63 Hardtop...Again

[Paul Reynolds]

Re: 63 Hardtop...Again

Reposted by request....

1963 Hardtop data:

Window date 5/63
No window support brackets (upper or lower)
No notch
The top is not original to my car, but I believe to be an original 63 top, so I can't help with the VIN #'s.

Hope this helps
Paul

[Michael H.]

Info Needed.....

Thanks Paul. Your info will be added to the list. The list and info will eventually be forwarded to NCRS for review.

In addition, anyone that has info, and ESPECIALLY pictures, of the hardtop items in this discussion, you can send it directly to me instead of posting on the discussion board. The exact VIN number is not necessary, just something close, or a week of build. Info needed is....

Week or month of buid.....

Rear window date...

Presence of notch....

Presence or lack of window braces....

Thanks,

Michael corvetteresearch@yahoo.com

[Mike McKown]

I appreciate your input, Loren.

However, I find your response a little on the cryptic side. Do you have other information? Or, do you enjoy leaving things hanging?

[Tracy C.]

What / Where is the window bracing you speak of? *NM*

[Michael H.]

Re: What / Where is the window bracing you speak o

Tracy,

The braces, or tabs, would be at the top and bottom center of plexi window. It's that little triangular shaped piece of thin stainless that's attached to the window itself, with round head fasteners, and tucks under the mldg.

I believe first one was added, then a second, but I don't remember which was first, top or bottom.

[Michael H.]

Re: I appreciate your input, Loren.

Mike,

I think what Mike was trying to say was, if you have a 63 car in the 14,000 VIN range, the later style top that you have now is correct for the car. I agree. I'm pretty sure the notch style top was replaced with the no notch style months before your car was assembled.

Michael

[Chuck G.]

Re: I appreciate your input, Loren.

I have a 63 hardtop, NOT original to my car. It has the notches. It has no supports on the rear window, top or bottom.

The original rear plexiglass is dated Feb. 63.

I'd post a picture, but it's too much of a hassle on this BB. Chuck

[Chuck G.]

Here's a pic. Why Can't We Host Pix Here? *NM*

[Mike McKown]

You could be right.

Note the date of the glass on Chuck's hardtop. Several months before my car was built. No reinforcements on the glass. Would you say this is a "first design" top? "Second design", one reinforcement? "Third design" two reinforcements, and "Fourth design" no notch for the door?

If the hardtop supplier and St. Louis didn't rotate stock in a timely manner, I'd think most of the '63 model run could have used the notched top. Mike, in the GM system when a production part is changed in assembly plants do they have such a thing as "exhaust all old level part first" and then go to new level without any tracking paperwork? Is there a mandatory date or serial number changeover that would be followed by a paper trail?

[Paul Reynolds]

Re: You could be right.

Based on the date and condition of my unrestored 5/63 top, I would venture that the notch went away before the window supports were added. There seem to be so many changes in 63, it's hard to keep track of what happened and when.

[Harry Sadlock]

Re: You could be right.

Mike, there is also the NO notch NO reinforcement version.

I still invite everyone to comment.....

Michael and I will continue to collect data and present our findings in about a month.

Harry
38513

[John H.]

Re: You could be right.

All production changes were initiated on the plant floor by an NPC (Notice of Production Change) issued by Central Office Production Planning, which detailed the exact nature of the change, part numbers affected/cancelled/released, and disposition of existing stock. It was EXTREMELY unusual to "scrap existing stock" unless the change was safety-related; 99% of running changes were implemented on an "exhaust existing stock" basis, unless it was a coordinated change that affected other parts as well, in which case stock was exhausted until the first coordinated part ran out, then any leftover replaced parts were scrapped. The plant recorded the serial number of the first vehicle built with the new NPC part(s), and reported it back to Central Office and Engineering for their files.

[Mike McKown]

Re: You could be right.

John:

To clarify. I would have guessed the co-ordinated changes would have been recorded by the plant and documented in engineering files, but what about the simple exhaust material changes? Were they also documented?

Shouldn't the AIMS reflect part number changes for different engineering level parts?

[John H.]

Re: You could be right.

Mike -

In a GM plant, any time a part number changed, the NPC process was used, and it was also used in most instances where there was an Engineering change level (revision) added to the part drawing (without changing the part number) if the change was visible or functional in nature.

The A.I.M. didn't identify level-change parts unless either the assembly procedure or the illustration was affected; revision-wise, the A.I.M. only dealt with part number changes. The A.I.M. (which carried its own part number) was just an assembly aid generated for Manufacturing, not an Engineering release document; the "official" source of current Engineering information was the Engineering Bill of Material (EBOM), supported by the Engineering Release Notices that created it, which were generated from the approved original ECR (Engineering Change Recommendation).

[Art A.]

Re: 63 Hardtop...Again

Michael, I don't have a 63, so I can't help with the research from that stand point, but I do have the 1963 NPC's that John has made reference to. I'm not up to speed on the subject in question, if fact I don't even know which notch you guys are talking about.
One of the NPC sheets, there are about 15 total NPC sheets on the CO7 HT RPO, does indicate that the plant was authorized to cut 1.50" out of the bottom section of the weatherstrip until the such time as this change is made and enters production. Is this the "notch you are referring to?

Art