought home an employment application for Chevrolet due to them putting on a second shift and me not working at that time. As it turned out, I already owned my 1959 and loved to work on cars even though I was trained in electronics, I could not have been happier.

I used to hitch hike to Beaumont High School from Kingshighway Blvd. Going to and from school. I still remember one day coming home, a gentleman in a Red & White Corvette (57) stopped and gave me a ride. Entering into my life was Johnny Evens driving a factory Corvette that put the Corvette Bug in my heart. I did not know him then but after I started working at the plant I recognized him again as he made such an impression with that Neat Car.

[Rob M.]

Re: What does the number mean??

Micheal,

Can you get this blue print published in one of the future Restorers (maybe together with an explination about the whole assembly proces) ?

That would be highly appreciated!!!

greetings,
Rob.

[Michael H.]

Re: What does the number mean??

Rob,

Interesting that you should mention that. I've been thinking about this print for the last few weeks and actually have plans to have it copied Monday, if possible. I want a large copy for the wall in my garage.

The problem with trying to put this print in a magazine would be it's size. It's currently 24"X 24" and even at that, some of the printing is nearly impossible to read. It's even difficult to follow the line in some areas. Reducing it to magazine size would make it nearly useless. That building was huge and to get a print that's easy to see, it would probably have to be 48"X 48".

I'll try to post a small chunk later.

[Rob M.]

Re: What does the number mean??

Michael,

Maybe they can make a fold-out poster out of it, it would certainly be neat!!!

greetings,
Rob.

[Michael H.]

Sample of Mill Bluerint

Rob,

This gives you some idea of how large and detailed this print is. The lettering is roughly the same size as the lettering on a penny. We should have started a new string on this instead of adding to this one as it's so far down the list, no one will se it.

Michael

[Michael H.]

Sample of Mill Bluerint #2 *NM*

[Rob M.]

Re: Sample of Mill Bluerint #2

Michael,,

This is excellent stuff, I'm sure the Restorer will do almost everything to make this printed in a decent manner!!! I would certainly be very interrested in this print and I think almost the whole NCRS communitee is!

Maybe we should contact the Restorer editor to figure out how to get this out in the open!

greetings,
Rob.

[Michael H.]

Re: Sample of Mill Bluerint #2

Rob,

I agree, this sure is fun to look at. I've had this print in the tube and just removed it again for the first time in about 25 years. Looking at it sure brings back memories, although I suppose it would mean even more to those who have been in the building while it was still in operation. I've always thought it would be great if there was a way to get this out to the Corvette world but just never did anything about it. (old and lazy now) If there's interest, I'll definitely do something with it.

Michael

[Rob M.]

Re: Sample of Mill Bluerint #2

Michael,

I surely agree you should make a new forum topic for this to poll if more people are interrested (maybe include one of the pictures you've posted just now). I'm certainly interested!

greetings and thanks again for sharing all you wonderfull memories about the factory,
Rob.