Intro from an old Assembly Plant guy

[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

[kelsfine69]

The panel adhesive you bought for your cab corners did you have to buy a special gun? and how did you do the panel creasing? Nice job BTW I folllowed your painting of the grill on mine.

[Keith Seymore]

Thanks.

The structural adhesive I chose did not require a special gun; just a regular caulk gun (which is one of the reasons I chose that particular adhesive):

http://www.eastwood.com/maxim-bondin...8-45fl-oz.html

The creasing was done with a "flanging too", also available from Eastwood:

http://www.eastwood.com/ew-panel-fla...xtra-wide.html

I'm happy with the way it turned out; the next step is to wait and see how well it holds up.

K

[Storm Chaser]

That panel adhesive can't be all bad- alot of new car bodies are assembled with it these days and they hold up well. I've been wondering about this stuff for awhile, hoping to see someone use it and post their thoughts on it. Seems like a good option for those who don't have a welder.

[Jonboy]

I used it to fill trim holes, and shave the cab seam on my '73. To be fair, I am a hack, though.

[87Bob]

Originally Posted by Jonboy

I used it to fill trim holes, and shave the cab seam on my '73. To be fair, I am a hack, though.

Here is my expirence with it. I have an 87 corvette. The rear deck had to be replaced. The panel bond adhesive that was on was stronger than the fiberglass. where the glue was on a metal stiffener support I had to grind it off. That stuff is good chit! It is availible on several open times (that is how long before it kicks off). Mine was a two part material and did use a special gun with a mixing nozzle. I'd use it again if the need ever arises. It would be great for someone that cannot weld.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 87Bob

Hey Keith do you have any of the old assembly manuals laying around?

Bob -

I'm sorry - I just realized I never answered your post!

No - I don't. We used to throw them away when we were done.

They were kept in multiple three ring binders (probably a dozen or so) divided up by UPC: so one book for 0 - 1A2L; one book for 1A2K - UPC 2; one for 3 - 6; one for 7 - 11 and one for 12 - 14 or whatever. The groups were divided up by those little manila dividers with tabs on them; every week or so we'd get a batch of updates and you'd put the new page in and pull the old page out and throw it away.

At the end of the model year we'd throw away the set and start with the new sheets.

I wish now I'd kept 'em. I believe they are available for some model year trucks, and I know they are available for some Chevy passenger car models and Buicks. (None for my beloved Pontiacs that I am aware of).

K

[Keith Seymore]

Rolled over 180,000 miles this weekend...



...at least I *think* that's right. Seems like it had more than 80,000 when I sold it to my Father-in-law, and I can't imagine he drove it enough for it to be 280,000 miles.

So - we're callin' it 180,000.

I'll check back in at 200,000

K

[JohnC]

Congrats on the milestone!!

[rare86]

I just got through reading this. Awesome information and tips. I also say Im envious of you in regaurds to where you worked.Now, if I can just find someone who worked for CVI in Arlington during the same time frame, Id be happier than a fat girl eating cake. Thanks for all the info. The truck is beautiful.

[3r!c84]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Rolled over 180,000 miles this weekend...



...at least I *think* that's right. Seems like it had more than 80,000 when I sold it to my Father-in-law, and I can't imagine he drove it enough for it to be 280,000 miles.

So - we're callin' it 180,000.

I'll check back in at 200,000

K

"180,000.2" ahahaha

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 3r!c84

"180,000.2" ahahaha

Yah - it took me 2 tenths of a mile to get a decent photo...

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by rare86

I just got through reading this. Awesome information and tips. I also say Im envious of you in regaurds to where you worked.Now, if I can just find someone who worked for CVI in Arlington during the same time frame, Id be happier than a fat girl eating cake. Thanks for all the info. The truck is beautiful.

Thank you. I know some guys that work at the truck plant in Arlington; I could ask around and see if anyone worked at CVI in the mid 80's.

K

[rare86]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Thank you. I know some guys that work at the truck plant in Arlington; I could ask around and see if anyone worked at CVI in the mid 80's.

K

That would be greatly appreciated. Id happily drive down there, buy them lunch, and just visit for a while. I have alot of hole in the history of these things.

[Keith Seymore]

Nobody's going to ask what a "PRV" is?!?

??

[rod86]

ummm? suprise us keith...

[JohnC]

I just figured it was an assembly line lingo thing.


So what is PRV?

[S10Fan]

I just figured if he told us, he'd have to kill us.

[JohnC]

Maybe so.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by JohnC

So what is PRV?

Ah - I'm glad you asked...



It's a "Pressure Relief Valve", which is the little rubber flappy thingy inside the bottom of the door. It is supposed to help you close the door(s) with the windows up, or allow the fan to blow full speed, by bleeding the air pressure off out of the cab. The flaps are designed to keep the cold air from blowing back in.

I took them out to paint the doors and I was concerned that I would forget to put them back in. I had visions of putting the trim panel back on, getting it all buttoned down and then DANG! Hence my little masking tape sticky note on the door.

Anyway, I didn't have any trouble with the passenger door. Got it all put together with no issues.

But when I went to put the driver's door together - I was getting ready to put the driver's door panel back on and my (10 year old) daughter walked up and said "...daddy, are you forgetting anything?"

I stopped for a second and said "yes, honey - I sure am".

Sure enough, in spite of my notes, I almost put the door together without reinstalling that pressure valve.



Fortunately she happened to walk up at just the right instant....







...she got an ice cream cone out of that deal.

K

[JohnC]

Thank goodness for little helpers.

[Keith Seymore]

One of the things I have been disappointed in regarding this whole red truck deal is that, although I ordered the truck and followed it down the assembly line, I couldn't remember what time of year that was, or picking the truck up, etc. I also don't have any of the original paperwork lke the handwritten order worksheet or the original window sticker.

Well, today when I was changing the oil I was going through the original glovebox literature and I found this:







On the front of the warranty booklet is an "In Service" date - October 2, 1986.

Yay! Now I know; little Red just had a birthday! Happy birthday, Red!

Plus - the truck is 23 years old, not 22 as I had been saying.

K

[TravisMartin]

Good deal, Kieth, I'm sure you were glad to find this stuff.

Did pickups have window stickers in 87? I ask because I bought a new C10 LWB in 80 as well as a new 2wd Blazer in 80...at that time, Blazers & Suburbans had window stickers but pickups didn't. I know at some point they started doing window stickers on pickups, do you recall when?

Travis

[Keith Seymore]

Hmmm - I don't remember.

I thought they did, because it seems like we used to watch them roll off the line and comment on the price. Maybe that was in later years when I was building Escalades and H2's....



If anybody can remember for sure I would be interested to know.

K

[S10Fan]

My 76 had one. I would go to the dealership on Sunday's and look at the cars, prices etc. I remember looking at the sticker and thinking,"Hey, I can afford that". LOL.