The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs GM Panel Truck Assembly line Photo, Norwood, Ohio Plant

GM Panel Truck Assembly line Photo, Norwood, Ohio
PHOTO, Negative of the same photo.
Photo came from this Web Site where there is a photo slide of the plant, which ran from 1923-1987.
The website is The official site of the first of its kind Book "Echoes Of Norwood"

Listen to the 27 minute Interview with the Author of the book on Hemmings Motor News Radio!
You learn where the phrase "A Fly in the Ointment" came from.
The workers were treated pretty harshly.

History of Norwood Assembly Plant

there's 1 or 2 similar panel assembly photos over at oldGMCtrucks .... and there's a bunch of 59 assembly line pics here mostly cars, but some good engine pics

Bill

Trivia quiz: I do not think you can ID the year in the Norwood photo posted by Jorb, but, what were the possible range of years?

Tough one, obviously A-D. I'm looking at the little hole in the left rear door post for the wire conduit to power the tail-stop lamp. I remember hearing that some years used contact points instead. My '53 has that conduit...I might be on the wrong track though.

pre-1951 panel

George,

I thought you'd check in on this. Explain your answer, for the benefit of others. I think I can get it down to a smaller range of years (maybe one/two years, if you are correct).

Also, did you post information of different wood strips in the panel side walls over A-D years?

The planks were changed in 1950 to plywood, the center hole in the sill for the spare tire was pre-1951 and the elongated hole for the rear light was changed in 1951.

I am sure we hashed out the plank issue several times………….g

I will say 1950 panel truck.

Not sure on year, but the closer Panel truck is a 1 ton and the further one is a 1/2 ton.
Did all AD 47-55 1st 1 ton Panel trucks have a one piece plywood floor?
Didn't the 1950 floor design change, only effect 1/2 ton panel?
Could a Panel truck be ordered with a Clam shell end gate?

I thought we had discussed this FACTORY PHOTO before. After a closer look, It's a step or two after the photo jorb gave us and looks to be a different assembly line with different step in assembly. This one has the cowl installed before the side panels, jobs has the side panels installed first, both have a one ton and half ton in the same position………..g

Only the suburban and canopy express came with clam shell tailgates. The suburban had them 1947/55, barn doors were not available 1947/49

I think they are different assembly lines (jorb vs GMONIZ links).

The plywood floor with 5 metal skid strips was introduced in 1950.

I think that some people see the driver's side cowl-vent, making it pre-1951.

So, if the above observations are correct: 1950?

Rear doors ("panel" doors) on Suburbans were introduced in 1950. Suburbans had only end-gates/tail-gates from 47-49.

I cannot tell from either photo whether or not these panels have plywood floors. They both have five metal strips. One photo shows an adhesive or caulking on the passengers edge, the other does not. Since one photo (SUBURBAN) shows a cowl which some (me) believe that there are louvers on the left side making it pre-1951 and the other does not have the cowl, I cannot discern the year. If this was a suburban assembly line, I would be able to see other differences that would help determine the year.

ASSEMBLY PLANT PHOTO #1 - NO COWL

ASSEMBLY PLANT PHOTO #2 - WITH COWL

SUBURBAN ASSEMBLY PLANT PHOTO WITH COWL This one is a 1950 or newer, my guess is 1950.

This is a great thread.
I have been a long-time panel fan (since 1968), and I need to learn these details, history and background.

Extremely cool pictures there.
I know nothing about plywood in the auto industry, and the only observation I have is the cutout size around the rear wheel well produces a very narrow piece on the deck. I'd be leaning towards that piece being solid wood material for strength on the exposed edge. Then one could argue if the outsides are solid why use plywood in the middle? Don't know just saying from my perspective. At any rate, I love seeing early assembly line pictures. We need to find an 80 year old GM truck assembly line worker that knows how to get out of the rocking chair and get online here.
Steve

sstock, from all my study, and reading here, they were either all boards or all plywood. No mixing of the two.
Despite the cut outs for fenders my 52 panel is all plywood (I think 54" wide) and yes, it had skid strips to help delivery folks slide their stuff in and out of the panel..... but no telling what someone did to them over the years once they left the factory.

From pics and the post above I'd also vote 1950.

Don't want to muddy the water here and start another thread but its my understanding that for my year '52 the body and plywood was "one piece" when it was set on the frame...and I believe it after tearing mine all apart and seeing how it was.

In 1950 the panel trucks' floors changed to plywood with 5 metal strips over the plywood.

Prior to 1950, panel trucks had 13 boards and twelve strips.

You can tell from the photo that the panels had 5 strips (you can then assume there was plywood under those strips).

47-55 Suburbans had plywood floors.

If I'm reading this right.
Looks like the rear body sills were different for a specific year,
tonnage and whether the truck was ordered with Clam Shell doors or Barn doors.

Master Parts Catalog 1929-1954
Group Number 17.166 PANEL, Body Lower Rear, pages 776 and 777

Wonder what the differences were?
Asterisk note: When used on Sub. w/end gate hinge cutouts have to be made, cross sill reinforcement must also be retained.
What ever that means.

the clamshell lower panel would need to have provision for the lower gate hinges, and as per the note, need reinforcing to support that additional weight

and for Chips "its my understanding that for my year '52 the body and plywood was "one piece" when it was set on the frame" .... I had a picture I can't find of a TF panel body, complete w/ doors and front clip being 'dropped' onto a completed chassis, that's the way all years of panel and burbs were done, notice in the pics linked above that the bodies are being assembled on support jigs ...

Bill

red58,
Something like this.
Panel body, complete w/ doors being 'dropped' onto completed chassis.
PHOTO Minus the front clip.

yes, that's the way they were done, pickups and cars as well

Bill

jorb,

One of the differences in the rear sill was related to the spare tire carrier, which changed in 1951 (as mentioned by GMONIZ, above). Here is the older style spare tire carrier.

This is something else I didn't know.
There is a difference between the 47-53 and the 54 Panel, Suburban Top Assembly (roof)
Group number 17.060 Top Assembly
I thought the 47-55 1st series Panels and Suburbans roofs were all the same.
Except for the longer length on the 1 ton.

The roof fits over the windshield, which changed for 54/55 (one-piece curved vs earlier two-piece flat.

Tim, the difference in the listing shows the 'burb roof for all years being different than the "single unit" [panel] for the same years ... must have to do with variation for the side windows?

Bill

I think the only variation that is different between the panel and suburban roof (other than the windshield change in 1954) is the rear header, the suburban has two choices of door styles and the rear header has both mounts on the suburban. IMO