Critter1

I have pictures of the body build area from the late 70's to the end of production in 1981. There are also many from the 63 era on line that GM did at that time.

The body shop (body build area) was not in the basement. Almost everything was on the main floor at the plant. The differential/rear suspension was assembled in the basement though. I think that incorrect information came from the Noland Adams book and it's been floating around the internet for years.

mikelj

I was thinking about what John wrote in his assembly process presentation I have which says:

"Underbody job number assigned from run sheet and applied,
bracket/reinforcement riveting for seat mounts, luggage stop panel,
seat belt reinforcements, shifter hole reinforcement, console brackets,
power window cup brackets, body mount bolt reinforcements, parking
brake lever brackets, jack retainers, shoulder belt reinforcements,
N03
brackets/holes/side filler panels/inner wheelhouse patch panels/
jack brackets/rear bulkhead rework, convertible rear bulkhead rework
and top frame brackets, quarter trim panel brackets, deck lid latch
strikers, console screw brackets, tunnel heat insulator retainers,
splash pan brackets, etc. Nearly 200 parts and rivets required.
Underbody panel sent up to main floor level and loaded/bolted to
pedestals on steel body build truck."

And what was described by Mr. Jones in a St. Louis chapter document: "Birdcage assembled to underbody assembly in plant basement, which included attachment of transmission yoke metal safety shield to floor pan underside. Unit hoisted up through floor opening and placed onto body truck where remaining body panels were assembled to it."

It was called the Fisher Mill basement in the book by Mueller.

Critter1

I don't know how the floor pan could have had it's nut plates installed in the basement of that building. I sure don't remember anything like that happening there. I'm sure John Hinckley will agree too. I remember all the nut plates being installed up on the main floor.

I do know that the floor pan for jobs with N03/36.5 gal fuel tank were prepared in a separate area and all were done by the same guy.

The bird cage was definitely assembled/welded and painted in the very front (street side area) of the building on the main floor. Not in the basement. It was attached to the floor pan as one of the very first operations moments after the floor pan was clamped to the body truck. I don't think I know who Mr Jones is but that operation could not have happened that way.

All brackets and nut plates would have been attached to the floor pan prior to the pan being clamped to the body truck.

I've been in that basement and I don't remember any area that could have been used to assemble the nut plates to the floor pan in the 60's. Also, I don't remember any area of the floor of the plant with an opening large enough to fit a floor pan through it. The only area that had an opening (and what was referred to as a Lowerator) was the one that the completed rear suspension/drive unit was hoisted through, up to the main floor.

I've heard a lot od stories about what was built in the basement but I think much of that came from Noland Adams in his book.

Noland even stated in his book that the complete A O Smith bodies that were shipped in came in through the basement. That's not possible. I know for a fact that they came in from rail cars at main floor level, then ran straight down the main aisle to the body hoist loop.

I wonder where Mr Jones gets his information?

mikelj

Well maybe John will chime in and clarify, he said this in this thread: "Here's the complete sequential part-by-part factory assembly process, from the underbody subassembly in the basement to the shipping gate; printed, it's 27 pages."

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...bly-books.html

Critter1

I read a few of the first several paragraphs.

This is what John said but I'm sure he meant to say OVER TO THE MAIN FLOOR instead of UP TO THE MAIN FLOOR.

Almost the entire car was assembled on the main floor.

I'll see if I can get up into the attic and dig out more of my pictures. I have several of the bird cage build area.

dmaxx3500

please do,history is cool

1bdvet

That's history!

Procrastination Racing

Corvette News in 1978 had some pictures of the assembly areas. They look bright, but I'm sure, they went all out to present a "clean" "bright" work area.


For one thing, it was summer, as you notice all the short sleeves and even shorts on the workers. So at high noon during summer with a lot of sunlight probably with every skylight and window washed so to let more light in, but fast film, and you get a bright, workplace.

Procrastination Racing

Now compare to some I took without anyone knowing in 1980 and you see it isn't nearly as bright inside. It is bright enough to work, but not the bright image in Corvette News.

Procrastination Racing

There was an organized tour setup for groups. School groups and others could go through. I doubt anyone could just walk up to the door like they were doing in Bowling Green. While in grade school, we toured the Chevrolet and Corvette plants. They had handouts and paperback booklets with the history of Chevrolet and lots of neat things I really wish I knew where they were today.

I remember one tour of us being in a tram that took us around. It kept us from going where they didn't want us, from getting into things, and let them keep control of us.

Maybe John and Michael remember such.

Later, our Corvette clubs got in at night, with personal tours from guys who volunteered and those we all walked. it was a bit more lax, thus my pictures in 1980. I have some 110 from 1976 that didn't come out well, and in 1980, I actually took a 35 mm SLR in for the tour. Most likely those above are with Kodak ASA400 film and I probably pushed it to 800 for the lack of lighting.

Critter1

Thanks Mike. The first two pictures in your first post do show that the bird cage assembly area was indeed on the main floor of the building. Not in the basement. The basement was a dark dank dungon.

I remember the trams that ran mostly up and down the main isle. Even the isle was a little dangerous as fork lift trucks were speeding to deliver boxes of parts to the assembly line.

Critter1

Here's a small section of a 1964 St Louis plant blueprint. Note that the bird cage welding area is surrounded by other line items on the ground floor, including the salaried employees lunch room. Can't imagine those guys eating lunch in the basement. Corvette bodies are rolling by just behind it in the oil sand booth and THAT wouldn't have happened in the basement.

I hope this finally kills the myth about the bird cage being built in the basement of the St Louis plant once and for all.

mikelj

I would still like to hear John's explanation of all his basement descriptions.

Critter1

Ok, fine. Pretty hard to argue with the original plant print from 1964 though.

And I KNOW I never went down any stairs when I was in the bird cage build area, many many times.

mikelj

John was there during the whole time the C2s were built, were you? Just saying he goes back a longer time with the St. Louis factory. Just as with the cars, I can imagine the factory went through some modifications and changes during its' history.

Nowhere Man

I'm pretty sure John was only there for the 67 model year and start up of the 68

mikelj

He started work at GM in 1964, but you are right that he was not at the St. Louis plant until 1967 MY. However, he has posted and written so many articles, blueprints, pictures, etc. of the entire C2 production process I think he knows if there was a basement or not where the underbody panels were fabricated during the time C2s were made. I don't see why he would say 'basement" if it were not that, that is why I would wait for his explanation before dismissing the whole idea that anything was done in the basement.

Old Blazer

One story I heard on a tour concerned the paint booth and the different hoses for the paint colors. Story goes that one of the painters was colorblind and always kept his hoses in specific order to avoid issues. A relief painter switched the blue and green paint hoses so the next car thru was painted half blue and half green! Oops!

Critter1

I think you missed the point. The print was made/dated 1964 and it clearly shows the bird cage area at the floor level. Not in the basement. I also have a print dated in the late 70's and it shows the same.

No, John Hinckley was only at the St Louis Corvette plant for a few months when the 68 model was being built. Not for the 67 model. He was sent there to correct water leaks on the new coupe T tops. But I know he got around that plant enough to know where the bird cage was assembled.

C'mon Mike. You're acting like that guy up in Georgia now. Gotta prove everything to him and even then its not enough.

mikelj

Actually, I am more interested in where the C2 underbody assembly was done than the birdcage. I just thought John was very knowledgeable about the plant during the time the C2s were being built, as he has written and posted so many facts and blueprints about the C2. I guess I could be wrong in trusting he knew what was going on in the basement during the time the C2 was being done there, so he would be accurate when he said: "Here's the complete sequential part-by-part factory assembly process, from the underbody subassembly in the basement to the shipping gate; printed, it's 27 pages."