A picture is worth a thousand words.......

[Tim S.]

I saw this over on a different site, and thought it would be of value to share here.

[Rich G.]

[Bill M.]

Re: A picture is worth a thousand words.......

Tim

i dont see a picture?

[Domenic T.]

Re: A picture is worth a thousand words.......

thought they painted the bell housings.

Dom

[Rich G.]

Re: A picture is worth a thousand words.......

thought they painted the bell housings.

Dom

[Domenic T.]

Re: A picture is worth a thousand words.......

That’s why I saved this picture. There was a discussion on this here a few years ago when that picture surfaced then. Also the black out on the exhaust, which I guess would burn off the first time it ran.

Rich,
Also noticed the hood. Wonder if it was on when they put the body on the frame?

Dom

[Patrick H.]

Re: A picture is worth a thousand words.......

More orange on the bottom of the bellhousing than the top.
I'm also surprised for a 65 how much black they put on the whole exhaust system.

[Terry M.]

Re: A picture is worth a thousand words.......

Could this be start of production or show cars? If so one has to question how typical the production would be.

[Michael G.]

Re: A picture is worth a thousand words.......

Terry, I sorta doubt this is a pilot, start of production, or show car. From my GM experience, such builds were isolated on the line with empty car spaces, and surrounded at all times by all sorts of interested personnel, none of whom were particularly camera shy.

[Ara G.]

Re: A picture is worth a thousand words.......

I see orange overspray on the bellhousing...Some on top and some on bottom. Keep in mind, the rule of thumb is "varying" amounts of overspray it what's expected to be seen....I've too have seen the pic before but i ALWAYS love seeing it again. Thanks for posting...

[Mark E.]

Re: A picture is worth a thousand words.......

Why would they paint the exhaust pipes black? I can't imagine it's over-spray from painting something else nearby.

[Domenic T.]

Re: A picture is worth a thousand words.......

Dave,
You may be right! the hood is on the dropped body and how to hell are you going to get all on the front of the engine? Now maybe, just maybe, they installed the shroud and all else before the hood was installed?
I hate to think like that, but My mind tells me that there is something wrong.

Dom

[Michael G.]

Re: A picture is worth a thousand words.......

Use your training and experience as an NCRS Judge to pay attention to what you're looking at:

Where's the body about to be dropped on the chassis?
Where's the infrastructure for the body-drop?
It seems odd to me that the shift knob and t-handle are installed. Wouldn't these have to be removed to install the shift boots? Makes no sense to put something on that needs to be removed later in the process.
Same with the blackout on the head pipes. It's too thorough, and totally unnecessary.

A worker with an air-impact and no safety glasses. Looks like he's posing for the pic and not a worker. Look at his hands' positions. What is he doing? What is in that location on the car that uses an impact to tighten? The khakis and collared shirt are nice touches. The grease spot on his forearm looks contrived. Even the lighting is that of a Glamor Shot. Everything I've heard about St Louis Assembly describes it as a dungeon. Looks like fill-lighting is being used. Actually, if you scrutinize the worker, chassis, and the red car the foreground looks like it was shot in a studio. The foreground does not look like the background. Look even closer, the chassis and the red car look like two separate shots, superimposed upon each other.

I have a 1971 copy of How to Hot Rod Big Block Chevys, and a 1972 copy of the Small Block book. Both publications feature cover photos of engines attributed to Ed Sperko of GM Photographic, provided courtesy of Chevrolet Public Relations. The 65 pic, and the book pics were all taken long before photo-shop. Special effects and enhancements were done in the dark room by the photographer. (Like 'removing' the "sloppy-looking" orange paint on the bell-housing). The 65 pic and the cover pics appear similar in that the 65 pic may have also been produced and processed by Ed Sperko. Ed's job was to produce promotional material for GM public relations. This looks like his work.

I think Terry's on to something in that this is not a 'typical' production car. Perhaps it was to promote something about the plant, and it is not a special car or even an actual car in itself but it got dolled-up to make it look better in pics. And if I'm right about the "cars" are studio shots, they are not typical of what was on the line at all. They're literally "props".

The above all suggests that this a staged photograph, possibly in a studio and not on the assembly line, enhanced or re-created in post-production, that was used for some promotional purpose. It shouldn't be used as evidence of Typical Factory Production.

[Bill B.]

Re: A picture is worth a thousand words.......

Also agree as well. Look at the line of blur behind his air hose to the next air hose that appears to have a similar bend radius. The pic goes from clear to blur in a small distance. Ditto to the vehicle line rail carrier going from sharp to blur in the same relative area behind his left leg.

Also, to the right of the shifter, you see what appears to be a Delco Battery with a plastic parts bin atop. The battery and bin seem to go together proportionally, however the battery is WAY TOO BIG relative to the vehicle in the foreground, and note that it is clearer in focus than the vehicle's chassis.

Looks like Ed Sperco was way ahead of his time, essentially "inventing" in analog photography what we know as "photoshop" in the digital world today ...

Extremely detailed eyes, everyone!! (just hope you don't end up judging my car! I wouldn't stand a chance of getting away with anything!!)

[Michael J.]

Re: A picture is worth a thousand words.......

I agree with people's observations about this photo, I have seen it numerous times and it has always looked funny and not real to me. Some people have used it to "prove" various things, and I do not think it does at all, too staged and modified.