Z code / Fremont, CA Assembly Plant

[Razorbacker]

My Longhorn was built at Fremont, delivered to Parkwood Chevrolet, Lakewood CA.

[Keith Seymore]

Here is some video of the Tesla assembly process in Fremont, CA:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/8_lfxPI5ObM?rel=0

I think we are supposed to be astounded with the level of automation in use; in reality the number of robots shown and automated equipment is pretty typical in GM facilities today.

GM's Bowling Green plant (Corvette production) for comparison purposes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTe2wnfsALo#t=191


K

[sboris]

Way cool..

[Bigdav160]

Looks like those union guys have it good. Long hair, wife beaters and shorts for work attire

[rpmgroup]

How can you find which dealer your truck was first sold at?

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Bigdav160

Looks like those union guys have it good. Long hair, wife beaters and shorts for work attire

Looks like they are eatin' 'pert near every day, too....



K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by rpmgroup

How can you find which dealer your truck was first sold at?

I don't think you can, unless you find your original build sheet.

K

(ref; belongs to BB72CHEVKT)

[rpmgroup]

Thank you for that answer, but I have no built sheet.

[SS Tim]

Even a build sheet will only have the ordering (Charged To) and delivered to (Shipped To) dealers indicated. Really only warranty/protect-o-plate documents will have the delivery information. Seen a number of documented trucks that were dealer traded prior to retail sale.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

Even a build sheet will only have the ordering (Charged To) and delivered to (Shipped To) dealers indicated. Really only warranty/protect-o-plate documents will have the delivery information. Seen a number of documented trucks that were dealer traded prior to retail sale.

I believe my Fremont 69 was a dealer trade. No build sheet (vaguely recall finding it when new and tossed it... also removed the under hood firewall markings... and tossed the dealer plate frame... dumb!). I bought the truck at Barton's Chevrolet in Brea, CA, but the alternator was stamped with "Covina Chev.".
No idea why it was stamped unless to prevent theft.

Jim

[yfs200p]

Very cool thread I love learning history about GM plants. Does anyone have any pics of the Baltimore, MD plant? I looked on Google, but it's very hard to find them. My truck was number 72,672 to roll out of there in 1972. I learned that in 1984 the Baltimore plant re-tooled to exclusively build the astro and safari minivans until it's closing in 2005. I really wish there was a way to research the history of a truck from the vin, I would love to know all the places my truck lived in.

[C_Ruiz]

This is actually pretty interesting!
I worked there before we were shut down and turned into Tesla Motors.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to build GM's (I guess the Pontiac vibe counts? Haha.)
I built Corollas, Tacomas and Vibes which are basically Toyota Matrix's with the Pontiac emblems.

[BC10]

This is such a cool thread and website, I had to resurrect it. I have a Fremont truck myself, and would love to know if any forum members worked there, when they built the best vehicles!

[special-K]

I never worked there but that would be one hella shop to have. I could really build some trucks, then. Plenty of room for friends to come pitch in, too

['68OrangeSunshine]

My '68 C/10 Stepside was a Fremont truck. I had the build sheet once; it has since crumbled to dust and blown away, but it indicated the original dealer was Felix Chevrolet, in downtown L.A.
My '67 K/10 Suburban was also built in Fremont. It's a future project.

[Resto-Rand]

I graduated from high school two exits up in 1972.

Had a buddy used to work there, we used to pick up stuff that went up in smoke at lunch times in the parking lot.

Used the auto campus streets as a shortcut until Toyota got all snotty and put in security / gates.

[DUD2STUD]

My great grandfather owned a hog ranch on the other side of the tracks from the Fremont gm plant. The stories my father used to tell about the plant was awesome. It's nothing but hoses now.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Here is some information from a commemorative booklet, recognizing the Fremont opening and start of production:

http://forums.performanceyears.com/f...d.php?t=613869

K

My other web forum got updated so now the link is dead.

Re-posting with updated good link:

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...+Plant+opening

- and some additional material -

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...+Plant+opening

K

[54blackhornet]

Ordered by Globe Furniture and shipped to Lynch Pontiac Cadillac GMC in LaGrande Oregon. Dealership was located across the street from Globe's store on Adams ave. The truck sat untouched from 1991 till 2013 when I obtained it. Still has original Oregon plate it was first registered with. Promised the 94 year old first owner I would not "Hot Rod it"

[DarkFlounder]

My 72 K2500 was built in Fremont. I bought it in Marin County, and now it lives in Daly City. Before we leave the state in a few years, I'll have to drive it over and get some pics of my truck at its birthplace.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by DarkFlounder

My 72 K2500 was built in Fremont. I bought it in Marin County, and now it lives in Daly City. Before we leave the state in a few years, I'll have to drive it over and get some pics of my truck at its birthplace.

I did that with my Pontiacs.

All three were built here in Pontiac, Michigan, and have gravitated a mere nine miles from their birthplace in the ensuing 50-ish years.

K

[muley]

Mine is a Z code also.

[Coley]

Great thread and some very interesting history has come from that plant.
Here are a couple of great finds and reminders that I got with my (Fremont Built) Truck.
I was fortunate to find my intact build sheet behind the gas tank cover rather than in the seat springs....seems to have it more intact.
Anyways, its been a great truck* so it must have been built...on a thursday? (can't remember how that works)
All Good
Coley

(*apart from a minor broken exhaust valve spring recently...lol)

[SS Tim]

Originally Posted by Coley

Great thread and some very interesting history has come from that plant...Anyways, its been a great truck* so it must have been built...on a thursday? (can't remember how that works...

Thanks, A lot of people here seem to enjoy a little techno history. Amazing some of the stuff that shows up digging for hard data on the trucks and build processes.

Actually your truck was scheduled for a Wednesday build! :-)
http://www.rocketcalendar.com/calendar/1972-04

[muley]

You can tell what day it was built off of the VIN number?