Z code / Fremont, CA Assembly Plant

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by mr.mud1

on my truck,it was definately done with the paint still wet,you can see the colors underneath and feel the ridges the paint made while still wet.

Thanks for posting Greg, looks so clean, you can eat off it. These painters must have really liked their finished work, they were creating masterpieces, signed by the Rembrandt at Fremont.

[Louisvillekytruck]

Great information and pics

[mr.mud1]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Thanks for posting Greg, looks so clean, you can eat off it. These painters must have really liked their finished work, they were creating masterpieces, signed by the Rembrandt at Fremont.

yes sir,i think it's kind of neat that someone put their mark on my truck.i have to pull the bed from my truck once i get done with all the mechanical repairs for some paint work,i hope there's more marks to discover?we'll see.

[Carl Spangler]

Very cool 'old thread' here. Love the pics and member stories.

My 71 was built at Fremont in early Jan 1971 coincidentally during my senior year in HS.

I did do a 'double take' when I saw this in the original post linked pictorial:
"Bodies are then inspected before being placed on the overhead conveyor that takes them through the rust proofing and painting process on the second floor."

['68OrangeSunshine]

I looked on the firewall of my '68 Stepside today [while checking oil] no Rembrandt.
What is unusual is the chartreuse yellow primer showing up under the 516 Orange paint.
Sure looks like Zinc Chromate to me. Why would they use an expensive aircraft primer on a stamped-steel surface? That stuff is mil-spec for aircraft aluminum, but I'm not sure what its benefits are on steel.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

I looked on the firewall of my '68 Stepside today [while checking oil] no Rembrandt.
What is unusual is the chartreuse yellow primer showing up under the 516 Orange paint.
Sure looks like Zinc Chromate to me. Why would they use an expensive aircraft primer on a stamped-steel surface? That stuff is mil-spec for aircraft aluminum, but I'm not sure what its benefits are on steel.

I'd be more inclined to think the "yellow" primer is some component of the orange color coat coming apart/delaminating.

I'm not aware of any GM plant using anything other than either red oxide, or black elpo, except for Janesville with did have some grey primer on front end Sheetmetal.

K

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

I looked on the firewall of my '68 Stepside today [while checking oil] no Rembrandt.
What is unusual is the chartreuse yellow primer showing up under the 516 Orange paint.
Sure looks like Zinc Chromate to me. Why would they use an expensive aircraft primer on a stamped-steel surface? That stuff is mil-spec for aircraft aluminum, but I'm not sure what its benefits are on steel.

Good eye! Must have been better than just primer. Maybe a little overspray on the firewall? Or maybe a painter got carried away and gave some trucks extra zinc.

[Killer Bee]

Originally Posted by Carl Spangler

Very cool 'old thread' here. Love the pics and member stories.

My 71 was built at Fremont in early Jan 1971 coincidentally during my senior year in HS.

I did do a 'double take' when I saw this in the original post linked pictorial:
"Bodies are then inspected before being placed on the overhead conveyor that takes them through the rust proofing and painting process on the second floor."

my red longhorn was built in Fremont Wednesday 2-10-71, exactly 1 week after I was..

I think the conveyor skipped a step that day

fwiw - my 71 K20 suburban also built in Fremont 11,097 serial numbers lower, no build sheet tho..

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by factorystock

To my knowledge, Tesla has not made a dime of profit yet.

9 years later he is the richest man in the world

The people who bought some of the first models produced during that time period are enjoying free charging for life. Those people are laughing all the way to the bank now.

My how times have changed.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Good eye! Must have been better than just primer. Maybe a little overspray on the firewall? Or maybe a painter got carried away and gave some trucks extra zinc.

There it is.
It's on the hood, grille and left fender. [Right one's not original.]
A previous owner was a Navy captain -- Catholic Chaplin at MCB Camp Pendleton. Guy I bought the truck from had been a sergeant and saw an ad in the classifieds of the base paper for someone to takeover payments, as the Padre had overseas orders. I bought it from him in June of 1973. I thought maybe the Padre used some pull and got the ZC treatment. But I'm glad GM did it.
Before I went in the Marines in late '73 [so I could afford to keep the truck] I worked in an aircraft plant in Van Nuys as a sheet metal assembler. I am well familiar with Zinc Chromate. It's used extensively on military aircraft, and very common in aviation manufacturing.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Good eye! Must have been better than just primer. Maybe a little overspray on the firewall? Or maybe a painter got carried away and gave some trucks extra zinc.

I am shocked (Shocked! I say) to learn this and I stand corrected.

I wonder if that is something unique to Fremont as a result of them being in Southern California and so close to the aerospace industry, as 68 OrangeSunshine mentions.

K

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

Found a period picture of the Fremont,CA GM Assembly Plant dated 8/72 for those that might be interested. There have been a lot of changes there since then.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CA...A_-_544723.jpg

History link with more pictures.
http://www.ultra-high-compression.com/fremont-tour.html

My brother's first car was same as that Nova, only he had the coupe. Three on the tree but a well built GM.

[KQQL IT]

Wish my tarrytown 68 got some rust proof under it. It only spent 3 years in NY then came to California

Me being a california guy haven't experienced rust like old blue has.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

I am shocked (Shocked! I say) to learn this and I stand corrected.

I wonder if that is something unique to Fremont as a result of them being in Southern California and so close to the aerospace industry, as 68 OrangeSunshine mentions.

K

Keith, I appreciate your sense of irony and taste in classic film, as I recognized Claude Rains' line from ''Casablanca.'' However Fremont is in the Bay Area, its 4th largest city -- next to San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco -- in size.
While the Loughhead Brothers got their start in SF before the US got into WW I, when they moved south to Burbank, they changed it to Lockheed. Not to say there is no aviation infrastructure in Northern California, but [pre-smog] SoCal's weather attracted more of that industry. Because of the perpetual coastal dampness, extra anti-corrosion measures are important all up and down the West Coast.
Fremont IS very close to Silicon Valley, and therefore an ideal location for an electric car maker.

[SRU1436]

My truck was built in Fremont.

[SRU1436]

My chevelle was built in Fremont as well.

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by SRU1436

My truck was built in Fremont.

You have good taste! Looks like it was left the same way Fremont built it!

[SRU1436]

Originally Posted by factorystock

You have good taste! Looks like it was left the same way Fremont built it!

Yep, it’s bone stock. I like it that way.

[factorystock]

A fresh load leaving Fremont! Argent silver rims, caps, tailgate trim and some cool colors are tell tale signs they are 69's.

[KQQL IT]

Originally Posted by factorystock

A fresh load leaving Fremont! Argent silver rims, caps, tailgate trim and some cool colors are tell tale signs they are 69's.

These loads always amaze me.
65' ft long truck
96" wide rack and nearly no hydraulics.
And 8 C10's down the blvd.

Always felt a small bit of nostalgia when we pulled toyotas out of there.

[factorystock]

1969 was the first year for the new Astro, probably the first year for the 22.5" 2 hand hole wheels too!

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by factorystock

A fresh load leaving Fremont! Argent silver rims, caps, tailgate trim and some cool colors are tell tale signs they are 69's.

OOOH. Look at that big Orange Suburban in the top tier end. If I could pick one truck off that load, that would be the one. Especially a K/1500 or K/2500.

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by mr.mud1

my 72 Fremont built Cheyenne Super has these marks done in the wet paint on the left and right sides of the firewall.

Looks like the same guy painted my truck

[mr.mud1]

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

Looks like the same guy painted my truck

Very cool.