I used to give the tours at Flint Assembly, when I was a co-op student.

People would stay and watch the body drop operation for as long as you would let them.

K

Fremont Assembly.

I think the white car is an Oldsmobile (if memory serves) followed by a Buick, followed by a Pontiac.

K

I worked at the Ford assembly plant in St Paul, Sept '72-July '73. The whole assembly process was fascinating but I agree, the body drop was about the coolest step on the line. Watching the body go in the paint booth in primer and come out in color was about the next most amazing process.

They didn't do that here in Michigan, either.

The first thing we would do when we got a new vehicle is pop the wheels off and paint the rotors/calipers and rear brake drums, and coat the wheel lugs with never-seize.

K

Notice that these two photos are of the same operation (it's the same guy in the pit).

The white car in the top photo appears to be about two stations farther down the line than in the second (bottom) photo.

You can see the pit operator has a long drift pin inserted into the chassis/frame, to help guide the body down in the correct position. He's got his body bolt/cup assemblies staged on the flat track and will start tightening down the body bolts as soon as the body is set.

They guy at the left front will simultaneously guide the steering shaft down over the steering gear rag joint coupler.*

K

*We used to support the steering shaft with a large white elastic band. Consummate professionals that we were, the guys used to shoot those across the main aisle at each other like giant rubber bands. You would find them hanging in the rafters and all over the place.