Flint MI to ST. Louis in 5-6 days?? Is this possible?

[John F.]

Sorry if this has been a repeat question or topic. I'm asking for a friend who is trying to piece together a timeline for his car.

What are the chances of an engine assembled on a Wednesday and roll off the assembly line in ST. Louis on a Monday/Tuesday 5/6 days later?

[Mike M.]

Re: Flint MI to ST. Louis in 5-6 days?? Is this possible?

no problem ..mike

[Harry S.]

Re: Flint MI to ST. Louis in 5-6 days?? Is this possible?

Agree with Mike, my engine build is 4/15, car build is 4/20.

[Keith B.]

Re: Flint MI to ST. Louis in 5-6 days?? Is this possible?

according to this article written by JohnZ shipments where made every other day

http://www.camaros.org/pdf/flint_engine.pdf

[John H.]

Re: Flint MI to ST. Louis in 5-6 days?? Is this possible?

On my 300 hp 67 coupe, the engine cast date is March 22. The pad stamp is VO327HO, and the car assembly date is March 31st (Friday). These were production line cars that had to move along including the part supply.

[Mike M.]

Re: Flint MI to ST. Louis in 5-6 days?? Is this possible?

its not all that uncommon for the cast date to be a single day prior to the machine assembly date. mike

[John F.]

Re: Flint MI to ST. Louis in 5-6 days?? Is this possible?

Thanks Mike and others for responding!

Next question for my friend...it's a 63 with vin # 3237. What day in November would you calculate it came off the production line? The reason I'm asking is because the shipping data report service has the car being born in Saint Louis on November 7th (Wednesday). We believe this is wrong and that it was born on the 12th (Monday).

[David H.]

Re: Flint MI to ST. Louis in 5-6 days?? Is this possible?

Thanks Mike and others for responding!

Next question for my friend...it's a 63 with vin # 3237. What day in November would you calculate it came off the production line? The reason I'm asking is because the shipping data report service has the car being born in Saint Louis on November 7th (Wednesday). We believe this is wrong and that it was born on the 12th (Monday).

John,

What makes you question shipping report? Trim tag says?

Dave

[Gary C.]

Re: Flint MI to ST. Louis in 5-6 days?? Is this possible?

John,

Per some knowledgeable people about GM's "official" manufacturer date. That is the date the plant could count a car as manufactured. Which is what the Plant Management could include in their production total. Production totals was one of the main criteria the plant managers got paid on, bonuses, etc.

The "official" manufacturer date is the date that appears on the Shipping Data Report.

Gary
....

[John F.]

Re: Flint MI to ST. Louis in 5-6 days?? Is this possible?

Trim Tag is a data point but that was put on the body as it passed by that station and doesn't represent the day the final assembly was completed. In this case it says the 2nd week so if the car went by that station on Friday the 9th (2nd week), is it possible it was completed on Monday the 12th? Every birthday calculator I've looked at as the car born on the 12th. Engine was born on the 7th. Shipping data report says the 7th. Something has to be off.

[Harry S.]

Re: Flint MI to ST. Louis in 5-6 days?? Is this possible?

John, the shipping report will not change, the data is the data. What NCRS is looking at is Microfiche, essentially a picture of a computer printout from 1963. The only difference I have ever seen is one day off. If a car, according to the computer was to be produced on February 2^nd and it passed by the station on the line where the shipping data report was produced one minute after midnight on second shift, then the build date was February 3^rd

[Larry E.]

Re: Flint MI to ST. Louis in 5-6 days?? Is this possible?

John, the shipping report will not change, the data is the data. What NCRS is looking at is Microfiche, essentially a picture of a computer printout from 1963. The only difference I have ever seen is one day off. If a car, according to the computer was to be produced on February 2^nd and it passed by the station on the line where the shipping data report was produced one minute after midnight on second shift, then the build date was February 3^rd. It’s just a guy looking at the clock and typing the date.
Go with the Shipping Data Report as the Birthday Calculator is just that, a calculator or said better an estimate.

This is true on "paper"; but there had to be engines that had catastrophe failures upon the first time they
where fired up at the end of the line. AFAIK the car was brought to their special repair area for a R&R engine
job. Who knows how long this took to do. I'm sure the crews that did this had some schedule problems at
certain times depending how busy they where. JMHO-Larry P.S. Not sure if any records where kept on R&R time involved
or how that would effect "Shipping Data" reports; let alone Trim Tag Data

[Terry M.]

Re: Flint MI to ST. Louis in 5-6 days?? Is this possible?

This is true on "paper"; but there had to be engines that had catastrophe failures upon the fist time they
where fired up at the end of the line. AFAIK the car was brought to their special repair area for a R&R engine
job. Who knows how long this took to do. I'm sure the crews that did this had some schedule problems at
certain times depending how busy they where. JMHO-Larry P.S. Not sure if any records where kept on R&R time involved
or how that would effect "Shipping Data" reports.

Engines were "hot fired" (that is run on natural gas) at the engine plants. I doubt if many had "catastrophic failures" at St Louis. Those failures happened at the engine plant. There were many other reasons for Corvettes to be held up in the repair area, however.

[Larry E.]

Re: Flint MI to ST. Louis in 5-6 days?? Is this possible?

Engines were "hot fired" (that is run on natural gas) at the engine plants. I doubt if many had "catastrophic failures" at St Louis. Those failures happened at the engine plant. There were many other reasons for Corvettes to be held up in the repair area, however.

Terry: "IF IT IS MADE BY MAN; IT CAN BREAK" at any time. Prove me wrong please-Thanks - Larry

[Terry M.]

Re: Flint MI to ST. Louis in 5-6 days?? Is this possible?

Terry: "IF IT IS MADE BY MAN; IT CAN BREAK" at any time. Prove me wrong please-Thanks - Larry

It certainly can, Larry. Our debate is over where it will fail.