Last day of model year 1972 production?

[Mike E.]

Does anyone know the exact last day of 1972 model year production? I know it was mid-July, and the last car was 27004, but wondering what day that car was built? Thanks for your help.

[Tom D.]

Mike, is that not in the TIM&JG?

AI says (result of my on line search) Oct 31.

[Mike E.]

Mike, is that not in the TIM&JG?

AI says (result of my on line search) Oct 31.

AI is not your friend for that one! I don’t think that is in the JG. We have last car built in each month, but since production ended mid-July, I am looking to see if anyone knows what specific date in July it ended.

[Harry S.]

July 21, 1972. That's all I can find

[Jack M.]

Although the C3 Birthday Calendar lists July 21, 1972 (confirming what Harry noted)... viewing the last 1972 Trim Tag in their database (VIN #1Z67K2S526960) shows a date of L24:
1Z67K2S526960.jpg

[Terry M.]

1972 #26,966 has a trim tag date of July 24 (L24)

July 24, 1972 was a Monday.

Now I'll throw some stuff in the game. While the Trim Tag shows L24 that doesn't mean that was the last day of production. In the early C3 years the trim tag went on the body before the end of the assembly line. It was after paint, but before the body was installed on the frame. I'll leave others to try to identify exactly how far before the end.

The other fly in the ointment is: if the Assembly Plant management wanted the "books" to show that production ended on July 24 -- it would, even if production ran for another day or two or more.

In judging C3s we use the date on the trim tag to reference all the other dates on the car. Except where there were work stoppages -- to my knowledge that has been effective without issues. That would lead me to think that if 1972 production ran beyond July 24, it wasn't much beyond.

Does that help, Mike?

[Jack M.]

While the Trim Tag shows L24 that doesn't mean that was the last day of production... That would lead me to think that if 1972 production ran beyond July 24, it wasn't much beyond.

Well said... exactly what I was alluding to.

[Mark F.]

1972 #26,966 has a trim tag date of July 24 (L24) July 24, 1972 was a Monday. Now I'll throw some stuff in the game. While the Trim Tag shows L24 that doesn't mean that was the last day of production. In the early C3 years the trim tag went on the body before the end of the assembly line. It was after paint, but before the body was installed on the frame. I'll leave others to try to identify exactly how far before the end.

The other fly in the ointment is: if the Assembly Plant management wanted the "books" to show that production ended on July 24 -- it would, even if production ran for another day or two or more.

In judging C3s we use the date on the trim tag to reference all the other dates on the car. Except where there were work stoppages -- to my knowledge that has been effective without issues. That would lead me to think that if 1972 production ran beyond July 24, it wasn't much beyond. Does that help, Mike?

Per John Hinckley's C2 Assembly Process Presentation (available in the Database of Restoration Documents [DoRD] Sticky Post), there were roughly 160 St. Louis assembly stations (or steps) beyond the VIN and Trim Plate attachment station, which was the first station on the Hard Trim Line – right after it came off the last Paint Shop station.

My car is an example of a St. Louis C2 that the Body Build Date on the Trim Plate and the shipped date (per NCRS Historic Document Service) were the same day (K28 - June 28, 1967).

So, in my case, I’m guessing my VIN and Trim Plates were attached earlier, rather than later in the shift. But, as Terry says, if a car hit that VIN/Trim Plate attachment station late in the shift, it could sit overnight somewhere in between those 160 stations to the end of the line after the line was shut down and not roll off (ship) until the next day.

And if there was a non-working weekend, I suppose the BBD date (if it was attached late in the shift on a Friday) could be 3 days earlier than the ship date when it got finished on the following Monday. The Document Service would be able to verify if that ever happened (I have to believe it did quite a few times, but that’s speculation on my part).

[Terry M.]

Well said... exactly what I was alluding to.

Jack
In my post I should have credited your earlier post. All I did was move the needle a small amount -- and I took a lot more words to do it. That's my Irish heritage. I can't help it.

Stay well my friend.

[Terry M.]

Per John Hinckley's C2 Assembly Process Presentation (available in the Database of Restoration Documents [DoRD] Sticky Post), there were roughly 160 St. Louis assembly stations (or steps) beyond the VIN and Trim Plate attachment station, which was the first station on the Hard Trim Line – right after it came off the last Paint Shop station.

My car is an example of a St. Louis C2 that the Body Build Date on the Trim Plate and the shipped date (per NCRS Historic Document Service) were the same day (K28 - June 28, 1967).

So, in my case, I’m guessing my VIN and Trim Plates were attached earlier, rather than later in the shift. But, as Terry says, if a car hit that VIN/Trim Plate attachment station late in the shift, it could sit overnight somewhere in between those 160 stations to the end of the line after the line was shut down and not roll off (ship) until the next day.

And if there was a non-working weekend, I suppose the BBD date (if it was attached late in the shift on a Friday) could be 3 days earlier than the ship date when it got finished on the following Monday. The Document Service would be able to verify if that ever happened (I have to believe it did quite a few times, but that’s speculation on my part).

Mark,
Thank you. I had hopes you would chime in, but I didn't want to force you. I love your production details. They offer us a perspective that is the next best thing to being there.

[Jack M.]

Jack
In my post I should have credited your earlier post. All I did was move the needle a small amount -- and I took a lot more words to do it. That's my Irish heritage. I can't help it.

Stay well my friend.

No problem, Terry. Sometimes I have verbal diarrhea... other times, I let pictures speak for me.
In the end, we're ALL just attempting to help Rev Mike.

[Mark F.]

Mark, Thank you. I had hopes you would chime in, but I didn't want to force you. I love your production details. They offer us a perspective that is the next best thing to being there.

thanks much, Terry...appreciate your kind words...