73n95

I read that the Bowling Green Corvette plant is being shut down for retooling the next gen Corvette. The article said 18 month shutdown due to the total redesign of the C8models. If you are planning a plant your you've only for a few weeks to see if this year. June 16 is the posted closing date. Reopening rescheduled for late 2018. I can't help wonder where they will build the 2018 ZR1.

FAUEE

To quote the President... it's fake news.

They're shutting tours down because touring the facility is a HUGE liability due to poor layout, and they're building a new huge paint area to use paint that isn't only tint coat for modern paints.

Edv92c4

So are tours gone forever or just until they address these issues?

ss95003

The new paint area has been under construction since 2015 and I just went on a vip tour of the assembly plant 2 months ago and there was not one thing even slightly dangerous about it. GM is so worried about this huge liability but they still do it daily?

73n95

Either way, the tours are closing down. If you intend to visit, do it quick. I"ve been on the tour several times and while I can appreciate the liability,being able to walk next to the assembly line is a thrill. The assembly line workers will even chat, briefly, while they go about their duties. Its a great experience.

9T3VETTE

They mentioned this last week when I was on the plant tour, glad I got mine in!

c4cruiser

Tours will come back once the new tour path is finalized and completed. The new paint area will be incorporated into the overall build line but I think the tours won't go into the paint area.

The NCM also says that the Buyer's Tour and the Engine Build tour will also stop until everything is completed. R8C (Museum Delivery) will continue on, but the plant tour will not be offered. Guess they will let you"save" the tour to use once the plant changes are done.

Crossed Flags Fan

NOPE the plant is NOT SHUTTING DOWN FOR 18 MONTHS!!!!!
REPEAT THE PLANT IS NOT SHUTTING DOWN FOR 18 MONTHS!!!

Corvette Bowling Green Plant Manager Kai Spande's presentation (at the NCM Bash in April) explained the shutdown and the temporary elimination of tours as follows.
Regarding the shutdown (13 weeks August, September and October) the entire sequence of assembly is being changed to add efficiency and to reduce the possibility of damaged body panels. In addition, the manners in which frames, body panels, engines, etc. FOR EXISTING MODELS are moved are being changed dramatically. This requires not only retooling but also relocation of various assembly stations.
When asked about how long it will take to resume plant tours he said that he estimates a year or so. (He never said 18 months.) The reason he gave was that virtually everyone in the plant will need to learn brand new jobs and processes; he deems it appropriate to suspend tours until his assembly workers have sufficient experience in their new roles. The way Kai explained it, it all made perfect sense.