mid year build sheets

[Mark F.]

Re: mid year build sheets

This pic is of a build manifest with 30 torn corners. That is to say, there were more than 30 copies of the build manifest that were torn (removed) as the car proceeded down the line. Photo courtesy of Frank Tetro

Mark,

Interesting...and Cool picture !

I suppose it's possible whomever the signoff guy was had a stack of them for x number of cars coming down the line and stapled them all together ?

Did Frank say if this was from the gas tank (tank sticker) ?
or did he find it somewhere else in the car ?

the torn upper left corner is quite common on many '67 tank stickers I've seen - including mine.
Tank Sticker Date Format '67.jpg

[Keith B.]

Re: mid year build sheets

JMHO>All the above statement means they could not find anything "ON THE GM PREMISES". The "Mother
Load" or part of it could have been taken(smuggled)out of the GM premises by someone who knew how to do this. It could still
be sitting in the basement or garage of this person or transferred to someone elses. I'll stick with what Alan
Colvin told me years ago that through all the reasearch that he did; he claimed "they do still exist" (somewhere/someplace)

weather they exist or not is not what I am asking. Nor do I care any more. I was just asking how many for each car was printed off

[Gary C.]

Re: mid year build sheets

Mark,

Read some web articles many moons ago from other GM assembly plants. The assembly line workers when they finished their task would stuff the build sheets under the seats, behind the dash and various other locations because it was quicker than throwing them in the trash at the work stations.

Gary
....

[Owen L.]

Re: mid year build sheets

...the torn upper left corner is quite common on many '67 tank stickers I've seen - including mine.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]118289[/ATTACH]

Ditto:
1967 Tank Sheet.jpg

[Mark F.]

Re: mid year build sheets

Ditto:

Very cool Owen,

My BBD is K28 - what's yours if you don't mind me asking ?

so we know there are at least 2 Elkhart/Teal BBs out there, eh ?

[Duke W.]

Re: mid year build sheets

It's been my understanding there was seven "build sheets" printed before the car was built and all was used in various stages of production, and one went to the dealer. if that is true what reason did the dealer need a copy? And at one point was the window sticker printed and attached to the window.

Don't confuse "production order" with "build sheet". The image in post #16 is the "new" for 1967 Corvette exclusive production order, titled "Corvette Order Copy." Prior to this it was called, IIRC "Regular Production and Truck" because the Corvette side of the St. Louis plant used the same production order blank as the truck side. This was explained to me by John Hinckley.

The production order data was input for the computer generated "build sheet" because various options required different parts/assemblies than the base (no option) configuration, and the various parts and assemblies were differentiated by "production codes", typically two letters.

For example, front knuckle and rear trailing arm assemblies contained all brake parts and were ready to bolt up to the ball joint studs and frame, so J-65/Z-06/J-56 knuckle and trailing arm assemblies had different production codes than base assemblies. The proper parts/assemblies for base or optional equipment were called out by different codes on the build sheet and similarly for other options that required different parts/assemblies from the base configuration.

Production orders consisted of five copies. The fifth copy, on heavy Manila paper, was the "Dealer Copy", but it was rare for retail customers to be provided with this document, which is unfortunate because an authentic Dealer Copy of the Production order is essentially the car's "birth certificate" and provides indisputable evidence of its original St. Louis plant build configuration.

I call it the "Holy Grail".

I don't know how many build sheet copies were produced, and it probably varied over the years depending on how the plant was configured and likely increased as the years progress. For example, sub-assembly lines such as engine dress and interior would each require build sheets to call out the engine assembly, interior upholstery and color, and likewise for the tire wheel assembly line to install the ordered wheels and tires for each job.

Duke

[Tom R.]

Re: mid year build sheets

Duke...excellent summary for "build records" prior to 1973. we should not suggest that early Corvette build documents were the same for all later C3 years...which happens all too often. Your brief reflects that known prior to the GMAD takeover of the Chevrolet Division assembly plants that began in 1965 with the Chevelle and ended with St Louis in 1972. GM wanted to "synchronize" or consolidate assembly plants so that process relatively similar from one assembly plant to another. With a few details, your narrative remains relatively the same into the late 1970s for Corvette production. The major change was that the Corvette Order Copy was replaced by the GMAD manifest as the "tank sticker," build sheet or whatever enthusiasts wish to call it. In 1973 and through 82m, manifests were printed by the teletype typewriter in multi-copy paper with 7 (seven) copies printed...they were numbered. I have yet to collect enough to speculate whether copy #1 or #7 was retained in the office other numbers, retrieved from low-mileage vehicles show #2, #3, etc. Have yet to see a six. But this is late model C3...a departure from the OP but yet the topic requires "context."

Don't confuse "production order" with "build sheet". The image in post #16 is the "new" for 1967 Corvette exclusive production order, titled "Corvette Order Copy." Prior to this it was called, IIRC "Regular Production and Truck" because the Corvette side of the St. Louis plant used the same production order blank as the truck side. This was explained to me by John Hinckley.

The production order data was input for the computer generated "build sheet" because various options required different parts/assemblies than the base (no option) configuration, and the various parts and assemblies were differentiated by "production codes", typically two letters.

For example, front knuckle and rear trailing arm assemblies contained all brake parts and were ready to bolt up to the ball joint studs, so J-65/Z-06/J-56 knuckle and trailing arm assemblies had different production codes than base assemblies. The proper parts/assemblies for base or optional equipment were called out by different codes on the build sheet and similarly for other options that required different parts/assemblies from the base configuration.

Production orders consisted of five copies. The fifth copy, on heavy Manila paper, was the "Dealer Copy", but it was rare for retail customers to be provided with this document, which is unfortunate because an authentic Dealer Copy of the Production order is essentially the car's "birth certificate" and provides indisputable evidence of its original St. Louis plant build configuration.

I call it the "Holy Grail".

I don't know how many build sheet copies were produced, and it probably varied over the years depending on how the plant was configured and likely increased as the years progress. For example, sub-assembly lines such as engine dress and interior would each require build sheets depending on engine choice and interior color choices, and likewise for the tire wheel assembly line to install the ordered wheels and tires for each job.

Duke

[Tim G.]

Re: mid year build sheets

I believe the document with all the corner pieces was found in the dash area of the car. The car had a tank sticker on the gas tank, also.

[Mark F.]

Re: mid year build sheets

Mark, Read some web articles many moons ago from other GM assembly plants. The assembly line workers when they finished their task would stuff the build sheets under the seats, behind the dash and various other locations because it was quicker than throwing them in the trash at the work stations. Gary ....

Gary,

Yep...having spent many hours in assembly plants, I know the feet and back get very tired after a minimum of an 8-hr. shift.

Economy of movement is important to anybody working like that (don't walk all the way over to the trash can).

Today's ergonomically designed assembly lines are light years ahead of the ones I saw...and it builds a better product IMO.

[Edward C.]

Re: mid year build sheets

I understand we are discussing Mid Years but I think this might apply even though I will show some pics of 68 paperwork and why there may be something to the affect of 30 or more sheets of paperwork and maybe that’s how the number was arrived at. I am ONLY speculating as there is very little evidence beyond word of mouth. I have some mid year paper but it’s mostly C3 but some of this might apply?

There seem to be maybe 7 or so Corvette Order/Build Sheet/Tank sheet that we keep hearing about. I have some of the sheets that have the “7” that look similar to the tank sticker on cars that got them. Before 67 I know they didn’t put them on the tank but I think they existed or am I wrong. I can upload a pic of the 7 sheet if needed. I do not know if they were in the same stack as the actual Tank sticker/Corvette order copy but there are at least 7 copies of that form. Correct? The typed positions line up so I’m guessing they did but is the “tank sheet” part of the seven or in addition? It is labeled “copy” as where the #7 sheet is not.

We know there are Window Stickers and the Car Shipper which is the same printed form. That’s a different stack of papers I would think.

Then there are what I call the “GM Invoice to the dealer”. I don’t know what you guys call it but I have copies of these and they have at least 4 copies in that stack, maybe more but I have not seen anything beyond that. I have uploaded a pic of that below. We’re these used for mid years as well? I thought they were but I don’t have any from before 68.

There was also what I call the Dealer Order form and there were at least 4 copies of that. That’s the form that has the check boxes you order from and assigns the Order Number for the vehicle. I have plenty of those as well if someone wants to see one but again for 68 and up. That’s NOT the Retail Order form the customer fills out when buying a car. It’s what the Dealer fills out to order the car from GM.

You start adding it up and you get closer to 30. I can’t say I know what other production sheets they used but so far that’s lots of paper.
38178B7B-053A-4FDB-B387-7835E92F7F19.jpg

[Keith B.]

Re: mid year build sheets

thanks Duke and others

[Owen L.]

Re: mid year build sheets

Very cool Owen,

My BBD is K28 - what's yours if you don't mind me asking ?

so we know there are at least 2 Elkhart/Teal BBs out there, eh ?

My body's build is J10.
IMG_0186.jpg

When I first skimmed your build sheet, I thought it was mine, pulled from some previous post I made! The similar 11th day of the month order, coupe, and colors -- then I realized the month was off but it really threw me for a few seconds.

My car is pretty basic with no options other than 4 spd, white walls, tinted windshield, and AM/FM. I've owned it since Dec. '79.

[Mark F.]

Re: mid year build sheets

My body's build is J10. When I first skimmed your build sheet, I thought it was mine, pulled from some previous post I made! The similar 11th day of the month order, coupe, and colors -- then I realized the month was off but it really threw me for a few seconds. My car is pretty basic with no options other than 4 spd, white walls, tinted windshield, and AM/FM. I've owned it since Dec. '79.

Owen,

Yeah, I know - I did a double take on yours, too...
Except for my K28 BBD and BSN S6491 my trim plate (tag) is the same as yours.

My options are shown below...they must have run out of red stripe tires near the end of the year ?

I've owned mine since September 1998.
Tank Sticker - Option codes only.jpg

[Ralph S.]

Re: mid year build sheets

When the cars were shipped on a rail car there was a large manila envelope with copies of the build sheets in it. they were stapled together at the top left corner. It was in one of the cars on the passenger seat or floor. I worked at Framingham Mass, Rail yard unloading the rail cars 1972- 1979

[Jack M.]

Re: mid year build sheets

John Hinckley once penned this info, via an old CF thread:

The "run sheet" was a stapled-together 20-25-page document for each 500-unit schedule, furnished for each subassembly station in the Body Shop, and several more were furnished to the Paint Shop. The working copies used on the plant floor were trashed after the 500th unit in each schedule was built, and none were attached to cars. Photo below shows a typical rubber-stamped number at the top of the "Corvette Order" copy; this one is the 277th unit in Schedule #53.

1967 Order Copy 7 (JohnZ).jpg