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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => 73-87 Chevy & GMC Trucks => Topic started by: Stewart G Griffin on April 22, 2008, 11:17:58 pm

Title: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: Stewart G Griffin on April 22, 2008, 11:17:58 pm
i know Flint was one of the big places, but apparently there were other places;  i have, on the inner door frame, a blue circle sticker with a maple leaf in it, so apparently my 83 was built in Canada.

My asking was due to:
1) curiosity
2) It will lead up to my next question regarding GM factories and the 73-87/91 series.
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: 83C10OHIO on April 23, 2008, 06:06:14 am
I found this website and it shows a list of factories and how to tell by your VIN.

http://www.chuckschevytruckpages.com/7980VIN.html
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: bake315 on April 23, 2008, 08:47:33 am
Mine was built in Baltimore.
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: ssgoodman on April 23, 2008, 10:24:59 am
my 1990 jimmy has a sticker for flint on the door, it says "Built Flint Tough" or something to that extent, its seemed like a direct rip off from ford though.

Sutton
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: Captkaos on April 23, 2008, 11:18:56 am
Didn't have to look any further than this website to find that information.   http://www.73-87chevytrucks.com/VIN.htm

This isn't EVERY place because I haven't added all of them, but the main ones are
Lakewood     
St. Louis
Oshawa
Baltimore
Pontiac
London, Ontario
Flint
Terrytown
Shreveport
Janesville
Fremont    
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: 1978Bonanza on April 23, 2008, 02:06:49 pm
Mine was built in baltimore. It hasn't gone very far in 30 years lol.
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: frogman68 on April 23, 2008, 02:22:22 pm
When mine is done it will be my backyard that it was built :)
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: 85MudMonster on April 23, 2008, 02:29:59 pm
Mine was built in Janesville, WI and now resides in Shreveport, LA
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: Fordeatinz71 on April 23, 2008, 05:48:44 pm
yep, my '83 was built in Canada too...and now resides in Hooks, Texas
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: 78 Chevyrado on April 23, 2008, 07:35:31 pm
My 62, 77, and 78 were all built in Lakewood, which is actually part of doraville ga, about 5 miles from my old house.  Everything I can find about the Lakewood plant says it was shut down years ago, however they changed the sign from Doraville assembly to Metal Fabrication and the plant parking lot is still packed with employee cars all the time.
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: zieg85 on April 23, 2008, 08:44:27 pm
Mine was built in St. Louis.  My uncle ordered it a little before he retired.  He worked at the plant and actually had a part in building it.  Pretty cool I thought.
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: Bowtie Bomber on April 23, 2008, 09:46:58 pm
Mines from good 'ol Flint.

Then again the DMV changed my vin number to the donor cabs vin so I'll look that up too.
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: Stewart G Griffin on April 24, 2008, 02:33:36 pm
1) Why so many locations?

2) Was Flint the "main" factory for 73-91's?

3) My real reason for bringing the topic up is if you are familiar with Michael Moore's films, in "Roger and me," (the documentary about GM), it  actually shows the flint factory closing down and the last 87 pickup produced by this factory being assembled and finished.  So, i was wondering, could this be the last one?  But since the were other locations, i guess not?   If i remember correctly, the truck was red.

a)i'm perplexed by the documentation found in sutton's jimmy---a 90 model;  In the film, it clearly shows the factory being demolished in 1987.
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: Captkaos on April 24, 2008, 03:12:23 pm
1) To meet Demand
2) No, Flint was the assembly line for the Blazer and Suburban trucks.  Pontiac was the assembly plant for the pickups.  The stopped making 73-87 pickups in 1987, but it wasn't at the Flint plant.
3) I wouldn't belive anything Michael Moore portrays in his films.  The Flint Truck Assembly plant is still being used today for medium and commercial pickup assembly...  (TopKicks and Buses)  Go to http://maps.google.com and type Van Slyke Road Flint MI  You can see the whole plant via satellite.  Now Flint Plant #1 (previously Fisher #1) did close in 1987, they built Buicks, not trucks.

a) see above on Michael Moore...
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: hatzie on April 27, 2008, 10:50:25 am
I found this website and it shows a list of factories and how to tell by your VIN.

http://www.chuckschevytruckpages.com/7980VIN.html

My VIN tells me my 76 K20 was built in Fremont, CA. 
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: 85MudMonster on May 02, 2008, 06:29:59 pm
I just think it's weird that I've got a truck in Shreveport, that was built somewhere other than Shreveport, and to my knowledge this truck has been in Shreveport since it was new, just seems weird it wasn't built at the Shreveport plant. Now they build the Colorado and the H3 here in Shreveport.
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: NevadaNeal on May 03, 2008, 12:43:29 am
My 73 K10 was built in fremont california,kinda wierd was my 75 f100 was built in san jose cal,about 15 miles away.
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: Bitzer! on May 03, 2008, 01:59:47 pm
Mines from Flint (not a colour eh Blazin!) and it ended up in a different continent!!
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: smitty77 on May 04, 2008, 08:07:34 am
My parts truck that I bought from a guy in NH came from Ottawa, CA.  The tail lenses even had GM CANADA molded into them.

My other truck, bought locally in Mass can from Flint, I believe.

Smitty
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: Stewart G Griffin on May 05, 2008, 08:04:24 pm
The Taiwanese connection:
http://gmtblog.blogspot.com/2006/03/taiwanese-connection-part-1-of-4.html

So these trucks were really popular.

Also, i'm ASSuming that the Mexican versions were built, presumbably, in Mexico?
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: Fordeatinz71 on May 06, 2008, 08:38:46 pm
interesting.  i saw a LOT of 73-?? C/K's when i was in Iraq. 
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: Unofficial on May 07, 2008, 08:32:15 am
My '87 was built in Janesville, and was never sold to anyone outside of Janesville. (I live in Janesville.) ;D
Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: zieg85 on May 07, 2008, 05:54:03 pm
The Taiwanese connection:
http://gmtblog.blogspot.com/2006/03/taiwanese-connection-part-1-of-4.html

So these trucks were really popular.

Also, i'm ASSuming that the Mexican versions were built, presumbably, in Mexico?

I was in Central Mexico in the early 90's on business.  I was picked up and drove around in a brand new 92 or 93 Suburban, the old body style.  Interestingly, no emission controls, regular gas and the seat brackets were different, way lower in the front, I was told it was because in the Mexican market typically are shorter and liked it that way.  Other differences I saw was Ford style rear lights on the pickups, "reminded me of the 67 F250 I had" chains on the tailgate like the pre-1967 GM and wood floors.

They also had 4 door Bronco's "The Fords answer to Suburban" not available in the states and the Ford pickups were labled F200.

Title: Re: Where were the 73-91's built?
Post by: alex on May 10, 2008, 10:01:11 pm
As mentioned previously the assembly plant is the 7 th letter/digit inthe serial#;Canadian built units were Oshawa(1) or London (5).Many Canadian built units went to USA.The canadian line also appears to have built some of the low volume RPO trucks;All the 1981 Street Coupe and Chevy Sport trucks I have seen were Oshawa builds;Many of the factory bucket seat trucks also came from Oshawa.....