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MikeNoun · 02-12-2016, 06:46 PM

Ok, here's an interesting photo! I was marked as a GM Proving Ground photo (Milford), but I can't determine what these engineers are doing. I'm guessing they are evaluating all the parts from the competitors. Looks to be all V8 engines on the tables.

Greg Reid · 02-13-2016, 01:45 AM

Man, that looks like a really, really good swap meet!

68ragtop · 02-13-2016, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Man, that looks like a really, really good swap meet!

Could you imagine going back in time & browsing through a swap meet in the mid to late 1970's?
Just think of what parts were laid out from all the "future" collectible & rare cars...

400 4spd. · 02-13-2016, 11:16 AM

Repair shop pics.

Keith Seymore · 02-13-2016, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Ok, here's an interesting photo! I was marked as a GM Proving Ground photo (Milford), but I can't determine what these engineers are doing. I'm guessing they are evaluating all the parts from the competitors. Looks to be all V8 engines on the tables.

Yes - it's a "vehicle teardown" display. You can see the car bodies in the far background.

We do both competitive vehicle displays (to see what everybody else is doing) and we also tear down our own vehicles. Competitive teardowns usually occur when the vehicles are new; When we tear down our own it's usually after a full durability schedule (accelerated wear to approximate 10 years). The engineer can review his parts to see how they held up, even requesting bodies to be cut apart so you can see inside and such. Most of the parts are scrapped at the end but if there is something particular of interest the engineer can request to have it saved.

They used to be significant special events but now are ongoing all the time. They are housed in the GM "Knowledge Center", which is behind the preproduction build shops south of the Tech Center. This most recent incarnation was referred to initially as the "Mona Lisa" project, for whatever reason.

K

MikeNoun · 02-13-2016, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Yes - it's a "vehicle teardown" display. You can see the car bodies in the far background.

We do both competitive vehicle displays (to see what everybody else is doing) and we also tear down our own vehicles. Competitive teardowns usually occur when the vehicles are new; When we tear down our own it's usually after a full durability schedule (accelerated wear to approximate 10 years). The engineer can review his parts to see how they held up, even requesting bodies to be cut apart so you can see inside and such. Most of the parts are scrapped at the end but if there is something particular of interest the engineer can request to have it saved.

They used to be significant special events but now are ongoing all the time. They are housed in the GM "Knowledge Center", which is behind the preproduction build shops south of the Tech Center. This most recent incarnation was referred to initially as the "Mona Lisa" project, for whatever reason.

K

Thanks Keith!

I was just reading about the "Mona Lisa" project. They said that GM would bring in two examples of a vehicle from a competitor, and park them in the GM Knowledge Center. They would tear one completely down to its nuts and bolts (like in the photo), and leave the other car intact for evaluation. The engineers would pour over everything, from parts to connecting rod bolts, trunk lids to dashboard assemblies, to see how they were built.

I wonder if that's what's going on in this photo. Maybe they disassembled cars from every U.S. manufacturer on occasion for evaluation.

Mike

Tom Vaught · 02-13-2016, 08:31 PM

We have an identical process at work with the same capabilities for an engineer to inspect his released parts, both new and after a period of time in service.

It is also open to most engineers involved in a given program, so I see a lot of ECOBOOST parts.

We also "joint venture" with other manufacturers to purchase a given vehicle, tear that vehicle down, and then have the different manufacturer's engineers inspect the parts.
I was involved with a Porsche Cayenne Turbocharged vehicle tear-down some years ago.

Cool break from the normal engineering stuff.

Tom V.

Jack Gifford · 02-14-2016, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 400 4spd.

Repair shop pics.

Hmm... Looks like only one of the five mechanics was moving fast enough to blur the photo.

400 4spd. · 02-15-2016, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Gifford

Hmm... Looks like only one of the five mechanics was moving fast enough to blur the photo.

Yeah, I found that amusing too! His nick name was probably Lightening!. Picture number had to be staged. Spraying paint 4 feet from an open flame?

goatman65 · 02-15-2016, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 68ragtop

Could you imagine going back in time & browsing through a swap meet in the mid to late 1970's?
Just think of what parts were laid out from all the "future" collectible & rare cars...

I have been going to Carlisle/Hershey swapmeets since the mid 70s. It was not what you might think. Most all cars and parts were 1950s and older. NOBODY was interested in cars of the 1960s in the 1970s.

Keith Seymore · 02-15-2016, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeNoun

Thanks Keith!

I was just reading about the "Mona Lisa" project. They said that GM would bring in two examples of a vehicle from a competitor, and park them in the GM Knowledge Center. They would tear one completely down to its nuts and bolts (like in the photo), and leave the other car intact for evaluation. The engineers would pour over everything, from parts to connecting rod bolts, trunk lids to dashboard assemblies, to see how they were built.

I wonder if that's what's going on in this photo. Maybe they disassembled cars from every U.S. manufacturer on occasion for evaluation.

Mike

Mike - I'd be interested to know where you found that; it seems "too new" to already be documented in a historical text.

Also - I'd like to hear more about the photo of the first '63 Corvette - where you found it and such.

K

Greg Reid · 02-15-2016, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goatman65

I have been going to Carlisle/Hershey swapmeets since the mid 70s. It was not what you might think. Most all cars and parts were 1950s and older. NOBODY was interested in cars of the 1960s in the 1970s.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I wasn't going to swap meets then but I know for a fact you could find anything you wanted for '60s and '70s cars at the salvage yard for a couple of bucks.

MikeNoun · 02-15-2016, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Mike - I'd be interested to know where you found that; it seems "too new" to already be documented in a historical text.

Also - I'd like to hear more about the photo of the first '63 Corvette - where you found it and such.

K

Keith, the reference I made to the Mona Lisa was not in regard to the photo I posted earlier (which I believe was from 1964). The Mona Lisa reference was in regard to the development of the Impact electric vehicle. The engineers said they would frequently raid the area where GM had torn down a competitors vehicle, and they would look for parts. They stated (by the late 1980's) it was two cars at a time that GM would bring in. One would be totally disassembled, the other stayed intact.

Looking at the b&w photo I posted, there appears to be at least 15 other cars torn down. I wondered if back in the 60's, perhaps GM did a sort of "Mona Lisa" thing with more than 2 cars.

The first 1963 Corvette photos were obtained off a Corvette site. I can post them here if you like.

Mike