Author Topic: Buy American Made  (Read 3862 times)

MikeBjerum

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Re: Buy American Made
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2020, 05:09:38 AM »
A trick to look for is "Assembled In".  There are ways to get around the different import and labeling laws.  I learned this one in the mid 70's.  It was a Series I Chevrolet LUV.  Chevrolet and Isuzu got around several importation laws by assembling in the US.  What they did was ship the incomplete vehicle to Seattle, WA, and assemble it there.  What was left to do?  Install the box!  They were shipped with the fully assembled box strapped to the chassis with 4x4's spacing it up - Cut the straps, pull the blocking, six bolts, four screws for the filler neck, and plug in the wire harness.  The Chevy LUV was "Assembled in the USA".
If I appear taller than other men it is because I am standing on the shoulders of others.

PegLeg45

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Re: Buy American Made
« Reply #11 on: May 05, 2020, 11:20:39 AM »
Yep. Checking labels tells some of the story.

I wear Justin boots. Some are made in the US and some are not and they may be sitting right on the shelf next to each other.
"I expect perdition, I always have. I keep this building at my back, and several guns handy, in case perdition arrives in a form that's susceptible to bullets. I expect it will come in the disease form, though. I'm susceptible to diseases, and you can't shoot a damned disease." ~ Judge Roy Bean, Streets of Laredo

For the Patriots of this country, the Constitution is second only to the Bible for most. For those who love this country, but do not share my personal beliefs, it is their Bible. To them nothing comes before the Constitution of these United States of America. For this we are all labeled potential terrorists. ~ Dean Garrison

"When it comes to the enemy, just because they ain't pullin' a trigger, doesn't mean they ain't totin' ammo for those that are."~PegLeg

Big Frank

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Re: Buy American Made
« Reply #12 on: May 09, 2020, 09:39:57 PM »
A trick to look for is "Assembled In".  There are ways to get around the different import and labeling laws.  I learned this one in the mid 70's.  It was a Series I Chevrolet LUV.  Chevrolet and Isuzu got around several importation laws by assembling in the US.  What they did was ship the incomplete vehicle to Seattle, WA, and assemble it there.  What was left to do?  Install the box!  They were shipped with the fully assembled box strapped to the chassis with 4x4's spacing it up - Cut the straps, pull the blocking, six bolts, four screws for the filler neck, and plug in the wire harness.  The Chevy LUV was "Assembled in the USA".

That really sucks that they could get away with that. Now it would say something like assembled at ___________ with __% North American content, right on the window sticker. My Silverado was made in Pontiac, Michigan and so was the one I had before it. Some of the people I worked with in Grand Blanc moved there before our plant closed. They probably helped build my truck. My best friend and some other guys I worked with now work less than a 3 mile drive from my house, at the the Flint Truck Plant where they make crew cab and double cab trucks. If I bought a crew cab or double cab truck before they all retire it would most likely be made partly by people I know. The only regular cab long-bed Silverado still being made is a work truck. I think those are still made by my ex-coworkers in Pontiac. It will say on the sticker where the engine was made too. Some might be from the engine plant right next to the truck plant by me. I don't know what they make engines for. But if the trucks were made of all Japanese parts like that Chevy Luv they couldn't get away with saying assembled in the U.S. without saying 0% American parts. I think it only has to say North American, not U.S.
""It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at a Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency." - George Washington. Letter to Alexander Hamilton, Friday, May 02, 1783

THE RIGHT TO BUY WEAPONS IS THE RIGHT TO BE FREE - A. E. van Vogt, The Weapon Shops of Isher

MikeBjerum

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Re: Buy American Made
« Reply #13 on: May 09, 2020, 10:15:20 PM »
The LUV started production in 71 1/2.  However, they didn't designate them by model year.  They referred to them by Series.  Mine was a Series one.  They also were not really Chevrolets.  They were Isuzu with Chevy badging.  100% Isuzu!
If I appear taller than other men it is because I am standing on the shoulders of others.

Big Frank

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Re: Buy American Made
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2020, 06:58:03 AM »
Yep, Chevy LUV, made by Isuzu. With the Chevy name and bow-tie slapped on for decoration, or to fool people. I didn't know they just called them by their series instead of the year. They sold them for about a decade until the S-10 came out but I hardly ever saw one. Maybe one for each couple of years of production. People around here just didn't luv 'em and this a GM town, scratch that, the GM town. It all started right here. I've seen nearly as many Chevy C/K pickups with flames and/or bombs painted on the sides where the gas tanks are as I have Chevy LUVs. :)

The NUUMI joint venture in California had Chevy Novas, Toyota Novas as I called them, then Geo Trackers, then Chevy Trackers all rolling out alongside Toyota Corollas. Toyota wanted to build their cars here their way and not have to worry about any import restrictions. GM wanted to learn how to run a car company but still couldn't get it right. The ideal was to have coils of steel going in one side and cars come out the other but I don't know how close they got. I think it's where GM got started on Just In Time, or Not Quite On Time as I call it whenever a line runs out of parts because they don't keep a stockpile. When I worked for GM they always wanted to be more like the Japanese. Once in awhile they'd have us go to a meeting in the garage with the plant manager and other higher-ups a bunch at a time until everyone in the plant went. Once when they told us in a meeting we were going to do things more like the Japanese, I raised my hand and someone passed me a mic. When it was my turn to speak I said you mean the people who had to invent a new work for working yourself to death? Karoshi. Out-produce everyone else or die trying. That's what they want but wouldn't say so.
""It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at a Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency." - George Washington. Letter to Alexander Hamilton, Friday, May 02, 1783

THE RIGHT TO BUY WEAPONS IS THE RIGHT TO BE FREE - A. E. van Vogt, The Weapon Shops of Isher

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Re: Buy American Made
« Reply #15 on: Today at 06:14:09 AM »

MikeBjerum

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Re: Buy American Made
« Reply #15 on: May 10, 2020, 08:55:49 AM »
Which Chevy was nothing but a rebadged Suzuki?  I remember seeing them, driving one at work for beater use, fixing the work one, but I can't remember what GM called it.
If I appear taller than other men it is because I am standing on the shoulders of others.

Big Frank

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Re: Buy American Made
« Reply #16 on: May 10, 2020, 02:41:14 PM »
I think the Geo or Chevy Tracker was a Suzuki Samurai or Sidekick. I can't keep track of who put what name on what else.
""It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defence of it, and consequently that the Citizens of America (with a few legal and official exceptions) from 18 to 50 Years of Age should be borne on the Militia Rolls, provided with uniform Arms, and so far accustomed to the use of them, that the Total strength of the Country might be called forth at a Short Notice on any very interesting Emergency." - George Washington. Letter to Alexander Hamilton, Friday, May 02, 1783

THE RIGHT TO BUY WEAPONS IS THE RIGHT TO BE FREE - A. E. van Vogt, The Weapon Shops of Isher

tombogan03884

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Re: Buy American Made
« Reply #17 on: May 10, 2020, 05:14:56 PM »
I had one of those Toyota Nova's. The best car I ever owned .
Sold it when I moved to Ca .
As far as I know it, or at least the frame and motor, are still going strong.

PegLeg45

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Re: Buy American Made
« Reply #18 on: May 11, 2020, 12:06:26 PM »
The Chevy S-10 and GMC S-15 compact trucks that had four cylinder engines still used Isuzu engines. My dad bought a first-year S-15 GMC in 1982 when they came out and it had a 1.9L Isuzu engine.
I inherited the truck in 1986, my senior year of HS.
After several expensive repairs, $370 for a riveted together factory carb and $600 for a rebuilt cylinder head, I said no more of that crap. So I put a 327ci Chevy small block V8 with a 350 auto trans in there and let it roll. It was actually easier to change spark plugs in the V8 than it was with the 4 cylinder.

Chevy was still using Isuzu parts on the S-10s in the 90's....look at the 1996 Isuzu Pup and they're duplicate bodies of the 94-up round-nose S-10s.
"I expect perdition, I always have. I keep this building at my back, and several guns handy, in case perdition arrives in a form that's susceptible to bullets. I expect it will come in the disease form, though. I'm susceptible to diseases, and you can't shoot a damned disease." ~ Judge Roy Bean, Streets of Laredo

For the Patriots of this country, the Constitution is second only to the Bible for most. For those who love this country, but do not share my personal beliefs, it is their Bible. To them nothing comes before the Constitution of these United States of America. For this we are all labeled potential terrorists. ~ Dean Garrison

"When it comes to the enemy, just because they ain't pullin' a trigger, doesn't mean they ain't totin' ammo for those that are."~PegLeg

MikeBjerum

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Re: Buy American Made
« Reply #19 on: May 11, 2020, 05:38:57 PM »
GM ended up buying all, or at least part of, Isuzu.  Their diesels are all Isuzu.  The old Oldsmobile was a good diesel for what it was designed for, but people were looking for what it wasn't.  Translation:  They wanted a 454 big block, but they bought a Vega 120 four banger.  That, plus the fact that they made it a 350 ci, so, of course, the know-it-alls claimed it was just a gas engine with diesel injectors in it.
If I appear taller than other men it is because I am standing on the shoulders of others.

 

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