St.Louis Corvette Plant Memorabilia

[Joseph T.]

Hard hat that belonged to the Chief Inspector of the Corvette Plant 1953 - 1970

[Mike G.]

Re: St.Louis Corvette Plant Memorabilia

Joe: Can you tell us what the Corvette quality control inspection program consisted of? I mean, were there designated inspectors and inspection points in the manufacturing flow? Did they have checklists and inspection criteria for acceptable vs. rejectable? I always wondered to what degree the UAW job classifications and culture worked against Corvette quality. Obviously, management's emphasis on meeting production quotas and keeping the line moving at all costs were the greatest detriments to quality.

[Harmon C.]

Re: St.Louis Corvette Plant Memorabilia

Mike
I worked as an inspector on the assembly line not for GM for a few years. In the plant where I worked about every thirty stations or assembly workers the inspector checked to see all work was done and complete for those workers. Many times the workers would holler striped bolt or out of parts and this was fixed by a person who worked for the inspector. He signed off the items fixed if the work was done. After the cars were off the line inspectors would check the build to see if the options were correct and the items still needing repair for all areas were on a list. Most cars needed some repair. One repair man took a car at a time and fixed it if it took all day.
Lyle

[John H.]

Re: St.Louis Corvette Plant Memorabilia

Mike -

Tony will remember the St. Louis detail better than I will, but typically in Chevrolet assembly plants there was an inspector at the end of each foreman's area, and each car had a pre-printed "inspection ticket" that traveled with the car, with a line item for each part/assembly installed in that area, and each line item had check boxes for "lse" (loose), "wrg" (wrong), "shy" (missing), "dam" (damaged), etc. The line repairman worked off that ticket, punched the ticket when he repaired the item (his punch was numbered), and further down the line the repair was inspected by a "buyoff inspector", who punched the line item with his punch (which had his initials) to verify that the repair was correctly done.

[Anthony F.]

Re: St.Louis Corvette Plant Memorabilia

John,

You are correct but there was some changes over the years with what was highlighted to be checked. Mostly the "Work Ticket" was printed lines with 2 boxes at the end of each line. The inspector would write on the line a problem, the repairman would "Punch" the 1st box as being repaired and the inspector who inspected the repair would "Punch" the 2nd box as repaired.

At a line inspection point all items installed in the previous assemble area where inspected as well as items with noticeable problems. In outer words everything was not re-inspected but new problems not recorded where noted.

A repairman or 2 where usually stationed with each line inspection station depending on the type of problems that might appear. Sometimes you needed 2 repairmen to fix a problem, like installing or replacing a heater box let's say.

The work tickets where divided into areas: Body Shop, Soft Trim, Chassis, Paint and Hard Trim. If I remember correctly in St. Louis during the 60's & 70's Body Shop had one ticket but 2 inspection stations used it. Soft Trim had one ticket but 2 inspections used it. Chassis had 2 tickets but 3 inspection stations used them. Paint Repair had one ticket that 2 inspector used (1 inspector wrote up problems while the other inspector inspected the repair work done. Hard Trim had one ticket the inspector used.

Not mentioned was the inspection of the Roll Test, Wheel Alignment, Water Test, Hole Repair, Final Repair and Audit.

As you see the process was extensive to help reduce problems before the became major issues. This description was a little long but I hope that it helps others understand the process a little better.

[Joseph T.]

Re: St.Louis Corvette Plant Memorabilia

Tony..thanks for the detail..as I was not qualified to answer the question.

Joe

[Geoff C.]

[Anthony F.]

Re: St.Louis Plant Personal Request

Geoffrey,

In 63 I could have been any place and touched you car in many different ways. I remember polishing on Christmas Eve or my loving hands might have touched you car in other areas. I had worked in the Body Shop, Trim, Chassis, Paint Repair polishing and Hard Trim.

I started at the St. Louis Plant in September of 63 on the second shift assigned to Corvette production. For about 2 weeks I worked in Chassis Repair Hole but had to leave due to no seniority.

They then put me into what they called the Twenty Gang which was extra personnel that was lent out to which ever department needed help to run production. This is where I gained a lot of experience with the Corvette assembly procedures.

After Christmas I returned to the plant assigned to the Truck Chassis Line for about three months until I was recalled to the Corvette Plant again. Being on the bottom of seniority you get bumped around a lot as manpower numbers fluctuates.

1967(??) I am not too sure where my assignment was. I believe that I was still in Soft Trim working in the first group as a Trainer. Just remember that each and every Corvette was the same after awhile. You worked on it and liked it while it was there and then it was gone. Sort of like old girl friends when you in your teens.

When I look back and know what I know now I wish that I paid more attention to facts & deviations besides just working and having fun.

Tony

[Geoff C.]

Re: St.Louis Plant Personal Request

Thank you Tony. And my old Corvettes Thank You too.

[John H.]

[Geoff C.]

Re: St.Louis Plant Personal Request

Thanks John. Now I know who to blame for my 1968 convertible leaks.

[Dick W.]

Re: St.Louis Plant Personal Request

I think that is probably the only failure that John ever had!! And was it a miserable failure

[Clem Z.]

why just like "all corvettes are red"

"all corvettes leak water" in the rain.