Anyone have a manifest (build) sheet out of an '83 or '84 H/O? I'm starting to research the G-bodies for build code id. nos. and letters. Since there are no assembly manuals available for these cars, I think that these manifest sheets will be the only source for the codes, unless someone has some really low mileage examples with their tags and stickers still intact.

 

That would be a rare bird to find as Lansing didn't put build sheets in hardly ANYTHING. I'm not sure if it was a plant thing about keeping the cars clean inside or what.

I've got a partial build sheet from an 85 442 (Arlington) I used to own. It was under the carpet. Some of it got stuck in some sealer and I couldn't remove it all. Not sure if much of that crosses over though.

I do know my 84 had "Hurst" written on top of the gas tank in red marking pencil.

 

Yes. These manifest sheets are rare indeed. I'd love to see what your partial sheet from '85 looks like. Can you post a scan?

My main reason in asking for this info is to determine manifest codes for '83 through '87 442s and H/Os. If anyone has original tags on components like springs, stabilizer bars, carbs, etc. I'd like to add these to my build code lists.

I have an '84 Inspector's Guide that will help out with that year, but the rest are a blank slate at this time.

 

Maybe I'm not understanding what "manifest codes" are. But you are aware of the sticker inside the trunk lid, right? It has an awful lot of codes on it -- I believe it's the equivalent of a build sheet. And it's almost always in good condition, as it's well protected from the elements.

 

Build sheet has stuff on it with boxes and codes in them, like "Fan Blade" and in the box it may have "OH" or something like that.

Spring codes on the SPID would be like 6PZ or 7SZ, etc., so you know those spring codes would be the PZ or SZ. Other than that, for the most part, you'd only have the RPO.

I'll see if I can find it and post it up.

 

Manifest sheets are also known as broadcast sheets or build sheets. A manifest is a listing of parts or component, as the definition applies in our discussion. These sheets were also called broadcast sheets. The assembly plant had a central office where the build mix was controlled. This office would schedule the order that the cars would be run down the line. The purpose of controlling the mix down the line was to avoid log jams. If four or five highly optioned cars were run down the line together, one or more work stations could get overwhelmed and cause troubles. Avoiding this problem was accomplished by scheduling these high content builds at intervals that would preclude those unwanted backups.

The broadcast sheets were called that because the central scheduling office would compose the sheet and then "broadcast" the information out to several printers in the plant. These sheets would then be taped to various parts of the car, on several different lines, as it began its journey down the various assembly lines. Depending on how the plant was set up, there could be trim, chassis, engine, body, final, repair/inspection lines to name a few, snaking through the plant on several different floors.

These broadcast/manifest/build sheets contained component or "pull" codes that told the worker which part to pull from a parts bin or box and bolt to each car as it traveled past his or her station. The GMAD plant sheets were the best sheets on which to find these codes. The green Lansing sheets that I have seen do not contain these codes, just a listing of option codes, so I am not entirely convinced that those sheets are actual "build sheets."

These manifest codes were also listed in the Inspector's Guides each model year. If anyone has a copy of these guides from 1984 through 1987, I'd be extremely interested in getting a copy of one or more.

The Service Parts label contained the RPO (Regular Production Option) or sometimes called UPC (Uniform Product Code) code numbers of all the options included in a particular build. These labels were intended for the dealership service department's use to insure that correct parts were ordered for repair work. The Service label does not tell us what the id. codes were for individual component parts.