You Can't Make This Stuff Up!

[Lee Stewart]

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

I love seeing the paperwork strewn all over the car.

Those are the inspection tickets for the various sub assemblies, all coming together at the end. They gradually get added together and stapled to create a "packet" that follows the car through the repair and shipping process.

Vehicles could be “flagged” for various repairs by the way the vehicle was parked (ie, facing towards the building or facing away; hood up or partially opened) and where the repair ticket was stuffed: ie, jammed in the vent window might mean one thing, stuck in the door handle something else, and stuffed under the windshield wiper something else.

God forbid some young engineering student get out there and put the ticket back in the wrong spot, messing up their system. Hell hath no fury....

Vehicles can sometimes get lost back there and then turn up at the next model change when the lot gets thinned out and the backlog worked down.

If you drive past Flint Assembly today it still looks like that (different trucks, of course).

Vehicles are still built today with pieces of paper hanging off the front.

K

[60sStuff]

Cool stuff Keith.

Assembly line photos are very interesting.

Here is a 1964 “two tone” Tempest Series having its rear light operation being checked using a large mirror.

Notice no back seat or package tray installed yet.

Buick coming down the line, also less interior components.

[Keith Seymore]

I believe those are from Fremont (which is interesting, since most photos are from the home plant in Pontiac Michigan). Interesting color combo on that Tempest.

He's actually checking "all" the functions on the vehicle: the car is on the "roll test", and he'll check front and rear lighting, turn signal operation, radio, he'll also cycle the washer and wipers, speedo function, etc - all while running it through the gears and up to 60 or 70 mph.

That long thing hanging to the driver's side is the remote control for the roll tester itself, and includes the Start/Stop buttons and controls for engaging the rollers.

There would be a similar station with a pit, used for setting the front end alignment (toe in, primarily). It might even be the next operation coming up.

I'm thinking that's another mirror in the upper left of the photo, for an adjacent roll tester. Normally the final line splits at the end and there are several roll test stations in operation, and the driver picks the next available lane.

I agree but don't understand the "no back seat" situation. Normally the interior is completed at Fisher Body before being sent to the General Assembly/Final line portion. Maybe Fremont just did it different than the other plants, or maybe they are running less the parts due to a material shortage (but that would be wild speculation on my part), but in my experience the interior would be complete by the time you get this far in the process.

K

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

[Lee Stewart]

[mssl72]

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

Lackland AFB, Texas??

[Canuck]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

I believe those are from Fremont (which is interesting, since most photos are from the home plant in Pontiac Michigan). Interesting color combo on that Tempest.

He's actually checking "all" the functions on the vehicle: the car is on the "roll test", and he'll check front and rear lighting, turn signal operation, radio, he'll also cycle the washer and wipers, speedo function, etc - all while running it through the gears and up to 60 or 70 mph.

That long thing hanging to the driver's side is the remote control for the roll tester itself, and includes the Start/Stop buttons and controls for engaging the rollers.

There would be a similar station with a pit, used for setting the front end alignment (toe in, primarily). It might even be the next operation coming up.

I'm thinking that's another mirror in the upper left of the photo, for an adjacent roll tester. Normally the final line splits at the end and there are several roll test stations in operation, and the driver picks the next available lane.

I agree but don't understand the "no back seat" situation. Normally the interior is completed at Fisher Body before being sent to the General Assembly/Final line portion. Maybe Fremont just did it different than the other plants, or maybe they are running less the parts due to a material shortage (but that would be wild speculation on my part), but in my experience the interior would be complete by the time you get this far in the process.

K

Keith
I just took delivery of a 2021 Suburban High Country. I special ordered it and advised the sales rep that I wanted to inspect it upon arrival at the dealer. I kept the window sticker and there was one sheet inside on the passenger floor,with codes about the function of both front doors.
I did the same when I got my 2003 Yukon XL and the fellow who bought it from me was elated to get after 17 years.
Window Sticker
Dealer Brochure
Original carpet floor mats never used.
Delivery day photos.