Intro from an old Assembly Plant guy

[Keith Seymore]

Gentlemen -

I thought I'd give a brief introduction since I'm going to be posting here.

I started my GM career at Chevrolet Flint Assembly, the plant that produced C/K pickups, Blazers and Suburbans, back in June of 1979 (pickups were built on Line 1; Blazer/Suburban were build on Line 2). As a GMI student (ie, "General Motors Institute" - GM's own college) we worked in every area of the plant, including Engineering, Specifications, Material, Production, Inspection, Maintenance, etc in order to provide a well rounded, cooperative work experience.

After I graduated with my Engineering degree my first "real" job was as a Production Supervisor, Line 1 (pickups) Fender Set area, second shift. My area started just after body drop and extended down to "hood set". We installed the fenders, batteries, manual shift levers and spare tires, and tightened down the box bolts (plus any body mount bolts the previous area missed!). I had 27 production operations on the line, plus a couple absentee replacements, a couple "Utility men", one repair man on each side of the line plus one Quality Man (which is your "right hand" man), for a total of about 39 hourly employees.

After doing that for a couple years, in 1986 I was able to move over into an Engineering/Assembly liaison position. In this role, the engineer travels from plant to plant, assisting in new product launches and resolving start up build issues. During this time I was able to travel to the other C/K plants, like Oshawa, St Louis, and Pontiac, becoming familiar with their build processes and the similarities/differences to the Flint plant.

Next, I moved to the GM Milford Proving Ground as a full vehicle Development Engineer, still associated with the C/K/R/V vehicle. One of the issues I worked on was the old "brake pull" issue, which some of you might remember (particularly bad on the straight axle Blazer). I used to bring customer vehicles on property to work on or travel to various dealerships around the country to fix trucks that they could not.

After three years at Milford I was fortunate enough to weasel my way to the GM Desert Proving Ground. During my four years at the Desert I was first a driveline development engineer for light truck and then a brake development engineer, still for truck.

My first Design/Release position was back here in Michigan in January of 1994. I was the Engine Air Induction DRE for the GMT800 program. The airbox I designed is still in use today. By this time the organization had restructured from its previous "platform" organization into a "matrix structure". Most of the engineers became subject matter experts (ie, the tire/wheel guy would release tires across all GM model lines, as would the interior guy or the body guy) but a few of us became "Platform Engineers", staying with the respective models. During this time I was the vehicle engineer on the 2001 GMT820D and 2002 GMT820C (the Denali and Escalade), the 2003 pickup, wrote the original engineering plan for what would become the Hummer H2, the 2007 GMT900 SUVs and back to the 2008 H2 program. During this time I worked in every Full Size Truck assembly plant in North America, including the aforementioned Flint, Oshawa, St Louis and Pontiac plants, as well as Arlington, Janesville, Silao and Mishawaka. Finally, after 29 years and 7 months, I left the truck group and have moved over to the Chevy Volt program, which is where I am today.

Wow. I didn't mean for this to be so long, or to sound like bragging - but - I just wanted to mention it in case any of you have any questions about how these trucks were built or GM assembly processes in general.

I say all of this by way of introduction to my specific truck, which I will post about next.

K

Chevrolet Flint Assembly Line supervisor
1979-1986
GM Full Size Truck Engineering
1986 - 2009

My Pontiac story: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=560524

[Keith Seymore]

We've owned about a half dozen of these little trucks, including a '69 GMC stepside, a '75 fleetside, an '80, an '82 and this one (all 2wd shortboxes).

As I mentioned, here is my latest project:

(New):





This is my '87 Chevy pickup, of which I am the original owner. In fact, I ordered this truck and followed it down the assembly line as it was being built. It was coming down out of paint and into the trim area at the beginning of second shift. I picked it up there and followed the body through trim with no issues. When the cab and box were complete, I hopped downstairs to the engine line and followed it through the process (we changed out the oil filter and fixed a cross threaded dust cover bolt). By then the chassis had started on the rivet line; I followed the chassis, then the engine/chassis assembly down to body drop. Once the cab and box were set it's a straight shot down the final line to the end. During roll test the inspector wrote up an A/C charge (which I bought off on) and that the backup lights were not working. The lights were repaired on the "short line" repair line, after which I drove the truck myself off the line and over to the shipping building. I told "Lloyd" that this was my personal truck, left the plant at 1 am and by 5 pm that same day it was at Hank Graff Chevrolet in Davison, Michigan.

I owned this truck for two years in Michigan and then two years in Arizona. By then I had been promoted to a GM Company Vehicle driver and, not having need of this truck, sold it to my father - in - law. He owned the truck, in Arizona and Montana, until his passing last August (of 2008). Having bequeathed it to me, it's now back, cosmetically a little worse for wear but in great shape mechanically.

So that makes me both the original and third owner of this truck (lol).

Here it is today:














I've already got some of the parts on order to fix it back up, starting with the interior (the seat's already been redone). I hope to get it repainted over the GM shutdown period in July and then I intend to drive it.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Few more "now" pics:

[Keith Seymore]

Funny story about ordering and building this truck:

I ordered it just like the other trucks that my family drove: manual windows and locks, no air, etc. Sometime between the time I ordered the truck and before it was built I got the word that I was going to the Desert Proving Ground. In a panic, I tracked the order down and was able to get air conditioning added to the truck before it was built.

That was only the first hold up. I ordered the truck with the MY0 (aka MY6) manual overdrive trans (3rd gear is 1:1 and 4th gear is an overdrive, with a floor mounted Hurst shifter). This was about the time when Mr Gasket was buying out Hurst and, because GM was not sure they could get the shifters, they placed this transmission combination on "Stop Order". I received word that my truck would not be built and so I started fretting about what I might be able to do for "Plan B" (...order the three on the tree Saginaw trans and then replace it with my own Saginaw four speed with a floor shift, etc).

During this time I was walking through the plant, past the motor line, and I noticed a bunch of these transmissions on pallets: stacked up, dozens and dozens of them. I called the Material Control supervisor over and asked him "...how many of those transmissions do you think you have?".

"Probably a hunnert" he said.

"Don't you think we oughta' build 'em, rather than leaving them sit there?" I suggested

He thought that was a pretty good idea, so when I got back to the office I mentioned it to my boss.

We ended up building one hundred of those trucks under a temporary deviation (one of which, naturally, was mine).

K

Chevrolet Flint Assembly Line supervisor
1979-1986
GM Full Size Truck Engineering
1986 - 2009

My Pontiac story: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=560524

[87 STEPPER]

Hey Keith, Thats a very Kool story about your truck and a neat career you'v had and still do.

I too ordered my truck new in jan of '87 and picked it up in Homestead Fl. in june of '87.

It's kinda kool to talk to a guy that may have seen her being built or maybe even built a part of my truck.

I think you are gonna be bombbarded by everyone here for info on these trucks.

BTW do you have and plant pic's of these trucks on the line and finished units sitting in the GM lot ? if so it would be really kool to see 'em.

Tnkx.

[swb85]

I smiled the whole way through your posts sir, it's AWESOME to have you here! Welcome!!!!

Walking down the assembly line with your truck as it's being built must be the coolest thing ever. EVER.

[waltharper]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

We've owned about a half dozen of these little trucks, including a '69 GMC stepside, a '75 fleetside, an '80, an '82 and this one (all 2wd shortboxes).

As I mentioned, here is my latest project:

(New):





This is my '87 Chevy pickup, of which I am the original owner. In fact, I ordered this truck and followed it down the assembly line as it was being built. It was coming down out of paint and into the trim area at the beginning of second shift. I picked it up there and followed the body through trim with no issues. When the cab and box were complete, I hopped downstairs to the engine line and followed it through the process (we changed out the oil filter and fixed a cross threaded dust cover bolt). By then the chassis had started on the rivet line; I followed the chassis, then the engine/chassis assembly down to body drop. Once the cab and box were set it's a straight shot down the final line to the end. During roll test the inspector wrote up an A/C charge (which I bought off on) and that the backup lights were not working. The lights were repaired on the "short line" repair line, after which I drove the truck myself off the line and over to the shipping building. I told "Lloyd" that this was my personal truck, left the plant at 1 am and by 5 pm that same day it was at Hank Graff Chevrolet in Davison, Michigan.

I owned this truck for two years in Michigan and then two years in Arizona. By then I had been promoted to a GM Company Vehicle driver and, not having need of this truck, sold it to my father - in - law. He owned the truck, in Arizona and Montana, until his passing last August (of 2008). Having bequeathed it to me, it's now back, cosmetically a little worse for wear but in great shape mechanically.

So that makes me both the original and third owner of this truck (lol).

Here it is today:














I've already got some of the parts on order to fix it back up, starting with the interior (the seat's already been redone). I hope to get it repainted over the GM shutdown period in July and then I intend to drive it.

K

if this was a 1979, you would be talking the same truck as mine. including the dirt and dents and bed.

you being the man to talk to about trucks, I ma running a 4 speed with granny low. what other top loader could I put in to shift a little smoother. it is bolted to a 250.

Also I am looking for a power steering for the truck, engine has intregrated intake to the head, how hard is it going to be to find brackets and parts to do this? I know go to a salvage yard. Around here there is "no" trucks of this time frame in the yards. I may have to travel to find a yard.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by waltharper

if this was a 1979, you would be talking the same truck as mine. including the dirt and dents and bed.

you being the man to talk to about trucks, I ma running a 4 speed with granny low. what other top loader could I put in to shift a little smoother. it is bolted to a 250.

Also I am looking for a power steering for the truck, engine has intregrated intake to the head, how hard is it going to be to find brackets and parts to do this? I know go to a salvage yard. Around here there is "no" trucks of this time frame in the yards. I may have to travel to find a yard.

Thanks; I got your PM and responded in great detail there....

Good luck with your project!

BTW - I should mention I did my entire restoration in the driveway; this truck has never been inside my garage (hopefully that is an encouragement to you).

K

[Driveway Dreams]

Wow! Thank you for all the amazing info. And, welcome to the board. You have surely got some info & knowledge that we will all benefit from.

[Keith Seymore]

Thank you; I hope so.

Here's a pic of the "father" of the little red truck: this was my '80 stepside, also ordered new and followed through the assembly plant.

You might notice some tricks here, like lowered about 6" in back, 4" in front, spare tire mounted in the box, etc. Some of the tricks you can't see are a 292 cu in straight six with dual exhausts, a 4 speed saginaw with floor mounted shifter, and a platform hitch that comes out from behind the license plate.



I sold this one in about 1985/86 when I became a company vehicle driver the first time...

[Keith Seymore]

...and here's the "grandpa".

At the left of the photo you can just barely see the rear of our '69 GMC (this is the only photo I have, I think).

This one was also a straight six, bored and stroked to 305 cu in (dual exhaust), with a homemade tripower intake and 3 Rochester 2 bbl carbs installed, actuated by a Pontiac tripower progessive linkage. A 3.11:1 low gear Saginaw fed back to a 3.73 axle, which made for some pretty exciting launches.



This photo is circa 1969; for the purposes of this discussion you may disregard the '65 GTO (which I also still have - see link below).

K

Chevrolet Flint Assembly Line supervisor
1979-1986
GM Full Size Truck Engineering
1986 - 2009

My Pontiac story: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=560524

[Sniper X]

This photo is circa 1969; for the purposes of this discussion you may disregard the '65 GTO (which I also still have).

K[/QUOTE]I have a hard time disreguarding a 65 GTO, I had one! Loved it, quite a stroy about that car. Came (to me) as a 389 4 speed, and I found an SD421 in perfect low mileage condition out of a Super Tempest that had been wrapped around a new Mexico Pine tree about 5K miles after it was driven off the lot. My GTO was in great shape too, owned by an older guy who in (1976) just wanted to get rid of it for something with better mileage and get out from under what he named the GTO, my little ticket machine!

I stuck the SD421 in it and put in a Borg Warner Power Brute clutch and the thing was super fast. I was sitting at a stop sign one day, the clutch had such a hard pedal my leg would start shaking if I was stopped for more than about ten seconds, and I was just about to take off when a large almost pop scared the crap out of me and the headliner was smoking! I had no way to move the car because when the pop happened it stalled.

Turns out the clutch blew and grenaded itself and the reason the headliner was smoking is part of it, a piece about the size of a slice of pizza, was lodged in my ceiling! After retracing the path, it missed my left cheek by about a quarter inch, then I remembered something hot screming by my face.....

I got rid of it but sure wish I still had it.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Sniper X

I have a hard time disreguarding a 65 GTO, I had one! Loved it, quite a stroy about that car. Came (to me) as a 389 4 speed, and I found an SD421 in perfect low mileage condition out of a Super Tempest that had been wrapped around a new Mexico Pine tree about 5K miles after it was driven off the lot. My GTO was in great shape too, owned by an older guy who in (1976) just wanted to get rid of it for something with better mileage and get out from under what he named the GTO, my little ticket machine!

I stuck the SD421 in it and put in a Borg Warner Power Brute clutch and the thing was super fast. I was sitting at a stop sign one day, the clutch had such a hard pedal my leg would start shaking if I was stopped for more than about ten seconds, and I was just about to take off when a large almost pop scared the crap out of me and the headliner was smoking! I had no way to move the car because when the pop happened it stalled.

Turns out the clutch blew and grenaded itself and the reason the headliner was smoking is part of it, a piece about the size of a slice of pizza, was lodged in my ceiling! After retracing the path, it missed my left cheek by about a quarter inch, then I remembered something hot screming by my face.....

I got rid of it but sure wish I still had it.

Sniper - thanks for the comments. I'm going to send you a PM because I want to hear a little more about this -

K

[775stepside]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Thank you; I hope so.

Here's a pic of the "father" of the little red truck: this was my '80 stepside, also ordered new and followed through the assembly plant.

You might notice some tricks here, like lowered about 6" in back, 4" in front, spare tire mounted in the box, etc. Some of the tricks you can't see are a 292 cu in straight six with dual exhausts, a 4 speed saginaw with floor mounted shifter, and a platform hitch that comes out from behind the license plate.



I sold this one in about 1985/86 when I became a company vehicle driver the first time...

What wheels are those? I'm looking for some of these for my 77 stepside

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 775stepside

What wheels are those? I'm looking for some of these for my 77 stepside

Those are the factory RPO PH7 Forged aluminum wheels.

They were also available in later years as an RPO N90, which was the same (appearance) wheel but changed to a cast wheel as a cost savings.

K

[Driveway Dreams]

I too would like to see production line pictures! You may have seen mine built too. I got one of the lovely mint green Forest Service units.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 87 STEPPER

BTW do you have and plant pic's of these trucks on the line and finished units sitting in the GM lot ? if so it would be really kool to see 'em.

Tnkx.

Originally Posted by Driveway Dreams

I too would like to see production line pictures! You may have seen mine built too. I got one of the lovely mint green Forest Service units.

Originally Posted by 3r!c84

wow what a job!....=]
do you have any pics of the line of trucks being built?

I don't personally have any photos, because as you know GM does not allow personal cameras on property. I may have some I scammed from the internet and as I find them I'll post 'em up.

Re: Mint green - I remember we used to build fleet orders in some nasty colors. Grand Trunk Railroad had an outrageous bright orange/yellow (lot's of crew cabs in those) but the worst was the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. They ordered Suburbans in a Red/Purple-Blue two tone combination...

[BruthaMan]

Amazing story Keith, thanks for sharing it and thank you very much for your years of service to GM and creating these great trucks. We're all passionate about these trucks and it's an honor to have you on the board!

That truck, with that history is deserving of more than just a new paint job! Time to restore it and keep it in the family

[smashingchuck]

cool story, cool truck! Welcome from the southwest corner of the state!

[81BLAZE]

Awsome story, Welcome!!!

[asphaltburner]

Yo! Keith!
What can ANY of us say,...WOW!! We are SO glad to have you join us here on the forum!
I truly envy your automotive experience,...I would have LOVED to have been an automotive engineer. Good thing I changed my engineering goal, though,...it took me three years to get to calculus!
The very best of luck with the Volt!
Again, welcome to the forum!
Todd.

[S10Fan]

Keith!

Wow!!

I nominate your post as the "Best Post Ever"!

Awesome story and welcome to the forum!

First question, why did you guys allow the rust monsters into the plant? LOL!

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by S10Fan

Keith!

Wow!!

I nominate your post as the "Best Post Ever"!

Awesome story and welcome to the forum!

First question, why did you guys allow the rust monsters into the plant? LOL!

Heh, heh - it is Michigan, after all...

K

[N2TRUX]

Keith, welcome to the forum. You will find all levels of truck enthusiasts here. The guys that use them for their one and only piece of transportation all the way to the restored and custom guys (and gals) that keep them covered in a garage.

Regardless of who we are, you are the guy that we would all love to be. As much as some of us think we know about these trucks, you can pretty much trump any of us at will.

Thanks for sharing.

[6772fan]

Keith,
Outstanding posts and welcome from the state of Texas. What else can you say, but that you are the man! We look forward to more information posts and photos. You will no doubt be a wealth of knowledge for us. Keep 'em coming!