Messages

1

Decoding/Numbers / Re: Any 3932388 DZ Engine Pads close to V0425DZ?

« on: March 14, 2020, 02:25:32 PM »

We discussed this block-exchange program here several years ago - it was done occasionally to ensure that neither plant had made any machining changes that would compromise the Service requirement that either Flint or Tonawanda blocks were interchangeable and would accept the same common replacement parts in the field. It's theoretically possible (but HIGHLY unlikely) that one of those Tonawanda-supplied interchangeability audit blocks could wind up built as a DZ engine, including drilling/tapping for and installing the 1/8" NPT oil gallery plug above the timing cover.

I'd need a whole bunch more evidence before I'd believe that Flint V-8 built a DZ engine, without the oil gallery plug, on a Tonawanda block; too many ways to fake just about anything.

2

General Discussion / Re: CE codes..how far out date wise?

« on: February 05, 2020, 11:47:43 PM »

Based on the number of crated/unused "CE" blocks that have been found in dealerships over the years, I would think the Service guys had some sort of informal system to maintain a buffer of common "CE" replacement blocks so they could reasonably predict the need for weekend overtime at the engine plants, but the buffer stock wouldn't have been at the engine plants - they didn't have the floorspace to dedicate hunks of it for potential Service usage. Somewhere, someone handled that, or the delays at the dealer level would have been untenable.

However, since most of the "CE's" were 4"-bore blocks with only two kinds of pistons and two kinds of camshafts, it wouldn't take a lot of part numbers to cover 95% of the anticipated demand, since most of the as-installed differences were from external bolt-on parts from the failed engine, which went right back on the "CE" block. 

3

Decoding/Numbers / Re: What do you think of this stamp?

« on: August 06, 2018, 04:31:37 PM »

Restamp kits "Like the General Did It" have been advertised in "Vette Vues" magazine (and others) for almost 40 years; this is nothing new. Where there's money to be made, people re-stamp. 

4

Garage Talk / Re: Muscle car assembley line video

« on: December 30, 2017, 06:46:48 PM »

Interesting video - thanks! If you go to about 1:22 (red firebird at body drop), there are two guys in white shirts next to a column at the left side of the picture - the shorter guy with dark hair and glasses is me, when I was a Production Superintendent at Lordstown in 1969. The other guy was Al Perttola, my boss, General Superintendent. 

5

Restoration / Re: Posi tag on rear before or after painting

« on: December 30, 2017, 12:12:48 AM »

Guys -

The axle left Detroit Gear & Axle with no lube, but with the 4-sided plug in the fill hole. On the Chassis Line at the car assembly plant, the plug was removed, the axle was filled (with Posi lube if it was a Posi, or with regular hypoid lube if it wasn't), and the plug was re-installed (with the red plastic Posi tag added if it was a Posi axle).  The "unit" shown was a Service part for the dealers. 

6

Originality / Re: D55 Console with U17 Gauge Package (pic heavy)

« on: May 21, 2017, 09:27:36 PM »

<<You need a potentiometer capable of zero to 100 Ohm's >>

I made this tool to calibrate Corvette fuel gauges - it's a 0-100 ohm Radio Shack variable potentiometer with a pair of clip leads soldered to it; I mark the potentiometer shaft and body from readings on a VOM, then compare gauge needle deflection at several points along its variable resistance curve. 

7

Originality / Re: Service Engines (CE coded)

« on: May 21, 2017, 08:55:55 PM »

Anyone know if Flint Engine assembly ran 7 days, night and day?

Flint V-8 normally ran two 9-hour Assembly shifts, 5 days a week, plus two overtime shifts every other Saturday. Every day Assembly ran two shifts, Machining ran three 8-hour shifts.

In Assembly, Line #1 ran at 170 per hour, and Line #2 ran at 130 per hour; the combined output (300 per hour, one engine every 12 seconds) generated about 2700 engines per day. Flint V-8 didn't operate on Sundays.

8

Originality / Re: Compressor inspection stamp?

« on: March 08, 2017, 12:22:13 AM »

'Needing help in recreating the '67 A/C inspection stamp that was placed on the A6 compressors (Norwood built, 11B).  When cleaning years worth of repaints from the compressor, I uncovered a partial inspection stamp that I believe inspectors placed on the compressor when the A/C system was tested and certified.

The partial stamp is a yellow circle which is approximately 1-1/8" round, has "TEST" inside the circle, and has "CHEV" outside the circle at 6 o'clock.  I believe that the stamp was placed half on, and half off,  the compressor ID sticker.  Anyone have a photo or the actual wording inside the circle?

Thanks for your help!

Steve

In '66-'67, that was a paint/ink pad stamp, applied after final compressor test at Frsigidaire - most of the Corvette resto houses (Paragon, Long Island, etc.) have the stamps.

9

Decoding/Numbers / Re: Caveat Emptor...another repro window sticker

« on: March 07, 2017, 11:35:36 PM »

Would the plastic dash be different for one with a clock verses one without a clock? In other words were there two different dashes depending if you had a clock or not?

The hole for the clock or the tach was die-pierced in a hydrauiic fixture in the assembly plant, on the dash cluster subassembly line.

10

General Discussion / Re: Is it real ? 69 Z28,Z22 on CR

« on: March 07, 2017, 11:17:47 PM »

Seller sent me a pic of cowl tag , but it is to big , how do I reduce size , so I can post?

Google "Light Image Resizer" free download - integrates with Windows (that's what I use). Pro version (not necessary) also available for $.

11

General Discussion / Re: Chassis Broadcast Sheet

« on: February 24, 2017, 07:03:00 PM »

There's another possible aspect to the "Broadcast Copy under the rear seat story" , but not on first-gen NOR cars. Norwood was an old Fisher/Chevrolet plant, and followed the same overall sequence as all the other Fisher/Chevrolet plants, where Fisher supplied a painted and trimmed firewall-back body shell to Chevrolet and Chevrolet made a car out of it.

GMAD plants, however, weren't constrained by Fisher traditions, and used the "soft trim after Final" sequence, where all of the interior soft trim parts were installed AFTER roll-test and water-test as a driveable car (Corvette also followed that sequence); easier to spot water leaks and no water damage to costly interior parts. At some point after GMAD absorbed Norwood (don't recall when offhand), Norwood changed to the GMAD sequence, and that system would have made it possible to find a Broadcast Sheet under the rear seat.

12

General Discussion / Re: JohnZ, say it ain't so?

« on: February 24, 2017, 01:26:26 AM »

Does anyone know anything about John's recovery?

John has shown remarkable improvement over the last few months and was discharged from the Hospice facility last Wednesday (02-15-17). He's now home and I'm sure he'll be checking in shortly.

Ed

Hi, guys, and you all have my deep appreciation for your thoughts and prayers - that has to be what turned this medical nightmare around, I'm sure. It sure feels good to be back among the living - I came perilously close to the other side in December, after 14 weeks of five separate middle-of-the-night screaming ambulance rides to Emergency admissions for gastrointestinal, heart, lung, and kidney failures (singly, and in combination), only four days at home in 4 months, professional in-patient rehab following hospital discharges, and 8 weeks of in-patient Hospice treatment after the doctors gave up.

Got to me for a while, then I decided it was MY decision, and with the emotional support of the Hospice folks, your thoughts and prayers, and the continuing positive encouragement of my wife Linda and many of my closest friends, about the third week of Hospice my health took a dramatic upturn, I walked for the first time since everything went downhill in early September, the "crisis" in my medical condition faded, and things continued to improve, to the point that I left the outside Hospice facility last Wednesday, standing up and walking.

I'm on oxygen 24/7 (concentrators in the house and in the garage office with nasal cannulas - no bottles) and my new buddy-for-life urinary catheter (Foley) in addition to my insulin regimen as a diabetic. There are about 14 other things that aren't working right either, but I'm sticking with what we're doing - it's working. (-:

It's great to be back! I'm glad I built this garage 48' deep 16 years ago - the new 44'-long ramp up to the door to the kitchen works out just fine. Even Max the dog figured it out!  :-)

13

Original Cars and Details / Re: JohnZ's '69 Z/28

« on: August 09, 2016, 01:25:22 AM »

You stated that the master cylinder was sleeved, what's the status of the brake hoses and lines?

The brake flex hoses (safety item) were replaced ten years ago, lines were nicely protected by the original dealer-installed undercoating (very common on Canadian-delivered cars of that era).

14

General Discussion / Re: Flint Assembly Info

« on: August 04, 2016, 06:39:58 PM »

JohnZ may know him....

Nope, doesn't ring any bells with me.

15

Original Cars and Details / Re: JohnZ's '69 Z/28

« on: August 04, 2016, 06:21:36 PM »

These pics show the cowl tag, the green "T" below it, the acorn nuts on the rearward rear spoiler attachments and the stud-and-sealer nuts on the forward rear spoiler attachments. This car was built about two weeks before the "short" rear spoiler disappeared.

Always great to see pics of your car John.   John was very helpful to me several times during the resto of my 10 10 Z/28.   I am wondering if the original owner had the cowl area touched up when he did the other touch up.   Mine had a lot of white (stirpe color) paint on top of the cowl, with some overspray on the firewall.  I notice yours is body color instead of stripe color.  I also realize our cars are almost 6 mos. apart, and that the procedure could have changed over time.

I have some pics of what it looked like originally somewhere.   I also have a pic of how I replicated it during the resto.

Thanks again for all you do for this hobby.

Lynn -

I'm sure the original owner did or had some touch-up done to cover the white stripe overspray typically seen in the open cowl area, as there is none visible.