[My442]

I spent most of my time in the body shop, where the bodies were welded, doors/trunk lids hung, and the first steps of body finishing (lead joints) were done.

I also had short stints in final trim, water test, and final line prep.

My memory is still pretty good, so I do remember a lot of details.

[GT182]

Are there any charts from 1974 to date, or the closing of plants?

442 I backhauled out of Framingham (Anchor Motor Freight) from 78 to 93..... plant and railyard.

BTW guys, I got an interesting email on Oshawa the other day. A little CP Rail mishap.... really a disaster tho... for CP. LOL Where should I post a few photos to show? Believe me, this will make any carhauler's day. I don't think GM or CP was any too happy. LOL

[gtoric]

I have not researched the 1975 and later GM assembly plants-yet.

Are there any members from CAN who can substantiate or refute my info on the Oshawa and St.Therese plants?

[Lloyd-TX]

Nice work, Eric. Thanks!

One question - I have heard that the South Gate, CA (C) plant assembled the Grand Prix in the early 70's. Your thoughts . . . ?

[gtoric]

That is possible. When Olds production dropped out in '71, perhaps GP production was added.

Anyone have a C-code GP?

[fiedlerh]

Originally Posted by gtoric

I have not researched the 1975 and later GM assembly plants-yet.

Do you want me to post the GM VIN code book? As I recall it goes through '82. Not a definitive source of info, but it gives the plant and model codes for every year. Only problem it is doesn't show what was model built where, and what engine could go into what car.

[gtoric]

Originally Posted by fiedlerh

Do you want me to post the GM VIN code book? As I recall it goes through '82. Not a definitive source of info, but it gives the plant and model codes for every year. Only problem it is doesn't show what was model built where, and what engine could go into what car.

Only if you want to. I do have a GM Production Options booklet from 11/92 and a list of GM plants from 1986.

The real tricky part of this whole deal is to determine what models of which make were assembled in the various plant locations. Some plants, like Fremont, had a very diverse product menu. Others, like the home plants of each division, had fairly segregated model lines.

Wikipedia has a good listing of GM production facilities, but as with all Wiki info, secondary conformation needs to be located.

[cdnroundport]

Charts are cool Eric

You can add 71 LeMans to Oshawa Plant (no 71-72 Endura cars thought).

Ian

[Im In 1966]

Nice work, thanks! The data plate and PHS on my late May '66 GTO indicates the Framingham assembly plant.

[gtoric]

Originally Posted by Im In 1966

Nice work, thanks! The data plate and PHS on my late May '66 GTO indicates the Framingham assembly plant.

Thanks for your input, it seems that Framingham started production of Pontiacs in 1966. 28,132 V8-powered A-bodies were built there in the '66 model year. I will update my chart.

[gtoric]

Keith, what do you know about the GMC MotorHome production (1973-1978)? I believe all of these motor home RVs were produced in one of the Pontiac, MI truck plants. Do you know which one? I will add this info to the charts.

Perhaps we can determine which truck lines were produced in the various plants. Were all of the heavy chassis trucks produced in Flint? Can you take a shot at identifying the Chevy and GMC truck production sites and which lines were assembled at those plants?

[Keith Seymore]

Not sure on the GMC motor homes, but I know where a couple are sitting and I'll check the VINs. Incidently I looked at one over the shutdown which was listed as a '79.

Both Flint and Pontiac built heavy duty trucks as of late. I'll take an assignment and try to define that through the model years. It may be too complex (due to the high level of model proliferation/permutations) to fit on your chart. Truck guys are used to that kind of thing.

K

[Mr_GTO]

Originally Posted by gtoric

Thanks for your input, it seems that Framingham started production of Pontiacs in 1966. 28,132 V8-powered A-bodies were built there in the '66 model year. I will update my chart.

I was going to say that i'm 99.9% sure my first 1966 GTO was built in Framingham.

[gtoric]

Thanks Keith. Looking forward to your research.

How many different model lines were produced from '64-'74? Pickups, Blazer/Jimmy, Suburban, medium and heavy duty chassis, Cube vans, OTR semi tractors (Titan), city Buses, others?

[MikeNoun]

Not sure if this helps, but this site has about everything you want to know about the GMC Motorhomes:

http://history.gmheritagecenter.com/..._GMC_MotorHome

An excerpt about production :

Plans for the manufacture of the motor home were moving along rapidly. Plant #3 in Pontiac, MI had been outfitted with equipment and tooling. This was one of GMs older plants and it had a split-level floor plan. At the lower level, the chassis frame was collecting various sub assemblies as it proceeded down the line, front and rear suspension, tanks, air lines, electrical wiring and finally the engine and drive train. The upper level of the plant was used for body assembly. Individual aluminum pieces of the body’s frame were placed in manufacturing jigs which assembled and aligned them; they were then welded together as a unit. Aluminum and fiberglass exterior body panels were fastened to this frame with a 3M adhesive. This assembled body was then cleaned, prepped and painted. When completed, the body was lowered to the main floor where it was mated with the assembled chassis.

[gtoric]

Mike, great information! Thanks for the link.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Not sure if this helps, but this site has about everything you want to know about the GMC Motorhomes:

Thank you Mike; you beat me to the punch!

So for GMC motorhome lets settle on Pontiac Plant #3.

Also - I noticed GM says specifically that production ended in 1978, so the owner of the one I looked at must have been confused.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by gtoric

Thanks Keith. Looking forward to your research.

How many different model lines were produced from '64-'74? Pickups, Blazer/Jimmy, Suburban, medium and heavy duty chassis, Cube vans, OTR semi tractors (Titan), city Buses, others?

Off the top of my head I'd add GMC Astro (cabover) and P Trucks (like the Grumann bodied bread trucks), the G Van (cargo and Beauville) and school buses. I recall that the G vans were built in Lordstown OH and Scarborough Canada, but I'll have to check and see if they fall within our model years of interest.

The issue with proliferation is that even within LD Pickup, Blazer and Suburban you have 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton variants, and LD (pickup style) cab chassis, all of these in both 2 and 4 wheel drive versions. This sometimes will drive differences in final assembly location.

K

[John V.]

Eric, that's quite an ambitious undertaking.

Couple things of note. To my knowledge, GM began to dismantle the separate Fisher Body Div. and integrate body assembly into the unified GM Assembly Div. starting in 1968.

An article Keith posted earlier in the thread does a pretty good job of outlining the transition.

On your chart however, I think there is a confusion.

In '64, Plants like Fremont were B-O-P Div. Assembly Plants. Each had an independent Fisher Body Plant associated with them.

You show "merged with GMAD in 1965" for these plants. I think this is incorrect. I believe that the article correctly states that the B-O-P Div. became the GM Assembly Div. in deference to the fact that these Plants were now assembling Chevy's in addition to B-O-P vehicles. But Fisher Body remained as a separate Div. under its own management structure.

Then in '68, GM began the process of eliminating the separate Fisher Body Div. and integrating body assembly into the final assembly operation. This integration culminated with the demise of the Fisher Body Div., although it remained at some Plants well into the '70s IIRC.

This makes for a bit of complication when it comes to identifying the Plant code for some of the Plants.

In '64, the Fremont B-O-P Plant was Plant Code F. It became Plant Code Z in '65, apparently to coincide with the formation of GMAD.

Likewise, in '64 the Lansing, Mich Plant was Plant Code M.

But the Kansas City, Missouri was also Plant Code M in '64. It was a Chevy Plant. It became Plant Code K in '65, apparently to coincide with the formation of GMAD.

The Kansas City, Kansas Plant was Plant Code K in '64. It became Plant Code X in '65, apparently to coincide with the formation of GMAD.

The Arlington B-O-P Plant was Plant Code A in '64. It became Plant Code R in '65, apparently to coincide with the formation of GMAD.

There are others that likewise changed Plant Codes in '65.

IIRC, Fremont I believe first began churning out Chevy and/or GMC trucks in late '63 as a built from scratch Plant, car production did not commence until Sept. '63 for the '64 Model Year.

Just a suggestion, but it may be more appropriate for the '65 changes to be identified on the same line as the GMAD Plant Code line in your chart, to clarify the two separate changes as the Corp. structure evolved.

Example:

GMAD Plant Code: R Arlington, TX 1953- , (became GMAD in 1965 MY, formerly B-O-P Div. Plant Code A in 1964 MY)
Fisher Body Plant Code: BT prior to integration with GMAD in 1968

You list BT & R for the Fisher Body Plant Code. Actually, I'm not sure what is correct here. Since the Plant was integrated, the single Plant Code R would make sense, but you may be going for what is indicated on the Data Plate as the Body No. prefix. I'm not sure what that code was in Arlington from '68 up. But I think BT is correct prior to '68.

Lordstown ceased '69 Firebird production in March '69.

Tooling was moved to Norwood, and starting in April, '69 Firebirds were added to the model mix at that Plant. So '69 Firebird production should be added to Norwood.

AFAIK, fullsize production of Chevy's was terminated at Lordstown at the end of '69.

The entire line was ripped out at that point in preparation for Vega production. The all new line for the Vega was installed. I believe only the Vega was produced at Lordstown after that.

I don't see the Cadillac Clark St. Plant listed. It may have been one of the last (or the last) GM assembly plant that had separate Fisher Body Div. built body assemblies. Body Assemblies arrived at Clark St. by truck from a nearby Fisher Body Plant by what I understand into at least the late '70s.

Again, great work! I hope my comments are helpful.

[gtoric]

John, thanks for your insightful input. I have made some changes to the charts. Check them out.

Originally Posted by John V.

Eric, that's quite an ambitious undertaking.

Couple things of note. To my knowledge, GM began to dismantle the separate Fisher Body Div. and integrate body assembly into the unified GM Assembly Div. starting in 1968.

An article Keith posted earlier in the thread does a pretty good job of outlining the transition.

On your chart however, I think there is a confusion.

In '64, Plants like Fremont were B-O-P Div. Assembly Plants. Each had an independent Fisher Body Plant associated with them.

You show "merged with GMAD in 1965" for these plants. I think this is incorrect. I believe that the article correctly states that the B-O-P Div. became the GM Assembly Div. in deference to the fact that these Plants were now assembling Chevy's in addition to B-O-P vehicles. But Fisher Body remained as a separate Div. under its own management structure.

One source for Fisher plant history that states that some of the BOP plants did start migrating to GMAD control as early as 1965. The change in FB id. on the data tags between 1964 and 1965 does indicate that something was changing at this time.

Then in '68, GM began the process of eliminating the separate Fisher Body Div. and integrating body assembly into the final assembly operation. This integration culminated with the demise of the Fisher Body Div., although it remained at some Plants well into the '70s IIRC.

Another stage in the elimination of FB ocurred in the 1970 to 1973 era when the FB id. codes changed again to match the one-letter code of their conjoined GMAD plant. This change apparently did not apply to the Olds, Pontiac and Buick home plants, which retained their three letter id. codes at least through 1974.

This makes for a bit of complication when it comes to identifying the Plant code for some of the Plants.

In '64, the Fremont B-O-P Plant was Plant Code F. It became Plant Code Z in '65, apparently to coincide with the formation of GMAD.

At least one source states that the Fremont plant started as code H in 1964, went to Z in '65. Since Buick was using the F code in 1964, I don't think that the same code would be assigned to Fremont for 1964.

Likewise, in '64 the Lansing, Mich Plant was Plant Code M.

But the Kansas City, Missouri was also Plant Code M in '64. It was a Chevy Plant. It became Plant Code K in '65, apparently to coincide with the formation of GMAD.

I can't explain this double use of the M code. It seems to me that this redundancy would cause great confusion in GM's bookkeeping.

The Kansas City, Kansas Plant was Plant Code K in '64. It became Plant Code X in '65, apparently to coincide with the formation of GMAD.

The Arlington B-O-P Plant was Plant Code A in '64. It became Plant Code R in '65, apparently to coincide with the formation of GMAD.

There are others that likewise changed Plant Codes in '65.

IIRC, Fremont I believe first began churning out Chevy and/or GMC trucks in late '63 as a built from scratch Plant, car production did not commence until Sept. '63 for the '64 Model Year.

Just a suggestion, but it may be more appropriate for the '65 changes to be identified on the same line as the GMAD Plant Code line in your chart, to clarify the two separate changes as the Corp. structure evolved.

Example:

GMAD Plant Code: R Arlington, TX 1953- , (became GMAD in 1965 MY, formerly B-O-P Div. Plant Code A in 1964 MY)
Fisher Body Plant Code: BT prior to integration with GMAD in 1968

You list BT & R for the Fisher Body Plant Code. Actually, I'm not sure what is correct here. Since the Plant was integrated, the single Plant Code R would make sense, but you may be going for what is indicated on the Data Plate as the Body No. prefix. I'm not sure what that code was in Arlington from '68 up. But I think BT is correct prior to '68.

My source indicates that Arlington used BT through the 1971, then changed to R for 1972.

Lordstown ceased '69 Firebird production in March '69.

Tooling was moved to Norwood, and starting in April, '69 Firebirds were added to the model mix at that Plant. So '69 Firebird production should be added to Norwood.

AFAIK, fullsize production of Chevy's was terminated at Lordstown at the end of '69.

The entire line was ripped out at that point in preparation for Vega production. The all new line for the Vega was installed. I believe only the Vega was produced at Lordstown after that.

I don't see the Cadillac Clark St. Plant listed. It may have been one of the last (or the last) GM assembly plant that had separate Fisher Body Div. built body assemblies. Body Assemblies arrived at Clark St. by truck from a nearby Fisher Body Plant by what I understand into at least the late '70s.

I can't locate information on the Clark St. plant. Was the Clark St. plant exclusively Fleetwood body production?

Again, great work! I hope my comments are helpful.

Thanks. With enough research, we'll get this sorted out, I hope.