[Greg Reid]

I'd still be interested to know how they attached the hood to the fenders while everything is 'floating' so to speak... Some type of jig, I would imagine, to hold everything stable.

[Keith Seymore]

Hoods seem to come and go.

I've seen earlier Cadillac photos where the hood was in place; in my earler reference to Line 2 in Flint the hood was not in place. As John said they were/are always trying to fine tune the process.

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Interesting that it appears there are 6 guys involved in this step (including the guy in the pit), plus a 7th guy watching.

I suspect there are 4 guys topside plus the one in the pit. The guy leaning against the bench is probably just hanging out and the extra man at the rear of the fender may be doing a separate job, working ahead unrelated to front end set.

Relative to Flint Line 1 (piecemeal) there was a man at the front and another at the rear for each fender* plus the man in the pit (five total).

Fenders were conveyed to the final line all trimmed out (painted, emblems, wheel opening and trim on, inner wheelhouse attached) and presented upside down. Each guy would grab his end of the fender and, in one fluid motion, swing it around and postion it roughly over the tire, pushing rearward against some magnetic spacers to establish the fender/door gap. Front guy would stage the nose of the fender in place while rear guy would drive the upper vertical bolt into the cowl; rear guy would then open the door and drive the upper horizontal bolt while front guy would start driving the small bolts through the rad support into the fender. Rear guy would then grab a big (padded) 4x4 and pull rearward on the dogleg portion of the fender while the pit guy drove the lower anchor bolt. All in about 45 seconds (one truck per minute).

K

*truth be told that topside fender set job could be done by one person, for a short period of time. Don't ask me how I know.

[YNOBIL]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

I'd still be interested to know how they attached the hood to the fenders while everything is 'floating' so to speak... Some type of jig, I would imagine, to hold everything stable.

The Jig would be the Buck Build that Keith referenced. When I was at Ford the fenders, grille, and core support were placed upside-down in the buck and then bolted together. After it was assembled it was flipped right side up just before meeting it's car body.

[YNOBIL]

On the same subject. In the forties and early fifties Ford installed the front end on the car frame and then installed the body.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

I'd still be interested to know how they attached the hood to the fenders while everything is 'floating' so to speak... Some type of jig, I would imagine, to hold everything stable.

That would be the "buck" (ie, "buck build").

That fixturing would be removed when the front end assembly was transferred to the hoist, in preparation for setting on the chassis.

Incidently - we often did attempt to use a front end squaring fixture, in an attempt to control and improve front end fits and gaps on the piecemeal builds.

They normally fell into disuse, though - when management was not looking.

K

[Greg Reid]

Interesting insights. Thanks.

[Greg Reid]

Interesting accident in San Antonio, 1967.
Quote from the San Antonio Light, Thursday April 6, 1967:
Possibly the latest in locomotive hood ornaments is a new Pontiac GTO. At the Missouri Pacific yards, Medina and W. Commerce, this mishap occurred when the switch engine came in contact with an open-type freight car carrying autos. The top-level row of autos had been readied for unloading when it rolled onto the switch engine. The unloading device, which can be adjusted to various levels on the freight car, simplified the chore of getting the undamaged auto off its perch

I'm guessing this Goat was a four-speed.

[necdb3]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

I'm guessing this Goat was a four-speed.

It would be interesting if you could get the VIN. It could be someone's car that is still around.

[400 4spd.]

That one got free dealer undercoating!

[Drag Star Le Mans]

Cool 59

[camerjeff]

That is a Nice Looking Cat!!!! I recently stumbledon these Astre Pro Stockers. The Burt Straus Leader Automovtive Astre is Supposedly Pontiac Powered. For those who do not Know George Delorean Purchased righs to the Royal Pontiac Performance sales and Service and Started Leader Automotive out of Troy Michigan.

[2002Z4CSS]

Neat Astre race cars Jeff.
That GTO on top of the train engine was undamaged? Must have been pure luck.

[A.J.]

This is me and the car that got me into Pontiacs. Think it is 1980, ending 9th grade, built as a straw and pretty upset as I didnt get the grades my teacher promised me. The car is my dads 1973 Pontiac LeMans sport coupe which he bought new and still has.
Scary thing is that by the looks it could be my son who's ind the 8th grade now. I think I must get a picture of him beside that car as well.....

[Pontiacdaver]

Found this car posted on FB by a friend. Very cool Catalina, although I don't know anything about it. Perhaps someone here does? And if it's been posted before, I apologize.

-Dave

[muscle_collector]

Originally Posted by A.J.

This is me and the car that got me into Pontiacs. Think it is 1980, ending 9th grade, built as a straw and pretty upset as I didnt get the grades my teacher promised me. The car is my dads 1973 Pontiac LeMans sport coupe which he bought new and still has.
Scary thing is that by the looks it could be my son who's ind the 8th grade now. I think I must get a picture of him beside that car as well.....

that's cool. what all did they have to do different to the car to make it legal in Sweden? I see the extra lights on the bumper. what is the purpose of them?

[muscle_collector]

I love that cat. anyone know of its history? what it ran et wise?

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by A.J.

This is me and the car that got me into Pontiacs. Think it is 1980, ending 9th grade, built as a straw and pretty upset as I didnt get the grades my teacher promised me. The car is my dads 1973 Pontiac LeMans sport coupe which he bought new and still has.
Scary thing is that by the looks it could be my son who's ind the 8th grade now. I think I must get a picture of him beside that car as well.....

Here you go ==>http://users.boardnation.com/~abodys...threadid=10254 thanks for sharing your photo and story.

[A.J.]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

that's cool. what all did they have to do different to the car to make it legal in Sweden? I see the extra lights on the bumper. what is the purpose of them?

The yellow lights on the bumper is daytime running lights which was mandatory at the time. Other thing that had to be changed was the headlights, seatbelts and speedometer. It also had to run brake and emission tests before it was cleared for use in Swedish traffic.
My dad and his cousin imported one car each with the intention to start a buissiness selling Pontiacs in Sweden but the oil crisis hit just after they got the cars home so it did not happend. The other car was a white Grand Am with burgundy vinyl top (I think).

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by muscle_collector

that's cool. what all did they have to do different to the car to make it legal in Sweden? I see the extra lights on the bumper. what is the purpose of them?

Originally Posted by A.J.

The yellow lights on the bumper is daytime running lights which was mandatory at the time. Other thing that had to be changed was the headlights, seatbelts and speedometer. It also had to run brake and emission tests before it was cleared for use in Swedish traffic.
My dad and his cousin imported one car each with the intention to start a buissiness selling Pontiacs in Sweden but the oil crisis hit just after they got the cars home so it did not happend. The other car was a white Grand Am with burgundy vinyl top (I think).

http://users.boardnation.com/~abodys...threadid=10254

[Keith Seymore]

Someone posted this video on another forum;

I'm posting it here so you can see the buck build installation in action; plus at the 2:47 mark you can side the body side fixture (body "gate") that we have had some discussion about in the past.

K

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5kqXN0gIb0