Understanding a Build Sheet
January 7th, 2024 | 04:19 AM
#2
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,166
To fully explain a build sheet as to every box, would take a good while. A build sheet is nothing more than a localized document to show the recipe of a vehicle as it is assembled at a particular manufacturing plant. This document is an official record of what SHOULD have been on the cars when built (I say should because there are a very few examples of verified errors). There's information boxes containing the VIN, as well as RPO (regular production option) codes and descriptors to show what options other than base equipment were included in the car. While most of those RPO descriptions would make it to the window sticker, some may not. Because the build sheet was more for the assembly line workers than for the window sticker, which was used mainly for dealership sales and dealer/customer information.
There's many little boxes that usually had numereral, letter, or alpha-numeric codes inside them. Sometimes blocks were blank, had a dash or asterisk, or sometimes they had "NONE" in them, or even stuff spelled out a little, depending on the assembly plant. Those two letter or number codes told the assembly line workers which parts bin item to install on the car. This sped up production. For example, if there was a block that showed positive battery cable with "GN" in that box, the worker would look for his/her code box on the sheet and grab the positive battery cable that was designated "GN" from the big bins of parts that were staged within reach. May have several bins with different codes to choose from, so the worker just got the right part and stuck it on the car. Sometimes the parts had stickers with the codes on them so the worker didn't have to think about it. Like take part "A" and insert it into part "B". All you would do is search for part "A" and not worry about whether it was the right part or not, really. The logistics portion of the assembly line ensured the parts were delivered to the assembly line so they never ran out to keep the line moving. That was the idea, anyway.
There were usually MANY build sheets printed for each car and different documentation was used in different places for the workers to efficiently assemble the car with the correct parts. The paperwork alone was a huge process in itself to ensure the right car, with the right optional equipment, got to the right customer. And finding a build sheet is a crapshoot. Again, not meant for us as customers. And some places, like Lansing plant, were VERY good at cleaning out all the paperwork from cars so it's RARE to find a Lansing car build sheet. It happened, but not often. Some plants didn't care. The Ste Therese plant used to even put build sheets in many cars' gloveboxes all the way up until they tore it down. I know my 2002 Camaro SS built there had a build sheet tossed into the glove box as many F-bodies back then did.
The layout also varied slightly from plant to plant as most had their nuanced ways of doing it, but still had the information codes on it to where the workers at that particular plant knew which equipment to install on the car. All the bulid sheets I've seen also had the dealership it was shipped to as well, as well as the dealer order code for that particular car.
There's many little boxes that usually had numereral, letter, or alpha-numeric codes inside them. Sometimes blocks were blank, had a dash or asterisk, or sometimes they had "NONE" in them, or even stuff spelled out a little, depending on the assembly plant. Those two letter or number codes told the assembly line workers which parts bin item to install on the car. This sped up production. For example, if there was a block that showed positive battery cable with "GN" in that box, the worker would look for his/her code box on the sheet and grab the positive battery cable that was designated "GN" from the big bins of parts that were staged within reach. May have several bins with different codes to choose from, so the worker just got the right part and stuck it on the car. Sometimes the parts had stickers with the codes on them so the worker didn't have to think about it. Like take part "A" and insert it into part "B". All you would do is search for part "A" and not worry about whether it was the right part or not, really. The logistics portion of the assembly line ensured the parts were delivered to the assembly line so they never ran out to keep the line moving. That was the idea, anyway.
There were usually MANY build sheets printed for each car and different documentation was used in different places for the workers to efficiently assemble the car with the correct parts. The paperwork alone was a huge process in itself to ensure the right car, with the right optional equipment, got to the right customer. And finding a build sheet is a crapshoot. Again, not meant for us as customers. And some places, like Lansing plant, were VERY good at cleaning out all the paperwork from cars so it's RARE to find a Lansing car build sheet. It happened, but not often. Some plants didn't care. The Ste Therese plant used to even put build sheets in many cars' gloveboxes all the way up until they tore it down. I know my 2002 Camaro SS built there had a build sheet tossed into the glove box as many F-bodies back then did.
The layout also varied slightly from plant to plant as most had their nuanced ways of doing it, but still had the information codes on it to where the workers at that particular plant knew which equipment to install on the car. All the bulid sheets I've seen also had the dealership it was shipped to as well, as well as the dealer order code for that particular car.
January 7th, 2024 | 10:03 AM
#5
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 388
From: Minnesota
Great basic description 69HO43
it is a great find when you have one these days. Especially for those auction folks that have the totally loaded car and claim super rare but no build sheet. Real paper work can make the difference to some
Example, I have the build sheet for my current 442 and it was built with the steel hood, I Found and have added an original W25 hood and induction parts, but I could never say “as built” because the W25 code is not on my build sheet.
I kept the original hood for now incase I sell it and someone wants it all original as built.
I still have the dinky original 14x7 rally’s also sitting in storage…lol
it is a great find when you have one these days. Especially for those auction folks that have the totally loaded car and claim super rare but no build sheet. Real paper work can make the difference to some
Example, I have the build sheet for my current 442 and it was built with the steel hood, I Found and have added an original W25 hood and induction parts, but I could never say “as built” because the W25 code is not on my build sheet.
I kept the original hood for now incase I sell it and someone wants it all original as built.
I still have the dinky original 14x7 rally’s also sitting in storage…lol
January 7th, 2024 | 10:25 AM
#6
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 11,153
From: Evansville, IN
The term build sheet is one coined by non-automotive professionals. There are manifests and broadcast sheets/cards, and those are the correct terms. The first is a complete list of all options and goes with the car further than a broadcast sheet. The manifest typically hung from the hood and the worker would read a specific part and bolt on a specific thing because of it. The broadcast card or sheet was smaller and was often before the shell was assembled, so a lot of that was picking parts, or doing things to individual body panels.
Lansing did not use the traditional build sheet. I will repeat that again. They did not use what is typically called a build sheet. You will not find one in a Lansing car. Lansing used a different format over two sheets, called A and B. Those were typically tossed, so you probably won't find them either, but, there is a possibility of finding the A or B sheet. I had someone get extremely self-righteous when I said this on a previous discussion, and triumphantly whipped out A and B sheets only to find out that I was speaking of the "used everywhere else" style of build sheet and that I was correct. Broadcast cards (smaller, on card stock) are often found in Lansing cars.
It's worth pointing out that, for the vast majority of 442s and Cutlasses, a "build sheet" is not necessary. It's really only needed for high dollar W cars. Like the Herk said, maybe also W-25 cars as 95% of 70-72 Olds A bodies have them now and 15% or so came with them originally.
Lansing did not use the traditional build sheet. I will repeat that again. They did not use what is typically called a build sheet. You will not find one in a Lansing car. Lansing used a different format over two sheets, called A and B. Those were typically tossed, so you probably won't find them either, but, there is a possibility of finding the A or B sheet. I had someone get extremely self-righteous when I said this on a previous discussion, and triumphantly whipped out A and B sheets only to find out that I was speaking of the "used everywhere else" style of build sheet and that I was correct. Broadcast cards (smaller, on card stock) are often found in Lansing cars.
It's worth pointing out that, for the vast majority of 442s and Cutlasses, a "build sheet" is not necessary. It's really only needed for high dollar W cars. Like the Herk said, maybe also W-25 cars as 95% of 70-72 Olds A bodies have them now and 15% or so came with them originally.
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