67-72 Development/Concept Photos Galore!

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by nibulus

Speaking of challenges, it'd be really interesting to get some in-depth info about GM's product development / industrialization process back then.

This happens to be about Camaros but it would be relevant to other passenger car models and trucks as well. This is the best overview I've seen and was written by John Hinckley, who was on the production launch team at the time. He is pictured in the body drop photo, in the white shirt with his back to the camera.

K

http://www.camaros.org/assemblyprocess.shtml

[Yukon Jack]

Amazing all the work that went into planning the trucks we all love!

[trac209]

Great pictures thank you for posting

[Boyd67]

Interesting photos

[72 tigger]

Bringing this back up- some may have missed this. A lot of cool pics

[dmjlambert]

Yes, thanks for bringing this back to the top. Simply fantastic thread. It would be fun to have one of those clay models made in 1963 or 1964 for display in my yard. I wonder if they were all disposed of.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

Yes, thanks for bringing this back to the top. Simply fantastic thread. It would be fun to have one of those clay models made in 1963 or 1964 for display in my yard. I wonder if they were all disposed of.

The full size clays are disposed of and the clay and supporting structure reused.

Sometimes very quickly (within days), depending on the level of product security required or desired.

K

[nibulus]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

This happens to be about Camaros but it would be relevant to other passenger car models and trucks as well. This is the best overview I've seen and was written by John Hinckley, who was on the production launch team at the time. He is pictured in the body drop photo, in the white shirt with his back to the camera.

http://www.camaros.org/assemblyprocess.shtml

Thanks for your additions. Good stuff. Just have to find/take the time to read that article.

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

The full size clays are disposed of and the clay and supporting structure reused.

Sometimes very quickly (within days), depending on the level of product security required or desired.

I guess this depends on the financial situation, development/design stage and philosophy of the OEM. I know at least one European OEM, which store some of the final full-size clays somewhere in a (or several) warehouse(s).

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by nibulus

I guess this depends on the financial situation, development/design stage and philosophy of the OEM. I know at least one European OEM, which store some of the final full-size clays somewhere in a (or several) warehouse(s).

Not so much financially based in the case of GM; more related to the sheer volume of properties produced, and the fact that they are "perishable".

More permanent properties, like fiberglass bucks/mockups and actual show car properties are kept. Clay models are photographed in great detail and the photos cataloged and stored in the basement of the Studio.

Unfortunately we had some flooding in Southeast Michigan a few years ago and many items were lost or damaged.

K

[Grumpy old man]

Anybody else notice the new Camaros and vettes all look like the transformer toy cars our kids played with 30 years ago ? coincidence ?

[tommys72]

Very cool thread. Every time it comes to the top, i read the entire thing over again. Haha

[Getter-Done]

Thanks for sharing.
Those are awesome pictures.

[rockyrivermark]

coolest thread I've seen yet.
awesome.. thanks for sharing!!
RRM

[painterljp]

Very cool thread to go thru, but am glad they turned out as they did cause some of those proto types are ugly.

Great reading thanks for sharing.

[Canadian694x4]

Amazing Thread!!

[hewittca]

Extra Photos, GMC

-March 1970
Along with the Chevrolety Tempo photos, I found a few extra development photos of the C10 to fill in some gaps from the main photo sets. The first few photos pick up after the last photo for the development of the GMC. At the time I wrote that post, I did not have these photos and assumed GM did not propose any significant updates to the GMC for '71/'72. As it turns out, they did in fact prototype several grill updates for '71/'72, including one single headlight design like the Chevrolet.

[HipToBeSquared]

Thank you so much hewittca! This thread is awesome. I love these types of photos and information. I want to thank you as well for all of your leg work and screen time in posting all that you have so far for this thread. I appreciate it and I'm sure everyone else does too.

[hewittca]

I have finally figured out what this oddball truck is that was included in the photo sets I received:



Turns out, the answer was buried here on the board all along in this thread. It's a Brazilian spec C10!



Apparently, Chevrolet commissioned a Brazilian company to assemble the trucks for them in South America, and they used many carry over parts from previous generations of pickups. The year ranges for the specific body styles were also different. This site details the specs for the South American C10s by year.

[72 tigger]

Christmas time bump for anyone who missed this. Merry Christmas to all!

[70cst]

I call on the Ft Wayne Chevy Truck Assembly plant and boy has things changed since the 70's.
This is a great thread.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 70cst

I call on the Ft Wayne Chevy Truck Assembly plant and boy has things changed since the 70's.
This is a great thread.

That's Flint Assembly, pictured, as indicated by the two production lines.

K

[special-K]

Originally Posted by hewittca

I have finally figured out what this oddball truck is that was included in the photo sets I received:



Turns out, the answer was buried here on the board all along in this thread. It's a Brazilian spec C10!



Apparently, Chevrolet commissioned a Brazilian company to assemble the trucks for them in South America, and they used many carry over parts from previous generations of pickups. The year ranges for the specific body styles were also different. This site details the specs for the South American C10s by year.

Those fenders were special made. And all these had 16" wheels, as shown in these pictures.

[ho70]

favorite thread ever

[hewittca]

Originally Posted by ho70

favorite thread ever

thanks! I really enjoyed putting this together and getting to share it here on the forum for everyone to enjoy.

[Ironangel]

The Jimmy that should have been... So I built a Chevy version of the SS C/10 that the General didn't... She sports an actual 1969 L34 396 SS motor with some upgrades that push the stock 350 HP to about 425 Pony's.