question for Keith Seymore

[bigblock73]

Keith, did GM ever install aftermarket parts on the assembly line for customers who ordered a new truck? Gentleman on one of the squarebody pages stated his father paid for and had aftermarket exhaust stacks installed on the assembly line and delivered to the dealership that way. 1987 GMC stepside. I am thinking no way, but curious to hear what you say.

[J Knight]

Im thinking no way also. I would assume that would cause disruption on the assembly line staging.

[kalbert]

Subscribed. I'm also skeptical. Dealer installed? Sure. Factory? No way José. Curious to know the answer.

[Joesjunk]

I saw that same post about the stacks. I'm not at a truck plant, but have worked at a GM assembly plant for 20 years and I never seen anything like that happen before. I'm sure they were dealer installed.

[andrewmp6]

The dealer will install anything you want.The factory i highly doubt will install anything not a gm part.

[77 ChevySport]

If the certain part (non-GM) was designed in the building/engineering phase it will be installed.eg.: 2016 Camaro COPO>Rear end is a Ford 9" rear! Larry

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by bigblock73

Keith, did GM ever install aftermarket parts on the assembly line for customers who ordered a new truck? Gentleman on one of the squarebody pages stated his father paid for and had aftermarket exhaust stacks installed on the assembly line and delivered to the dealership that way. 1987 GMC stepside. I am thinking no way, but curious to hear what you say.

Nope.

Aftermarket parts would be dealer or owner installed. We do "one off" builds on the assembly line for engineering and manufacturing testing but not for a customer, and as planned major milestones in the development process (not spontaneous events - there is no room for spontaneity on the assembly line).

For an '87 model year truck: Depending on what plant, and what shift - I would have seen it get built or probably would have heard about it ahead of time.

I'd be interested to see whatever paperwork he thinks he has: build sheet, window sticker, dealer paperwork, etc. One good thing is that the invoice for this truck would be available through the GM Heritage Center archive and would show this content and pricing if it was done as he says.

Bottom line is that even if what he says is true if the paperwork doesn't reflect it then the historical community cannot "legitimize" it. I know this first hand from my experiences with Dad's '65 GTO.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 77 ChevySport

If the certain part (non-GM) was designed in the building/engineering phase it will be installed.eg.: 2016 Camaro COPO>Rear end is a Ford 9" rear! Larry


Attachment 1463700

Correct - that's what I do for a living now, but I don't recall any stacks being designed or released with a GM part number back in the day, or any GM trucks going down the line with stacks.

I would have noticed that fer sure.

K

[andrewmp6]

Only factory pickup i know with them is a dodge.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Joesjunk

I saw that same post about the stacks. I'm not at a truck plant, but have worked at a GM assembly plant for 20 years and I never seen anything like that happen before. I'm sure they were dealer installed.

Joe - are you at Fairfax?

I've never been there. I've launched product in all the Full Size Truck plants (about 11 total) plus one small car plant (Hamtramck) across the last 37 years.

K

[Joesjunk]

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Joe - are you at Fairfax?

I've never been there. I've launched product in all the Full Size Truck plants (about 11 total) plus one small car plant (Hamtramck) across the last 37 years.

K

Yes Keith, I'm at Fairfax. Launching the new Malibu as we speak

[Advanced Design]

I will be getting in the new Malibu on the next rotation. Nice vehicle from what I've seen.

[77 ChevySport]

You guys just might get your wish. Picture shows what Chevy is doing/thinking now at the SEMA show in Vegas. Many of their exhibits
acutually go into production. Who knows? Larry

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Joesjunk

Yes Keith, I'm at Fairfax. Launching the new Malibu as we speak

Best of luck with that -

K

Originally Posted by 77 ChevySport

You guys just might get your wish. Picture shows what Chevy is doing/thinking now at the SEMA show in Vegas. Many of their exhibits
acutually go into production. Who knows? Larry

Is that the Kid Rock concept?

I just saw a little GM video of that yesterday, which showed him working with the Design Studio to create it. The video concluded with him visiting the Flint Assembly plant and driving the truck (in stock form) off the end of the line.

K