GM #25325

[Joe L.]

The lowest part number currently available in the entire 400,000+ parts General Motors Parts System is GM #25325. The low number implies that it's a REAL old part. However, it's not that old, at all. I don't know how it got assigned this number, but it did. It must have been an unused and "salvaged" number from a series of numbers long ago assigned and, by now, "extinct". So, what's the application? It's the upper shock washer for 93-02 Camaros and Firebirds.

[Art A.]

Re: GM #25325

Joe, I was the part number reclamation coordinator for awhile at CEC and we TRIED to reclaim old numbers as we were running out of 7 digit numbers. I tried to tell my superiors that it wouldn't work, for various reasons, but they insisted so we started the process. The major reason it wouldn't work was that we were only using the Chevrolet Engineering RELEASING data base to determine if a PN was still active. Other divisions could........and did....have some of the PN's released into THEIR systems. It was a real mess.

I don't recall the exact number that we started with, but it was probably in the 5 digit range like the one in question. In total, I think we reclaimed about 1 thousand numbers before the sh*t hit the fan and the entire reclamation process was scrapped. That's when we went to the 8 digit numbers. They hesitated to go to the 8 digit numbers as there were many forms and card readers and such that wouldn't accommodate 8 digit numbers.

It's ironic that you used the PN 25325 as it is one of the numbers that I resonantly tried to obtain a drawing for from the ENGINEERING file room and was informed that it actually is a NDDTF, No Drawing Drawing to Follow. Which of course means that their is no drawing associated with it in the ENGINEERING files.

You say it's an upper shock washer, would that washer be part of the shock assembly? If so, it would explain why their is a NDDF in the ENGINEERING system. And that points out another reason why CEC could NOT reclaim PN's without purging the ENTIRE GM systems of a given PN.

Art

BTW, your picture is the dreaded red X

[Joe L.]

Re: GM #25325

Art------

I don't think that the washer is part of the shock assembly. At least, I don't think it's part of the SERVICE shock assembly. I don't know how these shocks were built-up for PRODUCTION purposes. I'm sure the shock and the attached components were the same for SERVICE as for PRODUCTION. However, the PRODUCTION assembly might have been "pre-assembled" to one degree or another. In any event, the washer was (and remains) available separately in SERVICE.

I don't understand why the picture is not showing for you. I can see it fine. Is anyone else having trouble viewing the photo (i.e. getting the "red X")?

As far as the "reclaimed" part numbers go, I though there was a large "cache" of them found and utilized during ABOUT the 1973-1978 period. MANY Corvette as well as other Chevrolet parts released during this period have these 6 digit numbers beginning with "3" and "4". Most of these 6 digit number series were issued "when the earth was young" with the exception, apparently, of these 6 digit numbers beginning with "3" and "4". So, how do they figure into what you were referring to or is this a separate issue altogether? However, prior to encountering this 5 digit number of 25325 I had not seen a single number of 5 digits assigned to a part in "modern times". Of course, that doesn't mean that there weren't some others.

[Terry M.]

Picture works OK for me.

IE7 for me -- if that matters

[Art A.]

Re: GM #25325

Joe, I went back later and the picture was there.............don't know why I got the red X the first time around.
I just did a little more research and low and behold, guess which GM division released PN 25325, yep, Delco Products Division, Dayton Ohio. That's why it shows up at CEC as a NDDTF. That means that CEC probably never actually released it individually and that it was POA, which CEC did/could release into PRODUCTION and/or SERVICE. If this washer is still released for SERVICE, it would be thru the Delco div or GMPD.
My GM records indicate that 5 digit numbers were issued, in blocks, to Delco (000 001-050 000), and Truck and Bus (050 001-100-000). Yes, MOST of the 5 digit number have died a natural death, but there are still some active to this day.

When we aborted the reclamation project we sort of had to punt. The corporation issued PN's to divisions, in blocks of numbers, all over the world, probably when I was still in dippers. We did some research and found out that there were lots of divisions that very rarely, if ever, RELEASED parts, so they had big blocks of un-used PN's that were sitting around collecting dust for many, many years. We then went to the GM corporate group that controlled said numbers and requested that they recall some blocks for Chevrolet Engineering's usage. Chevrolet Engineering, by far, released more parts than any other division. As I recall, the Ternstedt Div was one that we got some blocks of numbers from, because, by then, they were no longer.

Art

[Joe L.]

Re: GM #25325

Art-----

I suppose that what may have happened here is that when Delco Chassis was in need of a part number to assign to this shock washer, someone just went back and reviewed their long-since assigned series of part numbers (the 00001-050000 you mentioned) to find one that had not be previously used. So, they found 25325 and used it. Why not? It was, apparently, still theirs to use.

I don't think I've come across another 5 digit part number in all my years (and I ain't no kid). Given that these 5 digit numbers in the 00001-050000 Delco-assigned range probably mostly went "extinct" before I was old enough to know what an automotive part was, it's probably not surprising. At the current time, there is only 1 other active part number in the 00001-050000 range. That part is GM #30205. It's some sort of washer for a generator or alternator terminal. I can't find an application, but it may be some truck application.

There are less than 20 active part numbers in the 50001-99999 range.