Shop Manual or FAM?

[Stocker]

Which would you buy, a factory shop manual or a factory assembly manual? Or both? So far I have never owned either and have figured things out or asked for advice. No big projects, mostly minor repairs or maintenance. I have basic hand tools and a carport to work in. Anything major ends up at a shop with real mechanics. But there are times I'd like to either do a bit more myself, or just be able to figure out where things are, what they are called, and how they work. Posted here for more eyeballs than in General, thank you mods for leaving this here.

[jocko]

Absolutely both. If only one, then the factory shop manual. The "problem" with assembly manuals is that there is no index and little rhyme or reason to the arrangement. I put a yellow sticky with a one word description on every page I use so I can find it again. It takes a while to dig for stuff in it, but once you find it, it's indispensable. I've had a life-long project of indexing the assembly manual, I'm actually on page 35!! (of like a million, ha)

[In The Ten Ring]

I have the assembly manual and I have never used it. I just ask people here for advice.

[jocko]

Mike it sounds like Ten Ring will send you his for free! But seriously, it's info you can't get anywhere else, unless someone on here digs it up for you. I've probably actually used it 15-20 times where it saved the day. Beyond that, it is kinda a pain to look thru, but there you go.

[Mr Handy]

I have a service manual, overhaul manual and assembly manual, I would recommend acquiring them in that order.

[special-K]

The assembly manual is priceless for pictures. The service and overhaul for the text, with overhaul going into bigger jobs. That's how it is for me. I use the service the most when working on the truck. I use the assembly manual to see where things go, and the overhaul to rebuild a unit, like a rear. If I only had one it would be the service manual.

[FirstOwner69]

I also have all 3 manuals mentioned above. Based on your description in post 1, it sounds like the most valuable to you would be the service manual. That said, I'd encourage you to invest in all 3.

As basic as it is, I'd also suggest an owner's manual if you don't have one.

Don't forget that most of the service manuals are available here:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=558016

['68OrangeSunshine]

I was lucky, the original owner of my '68 C/10 Stepside gave the Chevy Chassis Service - and Chevy Overhaul Manuals to my PO and he gave them to me. I bought the truck in 1973, and I think I'm the 3rd owner -- unless the first guy got it out of a fleet sale -- IDK.

I bought the alleged ''Factory Assembly Manual'' from LMC many years ago, hoping it would answer some strange and unasked questions. I was disappointed in the FAM. It is really a compilation of GM dealer directives from the years when these trucks were the current dealership warrantied vehicles. It is not complete and it is not logically ordered, as mentioned above. Its worst flaw is that the GM part numbers are redacted, in most cases from the reprint. Not that a GM p/n does much good now when it's been discontinued or osoleted, but would have been helpful just a few years ago.
In my opinion, the FAM is a curiosity, but not helpful enough to be worth its cost.

[In The Ten Ring]

Jocko,

That's funny man. I'd help him if needed.

I would like to have all the manuals, I love info, and I love books.

I bought a service manual early on in the rebuild but the info is rather vague and pics are crap. It was a generic manual from a parts store but for our year trucks.

[hooverfish]

There is an index for the Assembly manual, done in 2012 by some board members. You can print a copy. Go to post 39 in the link below.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...y+index&page=2

You still have to number the pages in your manual. Just do the odd or even number pages. Takes less than an hour.

Makes your manual much more useful

[Keith Seymore]

The assembly manual is compiled in UPC order (no relation to assembly order).

So UPC 0 = Labels/literature
UPC 1 = body structure
UPC 2 = Frames
UPC 3 = Front axle
UPC 4 = Rear axle
UPC 5 = Brakes
UPC 6 = engine
UPC 7 = transmission
UPC 8 = exhaust
UPC 10 = tire/wheel
UPC 11 = front end sheet metal, radiator support
UPC 14 = bumpers

The major categories then break down into subcategories for greater detail.

The pages were kept in multiple three ring binders; each area of the plant (Cab Shop, Trim, Chassis, Final, Repair) would have a complete set, kept in either the Production or Inspection office. The individual assemblers did not refer to the sheets; if there was a question then the production supervisor or his quality man would make the trek to the office and research the answer along with the inspection representative.

It is cumbersome, at best, to use, even for those guys that have grown up with it. But once you have the major categories memorized then you can at least start off looking close to what you are after and zero in from there. Any inspection guy worth his salt got pretty proficient at that.

We still use the assembly manual ("Production Assembly Document", or "PAD" sheets) today although they are stored and accessed electronically.

The other comment I would make is that the assembly manual views the components they way they are received at the final assembly location; that is, engines, transmisssions, rear axles, steering gear boxes are all intact commodities (like a "black box"). The Service Manual and, to a greater degree, the Unit Repair manual, allow you to see inside those black boxes.

K

[Stocker]

I want to thank each of you for your input, it is very much appreciated! I have decided to start with a service manual and add to it later, if necessary. Thanks again, you guys are great!

[mike16]

I have all three. The FAM is interesting but seems to cover mostly the 67's and kinda lacks some of the information I would need otherwise. The service and overhual manuls are also a good refference.

parts manuals are also a good source of information if only the repro market would start repro'ing them.

[hooverfish]

Originally Posted by mike16

The FAM is interesting but seems to cover mostly the 67's and kinda lacks some of the information I would need otherwise.

Yes, its written for 67's .... and then as the trucks were updated in subsequent years, the FAM shows these updates only, not the whole truck for 68-72, just what is different/new. So it's not redundant.

[mike16]

But it does not actually cover as supliments all that is new and therein lies its limitation.