Special Edition July 23,1998

Special Edition of Dan’s Say ----   07/23/98

Many of our C5 Registry members may recall in the February/March "Dan’s Say", I stated that one of the goals for 1998 was to have Chevrolet to put a BUILD SHEET (Manifest) in every new Corvette built. I am happy to announce that our goal has been achieved. We have received word that a Build Sheet is being put into the front frame rail of every new C5 built! This is reminiscent of the old Corvette practice of taping Build Sheets to the top of gas tanks in the mid year Vettes.

Build Manifests (Corvette restorers have always referred to these as Build Sheets) are the documents that Corvette plant employees use to build the C5s. They have all the regular production options (RPO) and colors each car will have. The build sheet tells you exactly how a C5 was originally built as far as color and options along with standard equipment.

Not only will this be welcome among Corvette enthusiasts now but will be appreciated by future generations who will be restoring the C5s we now drive. For some of you this may not be as important as to others, but it will be sought after by the restorers of the future.

The following is the procedure that will take place in how a Build Manifest will be placed in the front frame rail of a new C5. The Build Manifest a C5 receives is attached to (by masking tape) the front of the LS1 engine after being uncrated from the engine supplier. The engine then goes to the Tower (driveline) Assembly area where the LS1 has been installed into its front suspension cradle (bolted to the drivetrain/suspension assembly) the manifest is removed, rolled up and placed in the driver’s side front upper control arm until it reaches the "marriage station" (where the C5 body structure assembly is lowered down onto the suspension cradle). The production operator then removes the manifest from the upper control arm and inserts it into the driver’s side front frame rail. The front bumper is later installed in front of this rail protecting the manifest from the elements. There are some holes in this rail and with the aid of a flashlight you should be able to see the manifest with the masking tape still attached. To remove it you must pull the front bumper assembly. I would have preferred to see it in the glove compartment, but the present position will preserve the manifest so it will remain with the C5.

It is important to note how this all came about. In March, I had a talk with Dave Hill at our C5 Birthday Celebration. I expressed to him our desire that a Build Manifest should be placed into each Corvette. In his usual manner, Dave wrote down the request and said he would look into it. He did and now we will have a Build Manifest in every future C5!

Thanks Dave from C5 enthusiast everywhere! On a personal note: I believe Dave Hill is not only willing to listen but takes action as well. I was not the first to ask, I know that some Corvette employees have tried to get Build Manifest included, but for various reasons this has never happened. Dave heard the request from his customers - and it was done. I think that under Dave Hill’s leadership, Corvette is becoming a customer driven enterprise lead by a true Corvette enthusiast in the making. This small gesture shows me the kind of stuff of which Hill and his organization is made. He listens to Corvette owners and makes the appropriate changes.…. WAY TO GO DAVE !!!

If you'd like to view a Build Manifest (or Build Sheet) Click Here

C5Ya!……DAN
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