Assembly Line Question

[Michael M.]

When the cars were coming down the assembly line how did the workers know what carburetor to put on each car. Did they have to look on the build sheet?

[Leif A.]

When the cars were coming down the assembly line how did the workers know what carburetor to put on each car. Did they have to look on the build sheet?

Didn't the engines come from Flint with the carburetor already installed?

[Michael M.]

If they did come with the carburetor already installed how did the workers at Flint know what carburetor to install.

[Terry M.]

Carburetors were installed at St Louis.

Parts showing part numbers in the Assembly Instruction Manual (AIM) were installed at St Louis.

As to how the workers knew what carburetors to install -- my guess is that this is where the build sheet(s) (and not necessarily the one attached to the tank) came in.

[Mark F.]

As Terry says - and also, per John Hinckley's C2 Assembly Process Presentation (available in the Database of Restoration Documents [DoRD] Sticky Post), here's what he says:

…Car data was sent electronically to teletype printers throughout the plant, creating the Broadcast Copy the car was built from…

About the 10^th station on the Engine Dress Line, he says:
Install gaskets and carburetor, pump-to-carb fuel line, elbows, fittings and fuel filter, and choke hot air tube or remote thermostat and choke rod. The large single air cleaners weren't installed until after body drop on the Final Line so they didn't block access for assembly of other parts.

[Steven B.]

As for 1957 my engine had EH in what appeared to be white paint on the side of the block. EH describes the carbs, distributor, etc. for the engine. I "assume" this was painted on in Flint, correct?
I should have noted the EH was painted after the engine color and on top of it by brush, not stencil.
Thanks!
Steve

[Michael J.]

As for 1957 my engine had EH in what appeared to be white paint on the side of the block. EH describes the carbs, distributor, etc. for the engine. I "assume" this was painted on in Flint, correct?
I should have noted the EH was painted after the engine color and on top of it by brush, not stencil.
Thanks!
Steve

Yes, my original '64 fuelie, when we restored it, had those marks (RF) driverssidehead.jpg on the back of the heads too......

[Tom R.]

When the cars were coming down the assembly line how did the workers know what carburetor to put on each car. Did they have to look on the build sheet?

Do not believe for a moment that St Louis assembly was a static process but evolved from generation to generation, and then within each generation. The build sheet, as you probably are familiar was not used but rather a "Low-Run Sheet" was used that stratified those 100 builds for the day by model, paint-scheme RPO, chassis RPO, etc. It allowed departments to see how many, say FE7s (late-model C3s) for the Day, or F41s (early C3_C2). Or group paint schemes...reds, blues etc. Early years (C2), painters changed guns as each body came down and noted its color. By the mid-1970s, "process engineering" took hold and assembly process was further stream-lined. The build sheet was a "reference" document. Quick look if needed...probably by newbies! Below is a run sheet from 1976...a very nice document that remains a primary tool in the Bowling Green plant.

I should add that the bookstore has copies of the Corvette Buildsheet Book: A Study Guide for 1973-872 Build Records that also reports on build records prior to 1973. It was in 1972 when the Corvette Assembly plant came under the management of GM Division. Prior to that it operated under the Chevrolet Motor Division...more minutia!

low-run sheet_1976.jpg

[Terry M.]

Do not believe for a moment that St Louis assembly was a static process but evolved from generation to generation, and then within each generation. The build sheet, as you probably are familiar was not used but rather a "Low-Run Sheet" was used that stratified those 100 builds for the day by model, paint-scheme RPO, chassis RPO, etc. It allowed departments to see how many, say FE7s (late-model C3s) for the Day, or F41s (early C3_C2). Or group paint schemes...reds, blues etc. Early years (C2), painters changed guns as each body came down and noted its color. By the mid-1970s, "process engineering" took hold and assembly process was further stream-lined. The build sheet was a "reference" document. Quick look if needed...probably by newbies! Below is a run sheet from 1976...a very nice document that remains a primary tool in the Bowling Green plant.

I should add that the bookstore has copies of the Corvette Buildsheet Book: A Study Guide for 1973-872 Build Records that also reports on build records prior to 1973. It was in 1972 when the Corvette Assembly plant came under the management of GM Division. Prior to that it operated under the Chevrolet Motor Division...more minutia!

low-run sheet_1976.jpg

Tom
As you know, because I sent you a copy, in 2008 (C6) the paper low run sheets were still in use at Bowling Green. In mid-May 2023 I was able to tour Bowling Green Assembly and I noted paper low run sheets are no longer in use. The daily run information is on electronic screens at each work station. Paper "build sheets" were attached to each vehicle but as you point out -- they are reference documents and seemed to only be used by those people who were kind enough to try to point out specific cars as they were being assembled -- most notably my car.

Build sheets for current production can be reproduced electronically by the Corvette Museum (Or at least they could in 2023. In 2025 this documentation is no longer handled by the Library & Archives at the NCM and I am not sure what the status is now that it is handled as a for-profit center.), but these are not the piece of paper that was actually attached to the car on the assembly line. As you have noted, the assembly process is dynamic and continues to be so. I expect today's assembly process is different than that in 2023, just as it would have been between 1963 and 1965, or 1973 and 1975 or any other years one choses.

The Assembly Instruction Manuals (AIMs) give us a hint of the changes to the assembly process as they evolved through the model year(s) but as those documents became electronic based in the C4 generation our access to them became more problematic. If there are assembly process documents in the more recent generations of Corvettes they are likely electronic. And that will be (or is) the end of access to those of us interested in restoration.

[Tom R.]

The Assembly Instruction Manuals (AIMs) give us a hint of the changes to the assembly process as they evolved through the model year(s) but as those documents became electronic based in the C4 generation our access to them became more problematic. If there are assembly process documents in the more recent generations of Corvettes they are likely electronic. And that will be (or is) the end of access to those of us interested in restoration.

Great point! Thanks for bringing us up to speed...to the third decade of the 21st century!