Kentucky has announced it will allow manufacturing operations in the state to resume on May 11th, potentially paving the way for 2020 Corvette production to restart at Bowling Green Assembly.
Kentucky governor Andy Beshear said this week he will allow manufacturing, construction, vehicle or vessel dealerships and other select businesses to open on May 11th. This means General Motors will be able to turn the lights back on at Bowling Green Assembly, though there are other variables that may prevent 2020 Corvette production from getting back underway.
Bowling Green Assembly
The biggest hurdle standing in the way of GM restarting the assembly line in Bowling Green is the ongoing negotiations with the UAW. Union boss Rory Gamble has said he believes it is still too early to reopen vehicle assembly plants in early May and wants the Big Three to provide workers with adequate PPE and paid quarantine leave should they contract COVID-19. GM, Ford and FCA are currently working with the UAW to put in place protocols to protect workers at their respective assembly plants and decide on a solution.
Another problem is parts supply. The 6.2L LT2 V8 engine that powers the 2020 Corvette is built at a separate plant in Buffalo. With the pandemic hitting New York state particularly hard, it may be a while longer before Tonawanda Powertrain can come back online. It’s not clear if there is a supply of LT2 engines at Bowling Green Assembly right now.
There may other parts supply issues, as well. While more than 60 percent of the components that make up the 2020 Corvette come from the United States or Canada, many automotive suppliers in North America remain shut down for the time being. That’s not to mention the parts that come from Mexico and other foreign countries, either.
If Bowling Green Assembly has enough parts on hand, it may be able to begin producing the 2020 Corvette in limited quantities starting May 11th. GM has not said when it plans to get back to work, though, pending discussions with the UAW.
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Source: WKYT
Comments
This article combines every detail of building a car, that might interfere with a complete car being turned out on the line: Engine in New York; transmission in Mexico and small suppliers of interior parts, etc. If I had a C8 waiting and I had to wait for carbon parts on the interior or engine or exterior, I’d rather have the car completed without those parts and get my C8. Most of them could be added later. Personally, I would hope that there are enough just in time parts to complete at least a few cars that made it to the line. As we’ve been told, there are really only a roof clamp in common with the earlier C7. No parts in common with other Chevrolets. Once the U. A. W. signs off (looks like reassurances is what the Union wants in writing), GM can focus upon suppliers or even alternate suppliers. For example, GM could work with Tremec to develop an alternative to Mexico, if they can’t get their workers safely back to work. As a lot of people have noted, countries cannot isolate themselves economically from others. Economically, we are all in this together. That is why the China situation is so delicate…woops! Politics…I’m out.
Wouldn’t we all like to jump to 2021, but who knows what it will bring?!
Murder Hornets? Maybe AMC will make cars again!
So anxious to get my C8, but it seems a distant dream.
Let’s hope there are enough parts in place available and enough “volunteers” to put a shift together. Even one shift would be better than none!