Why Camaro production was extended in 1969.

[firstgenaddict]

Was reading posts over on the NCRS forums and ran across this little bit of information which JohnZ stated. I knew there were issues with the new model, however I do not believe I have ever seen the specific issues stated or discussed either here, Yenko.net, or Camaros.net.
If this is posted somewhere on the CRG I do not recall seeing it.

LINK -
https://www.ncrs.org/forums/showthread.php?29077-1970-Corvette-Production&p=156090#post156090

John Hinckley (29964)
The extended production year for the '69 Camaro (and late start for the new '70 Camaro) was a result of die tryout failures for the new Camaro quarter panel dies. The die tryout panels exhibited numerous wrinkles and splits, and it required major changes in the first-stage draw dies and draw clamping rings to work out the forming issues before the quarters could be made reliably at production rates. There are lots of "conspiracy theories" that folks like to relate, but they're hogwash. Fisher Body had to do a lot of carving on draw dies and draw rings, and that delayed the program; first time Fisher Body Die Engineering was ever responsible for a delayed launch. Involved a lot of wild last-minute scrambling by both Chevrolet and Fisher Body Purchasing to get both inside and outside suppliers to keep making 1969 parts on lines that were supposed to be in the process of being changed over to the new 1970 parts.

[bcmiller]

Right, not sure if it was ever posted on this site. But it’s fairly well known. 

[bertfam]

Right, not sure if it was ever posted on this site.

It is and posted HERE.

Ed

[vtfb68]

Hi guys,
  So the August trim tagged Camaros (like 08E) were counted as September built cars?
    Not completed, or easier to count perhaps?

[william]

The trim tag [and date] was not a factor for Chevrolet final-assembly. In comparing the db with the 'last car' VIN for August '69 [N678253] as reported by Chevrolet, many cars with 08E tags were final-assembled in September. Cars were not built in VIN order. The first car final-assembled for September '69 accounting may have had an earlier VIN.

The trim tag date is only a rough approximation of final-assembly. 37 of the 69 ZL1 Camaros have 02D body taqs; all were final-assembled in March.

[firstgenaddict]

Right, not sure if it was ever posted on this site.

It is and posted HERE.


Ed

Thanks, I am sure I have read it, however it was many Camaros ago... lol

[crossboss]

Boys,
Wasn't a UAW strike also during this time period?

[william]

I believe there was at the Van Nuys plant but not at Norwood.

There were some gaps in Camaro production at Norwood. April 4-13 when Firebird production moved there, July 12-Aug 10 normal model year change over. Which of course, didn't go as planned.

[camaroboy68ss]

Boys,
Wasn't a UAW strike also during this time period?

There was a big strike in 1972 that caused alot of half done cars to be scrapped

[70z28lt1]

Longest strike in GM history.

Basically over changing Norwood from a Fisher Body plant to GMAD plant.

[william]

The topic of this thread was the extended production of the 1969 Camaro and Firebird at Norwood. The 1972 strike had nothing to do with it.

[KurtS]

The Van Nuys strike went from the end of April til mid-June. You can see this in the monthly totals. They finished the cars that were in process and then started to switch the plant over to 1970 models.

[william]

Another lesson in body tag date. The last 800 or so cars built at Van Nuys had 05A body tags; none of them were built in May. The final VIN was L531163. The June 'last car' VIN was L531026. That means at least some of the final 137 cars were built June 30, 1969 but counted as July production.

[fsc66]

Van Nuys Article dated; 06/18/69. Thursday resume date would be: 06/19/69.

[william]

Thanks! Adjusted my production calendar accordingly.