THE LAST??? 1967 Z-28

[budnate]

thnx for the reply, one of those things that has bugged me for years wanting to know

[Kurt S]

If there was an issue, it might have been resolved by the repairman that worked in that area (as the car continued down the line) while the worker went to the next car. Else it would have been noted on the inspection sheet and sent to the repair bays.

Yeah, you sure didn't pull a combine off the line!! The Willow Run plant (now Hydramatic, next door to the Willow Run assembly plant) was the B-24 bomber plant - making 1 an hour. 100,000 parts coming together; now that would be something to see!

[iluv69s]

Hey Guys..long time no chat...hehehe..

Well, I just had to run home to my computer to add a little flame to this thread. I just got home from my family "Easter Dinner'..a week late, but better late than never.

Anyway, My brother was there with his family and I had to ask him what is the "real" deal where he works. You see, he has been at GM for 24 years and currently works on the assembly line at the Wilmington Plant. He is line manager?? I think??

I mentioned my car. And I got to asking him about the VINs, and the procedures at the plant now. He actually was stamping (actually said it is a scribing machine)the VINS on the blocks and putting the VIN plates in the Saturn cars recently. He even said the machine has an X for if you make a mistake..and then it puts a number below...same as the old days..real interesting stuff..a security guard gives him 50 VINs and exactly 100 rivets...he has to double count them..then he has to return them to the security guard during every break to be locked away...he also talked about the prototype soltise hardtops they recently made...pilot cars!! really cool hearing this stuff from my own brother...after this thread!!

Obviously a lot has changed since back in the day. But I asked my Brother about if there was ever a time when a part is not there for a car..or something goes wrong..if the cars just continue down the line or what?? Could a VIN be out of sequence because of something like that.

He works on the trim line of the Saturn solstice..he said rather often the cars continue down the line with a missing part and then they play catch up, BUT...he said at any given moment there are up to 20 cars pulled off the line in his department alone ..and for up to a few months...beause of a defect or lack of a part...he went on to say how the car has a paper sheet attached and they can tell if it is a dealer order, a customer order, an import, or a fleet order...and if it is a dealer order, they will ship the car without a certain option, but if it is a customer order, it could sit and wait for up to 2 months waiting for a part.."getting all dusty in the corner". He said cars "get lost" in there...

He also talked about at times if there is a bad defect like a bad throw-out bearing, someone will park(hide) the car way out in the lot so it gets lost for a while before they have to repair it. He said it depends how bad the defect is on how quick they want to repair it and put the car back on the line.

I mentioned that there is supposed to be a guy that makes sure all the parts are there before they begin the cars...my brother said "yeh right...there IS a guy alright!!! hahaha"...

He also said that he would assume it was worse back then in 1967 because now everything is computerized and bar coded..don't know??

Anyway...but thats whats happening now at GM assembly lines!!!

BTW The possibly "last ordered" 67 Z-28 is being relisted tonight!! hehehe



thanks again SYC Max

[budnate]

interesting Max...call your bro and ask this specific question "what happens if they yank a car going down the line...does it not mess up other parts arriving for it like Kurt said.. fenders,hoods,a certain color, and special options".

[PeteLeathersac]

Interesting stuff but don't most of today's lines operate w/ individual AGV units carrying each car that can be pulled aside without stopping the rest of the line and if that unit is pulled, parts scheduled for it get sidetracked somewhere too?.
This completely unlike the old days where there was no way to pull a car off the line as the whole line would have to have been stopped so they'd tag cars w/ problems and let them continue along for repairs later?.

~ Pete

[iluv69s]

Well guys..got the car re-listed..still don't know what happened other than ebay made me change my password...anyway..here is the new link....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayIS...E:IT&ih=017

I also called my brother to ask a few more questions about the assembly lines, but it seems he is on second shift now...I will try again tomorrow earlier!!

Also I remember my brother talking about stamping the VINs wrong on the motors and trans...he said normally they would have the trans or motor taken to a machinist and the machinist would machine the surface there and he would re-(stamp) the VIN..but he said there are times when the car got too many parts already attached to pull the trans or motor..and there is no room to apply new VINs with the motor and trans in the car..I said.."and so???"

My brother said..."O well"

...he did go on to clarify that..." he " never let this occur...hehehe

he said it did not happen much though..Thank God..but apparently there are old Chevys with original motors that have the VIN stamp on the block one digit off...

.....and there apparently still are!!

..just some insight to what happens these days at GM !!

Thanks again!! Max

[Zedder]

Max, Does the car has the correct sub-frame and steering box? Thanks and good luck!

[Kurt S]

Nope, most assembly lines are not AGV's, they are hangers like in the picture above.

And some plants have now worked out systems so they can pull cars off the line (and then all the subassemblies). Conceptually, a good way to be inefficient.

[iluv69s]

Hey Mark...

I assume they are correct...are the subframes numbered or dated?? I know the 70 subframes are dated...but the early ones?? I know there is something about the large hole in front?? I will check the steering box and any numbers...are they special?? close-ratio or something?? I'm not such the expert on these things as you...maybe you can guide me on what to look for?? I'll be glad to check anything you'd like Thanks,

and good luck also, Max

p.s....you could eliminate all the suspense by hitting the buy-it-now!!! hehehe