BIW-Need help from wreckers and restorers

[69Coronetrt]

When a body in white was assembled, what specific pieces or panels would be different from car to car?

For example a coupe would require different parts than a HT or four door.

An A/C car would have a different fire wall than a non A/C car.

Is there a different floor pan between console and column shift automatic cars?

Is there a different floor pan between floor shifted manual cars and console automatics?

Is one floor pan used for all cars and the specific holes cut as needed somewhere along the line?

What about B body tail panels? Are all 69 Belevedere and Coronet tail panels the same for coupes, hard tops and four doors across all the models?

Thanks in advance.

 

[69 Runner]

When a body in white was assembled, what specific pieces or panels would be different from car to car?

For example a coupe would require different parts than a HT or four door.

Correct (some anyway)

An A/C car would have a different fire wall than a non A/C car.

correct

Is there a different floor pan between console and column shift automatic cars?

Probably was back when they were originally built. But not now.

Is there a different floor pan between floor shifted manual cars and console automatics?

see above

Is one floor pan used for all cars and the specific holes cut as needed somewhere along the line?

That's what you have to do now.

What about B body tail panels? Are all 69 Belevedere and Coronet tail panels the same for coupes, hard tops and four doors across all the models?

Thanks in advance.

69 Coronet tail panels were all the same panel (except the R/T) except for paint. A Super Bee panel was painted differently than the others.

 

[69Coronetrt]

Thanks for the reply.

I need to know specific details of the original BIW assembly and which specific panels were different due to the body style or due to options such as console vs column shift, A/C or not.

I'm working on a 69 Lynch Road plant project and need the details.

 

[69 Runner]

It's easy if you think about it. When these cars were being built there were individual parts for individual options. No way they (the assembly line workers) would have punched holes in fenders or trunk lids, or even floor pans to fit trim or floor shifts etc. It's possible there was even floor pan pieces that already had console brackets in place before their installation.

So beyond a bit of logical thought, I don't understand what you're looking for

 

[69Coronetrt]

So beyond a bit of logical thought, I don't understand what you're looking for

In addition to tracking 69 STL VINS/SPDs/VONs, I've started to put 69 LR cars in a data base to see the correlation between the gate, base, sequence and VIN numbers.

What I'm trying to determine is if certain options dictating specific body panels, such as console verses column shift cars or A/C firewalls, went through a specific gate or did the option not determine the gate.

 

[696pack]

Doug,

You probably know far more about this than 99.9% of the membership here.

I think the answers you seek will need to be answered by former factory workers from Lynch Rd. I don't know how many of these guys are still around or how many of them can remember these thing after 40 years especially considering the "haze" that many of them worked in in those days.

I would guess that you have read the Winged Warriors/National B-Body Owners Association

LYNCH ROAD ASSEMBLY LINE
OPERATING DESIGN
Building the Road Runner SuperBird

By David J. Patik

I have posted it or offered to email it to many over the years and have it if you have not read it. It touches on some of the things you are asking.

As you know, the fender tag codes for many plants deal with some of the things that would dictate differences in the body in white. Many of the major items such as a clutch vs an auto trans car were the same for either body but had "dimple" points for drilling holes for things such as the firewall clutch pedal reinforcement plate. The down rod for console autos has always appeared to be a "punched" hole to me and I believe this would be a consideration at the body in white phase. The hole for the 4 speed humps were rough cut and the hump spot welded and seam sealed.

These are just a few examples that I would guess you are already aware of.

I think you will have better luck finding an old Lynch Rd. employee on the A12 forum as A couple of the active members there either are employed in the auto plants in Detroit now and would be able to hook you up with someone that may have more knowledge of the workings back in the day. I have always wondered why these guys are not tapped more often than I see any evidence of. Maybe the ones that remain simply don't care about any of this.