94-96 Factory Inspection Markings.

[Ed N.]

Re: 94-96 Factory Inspection Markings.

Charlie, I found inspection marking on my Bosh relays.

[Terry M.]

Re: 94-96 Factory Inspection Markings.

A thought regarding tire/wheel sequence numbers. First keep in mind what the sequence number is. It is to match components to the vehicle or sub-assembly they are intended to go on at the exact time, and in the order, they are needed. I don't know if the seq #'s are consecutive, but even if they are not, a regular convertible is going to need different wheel/tires than the ZR-1 behind it.

Is / was there an in-plant wheel and tire assembly and balance area? I have no idea. But I'm guessing that by 95 (Terry R found seq #'s on his pace car) there was not, and that wheel /tire assemblies were mounted, balanced, etc by an outside contractor/supplier and loaded into a truck in sequence. The assemblies came out of the truck and onto the line, and installed in sequence. Hence the seq numbers. Remember that most 90's C4s have a different wheel/tire assembly on each corner. That's a LOT of combinations to keep track of. Let a supplier figure it out, not the plant. Cheaper to sub it out.

This is not an original thought. I know that Mustang wheel/tires are sequenced from an outside supplier. Tire mounting and balancing is a critical item for customer satisfaction. Unless the operation can be fully automated, there's always the possibility of an disgruntled UAW worker taking it out on the product, or just not caring. Look at paint. Until the current process began, paint was a constant quality issue. I suspect wheels/tires are the same.

I can not tell you about the 1990s. I wish I could remember more even though both of us said "We have to remember this for the day NCRS judges these cars." Saddly my partner passed soon after he got his 1990 ZR1. But in 2008 an outside contractor was used for mounting and balancing and the shipment was as you describe Dave. The vehicles are in consecutive sequence number on the line, and broadcast sheets show the sequence number prominently. Parts are continually checked against the sequence number to be sure the proper parts are installed on the line. Sometimes that sequence number is visually verafied and sometimes it is by a scanner reading a bar code. I can't imagine the 1990 production was much different, but beware of assUmptions..

[Ken R.]

Re: 94-96 Factory Inspection Markings.

AS I try to remember correctly; the wheels and tires came in on the very west end of the plant in sequence. A plant employee then mounted the tires on wheels and balanced them. They then went into the sequencing for car production. We followed our 95 being built for 3 days in Dec., 94. Here is a link to my photos taken on delivery.

https://picasaweb.google.com/Karman1965/Our1995Vette

[Pat M.]

Re: 94-96 Factory Inspection Markings.

AS I try to remember correctly; the wheels and tires came in on the very west end of the plant in sequence. A plant employee then mounted the tires on wheels and balanced them. They then went into the sequencing for car production. We followed our 95 being built for 3 days in Dec., 94. Here is a link to my photos taken on delivery.
https://picasaweb.google.com/Karman1965/Our1995Vette

Linkie no workie.

[Pat F.]

Re: 94-96 Factory Inspection Markings.

Ed, do you have any photos?

Thanks

I could not open the link also

[John H.]

Re: 94-96 Factory Inspection Markings.

I left GM in 1985, but the days of in-plant tire mounting & balancing ended in the early 90's at Chrysler; that work was subcontracted, and balanced wheel/tire assemblies were delivered to each plant in line sequence and were conveyed directly to the line for installation. When I was the Viper Plant Manager from 1995-2001, our wheels (from California) met our Michelin tires (from France) at a Michelin facility in Temperance, Michigan (about 60 miles away) where Michelin mounted, dynamically balanced, and runout-checked them, with each one spun up to 200mph, and shipped them in car sets to us in sequence. We had four different tires and two different wheels per car - front and rear wheels were different sizes, and the tires were directional (side-specific). The "wheel room" in assembly plants disappeared about the same time the "cushion room" (where seats were assembled) did.

[Ken R.]

Re: 94-96 Factory Inspection Markings.

should now.

[Pat M.]

Re: 94-96 Factory Inspection Markings.

should now.

Works now. Nice pics.

[Terry R.]

Re: 94-96 Factory Inspection Markings.

Blue oil filter...............Maybe they weren't black ?

[Ken R.]

Re: 94-96 Factory Inspection Markings.

For what it is worth and for those who have some idle time on their hands, I uploaded an 11 min.. video to youtube of our 95 delivery at the dealer. We were there when the truck arrived. Some video is of the underneath of the car on lift as dealer prepped it. don't think they liked me under the car then, but who cares when a corvette is concerned!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1tS6u0fw6o&feature=youtu.be

Just remember, Corvette people do strange things at times. Ken

[Pat F.]

Re: 94-96 Factory Inspection Markings.

To the Robb's, thanks for the great photos. I have a lot to digest for my databases. You have answered some questions and created more (Which is good)..

Pertaining to the Black/Blue Oil Filter question. This narrows the change over pretty good. I have a Black PF51 off of a November 1994 Build Corvette.. The Robb's oil filter is off a December 1994 Build Corvette.
Information was provided earlier that the 1995 production run started with a black PF 51 and then changed over to a blue PF 52., but the change over was never defined.

To the Robb's, would you please contact me at fulassoc@comcast.net. I have a number of questions and would like to ask your permission to add the photos to my database. I consider these photos of the Robb's invaluable to helping create the next version of the 94-96 Judging Manual.

Thanks again

[Terry R.]

Re: 94-96 Factory Inspection Markings.

Great Video !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pat F.]

Re: 94-96 Factory Inspection Markings.

Great video. Once in a lifetime experience.

Thanks for sharing. Nice photo of no overspray on the exhaust pipes as some restorers claim.

[Jim S.]

Re: 94-96 Factory Inspection Markings.

Sorry to weigh in so late on this thread, but have been on vacation for last 15 days.

Checking my '96, I find inspection marks on the AC lines like Pat F's and on the compressor it is very light, more like Pat M's picture. The sequence number is very plain under the air filter, but missing on the spare tire. I'll have the car on a lift later this month and will look for other markings I can't see now.

I have a chapter judging meet at the end of the month and I'd like to clean up the engine compartment as much as possible, but am concerned about destroying markings that should be left in place. Any suggestions for making the underhood look its best while preserving these markings?

Jim