New location for 71 GS Fisher build sheet

I found the fisher body build sheet for my 71 GS stage-1 Flint built car under the sound deadener on the passenger side upswing just under the heater box. The perforated edge of the folded paper was just sticking out above the carpet. It had been painted with black overspray and I always thought it was part of the rubber fire wall pad until I changed the heater core one day. I think the main build sheet is long gone because gas tank was changed years ago by someone else and seats and pillars were checked. Hope this may help someone else

 

Was it on top or under the sound deadener?

 

Brad that really makes a lot of sense. I never thought of that sequence and always wondered why the asphalt /paper deadener was stuck down like that. I used some and it is like trying to install a roll of lead. It never conformed to the contours like I thought it should. Great info.

 

Jim,
Somewhere on this site is a link to an article posted on the first generation camaro site. The article was written by an exec that worked on the fisher end of the plant. I think he actually helped set up some plants, anyway it goes step by step through the production process.

Some things were done differently on our cars, but it gives you a really good idea of how these cars were put together. Maybe someone can post the link here.

As far as the fisher build sheets, I have found them stuffed in the A-piller, dash or around that area, and have also found them under the front carpet, where they fell down during installation. If one fell prior to the re-flow oven it would have ended up under the sound deadener.

I have also found Buick "Flint" POBF build sheets under the front carpets, where they fell down while the Buick workers were installing everything on the firewall/dash areas, after the bodies were delivered from Fisher.
Happy hunting.
Duane

 

Brad....

Now that you brought this up, :laugh: I always assumed the carpet was installed by Fisher (since Fisher sheets are sometimes found under the carpet). Am I correct, or was it at final assembly?

 

Brad,
Sorry to butt in,
Fisher installed the rear carpet, Buick or GMAD installed the front carpet and dash assemblies before the body drop.

Also, there may have been some "blending" of duties between the two divisions by 71 or so, therefore the above may not have been true in all GMAD plants.
Duane

 

"Otherwise, you'll always have a lump in your carpet..."

Don't say it John donnnnnnnnnnn't say it :laugh:

 

Well then... (Just talking about the Flint plant)

I don't recall if the one I found was under the carpet, tar paper, or deadener, but it did seem to match the one I found up under my dash exactly. The problem was you cannot read anything one it. It turned nearly totally black, as it was soaked with rain water leaking from the the front winshield for many years.

So I guess this means the shell was shipped from Fisher, with the Fisher buyout papers sitting there, then later hidden under the carpet once installed at Buick final assembly?

 

Dan,
I have talked to quite a few Fisher Body workers from the Flint plant, and according to them the shells were trimmed out inside and out, except for the front carpets and firewall components. They were even weather tested by Fisher before shipping. (How they did this with holes in the firewall is beyond me.)
Then the shells were shipped across town to Buick (Plant #4) for final assembly. Any and all Fisher Body build sheets that were left in the car also went for the ride.

There is a great shot that someone just put on the board that shows the usual place were the Fisher sheets were rolled up and stuffed in the A-piller. Sometimes they fell out and were covered up by the later installed front carpets. If they fell out really early, they could easily have been under the underlayment while still in the Fisher plant. (Before they went through the reflow ovens.)

Sometimes the Buick POBF or POCP sheets also fell down, and were covered over by the front carpet.

Maybe each car had more then one Fisher sheet, I don't know, but I do know there were multiple Buick sheets for each car. My old 71 GSX had a piece of one on the gas tank and a complete one under the front carpet. I have other cars with multiple buildsheets. You can tell they are not copies because the printing does not line up exactly, so there must have been several places that used/generated these sheets.

If you look closely at the assembly manuals they "tell" you what parts Buick installed on the cars, then you can infer how the shells were delivered to Buick.
I hope this helps.
Duane

 

If only we could go back in time all of this stuff could have been studied and photographed for us Buick Nerds! thanks Duane

 

Thanks Duane

That sure helps. One of mine must have been covered over by the underlayment, which colored it completely black. I found it by accident while drying out the carpet in the 80's. :Brow: It was also completely wet when removed. :Smarty:

I knew the interior was done, but never thought about the carpet (and bolting the shell to the frame). ou: :3gears:

 

I have found them all over the place ..Under rugs,seats fuel tank stuffed into openings under dash even stuffed behind door panels

 

Duane's explanation of the backing process explains why my Fisher sheet is discolored and has a "cooked" look to it.

 

I had found some that looked like they had been cooked over the years, that explains it !!!!!!

Great info Guys !!