Hello Cadillac Nation,
Does anyone have insight in regards to the existence of "Assembly Manuals" for 1950's cadillacs. I am searching for one for my 1957. I have seen these for many other models (Chevs, Chevelles, Vettes, Ponitacs, many more).
I am referring to the reproduced factory manuals used during production (not initailly intended for public distribution), loaded with illustrations down to every bolt Examples are available on Ebay.
As always, thanks for your help.
Brian
I believe you mean the Master Parts Lists. They are being reproduced and are readily available. Most have crystal clear text and pixtures, beware, I got a 65-69 that was a cheap copy machine ripoff.
I believe the OP is talking about the instructions supplied to the assembly line personnel on how to put the cars together. I’ve heard of these for the Chevys and other makes but I’ve never seen anything like that for the Cadillacs.
The master parts list show exploded views of various components and list the part numbers to help identify which cars used the same parts.
Glen
Same here, I remember hearing of these for the other GM but was always wanting one for 1964. It would be so nice to have a clear direction of order as to assemble the car from a ground up restoration as such when wiring up harnesses and putting accessories and components in place in certain oder to make fit. I have a Fleetwood 60s torn down to bare body and now it's coming time to put her back together but it's been 10yrs in parts and I have to almost semi disect my Eldorado just to peak inside & make sure the 60s is going together right. especially the dash and in car wiring.
Do let us know if you find anythind like this and I'm there.
I'm pretty sure the "assembly manual" is a Chevy thing only, I mean they had plants all over and needed a way to coordinate assembly procedures. The other GM divisions made one car at one plant and the need was therefore less.
I'm although pretty sure there was documentation of the assembly from an engineering view. Has anybody at the C&L club checked up what kind of historical documents that has been saved in regards to assembly, suppliers, specifications, procedures, drawings etc?
I'm currently doing research on the 65/66 Cadillac assembly, it's based on: Fisher assembly procedures, archive films from GM plants, painstaking disassembly/assembly and cataloging.
I have for example pictures of every single fastener used on a 66/65 Cadillac along with its dimensions, markings and finish. It's all in a database at the moment.
I also have written down the procedures for assembly of subsections such as e.g. the instrument panel. That’s done in such was that all major subassemblies can be put together at the side and then mounted complete into the car. With the instrument panel as an example, it's nearly complete when it was mounted in the car. It was then followed by panel top, steering wheel and column, and other smaller items needed to complete it.
Cheers Dyna
If I understand correctly, there is a type of factory order-of-assembly manual for
some years for the Cadillac factory. I believe that one is known for 1949. Stay
tuned.
(Dyna, we need a real name, first and/or last, for you at the left or bottom of each
of your messages, please.)
Great feedback. I think that's exactly what I'm looking for. The order of which to assemble certain major assemblies at the end.
Cadillac had dealer certified shops throughout the US and Canada, so there should be body manuals as well as maybe something for interiors for the body shops to view. Like an exploded view with major sections. This book as used by other GM cars was a more spacific step above the shop manual we all use.
Body manuals were GM, not individual makes. GM mechanics, body men, etc, were assumed to be career minded master mechanics, and over the course of a body's use (usually two to four years), were expected to learn, and retain "how to do it."
In other words, a manual leading them by the hand most likely simply does not exist because there would have been no need for it. If something came up, GM issued updates on how to get around problems. For "new" cars, they published what was called peliminary service information, which was simply a looseleaf copy of the next shop manual. I have one for 1989, and it looks just like a shop manual. Mechanics were expected to keep current on how to fix the current models, and indeed, "go to school" to learn the salient facts about each car. (that's why you can see the satellite disks on top of dealership roofs. They have classes via satellite.)
You simply have to remember that GM, Ford, etc, are in the business of making new autos. The mundane facts that facinate all of us that operate from thirty to one hundred years after the car was new mean nothing to GM except to separate us from $50 bucks to get the build sheet.
I am sure that once a month, there is a Senior VP that reports on the line item (Income from build sheets) and the whole table has a great laugh about us nit-wits paying good money for a few scraps of paper.
Sorry, but I think you're wishing on a star here.
I have seen "assembly manuals" for some 1960s and 1970s F**ds, Ch****lets and Ol******les models. They were not intended for use upon repair or maintenance, but only on assembly lines in the factory.
They show what is not shown in parts manuals, i.e. upholstery assembly, use of body sealant, welding, vacuum tubes / cooling hoses / brake and fuel lines / electrical wires routing, engine accessories (PS pump, AC compressor, smog pump, high or low output alternator with single or dual belts,...) mounting depending on RPOs ordered by the customer, proper assembly sequences. Originally not intended to get out of the factory, therefore printed in limited amounts, they are being reproduced by companies like Jim Osborn Reproductions, Inc. under car manufacturer's licensing.
I haven't heard of any available for Cadillacs.
Quote from: Tom Hall 7485 on June 05, 2008, 09:12:15 AM
(Dyna, we need a real name, first and/or last, for you at the left or bottom of each
of your messages, please.)
Ok
As additional info, Fisher published quite a lot of information to GM service shops. The information was in type of service bulletins, they are very hard to find although but contains valuable information inregards to things not mentioned in body manuals.
Cadillac had both it's serviceman bulletins but also roundtable films and slide shows with booklets and sound recordings. I have a few of those (round table). They give information about the new models and what is different and the procedures how to work with new things introduced. GM service men, where supposed to be go to training sessions throughout their carrer and it's at those sessions they got to know things like major dissasebly/assembly etc..
Cheers
Dyna Ares :)