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Today, while removing the front seat covers for repair and recovering, I cut into the back with a razor knife. When I tore it open to get at the broken releas for rear access I find the build sheet! I am more than elated as I thought it was gone and any authentication would be impossible. Has anyone else found their build sheet in the back padding/springs of the front seat?
I’m going to get this as close to the options she came with, but already have OAI hood on and sport steering wheel. Either way, what an exciting day.
Congrats on the find. Linden, Arlington, Freemont, Framingham all left those in the car. Only Lansing cars were meticulously screened to removed them. I'd get that laminated to prevent any further damage. I'm not surprised you found it in the seat panel. Other locations were under floor mat, behind kick panels, under package tray or on top of fuel tank.
Only Lansing cars were meticulously screened to removed them.
I gotta wonder about that. If a build sheet were sewn into the seat at the upholstery shop as in this example, how would the final assembly plant personnel find it and remove it?
Originally Posted by Allan R
Other locations were under floor mat, behind kick panels, under package tray or on top of fuel tank.
Those all make sense as a place where the assembly personnel may place a sheet while assembling the vehicle, but a sheet INSIDE the seat back had to be done at a much earlier stage when the seat was being made. This seems to indicate, at least for this vehicle, that the seats were made to order specifically for the vehicle and not pulled from inventory as needed.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I know that some A51 cars had their build sheets stuffed in behind the seat backs. Maybe if I worked at Lansing back in the day I could tell you the reasoning.
The reasoning probably was that Lansing provided a trash can. Line workers are looking for two things: fast and easy. It's a job to a factory worker. He may like the idea of a 442, but that thing in front of him is a product,
and if it's quicker to take the manifest and toss it in a bin as opposed to flattening it onto a gas tank, or under a carpet, or tucking it in a seat coil, then he would have done so, I think.
The sheet literally had no purpose once the car was assembled. It's like keeping your grocery list after you went. There were other papers that continued to have importance, like a repair sheet, and a sheet of where the car was going.
Great find! What's the story on the one that's scribbled out? "P35 SPORT RV MIR"?
I have no idea on this. Slightly disappointed the mystery is gone in some respect as I’d hoped it was a W25, sport mirror, sport wheel car w/SS II’s as it was represented but great to have documents and a couple of things could have been changed or dealer swapped. Now I have to reseach the dealer and see if I can track more down on first owner
since sport mirrors were pre-painted (probably at the supplier) & available on the assembly line to be placed on the cars as they arrived, it makes sense that an early in the model year "special order paint - Sebring yellow" car would not be available with painted mirrors & the change to the order was made "on-the-fly"
I got lucky. My car is a Linden car and one was on the bottom cushion of rear seat, the other driver seat lower cushion, both tucked in the springs. Funny how two got put in mine
Now that I can believe - it's simple and it makes sense.
Simplicity in itself?
Originally Posted by 1970greensupreme
I got lucky. My car is a Linden car and one was on the bottom cushion of rear seat, the other driver seat lower cushion, both tucked in the springs. Funny how two got put in mine
You are referring to the build sheet and not the broadcast card? Most of the assembly line photos I've seen show the actual build sheet taped to the front windscreen of the car. But then again, who knows? Different factories, different processes?
I see in my excitement to post it looks like a 3rd grader wrote it. Anyway, did find remnants of a second build sheet under center of front seat. I'm still shocked it was inside the seat(in the springs with padding and cover hiding it. The sport mirror change at factory is interesting...any insight here beyond previous statements on pre-paint and early builds? I am keeping setup I have w/W25, sport mirrors, sport wheel and SS II's. Also, always thought car had front drums as that's what it has now, but obviously swapped, so that needs to change. Anyone see anything else odd/unique about this build let me know. Fishing for dealer info now in NC.
Yes, the build sheet, not broadcast card. What was barely left of the broadcast card was under the carpet
That build sheet is in amazing condition. On your cowl tag, one of the (2) sets of numbers is likely 352680. What is the other one? By any chance is it 526804?
I got lucky. My car is a Linden car and one was on the bottom cushion of rear seat, the other driver seat lower cushion, both tucked in the springs. Funny how two got put in mine
I've owned several Linden-built 1970 convertibles and they all had two of the 8.5x11 build sheets in them like yours did.
Schedule/ date box shows 18 9-12 What is this decoded as? My Fisher Body tag shows 09C deniting 3rd week Sept, but still working on a few details here.
Your build date is Sept 12 on the final assembly line. This is where the body that was built by Fisher was married to the chassis and all remaining sheet metal and finishing was done. BTW, just a tidbit of trivia - the chassis was built upside down to facilitate installation of certain components, then flipped over for installation of the drivetrain and acceptance of the body. To build the body at Fisher could take up to 4 days depending on the factory and car; the final assembly was a 1 day job.
Note: Sorry but I got your build sheet and the one posted by 1970greensupreme mixed up. Both your car and his were built at the same plant. The cool thing is the documentation of your 1970 442 convertible being stated in box 24
