Engine casting date vs build date

[ronnieg]

Can or has anyone seen a casting date for the block that is the same as the build date on the pad?

[rsatz28]

While I'm no expert, I'm not sure how that could be done.

[JohnZ]

Yes, I've seen a couple, and NCRS has documented several over the years. Flint blocks were cast in Saginaw, and it was possible for a block to be cast early in the 1st shift and show up at Flint Engine on 2nd shift for machining and assembly. Would also have been possible at Tonawanda, as the foundry was right next door to the engine plant, on the same site.

The "norm" was more like 2-3 days to a week, but it was "possible".

[rsatz28]

Very interesting! 

[ronnieg]

thanks! The engine for my 68 z is that way cast on the 16th of may and built the same day.  Both heads were from the 10th of may. I had the deck plate height checked, and it was correct but was not sure if the engine could be built the same day. Thanks again for the comments!

[Z10Mike]

Entirely possible for casting and assembly date to be the same.  Between the two of us, my father and I worked at Chevrolet Motor Division on Van Slyke and on Chevrolet Ave (Flint, Mi) in the 60's through the early 80's.   So we witnessed the operating tempo of these facilities during the height of Chevrolet success.  Raw engine blocks were trucked in from Saginaw Foundry around the clock in stake sided heavy duty six axle semi trailers.  Operations were running on 3 shifts, 7 days/week for months on end.  With that rate of volume, coincident cast/buld dates would not be a surprise...

[JohnZ]

Mike, I was at the Chevrolet Pilot Line (on Van Slyke just south of Atherton, next to Flint Assembly) from '66-'69; they bulldozed it two years ago.

[Z10Mike]

John: You may recall the sister facility about 1/4 mile north of the old V-8 plant was the birthplace of the early build '53 Corvettes.  It was demolished within the last several years as well.   Not even a brick was saved.  No plaque...nothing.   Sad....

[JohnZ]

John: You may recall the sister facility about 1/4 mile north of the old V-8 plant was the birthplace of the early build '53 Corvettes.  It was demolished within the last several years as well.   Not even a brick was saved.  No plaque...nothing.   Sad....

That's the facility I was talking about - began as the Customer Delivery Building for the Flint Assembly Plant, was converted as the mini-assembly plant for the 300 '53 Corvettes, then became the Chevrolet Pilot Line, then the GM Assembly Research Center, then the GM Quality Center, then became a warehouse in recent years, and was bulldozed in 2004. I shot the photo below during the SACC (Solid Axle Corvette Club) Corvette 50th anniversary in June, 2003, with about 40 53's and twelve of the original '53 Corvette workers (in red shirts) that we rounded up in the Flint area as our special guests for the '53 Corvette 50th "Birthday Party" celebration. The plant is in the background, with the ramp to the roof parking lot. 

[JohnZ]

By the way, several thousand bricks WERE saved during the demolition, and given to the National Corvette Museum; they're sold by the Museum, numbered, and can be personalized; photo below of one I had made up and presented to one of my NCRS chapter members to recognize his contributions and participation last year. 

[Z10Mike]

  Thankfully someone DID recognized the significance of the building, although it was not saved entirely.  I only recalled the demolition crew uncerimoniously tearing it down into a pile of rubble.  Only thing left now is a concrete slab and some weeds emerging from the cracks. 
  BTW - Wasn't Werner the owner of a one-off GM Design exercise C1 at one time?

[JohnZ]

Werner has owned MANY of the one-off C1 and C2 Styling Corvettes over the years, and is currently restoring another C1 Styling car he found last year in a garage in Birmingham.

[Dave69x33]

Great discussion and reading!  I often wonder how many related experiences and stores there are out there to tell.  I used to work at Allison Gas Turbine Division of GM, in Indianapolis, IN, now a Rolls-Royce Plant.  Prior to the sale of this plant to RR, I would estimate the average age of the 4200 UAW work force to be mid to late forty or early 50’s.  Many of these guys started with GM right out of high school, made good money and would tell me stores about the Chevell SS's, Vettes, Camaros, etc. they had ordered new. 

I bought my 69 Z28 back in 1995 while I still worked at Allison and I need the smog system.  One guy who had bought a new 68 SS, and then a new 69Z thought he still had a smog system tucked away in an attic....that he would give to me!!!   Unfortunately, it was gone. Many of these guys told me how they would take off the smog system and install headers soon after they got their cars which helped the car come alive.  Of course, there were many more stores about street drag racing and cruising. 

You guys should get together with others and write a collection of short-stores and memories, with related pictures in a book of your experiences from the era.  I would buy a copy!