We knew this was coming several years ago when the Continental Structural Plastics (CSP) filed for a economic development expansion grant to increase the size of its Huntington, IN facility where is was then, and still is making the C7’s body panels. In that grant application, much to the chagrin of top Corvette team staff, for they literally turned sheet white when I showed them that original public article because it noted that CSP was going to build a second building for additional, cojunct manufacturing of SMC (sheet molded composite) panels for a second Corvette line (e.g., the C7 was originally going to be made at the same time as the C8; true then, but many of us believe lots has changed, and the C7’s production end is sometime this summer.]
Here are a couple of very recognizable, panels being made in that CSP plant at this time.


What has not changed, is that CSP will continue to make the C7’s SMC panels up to the transition time when they will only transition to making C7 “breakage/replacement” panels. As a matter of logic and “more,” we know CSP has already been making C8 body panels for some time — albeit in very small quantity to this point in time. The common sense proof of this is that the C8 IVERS have not been running around without such panels, or as one friend said to me with some colorful language, “what do you think the C8’s xxxxxxx camo has been attached to?”
Meanwhile CSP’s other customers, including other GM divisions/options and also Ford, have increasingly hired CSP to do their body panels — and why the 2016 grant proceeded forward to actual building and production expansion even though at some time probably just before BGA’s fall shut down to tool for the C8’s production, BGA itself probably will only be the recipient for one set of CSP panels, e.g., for the C8.
Before getting into this thread, a shout out to our Super Sleuth “jagamajajaran” who found and shared the following article with us. Thank you Jag!!!
Source URL: http://www.huntingtoncountytab.com/c...0-sf-expansion
Here’s a video showing CSP production in operation including some C7 panels being made.
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Here are a couple of very recognizable, panels being made in that CSP plant at this time.
What has not changed, is that CSP will continue to make the C7’s SMC panels up to the transition time when they will only transition to making C7 “breakage/replacement” panels. As a matter of logic and “more,” we know CSP has already been making C8 body panels for some time — albeit in very small quantity to this point in time. The common sense proof of this is that the C8 IVERS have not been running around without such panels, or as one friend said to me with some colorful language, “what do you think the C8’s xxxxxxx camo has been attached to?”
Meanwhile CSP’s other customers, including other GM divisions/options and also Ford, have increasingly hired CSP to do their body panels — and why the 2016 grant proceeded forward to actual building and production expansion even though at some time probably just before BGA’s fall shut down to tool for the C8’s production, BGA itself probably will only be the recipient for one set of CSP panels, e.g., for the C8.
Before getting into this thread, a shout out to our Super Sleuth “jagamajajaran” who found and shared the following article with us. Thank you Jag!!!
Originally posted by Huntington Country Tab
Here’s a video showing CSP production in operation including some C7 panels being made.
’
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