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0159 so we are about 3700 cars different. They turned some cars out back then. Not sure how many a day but I know it was a lot. That’s why the build quality was, let’s say, not the best! Others on this forum probably know how many Cars a day were made back then.
Reading in here, I thought I saw someone say a hundred cars a day roughly? but keep in mind, the sequential numbers cover some other cars as well. I have a 70 W-30 also that was made 12A. Its 217610 so its right behind these two. Looks like several people asked Santa for the same thing :-)
The production rate was between 55-65 cars per hour depending on the plant.
In 1972, Framingham plant was running at 60 cars per hour, which is 480 cars per 8 hour shift.
The plant ran 2 shifts, so 960 cars per day.
1 car per minute dropping off the end of the line. That’s moving. Bet the paint wasn’t even dry in spots. No wonder we see build “issues” on original cars. You didn’t have much time to fix something if it wasn’t right. Probably a bit of “it’s good enough” mentality at that rate!
I was fortunate enough to visit the BMW plant in Greer SC for a tour a few years ago with my job. I don't remember the actual production rate but looking online, Google states 1500 vehicles per day at that facility. I'm sure the QC dept operates much differently now than 50 years ago.
Bottom of the car is sprayed and the body set back on the chassis. Final gap fitting and panel smoothing just about done. Body should be in Color in a couple weeks. exciting
From the assembly plants that I have worked in, assembly rate is around 65 vehicles per hour. Framing(Body in white) and paint, operate multiple lines to be able to feed final assembly
From the assembly plants that I have worked in, assembly rate is around 65 vehicles per hour. Framing(Body in white) and paint, operate multiple lines to be able to feed final assembly
So with mostly human hands they put together 60/hr and with full robotics it’s only 5 more. Impressive. But again a robot had repeatability where a human may not. Cool info.
So I needed a replacement glass for my passenger sport mirror. Only place that showed they had it was OPGI. Ordered two in case I needed an extra since they were on back order. Ordered in April. Finally got them and talk about not even close to the right size. The picture below shows the mirror was about 1/4 “ to wide. Sent OPGI feedback and heard nothing but crickets to make it right. So I made a template and brought it to a local glass shop and they ground it down to fit. Came out good but still can’t believe how far off it was. Oh well lesson learned. I do not usually buy from them but figured I would take a chance this time since nobody else listed them for sale. Never again.
Yes the OPGI replacement glass was that far off
New glass after local glass company made the OPGI glass fit with my template.
Looking forward to seeing this project in color.
I cant thank you guys enough for taking the time to document the process in such detail.
I'm definitely learning a lot about these cars.
Got the original Brake Booster and metering bracket back from Brake boosters.com. Looks real good. The folks that bought the business from Steve did a great job. Polished up real smooth and the plating looks excellent. Now all I need is the car back to bolt it on to!
Finished up the lower deflector restoration. The plastic cleaned up real nice. I was able to save the soft “tar paper” for lack of a better word and even the staples to reuse. I like the original look and texture of the tar paper compared to the repop stuff. Cleaned up the staples to bare steel and coated them. Those original staples are thick and tough to bend but they will last another 50 yrs.
Finished up the lower deflector restoration. The plastic cleaned up real nice. I was able to save the soft “tar paper” for lack of a better word and even the staples to reuse. I like the original look and texture of the tar paper compared to the repop stuff. Cleaned up the staples to bare steel and coated them. Those original staples are thick and tough to bend but they will last another 50 yrs.
The car is in the spray booth now. Interior dash and package tray is done. Blacks on all the under hood stuff is working now. White and stripes after. Should be soon. Body and paint work takes forever but if you want it done right that’s what it takes. I’ll post photos when I get some more.
The car is in the spray booth now. Interior dash and package tray is done. Blacks on all the under hood stuff is working now. White and stripes after. Should be soon. Body and paint work takes forever but if you want it done right that’s what it takes. I’ll post photos when I get some more.
Really looking forward to seeing the blue stripes. It’s a pretty blue...different than the others. You have to be getting excited for the color and stripes!
Brake and throttle pedal assemblies done. Left the bare steel but coated with a light coat of satin clear to keep from rusting. Left the line where the factory stopped the black paint paint on the brake assembly. Yes I am leaving the old throttle pedal and brake pad on. They are a little worn but the stories they could tell...... a throwback to the cars past.
Small part restoration continues Another benefit of my car being under coated when new and being a southern car. The undercoating while a pain to remove saves the original coatings like the fuel tank strap original galvanizing. I continue to be amazed what Evaporust removes. The undercoating had “stained” the straps a dark color even after removing the undercoating with a heat gun. But soaking them in evaporust took the darkness off and left the nice original galvanizing.
Original galvanizing still looks good Original M stamping on the straps
Your brake booster nuts got me thinking...are you sure they were clear zinc? I’m wondering if the two bolts for the Master were clear zinc and the other two nuts were phosphate. Need to check the part numbers and compare.
those nuts were just on the booster when they sent it back after plating. The original nuts are indeed black phosphate as is the bolt from the metering bracket to the metering valve. I think the star washer under the metering valve bolt is clear zinc though.
PIM showing the nut which has the built in washer. I am sure there is a technical name for that style of nut. My phosphated master cylinder to booster nuts.
The P.I.M. that you use are so clear , where can I get the P.I.M. that you use?
i got mine from Paul (user name Hairy Olds in this forum). He has just about the best copy of PIM’s around. I will say the 70 PIM I got from him is a bit clearer than the 69 PIM I have.
Picked up the car right before thanksgiving from paint. Paint and stripes came out great. I have to say the blue of the stripe is a unique color. In the sun that porcelain white and light blue looks real bright and airy. The medium blue interior will really set off the color combo. The painter used stencils from Phoenix graphics. They were pretty close but we had to tweak a few spots to get them to the specs. Thanks to the friends on this forum who helped with pictures and drawings of the paint specs so we could get the details right. Especially over the wheel wells where it transitions to the horizontal stripes and stripes ends at the bumpers. Final color sanding and buffing will come after I get the motor in and some of the “over fender” work in case we scuff anything but it’s pretty smooth with just a few spots of trash in the paint that will come out with buffing. Dash and package tray blue came out good with a little “texture”. More pictures to come as we start assembly.
Paint was PPG Deltron. It’s what the painter likes to use. Base coat white. Followed by two coats of clear.
A light scuff. Then the stripe blue. Followed by three more coats of clear. Stripes are under the clear. Some of the purists will not like that but I wanted a slick finish. Personal choice.
