truck line assemblers

[Keith Seymore]

Seeing all those cars in the back yard: that's the problem with seeing a new pickup truck every minute - you have to have one for yourself.

Normally it goes something like: "Ooh! I like that color - but with different mirrors."

"Ooh! I like those wheels!"

"Ooh! I like that but in this different trim level".

That's the thought process that birthed this little blue truck....and the red truck with this unusual transmission.

K

[Redline novdog]

Sorry for the late reply.I'm going in to work at 4:30 am.I have read the rolloff post Good read. So the trucks were never driven outside? just a as I can explain a sort of dyno?

[Redline novdog]

This is good reading! So you guys didn't have a shut down some years? This is a little of base ,but when I worked at a GMC dealership in the '80s we would get trucks in with GMC emblems on one side the other Chevrolet? Any input?

[Redline novdog]

I can relate to the engineer post. We are very fortunate to have a great engineering staff. They come out weekly to address problems.They actually get it done!they have put the smack down on production(velocity) a few times.I have the up most respect for our engineers.They too have altered my assembly practices.I am not infallible,and I correct it.
I'm sure you got caught up in a few(it doesn't fit)?

[Redline novdog]

When the never shuts down. If the stops,did it empty the office? Who came running? and did it effect the assemblers? I now it throws me off.Production assembly is all about repetition/velocity.

[Redline novdog]

Ending for today.I can see a true Chevy/GMC owner drooling at the options coming down the line!!! Good Info Keith Seymore hopefully others will enjoy as much as I.

[NTIMID8R]

Hey Redline,
That D7E is one high tech piece of equipment isn't it? I work for a CAT dealer and Cat sent a demo unit around to different dealers to "play with". That thing has some serious electronics on it!!

Sorry, didn't mean to high jack your thread.

[Redline novdog]

NTMID8R Yes it's fly by wire.The only (mechanical) in it is the hydraulics .

[Keith Seymore]

At the race track today; I'll reply at length when I get back.

K

[doubleb's69]

Subscribed! I never thought of starting such a post. Thanks Redline for starting it and thanks to Keith for all of the awesome info.

I toured the old Ford Ranger plant in the Twin Cities and They drove everyone of those trucks off of the end of the line with the tires squealing. I thought it was kind of odd.

[67swb72klb]

Good thread!

[Redline novdog]

I love it! KeithSeymore I jealous (at the race track COOL!) Take you're time.If anyone else has anything??? KeithSeymore is pretty much bringing the info!!!

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by doubleb's69

Subscribed! I never thought of starting such a post. Thanks Redline for starting it and thanks to Keith for all of the awesome info.

I toured the old Ford Ranger plant in the Twin Cities and They drove everyone of those trucks off of the end of the line with the tires squealing. I thought it was kind of odd.

I'm told the guys that shuttled the GTO's between plants squealed the tires a bit...



K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Redline novdog

Sorry for the late reply.I'm going in to work at 4:30 am.I have read the rolloff post Good read. So the trucks were never driven outside? just a as I can explain a sort of dyno?

Yes - sort of an inground dyno.

The trucks were driven outside to shuttle them to the various repair and shipping facilities, but not as a function test.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Redline novdog

This is good reading! So you guys didn't have a shut down some years? This is a little of base ,but when I worked at a GMC dealership in the '80s we would get trucks in with GMC emblems on one side the other Chevrolet? Any input?

Absolutely. Roughly every ninth vehicle on the line was a GMC.

That's why it was so easy to mess up: you'd get in the "zone" after your 300th truck that day and if you weren't specifically paying attention you'd likely put a Chevy emblem on a GMC.

The fenders, hoods and rad support/grille were all built up and trimmed out in a separate, remote area of the plant - per the build manifest - and conveyed in sequence to the main line. It wasn't obvious that anything had been screwed up until all those pieces came together on the final line (at which point it became painfully obvious).

In case we hadn't talked about this: the line rate at Flint Line 1 (pickups) was 60 jobs per hour. That's one completed truck every minute. That's fast enough that if you are standing on the flat track when it starts up it will throw you off balance. So a full day's production was 480 units per 8 hour shift (we usually ran 9 or 10 hours of production, for two shifts).

Flint Line 2 (Blazer/Suburban) was 36 jobs per hour, building one Blazer for every two Suburbans.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Redline novdog

When the never shuts down. If the stops,did it empty the office? Who came running? and did it effect the assemblers? I now it throws me off.Production assembly is all about repetition/velocity.

Not usually the office. Usually the foreman, general foreman and probably the superintendent of production were already out prowling the floor. The general superintendent might be in the production office and come running out depending on the length of the delay. The other assembly workers interpret the downtime as an opportunity to read the newspaper or run to the bathroom (or visit with the cute girls in Trim).

Usually it was the immediate production bosses plus any skilled trades that might be required (pipefitter or electrician or millwright) at the scene of the crime. The managmement was only there to "help" and try to expedite the fix.

It does throw the workers off. It's hard to get in the groove when the line keeps starting and stopping.

[Redline novdog]

Thanks KeithSeymore for the replies.As before I'm riveted! The assembly Line just installed parts, previously sub assembled? The trucks were already painted,so how did you guys keep from screwing up the paint?

[Redline novdog]

I'll have to say something about high velocity production. When I worked at the Mossville engine plant running 200 engines a shift. salary folks want them out the door. I will have to quote a fellow worker as a supervisor told him after he said the engine has some repairs,"we are in the shipping business".
The most irritating thing is the lack of quality for velocity,more product!!

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by toolboxchev

I have had more problems with the 1970 than I ever had with the 72. The 72 manufactured during the oil crises had numerous first article scribbles inside the engine compartment and under the dash.

GM had implemented more gas saving measures and emmissions requirements in the model year 72.

My 70 I have body screws going in on an angle and no markings period.

If production went down, quality naturally would go up, was this the case? Did government regulation and gas saving play a part?

Think about it. It could be just the plant in my case, I will never know, I do not have the 72 anymore.

I'm only speculating, but there was a lot of union unrest during the '70 model year leading up to a large strike towards the end of the year, maybe a few took out there greviences on the vehicles.https://libcom.org/history/union-man...jeremy-brecher

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

The lines were heavy on the drunk and high. Or so I've heard. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=680713

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

The lines were heavy on the drunk and high. Or so I've heard. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=680713

I didn't really have any problem with drugs or drinking except for one occasion: one of my regular workers, a really great, faithful "good" guys didn't show up one night, which was very unusual for this guy. He finally came rolling in just before lunch and he was high as a kite on something . He was in very good spirits, working his way down the line, socializing - until - he got to his locker and somehow got it in his head that someone had taken his boom box.

He went ballistic. He started threatening anyone near by, yelling, and starting running down the line banging the power tools into the side of the trucks. I called plant security and they tried to catch him, but he out ran them all the way to the parking lot, turning over trash cans and generally leaving a mess in his wake.

As my other workers came back from lunch, I remember them commenting (unknowingly) - "geez, boss, you should see the parking lot: looks like a tornado hit it with all the trash cans turned over..."




I don't recall that he ever came back. It really broke my heart because, as I say, up to that point he was a great worker.

I had about 37 hourly guys and of those:
5 or 6 were super great (my repair men and my "quality man", and a couple of the assemblers)
3 or 4 were real boneheads. I had one guy come in after missing a few days (unexcused) and he said "...you're not going to believe this but I had four flat tires yesterday!" He was right - I didn't believe him. I told him if he brought in a receipt for four tires I'd excuse his absences. Never happened.

I had one guy that only worked about three days a week. I asked him onetime "hey - Bonehead! How come you only work three days a week?"
He said "...'cause I can't make it on two".

All the rest were just normal folks trying to earn a living, quietly going about their business.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Redline novdog

Thanks KeithSeymore for the replies.As before I'm riveted! The assembly Line just installed parts, previously sub assembled? The trucks were already painted,so how did you guys keep from screwing up the paint?

Some parts come in as major components: engines, trans, axles, HVAC units all come in as subassemblies from component suppliers. They are typically trimmed out (accessory drive added, or brake lines and shocks) on a remote feeder line and conveyed, in sequence, to the main line for installation. Seats were built up from scratch in the "cushion room", which was a remote area due to fire concerns.

Truck cabs (pickup, Blazer and Suburban) are all built up from individual pieces of sheet metal. They are fixtured and welded up in the body shop. After they are completed they are conveyed to the paint shop for ELPO dipping (electrostatic primer) and color application.

There wasn't a lot of extra care to avoid paint damage. We did have fender covers that were installed temporarily to protect the top of the fenders. They were removed after the engine was started for the first time and cycled back to the fender install area for reuse. I don't remember it being a big issue.

Nowadays "paint mutilation protection" is a big deal and you have to wear "PPDs" ("personal protection devices" - watch cover, ring cover, belt buckle cover) or they will call you out on it. I laugh because I was probably 45 years old before I realized you could touch the painted surface of a car with your bare hand and not have something bad happen.

K

[flykelley]

Hi Guys
I spent 33.5 years working on the lion at the Truck plant for GM. Saw a lot of things change over the years. My first 10 years were at the Truck plant in Flint Mi, then a transfer took me to Pontiac Mi where I worked in plant six, full size trucks, transferred to Plant five for a year where S-10 Blazers were made. Back to Plant 6 with full size trucks again for quite a while. Spent a lot of years at Lear Seating where all of the line workers were GM employee's but the plant was owed and run by Lear Seating. Last two years at Lake Orion assembly. Worked Heavy Repair in both plants, one as a driver the other as a repairman. Worked in Paint, Chassis, Final, Trim. Body Shop as a fork truck driver for a while. Won't trade my time there for anything, worked with a lot of great people over the years how had huge hearts. Attached is a picture of a bike drive we did at Christmas for the local kids. Got well over 300 bikes one year.

[Redline novdog]

Thanks for the Info FlyKelley I would say you also probably have a story or two!

Hope You had a good time at the track KeithSeymore ,and thank you for the replies

The stories can give us all a glimpse into the GM assembly process,good and bad LOL

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Sounds like the guy was on PCP Keith.