[dataway]

Well a 69 assembly manual is 550 pages, both sides .... and I'm sure it's missing a lot of the non essential stuff that was in the factory floor publications. So I can see how the factory issued examples might have filled three binders.

What's great about assembly manuals that is not seen in the illustrated parts manuals are the little assembly notes. That a bolt can go in this way, or that way depending on options, such and such as to be done first, small fixes for assembly problems and such, locations of clamps, cables, wires etc.

Unfortunately my 68 illustrated parts book (and number book) are the 1975 issue ...which is already at that point very weak on 68 pictures and numbers. I've seen the original 68 parts books on ebay (not reprints) but they run about $300.

Typically most years have these:

1. Illustrated parts book with matching part number reference book (big thick books)
2. Yearly service manual
3. Yearly Fisher Body Manual
4. Assembly Manual
5. Yearly Diagnostics Manual

Not sure if the "Trim" manuals or "Wiring" manuals were separate or included in other manuals.

[MD79TA]

Purely that is my plan I have just got the 69 assemble manual and have a nice 68 sevice manual I don't have a parts book or the fisher manual but will see if I can pick up at a fair price. Just seem crazy nothing on 68 assemble manual but I will keep my eyes open. Maybe carlile,flea market never know I guess. Doug

[dataway]

Sent you a couple of tid bits for your collection ... not going to be real helpful ... but who knows. Came from an original 68 diagnostics manual. Which by the way, should you ever need to fix an auto trans, wipers, AC etc. has HUGE amounts of info on stuff like that.

[dataway]

Hopefully a 68 Assembly manual will show up on that "GM Wiki" site .... all kinds of obscure stuff gets added to that collection.

To be honest if I had one, I'd make it available for free ... scan that sucker and put it out there for everyone. Maybe I'd want enough to pay me back for what I bought it for but that would be it.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by dataway

Well a 69 assembly manual is 550 pages, both sides .... and I'm sure it's missing a lot of the non essential stuff that was in the factory floor publications. So I can see how the factory issued examples might have filled three binders.

What's great about assembly manuals that is not seen in the illustrated parts manuals are the little assembly notes. That a bolt can go in this way, or that way depending on options, such and such as to be done first, small fixes for assembly problems and such, locations of clamps, cables, wires etc.

Unfortunately my 68 illustrated parts book (and number book) are the 1975 issue ...which is already at that point very weak on 68 pictures and numbers. I've seen the original 68 parts books on ebay (not reprints) but they run about $300.

Typically most years have these:

1. Illustrated parts book with matching part number reference book (big thick books)
2. Yearly service manual
3. Yearly Fisher Body Manual
4. Assembly Manual
5. Yearly Diagnostics Manual

Not sure if the "Trim" manuals or "Wiring" manuals were separate or included in other manuals.

Ours were one sided prints.

You are correct that the main usage was for little nuances about the build: which direction a bolt was supposed to go, or for torques or part numbers (neither of which remain on modern PAD sheets, btw. Made too much sense I guess).

They were also helpful in defining "in process" activities like wire routings or cable routings. If those weren't positioned correctly along the way then they might come up short or be blocked from the correct routing in the final steps, resulting in additional repair.

K

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

It never occurred to me to save any of them back then.

Seriously. No one cared back then, it was just another heavy manual that became obsolete and in the way at the end of the model year when the plant switched over. Occasionally you'd get a guy who probably thought it was neat and kept a book or a lazy guy who didn't throw anything away ever, but 9 out of 10 sets probably went in the dumpster.

I used to have a 6' tall by 5' wide filing cabinet full of engineering documentation, design notes, and assembly manual instructions for building the high voltage sections of the lasers I worked on, and I had the same thing at a scientific research institute for the high voltage systems I was responsible for there. The only reason things were saved is by fluke from a manager who didn't like to toss things and this one retired engineer who accidentally brought a few 5.25" floppies of stuff home with him when he retired in the mid 90's and was still alive. When I was let go at the laser company all of it went in the trash, gone forever because the lasers were no longer in production and it costs money to keep obsolete documentation around. Upper management's & legal's decision to "only retain things that are functionally relevant and destroy anything older than 12 months" probably didn't help the cause out.

This happens all over the world in all engineering companies. That cars have a rather rabid following from us is more an outlier and oddity than the norm.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Ben M.

Seriously. No one cared back then, it was just another heavy manual that became obsolete and in the way at the end of the model year when the plant switched over. Occasionally you'd get a guy who probably thought it was neat and kept a book or a lazy guy who didn't throw anything away ever, but 9 out of 10 sets probably went in the dumpster.

I used to have a 6' tall by 5' wide filing cabinet full of engineering documentation, design notes, and assembly manual instructions for building the high voltage sections of the lasers I worked on, and I had the same thing at a scientific research institute for the high voltage systems I was responsible for there. The only reason things were saved is by fluke from a manager who didn't like to toss things and this one retired engineer who accidentally brought a few 5.25" floppies of stuff home with him when he retired in the mid 90's and was still alive. When I was let go at the laser company all of it went in the trash, gone forever because the lasers were no longer in production and it costs money to keep obsolete documentation around. Upper management's & legal's decision to "only retain things that are functionally relevant and destroy anything older than 12 months" probably didn't help the cause out.

This happens all over the world in all engineering companies. That cars have a rather rabid following from us is more an outlier and oddity than the norm.

Yes - and that's even though cars are my life...

Same thing with the styling sketches and drawings. Those were supposed to be destroyed, too. The only reason those still exist is because guys like Bill Porter and Paul Deeson smuggled them home.

Assembly line build sheets, too. Those were supposed to be destroyed but it was easier to leave them in place and build the car up around them.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

It never occurred to me to save any of them back then.

K

I followed my own pickup truck down the line in 1986 and it never occurred to me to save any of that paperwork, either, until just recently.

K

[MD79TA]

What you think of this? http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBa...=1467662040688

[marxjunk]

if i had one..which as of an hour ago i know i DO NOT, i just went thru all my literature..i would make it available for free to someone like inline tube..they have done great things for assy manuals...ive never really been about making a killing..more about helping the hobby,,,and apparently, it needs to happen

so..since i live in KC and all the assy line workers are passing from the 60s...i will scour all the estate sales and see what i come up with..ive bought 100s of GM manuals at them...and i sell everyone i find..so i will see if i can find one..

[PurelyGTO68]

Originally Posted by MD79TA

Purely that is my plan I have just got the 69 assemble manual and have a nice 68 sevice manual I don't have a parts book or the fisher manual but will see if I can pick up at a fair price. Just seem crazy nothing on 68 assemble manual but I will keep my eyes open. Maybe carlile,flea market never know I guess. Doug

I downloaded the Fisher Body manual for free somewhere....I don't remember where though. ?

The Fisher Body manual has some great info on the convertible top so you will definitely want to get that book either in print or PDF. It has been helpful for me.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[dataway]

MD, I've got the 75 parts book ... illustrated and numbers on a thumb drive, then copied to my HD ... bought it somewhere for around $20. The parts illustrations are fairly helpful, but not too much. Part numbers seem about worthless ... about 1 out of five part numbers seemed to have any meaning, most seemed to have been changed before that manual was printed. Worth having yes, but not a huge help.

Just about every time someone has given me a correct 68 part number, I look it up in that parts book and it isn't there. What you want is the one that was printed in I think 1973, supposedly much better ... but also about $200-300. I think there is a 69 book even better than that .... but again ... just like the 68 Assembly Manual, don't think I've ever seen a reproduction 68 parts books, originals yes ... again, about $300 for a 68.

I'll send you the thumb drive if you want, you can copy, burn it to CD whatever and send it back.

[dataway]

I'm a record fantatic ... Every vehicle I buy new or used I buy the factory parts and service manual. I have paperwork and books for freakin mowers I've bought 20 years ago. You'll find tractor owners are often the that way ... they have all the manuals for their tractors cause they can last for 50 years and still work.

Sure miss working on vintage Honda motorcycles .... that have very complete illustrated parts book for each individual model, and lots of the manuals out there. The produced a huge amount of literature about their bikes, even comprehensive model identification guides that go back 50 years.

[MD79TA]

Dataway sent you pm

[marxjunk]

forthe parts and illustration guide to help you need a current year..so for 68 youd need a 69 in print..not on a thumb drive...and it needs to be a master parts and illustration...theres really 2 versions..

the part number dont workbecause GM likes to suerceede numbers and by 73 you no longer have assy line numbers..you have service and superceeded numbers..ive had 68 books and 73 books..and about half the numbers match.

you get a parts and illustrations catalog and 90% of the pages are yellow..thats a master..its completely diff than most..ive had 100s of parts manuals..and 3 where masters and had yellow pages...and insteaad of 4 in thick,,they are 8

[MD79TA]

Mark pm sent

[dataway]

Originally Posted by MD79TA

Dataway sent you pm

Just got on, haven't gotten it yet. System must be slow.

There must have been a master parts list for sure ... cause some of the crap illustrations even in an original illustrated parts book would make things difficult to find for anyone but an experienced parts man.

I've got a few yellow pages in my collection dealing with various random areas of the GTO .... appear to be way more detailed. Also have some pages from a Mitchell auto body illustrated part number list for common collision repair parts... much better part numbers ... from a book published in 73, has some old and superseded numbers listed together.

[marxjunk]

i have sold a dozen of these...although good..very vague and lacking...and i bet these are the absolute most common..and easy to get..very few drawings..and numbers just dont match up in these...its a later book..and just an example..


I have pics somewhere of the good manuals..theres 2 and 6-8 in thick each and i believe they are 1973 prints..let me see...if not..ill take a few...

almost every illustration page is yellow...or blue/green...it has, i believe every tech drawing GM has is in them..i will work on it tomorrow night when i get time...

[dataway]

Just saw a 68 parts book on ebay ... $300 ... like a foot thick

[dataway]

Doug ... sent you a PM, I'll send you the thumb drive to keep, I made a copy .... might find the books helpful, might not. I've found it useful to find out things like ...did they use a gasket here, what size bolt did they use there etc.