Author Topic: "Buck built" Assembly line front end install  (Read 3733 times)

HawkX66

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"Buck built" Assembly line front end install
« on: November 26, 2016, 04:03:58 PM »
When the buck built front end was installed on the assembly line, did it include the inner fenders or were they already installed?
Dave
69 SS396 X66 L34 M21 BS
Z23 711 U17 Hugger Orange
Semper Fi!

69Z28-RS

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Re: "Buck built" Assembly line front end install
« Reply #1 on: November 26, 2016, 04:29:24 PM »
Here is what JohnZ's Assembly Report say about it...

"The radiator support was built up first and placed on the conveyor fixture, including the radiator, A/C seals, baffles, condenser and plumbing, center grille support, hood latch assembly, horns, header panel, voltage regulator, horn relay, headlights, and RS headlight door assemblies; the lower radiator-to-subframe mount cushions and bolts were installed, retained by zip-nuts so they wouldn't fall off. The seals were stapled to the inner fenders which were then subassembled to the fenders off-line along with the lower fender extensions, A/C dehydrator bottle, Z21 wheel opening moldings, RS vacuum tank, emblems and marker lights, then those fender assemblies were brought to the buck and joined to the header panel and radiator support with the diagonal braces while fixtured at the rear of the buck to establish a perfectly square hood opening. The front valance panel, license plate bracket and parking lights went on, the forward lamp harness and RS vacuum harness was routed and connected to all components, the grille and headlight bezels went on, the washer bottle bracket and battery tray were installed, and the "cocktail shakers" were installed on convertibles. The front clip (less the hood) was now ready for assembly to the body after body drop at Norwood or at the end of the Trim Line at Van Nuys, prior to chassis-to-body marriage."
09C 69Z28-RS, 72 B 720 cowl console rosewood tint
69 Corvette, '60 Corvette, '72 Corvette
90 ZR1 red/red #246, 90 ZR1 white/gray #2466
72 El Camino, '55-'56-'57 Nomads, '55-'57 B/A Sedan

william

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Learning more and more about less and less...

HawkX66

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Re: "Buck built" Assembly line front end install
« Reply #3 on: November 26, 2016, 04:46:39 PM »
Thanks guys. I did scan over the assembly process, but I missed that.
That explains it... I removed my front clip about a month ago in one large piece. I ended up having to unbolt the inner fenders to get it off. Now I see the assembly was installed prior to the subframe.
Dave
69 SS396 X66 L34 M21 BS
Z23 711 U17 Hugger Orange
Semper Fi!

69Z28-RS

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Re: "Buck built" Assembly line front end install
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2016, 03:19:40 AM »
Thanks guys. I did scan over the assembly process, but I missed that.
That explains it... I removed my front clip about a month ago in one large piece. I ended up having to unbolt the inner fenders to get it off. Now I see the assembly was installed prior to the subframe.

Per JohnZ's assembly article, the assembly was installed prior to the subframe ONLY in the LA plant... NOT in Norwood... 

The installation of the full assembly at Norwood (with subframe in place) was accomplished by workers on each side pulling out the fenders slightly to clear the cowl shoulder area  - as I understood the article notes)... 
09C 69Z28-RS, 72 B 720 cowl console rosewood tint
69 Corvette, '60 Corvette, '72 Corvette
90 ZR1 red/red #246, 90 ZR1 white/gray #2466
72 El Camino, '55-'56-'57 Nomads, '55-'57 B/A Sedan

HawkX66

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Re: "Buck built" Assembly line front end install
« Reply #5 on: November 28, 2016, 05:15:15 PM »
Thanks guys. I did scan over the assembly process, but I missed that.
That explains it... I removed my front clip about a month ago in one large piece. I ended up having to unbolt the inner fenders to get it off. Now I see the assembly was installed prior to the subframe.

Per JohnZ's assembly article, the assembly was installed prior to the subframe ONLY in the LA plant... NOT in Norwood... 

The installation of the full assembly at Norwood (with subframe in place) was accomplished by workers on each side pulling out the fenders slightly to clear the cowl shoulder area  - as I understood the article notes)... 
Thanks Gary. I did see that. I still had my tires on, so I'm sure that was the problem.
Dave
69 SS396 X66 L34 M21 BS
Z23 711 U17 Hugger Orange
Semper Fi!