Jessa

There was a discussion along these lines recently on the 928 board. Somone had indeed found a handwritten note on the back of one of his interior panels:

<a href="http://forums.rennlist.com/cgi-bin/rennforums/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=14;t=007281" target="_blank">http://forums.rennlist.com/cgi-bin/rennforums/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=14;t=0072 81</a>

pete944

Boxsters are built in Finland IIRC.

Marc Gelefsky

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by 944pete:
<strong>Boxsters are built in Finland IIRC.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Not all of them, the ones that they do build there are built at the Valmet factory, I think they build SAAB's on the same assembly line.

pete944

Hey Karl,on the VIN of the car I'm looking at the part 1 serial no. is 5. (13th digit)
Your site says:
Serial Number (part 1)
0 = RoW Coupes
1 = US Coupes
3 = RoW Cabriolets
4 = US Cabriolets

What's a 5?

Sami951

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by James86-951:
<strong>I think volvo still uses the team concept. The veh sits on a cradle. (The round holes under the A,B, and C Pillar posts.) Each team assembled a section or system, then passed it down to the next team. It's not super efficient, but it usually turns out good work.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Isn't this exactly how it's done at Zuffenhausen and also at Uusikaupunki? Sure the car chassis moves along an assembly line, but it's not built by some robots... there are seperate posts where workers install stuff like wiring, dash, interior carpeting, suspension... basically they do a complete section before the car moves on to the next group.

The engines however are built from start to finish by single person. Of course there are like 50 guys doing those engines, but it's still basically hand made.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Marc Gelefsky:
<strong>Not all of them, the ones that they do build there are built at the Valmet factory, I think they build SAAB's on the same assembly line.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Yep, except that the Saab 9-3 convertible was discontinued and now the plant only does Boxsters (both variants). They get engines as complete units from Zuffenhausen, but everything else is assembled just like in Germany. They can also do certain exclusive options, but the more complicated ones are handled in the main factory.

Mike Murcia

In reference to signatures, I read somewhere that the assemblers used to sign behind the passenger side rear tail light. I can't remember if that was on newer or older models though. I haven't checked mine.

sweanders

Didn't they use to make Volvo C70 Convertible in the same factory in Finland?

Sami951

Anders, I think it was only 9-3 convertibles and Boxsters... they did build a few prototypes based on C70 convertible, using a folding hardtop instead of the rag, but those were just design studies.

Jonas Goldsmith

thanks for the help everyone... now i am gonna search my car for inscriptions, or notes or something... gotta love the quirks of owning a Porsche!!

Sean

My Boxster S was built in Stuttgart. Most Boxsters are built in Finland, though.

It is my understanding that Porsches are still "hand assembled." There is only one robot at the Stuttgart facility, and it affixes glue to the windshields.

Those who complain about the quality of the 986/996 line have been contradicted by the statistics compiled by JD Powers. Porsche is number one in long term quality!

<a href="http://money.cnn.com/2003/07/08/pf/autos/bc.autos.durability/index.htm" target="_blank">Porsche #1 in Quality</a>

Sami951

Sean, you're right. That yellow ABB robot is very neat though! When the car chassis rolls to the robot on the assembly line, the exact spot for windshield and rear window are measured. Then the robot proceeds to grab the correct windshield from a tray right next to it, pours some glue on it and puts it in place. Then the same for rear window, and the car continues on the line again...

It seemed to operate very nicely

hoffman912

in old mercedes there are initials everywhere on parts. infact if you look at ads for old mercedes, they will say built by 'add the guys name here'. certian builder names are very desirable.

actually i asked about this on the bbs912.org not to long ago, concerning the 912s/early 911s. i asked whether they were built on an assymbly line by hand or the old coach work style where the cars were on dollies and jack stands.

the response concerning the 912 was

"Assembly line Harry. The motors were 'bench built' separately however, and installed already test run. There's a bunch of photos of the factory assembly line from the 50's, 60's and 70's about. These cars are more properly described as 'semi-hand built', cuz the body shuts were lead loaded, and lots of the procedures were not automated until quite recently. Remember the Honda {edit: was actually toyota, Harry) consultants that were brought in to introduce the Total Quality Management (TQL/TQM) Deming continuous improvement model? I believe that was the beginning of the end of the 'hand built' approach- as the company was in dire straits. It was agreed that robots and lasers were far more accurate and consistent, thus minimizing variation in the product (whatever type of work, engine, transmission gear-cutting, etc. it might be) and creating predictable quality- that 'variation' being the hallmark of a hand-crafted article be it a car, or a leather glove."

response 2

"The bodies rode on dollies which were simply pushed from one work station to the next. The parts were on racks along the assembly line. It was just a flat floor, like any warehouse operation. I don't believe they signed the cars, or anything, but they did do a lot of running changes and used what they had on hand. That's why it is not documented when exactly a lot of changes were implemented. They did make marks on parts to identify which cars they belonged to, like doors, bonnets, deck lids, etc.

Even into the 80's you could see evidence of hand fabrication applied to parts such as heater/air conditioner duct pieces, and of course the lead fillets in the body joints. "

also.. response 3

"They are mostly to old to retain the names of those that worked the line. But some have found names on parts"

im sure the 944 isnt too old to retain names, but getting there. i dont know where exactly markings would be placed. thought you might want to see those responses, since it does cary up when the 944 was being built!

post 939.
a 939 is model designation the 924 carrera gts/gtr lemans racer! yes.. do you see where styling is leaning towards over in weissach about this time in history? (btw.. check out post 937, then look at this) <a href="http://forums.rennlist.com/cgi-bin/rennforums/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=28&t=001641#000013" target="_blank">http://forums.rennlist.com/cgi-bin/rennforums/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=28 &t=001641#000013</a>

<img src="http://924.org/models/modelpics/GTR/GTR_Boss_2.jpg" alt=" - " />

<img src="http://924.org/models/modelpics/GTR/GTR_Boss_1.jpg" alt=" - " />

Alex Cook

944pete, I think the info on Karl's site is specific to the S2. On an 8v the 13th digit is 0 for RoW and 5 for US.