Documentation and our history

[Steven C.]

[Roy B.]

Re: Documentation and our history

20 years ago I held a SACE national meet at where C1's were made and we invited guys that worked in Corvettes from 53 to C2's and gave each SACE member a brick from the plant . Noland , I and others interviewed 5 guys that worked in the plant. We asked many questions about paint color , how they kept the Corvette rolling down the line. My first question was about color because I had a silver gray 55 along with the original oil sheet from GM RPO-440H and paint combo 633. The painter on the left said that in 55 they would paint a 55 any color ( even pink) to sell them and remembered painting gray 55's plus other colors not offered from GM. He told us the story about his partner on the other side of the Corvette being color blind and as a joke he switch hoses on him because the guy knew which hose held what color when he told him . So just at the start of their shift here comes a 67 coup that was to be blue , he painted his side blue while the other blind color guy painted his side green . They rolled the body out of the paint booth and every one had a great laugh , then the paint mentioned what the person stripping the body years later would think.
He told how many left with out any paint C1 and C2's.special ordered
One GM worker told the story of how they fitted doors on C2 coups having a little person stand in the window pulling the top area to bend it for a better fit
They all dint think much of the JM comparing all Corvette were the same coming out the plant. They said they could tell stories that no paper work could document .
But this was long ago and now days if you don't have paper work those Corvettes are lost to history.

[Floyd B.]

Re: Documentation and our history

Yuk, Yuk. This reminds me of the two weeks I worked on a temporary assignment in the Hamtramck Plant in the late 80's. This plant was "state-of-the-art" at the time an built the big Cadillacs. When the fully constructed body exited the body shop with its 100's of millions of dollars worth the best computer systems, robots and weld controllers money could buy - as a final step - with the door closed a guy would stick a gage in the space between the doors and the body. He would check the gap at the top-front, top-rear, bottom-front and bottom-rear. Okay, this is the funny part - he would then pick up a sledge hammer (I kid you not) and give the door a good whack. By my observation he could usually get the fit within "specification" within two whacks. I observed a few tough cases that required 3 or 4 whacks. One guy called it "a $20 solution to a billion dollar problem."

[Bert L.]

Re: Documentation and our history

I think that's a great idea Steve, implementing it might be quite
a challenge I would think, although a very interesting and worthwhile one.

Bert '60 1335

[Joe L.]

Re: Documentation and our history

Roy------

The fellow in the front row, second from the right with the glasses and dark mustache is George Barlos who worked at St. Louis for many years during the late 50's and throughout the 60's and later. George was an absolutely WONDERFUL guy that shared a HUGE amount of knowledge regarding the goings on at the plant when it was operating. I went to classes that George presented at Bloomington and also had the opportunity to speak with him many times for hours on end. I used to be absolutely focused on his words and "drank up" everything he said. Unfortunately, George passed away quite awhile ago. A HUGE, HUGE loss to the Corvette hobby.

A lot of the other folks that used to be willing to share their knowledge and experience from St. Louis have passed on now, too.

[Dick W.]

Re: Documentation and our history

Another individual that worked with George and traveled around doing presentations was Phil Hawkins. Between the two there were not many questions unanswered.

[Tracy C.]

Re: Documentation and our history

Steve, I like your idea. While it appears that some efforts have been made to interview workers, there could still be some low hanging fruit worth picking.

With the National Convention in St Charles this year, maybe another attempt would be worth the effort. Perhaps an advertizing blitz in the ST Louis area local newpapers might bring out a few retirees for an appreciation lunch.

just a thought.
tc

[Bernard M.]

Re: Documentation and our history

Roy, You'd be pleased to know that at his passing, one of George's prized posessions was a '55 Corvette.

[john daly]

Re: Documentation and our history

A few years ago I was working at the GM Wentzville, Missouri assembly plant and there were still a few oldtimers who worked in St. Louis. One of the guys told me a story about when they went to an automated mixing and dispensing process for the panel adhesive. He said it was a trial and error to get the mix right, they would mix a batch together and throw a sample off the roof, if it held together it was a good mix....sounds a bit like an urban legend but that's the story he told. He also remembered driving C3 L88's and said they were horrible to drive around town...no surprise there.

[Steven C.]

[Kevin M.]

Re: Documentation and our history

Any idea on how to contact this person?

I know someone who'd like to get a copy for their 71 Z/28!

[Joe L.]

Re: Documentation and our history

Dick-----

Yes, and Phil has been gone for quite awhile, too.

[Joe L.]

Re: Documentation and our history

John------

George Barlos worked at Wentzville for quite a few years after St. Louis.

[Roy B.]

Re: Documentation

Documentation (give me a brake)=I posted this once before!
I feel vary sorry for the person that comes across one of these Corvettes ,say the red and white 54 on the left or the silver gray 55 on the right,and he takes it to NCRS for judging saying he found it that way ( documentation No way ) There are so many things that was done like that and have no documentation as factory workers told us leaving the plant. The JM bible? Even the real bible has questions.

I remember when people thought GM never painted a 54 Black till some one found that color pic. Showing Corvettes on the turnpike , even a 58 Corvette was thought to never been painted black.That's why when I see something out of the norm I don't just kiss it off.

I remember when Noland and I decided to write about the green pencil paint marking and people thought we were nuts ,asking to let use scrap their trunk paint. They said where is the Documentation!