Build Numbers?????




To guestimate what number yours was, take the total number of vettes built that model year and divide by 11 or 12 (I know that they shut down production for two weeks for model changeover and they may have some other shutdowns for holidays, etc.) Let's assume they made 33,000 vettes that year. 33k divided by 11 = 3k per month production. Let's say your last five digits of your VIN is 07,500 . That would mean your car was produced about half way through the 3rd month of production.(you can get exact date off your build sheet if you have one or the month of production off the driver's door info.)
Next, divide the 4031 into the annual production (33k?). Doing this gives you 8.19. That means that every time 8.19 vettes were built one of them was a frc. By dividing your VIN (7,500?) by 8.19 it comes to the number of FRC's made up to yours--916. This is only approximate and is using the numbers I made up.
I hope you can follow my line of thinking here. The cars are built on a random basis. If you've ever been to the assembly plant you see a couple of coupes on the line followed by a ZO6, followed by a vert, etc. etc.
Example: 1512456 means this was the 2456 built that year.
You can also get a build sheet and window sticker from the Corvette Museum.
Last edited by photoguy; Jan 29, 2007 at 05:29 PM.
To guestimate what number yours was, take the total number of vettes built that model year and divide by 11 or 12 (I know that they shut down production for two weeks for model changeover and they may have some other shutdowns for holidays, etc.) Let's assume they made 33,000 vettes that year. 33k divided by 11 = 3k per month production. Let's say your last five digits of your VIN is 07,500 . That would mean your car was produced about half way through the 3rd month of production.(you can get exact date off your build sheet if you have one or the month of production off the driver's door info.)
Next, divide the 4031 into the annual production (33k?). Doing this gives you 8.19. That means that every time 8.19 vettes were built one of them was a frc. By dividing your VIN (7,500?) by 8.19 it comes to the number of FRC's made up to yours--916. This is only approximate and is using the numbers I made up.
I hope you can follow my line of thinking here. The cars are built on a random basis. If you've ever been to the assembly plant you see a couple of coupes on the line followed by a ZO6, followed by a vert, etc. etc.
I will try that
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
This will give you totals but I don't know how you will be able to tell exactly!
Last edited by photoguy; Jan 29, 2007 at 06:41 PM.
Is my understanding correct/
Thanks




Last edited by FLACHUSNRET; Jan 30, 2007 at 06:41 PM. Reason: spelling




Once you have that number simply divide the number of frc's into the total production and go on from there to see where your VIN lines up.
The idea about getting 99 FRC owners to posts their VIN's and production dates seemed like a good idea at first but I don't see how that could help unless every owner, including all ever produced, with a FRC responded. For example, if I had the VIN 25 cars after you on a frc I would be in the same situation you are in, not knowing how many frc's were already produced.
Good luck in solving the riddle!




I hope I did not confuse you too badly! Look at your build sheet and you will probably see that they differ.
While VINs for each of the model years are most usually assigned in order, you really can't go by the VIN to tell what number off the line that your car was. Keep in mind that during each of the C5 production years, a number of containment, prototype and pilot vehicles for upcoming model years were built on the assembly line alongside with the current model year cars. These containment, prototype and pilot vehicles were assigned a VIN for their respective model year and a number of these cars were later made into saleable vehicles. James Schefter wrote about this in his book, "All Corvettes Are Red." Also, I've read and heard tell of current model year "build-out" cars and the next model year's cars being built together on the assembly line at the end of a number of the C5 model years. I also read where this happened with the 2005 C6 and the model year 2004 C5 "build-out" cars at the end of model year 2004.
I read an interesting letter on this subject that was sent to the editor of Corvette Enthusiast Magazine several years ago. The letter's author did not provide his credentials, but it was obvious that he was quite knowledgeable of the assembly plant's build and sequencing processes. He spoke briefly about how differently cars are built today versus back in the St. Louis days and the use of Job Numbers or Sequence Number as they appear on the C5's build sheet. He went on to state that the VIN is an Identification Number and not a "plant sequence number." He went on to say, "That is why VIN 00001 for 2005 can be built on the 2004 assembly line and have that ID number attached." He finished by saying, "So, plant sequence number or job sequence number has everything to do with the car assembly process and nothing to do with the VIN other than the two have a relationship, but do not match." You may be able to find a copy of this issue of Corvette Enthusiast at one of your local libraries. (See "Those Crazy VINs", in the "Enthusiast Notes" department, Corvette Enthusiast Magazine, October 2004, page 10.)
You car's build sheet will contain the Sequence Number in the lower right corner. Build sheets if you do not have one are available from the National Corvette Museum: Order Forum
As you can see, the build sequence involves much more than what it may first seem.
HTH


While VINs for each of the model years are most usually assigned in order, you really can't go by the VIN to tell what number off the line that your car was. Keep in mind that during each of the C5 production years, a number of containment, prototype and pilot vehicles for upcoming model years were built on the assembly line alongside with the current model year cars. These containment, prototype and pilot vehicles were assigned a VIN for their respective model year and a number of these cars were later made into saleable vehicles. James Schefter wrote about this in his book, "All Corvettes Are Red." Also, I've read and heard tell of current model year "build-out" cars and the next model year's cars being built together on the assembly line at the end of a number of the C5 model years. I also read where this happened with the 2005 C6 and the model year 2004 C5 "build-out" cars at the end of model year 2004.
I read an interesting letter on this subject that was sent to the editor of Corvette Enthusiast Magazine several years ago. The letter's author did not provide his credentials, but it was obvious that he was quite knowledgeable of the assembly plant's build and sequencing processes. He spoke briefly about how differently cars are built today versus back in the St. Louis days and the use of Job Numbers or Sequence Number as they appear on the C5's build sheet. He went on to state that the VIN is an Identification Number and not a "plant sequence number." He went on to say, "That is why VIN 00001 for 2005 can be built on the 2004 assembly line and have that ID number attached." He finished by saying, "So, plant sequence number or job sequence number has everything to do with the car assembly process and nothing to do with the VIN other than the two have a relationship, but do not match." You may be able to find a copy of this issue of Corvette Enthusiast at one of your local libraries. (See "Those Crazy VINs", in the "Enthusiast Notes" department, Corvette Enthusiast Magazine, October 2004, page 10.)
You car's build sheet will contain the Sequence Number in the lower right corner. Build sheets if you do not have one are available from the National Corvette Museum: Order Forum
As you can see, the build sequence involves much more than what it may first seem.
HTH











