Anyone here that used to work at either assembly plant - Van Nuys or Norwood? I think that would have been really cool to help make these cars. Any pics of the cars on the line or anything?

..or anyone here that worked at the Ste Therese plant in Canada?

 

Nope, didn't work there, but I did get in on a group tour through the Van Nuys plant in the early/mid eighties. That was pretty cool. Sorry, no pic's.

 

I didn't either, but I got a personal tour of the Norwood plant in the spring of 1986(still '86 model year).

You pose a very interesting question, and after 4 days, no one's claimed to have worked at either plant--neither as an exec, nor on the line. This is interesting because such a person could clear up the mystery of the infamous 1986 350, lol.

It also reinforces something I've said regarding this: just because no one here has ever seen one, or no one here knows anyone who's got, had or seen one, it doesn't mean none existed. Let's not fool ourselves into believing this website is soooo important that it's the end-all/be-all to most people with or ever involved with these cars. FAR, FAR, FAR from everyone is here--or even cares, lol. Ok, the moderators are going nuts again, lol.

On my tour(remember, personal--myself and two friends), I saw the 350 on the assembly line. I jokingly asked the engine man we were speaking with to hook one up to a 5-speed for me, lol. Unfortunately he couldn't, but he did inform me that the 5-speed would at least be attached to the 305 TPI in 1987 models. So I heldout for my current Formula.

Again, these were 1986 production models. Did I see a finished car with a 350? No, I didn't, but that hardly means none existed.

I love keeping this controversy alive, lol. Ok, light the torches!

 

They did exist. There were test cars. Never made it to production. Until the next year that is.

 

Somehow, I knew you'd be the first to post a response, lol.

 

I was at Border's a few days ago looking at a Camaro book. There was a sweet pic of the inside of the Van Nuys plant. There was a line of 87 Camaro's rolling off the assembly line with a 69 Camaro leading the line. It was a whole line of brand new third gen's! I was drooling.

 

Surely someone has snapped some pics or video or something that is on the board. I wish I could have bought a new third gen.

 

Not necessarily. It's rare for a manufacturing facility of anykind to allow people to take cameras in. We weren't allowed to have any.

And I didn't say I saw a car with a 350 in it. I didn't even see a 350 get dropped into a car. I merely said they were there on the line. We had a plant to tour, so we couldn't stay in that one place all day watching engines.

Besides, the 350 was very "matter of fact" to the employees. I'm like, "I heard the 350 was coming out this year," and the guy says, "here's one right over here," leading me over to it. No big deal to him at all. It's only become a big deal since it's become "history."

Who knew?

 

There was a Carcraft cover shot taken inside one of the two plants, I cant recall which.

Its a white Firebird with a blower rolling on the line. It was the most complicated shot to make, the plant was shut down for a short time so they set it up quicky.

I just moved so as soon as I unpack I will scan it.

 

I plucked this one off the tgo board not too long ago. It isn't inside either of the plants, but I can imagine it is right outside one of them. I think they're 87's???

 

That's a beautiful sight.

 

When I arranged and attended a plat tour in May of 1992 at the Van Nuys plant for my local Trans Am club, I was allowed to take 1 camera in for photos. No one else in the group was. We knew the plant was going to shut down at the end of the year which made it such a fantastic experience. I was able to bring a few guys from the So. Cal Trans Am club to see the cars along with a few independents from the area.

They fed us lunch and we were able to see the cars built from start to finish. We also saw prototype pictures of the 93 model being built the next year in Canada. It was going to cost GM about $4000.00 less to produce the LT1 powered car than the 92 L98 powered F-Body.

I will have to dig up the pictures and scan a few for this board.

- Dave

 

Cool pic!!!

Hey IROCZTWENTYGR8, the car you're searching for might be in that pic!

 

Those pictures would be cool GTA.

LA, I doubt it LOL. It's as if they never made any, because they just do not show up. Especially in really nice to mint condition.

 

I've bought a set of valve springs at ebay; the guy asked what year is my t/a and where was it assembled, then he said there's 50% chance that he's welded driver's door hinges - he worked in Van Nuys a few years. He's registered on a few hotrod forums under nick BLK64SS - his website needs some repair, I think

 

Seeing all those new IROCs on that truck is almost magical.
GTADave, that would be awesome to see your pics of '92.
That is my favorite third gen year.

 

Trick Question: How many Camaros do you see in that picture?

 

 

one more:

 

...wow. That made my day. It also made my desktop!


More! More!

 

Yup, its a camaro, you can tell by the spoiler/tialight you can see. Definately not a firebird...

John

 

Can't believe I missed that one.

 

I was thinking more like zero, they're Iroc-Zs.

Yeah I know, I know... lol