Toured Bowling Green

Hulkamaniac · 06-04-2014, 06:18 PM

We toured Bowling Green on June 2nd.

I thought it was a pretty good tour except for the fact you're not allowed to bring cameras, cell phones, etc. BUT they'll let NatGeo in with a film crew.

The tour was going fine until I watched them drive off the assembly line where they drove over what looked like washboards on steroids.

These were designed to "settle" the suspension.

HOLY S**T BATMAN!!! They acted like these cars were the General Lee and they were pulling a "Dukes of Hazzard" over these things. My first thoughts were, "WTF??? OH, H**L NO!!!"

My buddy told me that I wouldn't want to watch my C7 being built, cuz of all the handling of parts, touching of the car, the SLAMMING of the doors, hood, deck lid, and all the machinery moving around. He was right. Especially after seeing what went on in person. My heart was pounding as I watched even though these C7's weren't mine.

I also inquired on why my C7 didn't come with the build sheet when most of the others have been delivered with all the paperwork. The answer was that NONE of them should have left the plant with them and that GM sends them to the museum for the archives so owners can purchase them later!!!

If you got one, consider yourself lucky, if you're like me, I had to purchase a copy of my build sheet through the museum for $35. I was not allowed the original. Awesome GM. Just freaking awesome.

Here's some pics of the outside of the plant at least...

laborsmith · 06-04-2014, 06:36 PM

"Washboards on steroids." Good description! But to truly settle the suspension there should be a ramp after the washboards to launch the C7 at least six feet in the air. I mean, if the C7 gets a high powered wash to determine water resistance then it should at least get a high powered launch into the air to determine suspension integrity.

But to be serious, I enjoyed the tour as I have enjoyed tours of other Assembly Plants. I had not thought there could be a negative take away but I suppose the two summers I spent assembling trucks at GM T&C plants in Pontiac inured me from negative perceptions regarding the final assembly line.

Laborsmith

Hulkamaniac · 06-04-2014, 06:56 PM

I didn't mean it as a negative, it just shocked me they would "launch" these things like they do to "settle" the suspension.

In my mind, what they do is abuse.

Mechanics who replace springs, shocks, struts, etc. don't use those washboards or anything else to "settle" the suspension.

So, IMO, I see no need.

purpleRac3r · 06-05-2014, 06:13 AM

Oh, those washboards are nothing - you should see some of the roads around here!

Keep in mind, mechanics generally are replacing only one or two components of the suspension at a time. Everything else has been there a while and well set. A brand new car has ALL new parts, nothing at all is set and it only has had weight on the wheels for a very short while, none of it on the road. Those washboards a specifically designed to get the entire suspension to "play nice together" prior to alignment and to help identify potential problems with the suspension. It's actually part of the QC process. It would only be abuse if someone took the same car through the washboards over and over and over.

fcu678 · 06-17-2014, 05:17 PM

I thought the buyers tour was amazing. Ours came off line yesterday right at 9:45.

On the way home my wife said "sooo, when I wash the car can I do all that beating and banging on it that they did along the assembly line"............. LOL
It's amazing to see it all come together and what they put it through.

06-04-2014, 06:18 PM	#1
Hulkamaniac Livin' the Dream Drives: '23 Charger GT, '23 Stingray Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Hiding in your closet... Posts: 785 View My Garage	Toured Bowling Green We toured Bowling Green on June 2nd. I thought it was a pretty good tour except for the fact you're not allowed to bring cameras, cell phones, etc. BUT they'll let NatGeo in with a film crew. The tour was going fine until I watched them drive off the assembly line where they drove over what looked like washboards on steroids. These were designed to "settle" the suspension. HOLY ST BATMAN!!! They acted like these cars were the General Lee and they were pulling a "Dukes of Hazzard" over these things. My first thoughts were, "WTF??? OH, HL NO!!!" My buddy told me that I wouldn't want to watch my C7 being built, cuz of all the handling of parts, touching of the car, the SLAMMING of the doors, hood, deck lid, and all the machinery moving around. He was right. Especially after seeing what went on in person. My heart was pounding as I watched even though these C7's weren't mine. I also inquired on why my C7 didn't come with the build sheet when most of the others have been delivered with all the paperwork. The answer was that NONE of them should have left the plant with them and that GM sends them to the museum for the archives so owners can purchase them later!!! If you got one, consider yourself lucky, if you're like me, I had to purchase a copy of my build sheet through the museum for $35. I was not allowed the original. Awesome GM. Just freaking awesome. Here's some pics of the outside of the plant at least... Attached Images __________________ If you spell Chuck Norris in Scrabble, you win. Forever. Last edited by Hulkamaniac; 06-04-2014 at 07:21 PM.

06-04-2014, 06:56 PM	#3
Hulkamaniac Livin' the Dream Drives: '23 Charger GT, '23 Stingray Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Hiding in your closet... Posts: 785 View My Garage	I didn't mean it as a negative, it just shocked me they would "launch" these things like they do to "settle" the suspension. In my mind, what they do is abuse. Mechanics who replace springs, shocks, struts, etc. don't use those washboards or anything else to "settle" the suspension. So, IMO, I see no need. __________________ If you spell Chuck Norris in Scrabble, you win. Forever.

06-05-2014, 06:13 AM	#4
purpleRac3r Drives: 1974 & 2014 Corvette Stingrays Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Troy, Mo Posts: 623	Oh, those washboards are nothing - you should see some of the roads around here! Keep in mind, mechanics generally are replacing only one or two components of the suspension at a time. Everything else has been there a while and well set. A brand new car has ALL new parts, nothing at all is set and it only has had weight on the wheels for a very short while, none of it on the road. Those washboards a specifically designed to get the entire suspension to "play nice together" prior to alignment and to help identify potential problems with the suspension. It's actually part of the QC process. It would only be abuse if someone took the same car through the washboards over and over and over. __________________ '74 Stingray coupe, heavily modified, as seen in August 2011 VETTE magazine, 2014 Stingray Z51 #196, ordered 02/11/13, built 08/29/13, Museum Delivery 10/04/13, driven daily!

06-17-2014, 05:17 PM	#5
fcu678 5Th Gen (Craig) Drives: 2014 C7 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Houma, Louisiana Posts: 766 View My Garage	I thought the buyers tour was amazing. Ours came off line yesterday right at 9:45. On the way home my wife said "sooo, when I wash the car can I do all that beating and banging on it that they did along the assembly line"............. LOL It's amazing to see it all come together and what they put it through. __________________ 2014 C7

06-04-2014, 06:36 PM	#2
laborsmith Drives: 1969 Corvair, 2018 Camaro T4 RS Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Detroit Metropolitan Area Posts: 2,881	"Washboards on steroids." Good description! But to truly settle the suspension there should be a ramp after the washboards to launch the C7 at least six feet in the air. I mean, if the C7 gets a high powered wash to determine water resistance then it should at least get a high powered launch into the air to determine suspension integrity. But to be serious, I enjoyed the tour as I have enjoyed tours of other Assembly Plants. I had not thought there could be a negative take away but I suppose the two summers I spent assembling trucks at GM T&C plants in Pontiac inured me from negative perceptions regarding the final assembly line. Laborsmith