<VV> How was the VIN assigned/attached on 69s?

William Hubbell whubbell at verizon.net
Fri Oct 1 14:01:03 EDT 2010


Bob,

The VIN was absolutely added by Chevrolet and NOT by Fisher.  This is evident by the simple fact that the Fisher Body tag number order is not in perfect agreement with the VIN numbers.  Sometimes a body would be held up in the Willow Run plant (Chevrolet side) and a later body would get through the line first, thus having a lower VIN but higher Fisher Body number.

I know this has been discussed somewhere before.  My guess is that Dave Newell can enlighten us, so I am copying him on this thread.

Bill Hubbell


-----Original Message-----
From: BobHelt at aol.com
Sent: Friday, October 01, 2010 1:14 PM
To: dave at arborlea.com; virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> How was the VIN assigned/attached on 69s?

Thanks, Dave,
Something just doesn't ring true tho. Logic would certainly tell us that the VIN went on before the windshield. Besides the VIN would certainly have been determined and known by Fisher. There was no option information or other details  in the VIN which contained just body information. It had to be installed before  the windshield went on, wouldn't it? What could have been a
reason for adding the VIN during, or after, final assembly?  
Regards,
Bob Helt


-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Leonard
Sent: Friday, October 01, 2010 12:59 AM
To: BobHelt at aol.com; virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> How was the VIN assigned/attached on 69s?

I've read in several places that final assembly assigned VINs, not Fisher.
These are a few references I could quickly locate:

>From a Sixty-Niner newsletter: "#6000 at Fisher Body Shown with Fisher Body Manager Bob Bates in May, 1969, the completed body for #6000 is ready to transfer over to Chevrolet for fInal assembly. Note just how complete the body really is. Windshield, wheel well trim, door handles, side market lights, Monza emblem, etc. are already installed. There's even a key in the door lock! (Picture courtesy Dave Newell from his personal collection)"

In Finger Tip Facts, Dave writes, "Fisher was responsible for all body construction, assembly and paint. As delivered to Chevrolet, the bodies were surprisingly complete, With upholstery, glass, carpeting and most emblems and moldings already installed. It's easy to tell how the body appeared when it arrived at Chevrolet by studying the '69 assembly manual available from
vendors. Any body-related operations not shown or listed in the manual were performed by Fisher Body." 

And from Mark Ellis transcript of a presentation at a convention: "The bodies would then pass over to the Chevy side of the plant to a staging area. When the scheduling department determined they had all the parts necessary to build a particular car, the body was given a serial ( VIN) number and headed down ,the final Chevy assembly line." 

Dave
 
-----Original Message-----
From: BobHelt at aol.com [mailto:BobHelt at aol.com] 
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2010 11:42 PM
To: dave at arborlea.com; virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> How was the VIN assigned/attached on 69s? 

In a message dated 9/30/2010 6:00:04 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time, dave at arborlea.com writes:

All documentation states the VIN was assigned in final assembly, not at Fischer Body.

Dave,

What documentation states this? Where are you getting your information from? 

Regards,

Bob Helt




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