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Re: The build date project
(I can't believe I haven't mentioned this yet, but):
Now would be a good time to remind you all that trucks were not necessarily built in VIN order.
Most plants had an accumulator, or body bank, between the cab shop and paint, and then again between paint and the trim line.
This allowed for a reserve of bodies to be drawn to keep the final line running in the event of a breakdown or stoppage in the cab shop or trim (which was often) and also for the shuffling of builds based on downstream workload leveling. For example, you can't have too many four speeds in a row, or too many A/C jobs in a row, or too many cab high running lights in a row, or too many dually's in a row, etc. It also allowed one to shunt a vehicle off to the side for an extended sheet metal or paint repair before shipping it on.
Fremont is one of the plants that did not have that. Risky move, but once the VIN was established the vehicles presumably stayed in that order all the way though (barring some catastrophe).
Flint - not so much. Vehicles could be shuffled around, shuttled off to the side and delayed by a day or two.
I would encourage you all to put a mental day or two around any published date. Although they are written in ink they are not necessarily written in stone.
K
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