Factory Delivery Code on Cars Buiilt Sheet

[Paul Balise]

Hello,

I just got the build sheet back for my 1957 Cadillac.  The outlet code was FAC.  They supplied an extra sheet for FAC . My car as near as I can tell is a California car.  It has been here since at least 1963 because it still has the yellow and black plates.  It was also never undercoated on the underneath.  The frame and componets underneath are not all scaled up like an eastern car might be so I don't think it spent any time in Michigan. One of the FAC locations on this sheet states R. Gamble,BOP Assy, South Gate Calif.  I think BOP stands for Buick Olds Pontiac and that this was an assembly plant for these types of cars.  Is it possible that my car was shipped to South Gate to this R. Gamble as a company car.  Was R. Gamble the General Manager for the plant?  My car had a build date of 1/18/57. Any light anyone can shed on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Walter Youshock]

Paul,

ALL 1957 Cadillacs were built at the Clark plant in Detroit.  It was the ONLY Cadillac plant until 1971 when Linden, NJ was added to build DeVille models.  In 1979, the Southgate, CA, plant opened.

FAC stands for "FACTORY".  Chances are, the car was actually picked up in Detroit by the new owner and driven back to California!  This was not an uncommon practice back then.

DET is for "DETROIT" which was the Factory Distributor on Cass Avenue downtown.

http://www.wmsbrg.com/cadillac/Richmond/Tech_Tips/Cadillac_VIN_numbers.htm

Tom Hall is the expert on the Dealer/Distributor codes, so, hopefully, he will weigh in on this.

[jagbuxx #12944]

The Southgate plant opened in 1936, perhaps it closed in 1979

[Walter Youshock]

Correct, it was around then, but, they didn't BUILD Cadillacs at South Gate in 1936.  They started to build them there in 1979.

The plant closed in 1982.

Published: February 17, 1982

The General Motors Corporation said it would move production of its Cadillac Cimarron and Chevrolet Cavalier models from its South Gate, Calif., plant to a Janesville, Wis., facility, in a move that will cost 2,500 jobs.

[Tom Hall 7485]

Yes, it is very likely that if the Cars Built report says "R. Gamble, B-O-P Assy South Gate..." the
car was for Mr. Gamble at the Buick-Olds-Pontiac assembly plant in South Gate, CA.  Unfortunately,
I don't have the plant manager's name as of 1957.  In 1952, the plant manager was Henry L. Clark.
I don't have Mr. Gamble in my data base yet. 

It's conceivable the plant manager had a new Cadillac even though he was supervising assembly of
other GM brands.

[Walter Youshock]

Tom,

You will agree that the car wasn't actually built in California.  If so, it would have to have been a "CKD".

[Tom Hall 7485]

True, the car wasn't built at South Gate.  Let's not bring "CKD" into it because that
abbreviation relates to exports.

The "FAC" outlet code is ambiguous.  It indicates quite a few possibilities, including customer
will call (consumer going to Detroit to pick up the car) and billing to any of several
GM subsidiaries, as well as Cadillac Division's use in California.  It indicates the possibility
of delivery at Detroit.  It does not rule out shipment to another US city for use by
GM personnel, including people outside the car business. 

This particular code is not necessarily about delivery destination.  Neither are the other
outlet codes of 1957, for that matter.

Unless Allied-Vaughn sent materials indicating delivery to Mr. Gamble, or unless Mr. Balise
has some papers tying the car to Mr. Gamble, we can't be sure the car was Gamble's.   

[Walter Youshock]

Not to beat it into the ground, but, wasn't "CKD" also the code for 86-series chassies sent to coach builders?

[Tom Hall 7485]

Walter, on the Cars Built reports through 1959, the name of the coach builder
appears as an abbreviation, e.g., "SUP" for Superior.  I have not seen "CKD"
as an outlet code on a 1955-59 Cars Built report; as far as I know even exports
were not coded that way.