CRG Discussion Forum

Camaro Research Group Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: X33RS on December 02, 2015, 01:44:33 PM

Title: Production line question
Post by: X33RS on December 02, 2015, 01:44:33 PM
  2 cars that have a serial number only 8 digits apart coming down the Norwood assembly line.  How far apart are we talking.  Hours?  Days?
Title: Re: Production line question
Post by: JohnZ on December 02, 2015, 02:07:50 PM
Quote from: X33RS on December 02, 2015, 01:44:33 PM
  2 cars that have a serial number only 8 digits apart coming down the Norwood assembly line.  How far apart are we talking.  Hours?  Days?

The only physical separation between the two cars would have taken place in the Body Bank, based on the scheduling priorities in place at the time and which line in the Bank was used for each category. Those two cars could be as close as one behind the other, or, more likely, 6 to 10 units between them.
Title: Re: Production line question
Post by: 69Z28-RS on December 02, 2015, 03:48:15 PM
John,  Can you explain why not exactly 8 units apart (rather than 6 to 10)... I thought the VIN sequence numbers were *sequential* as the cars came off the line and I presume as they went into the assembly line...???
Title: Re: Production line question
Post by: X33RS on December 02, 2015, 03:52:05 PM
Thanks John,   So I guess you could say it's likely they came down the line the same day?
Title: Re: Production line question
Post by: 69Z28-RS on December 02, 2015, 03:55:19 PM
Quote from: X33RS on December 02, 2015, 01:44:33 PM
  2 cars that have a serial number only 8 digits apart coming down the Norwood assembly line.  How far apart are we talking.  Hours?  Days?

Since Norwood built several hundred Camaros per day, we are talking 'minutes' apart....
Title: Re: Production line question
Post by: jdv69z on December 02, 2015, 04:32:41 PM
Quote from: 69Z28-RS on December 02, 2015, 03:48:15 PM
John,  Can you explain why not exactly 8 units apart (rather than 6 to 10)... I thought the VIN sequence numbers were *sequential* as the cars came off the line and I presume as they went into the assembly line...???

Gary, read John's assembly process report and hopefully it makes sense. The VIN #'s were assigned as the cars came thru the wall from Fisher, one after the other, ie sequential. But then Chevrolet had the ability to re-arrange the body sequence in the "body bank" depending upon production workload on the Chevrolet production line in order to balance the workload.  I think John once indicated room for 20-30 bodies in the body bank. The bank had something like 5-7 separate feeder lines where the bodies could be re-arranged. So cars weren't necessarily exactly VIN sequential at the end of the Chevrolet line, but they were still close.
Title: Re: Production line question
Post by: 69Z28-RS on December 02, 2015, 05:23:29 PM
Thanks Jimmy....   I recall that operation, but I guess I was confused about *where* it occurred....   :)
Title: Re: Production line question
Post by: X33RS on December 02, 2015, 05:50:57 PM
Thanks guys, understood.
Title: Re: Production line question
Post by: Mark on December 02, 2015, 09:58:37 PM
They were exactly 8 units apart as they came thru the wall from Fisher, roughly 10 minutes apart timewise.  They then entered one of 5 active body bank lines on Chevy side (there were six banks but one was almost never used), so they could, based on their options be in any one of those banks, or in the same bank.  The higher number VIN could actually end up in front of the lower VIN one if it was a basic low option car and the stars aligned properly, as they left the banks and continued thru Chevy's side of the plant.
Title: Re: Production line question
Post by: bergy on December 04, 2015, 05:43:09 AM
I remember - at St. Louis - the body bank for cars was on the Fisher side of the wall opening.  I don't recall where the VINs were assigned though.  Maybe that body bank area on the Fisher side of the wall was considered a Chevrolet area for production purposes?