Corvette Restorer Back Cover

[Michael D.]

The photograph on the back cover of Corvette Restorer shows a frame being painted at St. Louis. I am curious as to why the frame was in the paint shop.

[John D.]

Re: Corvette Restorer Back Cover

Michael, The frames came in by the train load and sat outside. Often they became very rusty and had to be painted again before going down the line. JD

[Michael H.]

Re: Corvette Restorer Back Cover

Michael, The frames came in by the train load and sat outside. Often they became very rusty and had to be painted again before going down the line. JD

Michael,

The chassis in that picture is one of the 25 pilot 63 cars. That picture was taken in the BODY paint booth at the St Louis plant weeks before the 63's were actually in production. The actual coating process/processes were different in regular production.

The actual "final blackout" process during regular production occured at the end of the chassis line, just before body drop.

[Michael D.]

Re: Corvette Restorer Back Cover

...The chassis in that picture is one of the 25 pilot 63 cars. That picture was taken in the BODY paint booth at the St Louis plant weeks before the 63's were actually in production....

That explains it. Thank you.

[Tom P.]

Re: Corvette Restorer Back Cover

Just curious, why would the pilot chassis be painted in the body paint booth rather than on the chassis line? Of course, I would guess that the pilot chassis probably got a more thorough coat of paint all over, but could this not be achieved on the chassis line?
The wife and I went on the plant tour the last year for St. Louis (81), and it was quite interesting. I suspect that the processes were not much different than when the 1954 cars went through, because it seemed somewhat antiquated.

[Michael H.]

Re: Corvette Restorer Back Cover

Just curious, why would the pilot chassis be painted in the body paint booth rather than on the chassis line? Of course, I would guess that the pilot chassis probably got a more thorough coat of paint all over, but could this not be achieved on the chassis line?
The wife and I went on the plant tour the last year for St. Louis (81), and it was quite interesting. I suspect that the processes were not much different than when the 1954 cars went through, because it seemed somewhat antiquated.

That pic was taken after hours, when the regular line was not moving. The rest of the line was filled with 62's. The only area of the line that was not "locked in sequence" (physically) was the area at the paint booths.
At the time the pic was taken, the rest of the "locked in" part of the line would have 62 bodies or chassis.

The pilot chassis had to be painted in some closed in area to prevent over spray of chassis black (goo) from going everywhere. Because the chassis line is "locked in", it wasn't possible to have an opening in the chassis line in the area where final blackout was done normally.

This way, the regular production line was not disturbed.

[Steven S.]

Re: Corvette Restorer Back Cover

The photograph on the back cover of Corvette Restorer shows a frame being painted at St. Louis. I am curious as to why the frame was in the paint shop.

I wanted to ask the same thing! You beat me to it.

[Michael D.]

Re: Corvette Restorer Back Cover

...I wanted to ask the same thing! You beat me to it...

You can have the next none.

[John S.]

Re: Corvette Restorer Back Cover

Michael H.
I saw the picture also and the first thing that came to mind was all the suspension and rear end parts hanging there. Does this mean that the first 25 car frames were painted like this? Does anyone have one of these first 25 still untouched. Just curious.
John

[Alan D.]

Re: Corvette Restorer Back Cover

Here is part of a Sept 1964 Motor Trend photo showing that the blackout process of the rear diff suspension continued into 64 production. My Mar64 car was done like that. However a BIG word of caution - if you are going to have car judged expect to get some hits! (Picture is from another member)

[Joel A.]

Re: Corvette Restorer Back Cover

I wondered why they were painting the chassis with the fuel tank on it. The pilot line explanation certainly helps...