Coupling & Steering Flange Assembly

[Jim S.]

Mostly success!!!! I have the historical drawings of the Saginaw Coupling & Strg Flange Assemblies. Now the problem is trying to decipher the dates and revisions the occurred through the years.

Unfortunately, the oldest drawing (5699250) was redrawn in 1975 so we lost the revision history. We know what it looks like but the hardware may have been "modernized" and I can't tell exactly what it looked like when the drawing was created on 8-31-65.

The other drawings have a pretty good history with revision levels called straight out.

Possibly someone can give me some assistance as to what is the best method of distributing the above information. It might make a good article in The Corvette Restorer.

Jim Shea

[Terry M.]

Re: Coupling & Steering Flange Assembly

Jim,
I recommend sending it to Vinnie for a possible Restorer article. That way it goes to all 15K members, rather than just the 1500 or so who are registered here.

Restorer Editor
Vinnie Peters
32 Bridge Ave
Patchogue, NY 11772-2702
Email: restorereditor@ncrs.org

In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you I was the Restorer Editor from 1999 to 2004 or so. Thus I am not without bias on where to publish such information.

[Joe L.]

Re: Coupling & Steering Flange Assembly

Mostly success!!!! I have the historical drawings of the Saginaw Coupling & Strg Flange Assemblies. Now the problem is trying to decipher the dates and revisions the occurred through the years.

Unfortunately, the oldest drawing (5699250) was redrawn in 1975 so we lost the revision history. We know what it looks like but the hardware may have been "modernized" and I can't tell exactly what it looked like when the drawing was created on 8-31-65.

The other drawings have a pretty good history with revision levels called straight out.

Possibly someone can give me some assistance as to what is the best method of distributing the above information. It might make a good article in The Corvette Restorer.

Jim Shea

Jim-----


I sure hope this information can be distributed via a Restorer article or, if not, some other way. I would love to see it

[Jim S.]

Re: Coupling & Steering Flange Assembly

I did find the revision history of the 5699250 Coupling and Flange Assembly. Here is the history:

The short rivet (0.63 head length x 0.38 diameter) was on the assembly when it was released for production on 11-24-65. So the ..9250 assembly started 1967 production with the short rivet.

The rubber rivet cap was added to the drawing two months later on 1-24-66. The actual rivet cap detail drawing was released for production between 1-10-66 and 3-66. So the rivet cap most likely was a 1967 start of production part on the short rivet.

The rubber rivet cap was removed from the drawing one year and two months later on 3-21-67. So the rivet cap could have been removed by 1968 S.O.P or it could have been a running change during 1967 production.

The short rivet was replaced by the longer rivet (0.83 head length x 0.38 dia) on 8-24-67. This might have been a last minute, start of production change for 1968 or it was a running change during 1968 production.

Unfortunately, the drawing change dates do not mean actual production dates. In fact, in many cases a drawing might be released for production one year (or more) before actual production in order to procure necessary tooling. Then again, last minute important changes utilizing parts that were already in production could be implemented literally at the same time as the actual drawing was changed. In many cases the actual part number of the assembly was changed. With a part number change the assembly plant would keep track of the vehicle V.I.N. and date of the change to the new part number. On assemblies like the 5699250 where component parts were updated to keep up with latest production and design philosophy (with no part number change), no such history exists.

The next thing would be to try and relate these drawing dates to actual parts on vehicles.
Jim

[Terry M.]

Re: Coupling & Steering Flange Assembly

Jim with that information, and some photos and/or drawings you would get the maximum owner feedback (and some folks might look at show/auction cars too) from a story in The Restorer. Vinnie Peters, The Restorer Editor is on a well deserved vacation and I think he comes back for the Convention in Charlotte, so give him some time for a response,