BIG Dave

Does anyone know the actual amount of time it takes to build a Corvette once the build process has begun? I'm assuming it takes several hours...

rm50

We did the plant tour, watching our Corvette being built and we were at the plant for 23 hours.
When we were there they were building something around 7 and hour and their goal was to get to build 8 Corvettes an hour, which would knock off about 3 hours build time.

BIG Dave

Just to clarify, it takes 23 hours to build a Corvette at a prodcution level of 7/hour? And if production is raised to 8/hour, it would take 20 hours to build a Corvette? Is this correct?

ss95003

You actully watched your vette being built from start to finish?

Vette_DD

No, it takes more than 23 hours.

What's the actual online average time to build a corvette?

calmtgguy

I have a question, if it takes 3 - 5 business days from start to finish to build a C6, what is the "build date"? Is it the first, start day, or is it the day the Vette rolls off the line?

FortMorganAl

It ain't done till it's done. Off the line.

calmtgguy

Thanks, that's what I was thinking, but the start date kind of makes more sense to me. Mine was Wednesday, 12/05/2007.

Vette_DD

It's not really a complete car until it comes off the line.

PaulB

I called the phone number in post 5. Jessica no longer works there but I spoke to an Ashley. She said 33 was correct a couple of years ago. With the slower assembly line numbers today the time eeded to build a new Corvette is right at 48 hours now...

Vette_DD

rm50

Just to clarify my response of 23 hours, when you sign up for a buyers tour, to watch your Corvette, being built, you start the tour when the car is at "trim". Trim means the frame has been built, the dash has been installed and the rocker panels have been glued to the frame. From that point it took 23 hours to complete our car and drive it out of the plant. That was when they are averaging building around 7 cars per hour. I was told that with the manpower reductions the plant wants to get to 8 cars an hour which would reduce the time from "trim" to driving the car out of the plant by three hours.

rm50

The National Corvette Museum offers a buyers tour that is a guided tour where you follow the assembly of your car from when it hits the "trim" line until your car is finished and driven out of the plant.

I highly recommend it to anyone ordering a Corvette. It was a great experience.

If you are interested our car was built on 1/5/10 through 1/7/10 and I posted on the forum a daily journal of our experience. Do a search of this forum for Buyers Tour or click on my name and click on the Find all threads link to find the posts.

BIG Dave

How many hours are in a "work day"? Eight? If it is eight hours in a work day, then it takes six days (8 x 6 = 48) to build a Corvette?

BIG Dave

Okay, I called Bowling Green and I got my answer. It currently takes 48 hours to build a Corvette. There are currently 10 hours in a work day. Therefore, 4.8 days to build a Corvette!

Rossi6998

Cool...

jksvet

I bet when they figured the 48 hours they were calculating the time for the body and chasis assembly. Those 2 things happen simultaneously, so it wouldn't take 4.8 actual days. It's roughly 2.5 days from the time it hits trim.
As far as total time goes, there is also sub assembly items, for example doors, dash, wiring harness, etc... That may also be built into the 48 hour time.

ratmotortom

Like the others have mentioned.......... you can do this. I spent two full days in the plant last year watching a new ZR1 being built. We watched them haul the engine in and followed the car all the way out the back door a couple of days later. Truly a great experience. Does not even compare to the standard plant tour. There is a full Corvette education out there to people willing to invest the time in this program.

texas_c6

Thanks for answering this question, I have been losing sleep for many years wonder how long does it take, now finally I can get a good night sleep!

Unless this is just assembly time based on all the components already finished, then it is not really the build time, it is the assembly time and now, darn it I will be up all night wondering how long does it take to make each wheel, the seats - how long does it take to make them, the motor - how long?

Now I will up all night again, thanks I think!

PaulB

The main reason I called on todays time was that the question of how many hours does it take to build a Corvette comes up in a Trivia question at many Corvette shows. ... As far as going thru the Assembly Plant I have done it many many times. Its always a good time. Its not so much what the Tour Guide is showing you. Turn around and look around. You can never tell what you just might see over in a corner.