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#1 |
20' Daredevil (Ret)
![]() Join Date: May 2003
Location: Jefferson State
Posts: 13,621
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Shop Manual or FAM?
Which would you buy, a factory shop manual or a factory assembly manual? Or both? So far I have never owned either and have figured things out or asked for advice. No big projects, mostly minor repairs or maintenance. I have basic hand tools and a carport to work in. Anything major ends up at a shop with real mechanics. But there are times I'd like to either do a bit more myself, or just be able to figure out where things are, what they are called, and how they work. Posted here for more eyeballs than in General, thank you mods for leaving this here.
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- Mike - 1972 K20 LWB 350/350/205 RIP El Jay |
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#2 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Godley, TX
Posts: 17,962
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Re: Shop Manual or FAM?
Absolutely both. If only one, then the factory shop manual. The "problem" with assembly manuals is that there is no index and little rhyme or reason to the arrangement. I put a yellow sticky with a one word description on every page I use so I can find it again. It takes a while to dig for stuff in it, but once you find it, it's indispensable. I've had a life-long project of indexing the assembly manual, I'm actually on page 35!! (of like a million, ha)
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 6,421
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Re: Shop Manual or FAM?
I have the assembly manual and I have never used it. I just ask people here for advice.
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#4 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Godley, TX
Posts: 17,962
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Re: Shop Manual or FAM?
Mike it sounds like Ten Ring will send you his for free!
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#5 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Spring Hill, Florida
Posts: 465
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Re: Shop Manual or FAM?
I have a service manual, overhaul manual and assembly manual, I would recommend acquiring them in that order.
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#6 |
Special Order
![]() ![]() Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Mt Airy, MD
Posts: 85,859
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Re: Shop Manual or FAM?
The assembly manual is priceless for pictures. The service and overhaul for the text, with overhaul going into bigger jobs. That's how it is for me. I use the service the most when working on the truck. I use the assembly manual to see where things go, and the overhaul to rebuild a unit, like a rear. If I only had one it would be the service manual.
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"BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~ |
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#7 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wisconsin & Arizona
Posts: 4,844
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Re: Shop Manual or FAM?
I also have all 3 manuals mentioned above. Based on your description in post 1, it sounds like the most valuable to you would be the service manual. That said, I'd encourage you to invest in all 3.
As basic as it is, I'd also suggest an owner's manual if you don't have one. Don't forget that most of the service manuals are available here: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=558016 |
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#8 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Tucson, AZ USA
Posts: 7,250
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Re: Shop Manual or FAM?
I was lucky, the original owner of my '68 C/10 Stepside gave the Chevy Chassis Service - and Chevy Overhaul Manuals to my PO and he gave them to me. I bought the truck in 1973, and I think I'm the 3rd owner -- unless the first guy got it out of a fleet sale -- IDK.
I bought the alleged ''Factory Assembly Manual'' from LMC many years ago, hoping it would answer some strange and unasked questions. I was disappointed in the FAM. It is really a compilation of GM dealer directives from the years when these trucks were the current dealership warrantied vehicles. It is not complete and it is not logically ordered, as mentioned above. Its worst flaw is that the GM part numbers are redacted, in most cases from the reprint. Not that a GM p/n does much good now when it's been discontinued or osoleted, but would have been helpful just a few years ago. In my opinion, the FAM is a curiosity, but not helpful enough to be worth its cost.
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Every 25 years I like to rebuild that 292, whether it needs it or not. Last edited by '68OrangeSunshine; 08-29-2017 at 09:53 PM. |
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#9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 6,421
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Re: Shop Manual or FAM?
Jocko,
That's funny man. I'd help him if needed. I would like to have all the manuals, I love info, and I love books. I bought a service manual early on in the rebuild but the info is rather vague and pics are crap. It was a generic manual from a parts store but for our year trucks. |
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#10 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Lexington, Ky
Posts: 2,127
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Re: Shop Manual or FAM?
There is an index for the Assembly manual, done in 2012 by some board members. You can print a copy. Go to post 39 in the link below.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...y+index&page=2 You still have to number the pages in your manual. Just do the odd or even number pages. Takes less than an hour. Makes your manual much more useful
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Larry 84 Chevy SWB, "Roy", dark blue orig paint, 6 cyl auto, PS, 88,000 miles. 72 Highlander LWB "Olive" med olive over lt yellow, air, 77,000 miles (sold) "It's a sorry man who can't find his wife a good job" |
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#11 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Motor City
Posts: 9,194
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Re: Shop Manual or FAM?
The assembly manual is compiled in UPC order (no relation to assembly order).
So UPC 0 = Labels/literature UPC 1 = body structure UPC 2 = Frames UPC 3 = Front axle UPC 4 = Rear axle UPC 5 = Brakes UPC 6 = engine UPC 7 = transmission UPC 8 = exhaust UPC 10 = tire/wheel UPC 11 = front end sheet metal, radiator support UPC 14 = bumpers The major categories then break down into subcategories for greater detail. The pages were kept in multiple three ring binders; each area of the plant (Cab Shop, Trim, Chassis, Final, Repair) would have a complete set, kept in either the Production or Inspection office. The individual assemblers did not refer to the sheets; if there was a question then the production supervisor or his quality man would make the trek to the office and research the answer along with the inspection representative. It is cumbersome, at best, to use, even for those guys that have grown up with it. But once you have the major categories memorized then you can at least start off looking close to what you are after and zero in from there. Any inspection guy worth his salt got pretty proficient at that. We still use the assembly manual ("Production Assembly Document", or "PAD" sheets) today although they are stored and accessed electronically. The other comment I would make is that the assembly manual views the components they way they are received at the final assembly location; that is, engines, transmisssions, rear axles, steering gear boxes are all intact commodities (like a "black box"). The Service Manual and, to a greater degree, the Unit Repair manual, allow you to see inside those black boxes. K
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Chevrolet Flint Assembly 1979-1986 GM Full Size Truck Engineering 1986 - 2019 Intro from an Old Assembly Guy: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=342926 My Pontiac story: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=560524 Chevelle intro: http://www.superchevy.com/features/s...hevy-chevelle/ Last edited by Keith Seymore; 08-30-2017 at 07:54 AM. |
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#12 |
20' Daredevil (Ret)
![]() Join Date: May 2003
Location: Jefferson State
Posts: 13,621
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Re: Shop Manual or FAM?
I want to thank each of you for your input, it is very much appreciated! I have decided to start with a service manual and add to it later, if necessary. Thanks again, you guys are great!
__________________
- Mike - 1972 K20 LWB 350/350/205 RIP El Jay |
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#13 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: bisbee, arizona
Posts: 1,529
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Re: Shop Manual or FAM?
I have all three. The FAM is interesting but seems to cover mostly the 67's and kinda lacks some of the information I would need otherwise. The service and overhual manuls are also a good refference.
parts manuals are also a good source of information if only the repro market would start repro'ing them. |
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#14 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Lexington, Ky
Posts: 2,127
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Re: Shop Manual or FAM?
Yes, its written for 67's .... and then as the trucks were updated in subsequent years, the FAM shows these updates only, not the whole truck for 68-72, just what is different/new. So it's not redundant.
__________________
Larry 84 Chevy SWB, "Roy", dark blue orig paint, 6 cyl auto, PS, 88,000 miles. 72 Highlander LWB "Olive" med olive over lt yellow, air, 77,000 miles (sold) "It's a sorry man who can't find his wife a good job" |
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#15 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: bisbee, arizona
Posts: 1,529
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Re: Shop Manual or FAM?
But it does not actually cover as supliments all that is new and therein lies its limitation.
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