Touring an Auto Plant and watching them make it!

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Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Originally Posted By: Nick R
GMBoy, if I'm ever in the area I WILL take you up on that offer. Too bad I don't really have a usable excuse to go to Texas.


I love TX. You could go there to see the location the JFK assassination if nothing else lol. I think the plant is in the same metroplex. There's a six flags amusement park and lots of stuff there.



I would go as much for the music as any other reason (save for maybe the BBQ
wink.gif
).

As far as I'm concerned, Austin is THE music capitol of the UNIVERSE!!!
 
Yeah Austin is cool for music, food and hanging out. I don't think they have an auto plant, but I think it is only about a 3 hour drive from Dallas.
 
Many, many years ago I remember taking a tour at the Twin Cities (St. Paul) Ford plant. Definitely neat to see as a kid. Too bad the factory will be closing soon when they (finally) kill off this version of the Ranger.

I took the tour at the Rouge complex in Michigan where the F150's are made. Good stuff!
 
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In 1965 I was a Pipefitter at Chrysler Canada and worked afternoon shift often in the Adminisration Building on Chrysler Center doing maintenance. I used to take my break by going into the President's Office and sit in Ron Todgham's chair. . Nothing like putting your feet on the President's desk and having a smoke and a coffee !! You don't get that on your average Plant tour ??!!
Ron drove a '66 white Chrysler convertible which I almost bought from the Exec. fleet when it was turned in.. it may have been purchased by a family member of Ron's.
 
GMBOY that is a very generous offer. If I ever was in the area I would love to take you up on the offer. Though in reality I don't see going to Texas in the near future. What do they build at your plant?


I would love to take a tour of an Auto plant. I have had a tour of the Boeing plant in Everett when I worked there for about a year.
I have toured some Boat MFGrs around MT Vernon/Anacortes, WA area. Other than the Everett, WA Boeing Aircraft Plant I don't think any of them can compare to an Auto assembly plant.

I did see some YouTube video of the Oracle Trimaran that was put together in Anacortes, WA area. That thing is impressive.
http://www.liveyachting.com/bmw-oracle-trimaran-racing-boat
 
I took the F-150 tour about 4 year ago.... My favorite has to be the Boeing plant in Everett, WA. I saw where the 747 was made. Now that's impressive.
 
FWIW it looks like the Corvette plant is still giving public tours, and the Subaru plant in Lafayette, IN, has open tours on Mondays and Wednesdays.
 
Originally Posted By: oilboy123
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
We built over 747 Chryslers in one day ....


You guys must have been kicking some rear tail that day! Which plant?


Chrysler Canada Windsor Assembly.... I remember at times the line was running a car every 57 seconds in the 1960's. We were running two shifts so that would be about 1,000 units a day.
 
Originally Posted By: oilboy123
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
We built over 747 Chryslers in one day ....


You guys must have been kicking some rear tail that day! Which plant?


Chrysler got nothing...
27.gif


Try building almost one complete B-24 Liberator/Hr, for months on end. Google Willow Run if you want to see a HUGE old factory. At it's peak, they were building almost 700 Liberators per month!

It's still there, Ford sold it to Kaiser, who sold it to GM.
 
Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
Originally Posted By: oilboy123
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
We built over 747 Chryslers in one day ....


You guys must have been kicking some rear tail that day! Which plant?


Chrysler got nothing...
27.gif


Try building almost one complete B-24 Liberator/Hr, for months on end. Google Willow Run if you want to see a HUGE old factory. At it's peak, they were building almost 700 Liberators per month!

It's still there, Ford sold it to Kaiser, who sold it to GM.


My brother's '68 Chevy 2 350 came out of Willow Run Assy. I still remember the sticker on the window "Built by the #1 Team- Willow Run Assy."
 
They completely tore down the Fischer body plant turned Delphi here and are going to build a casino and hotel. Sign of the times I guess. The OKC plant which I think was built in the late 70's and now closed was massive and designed to put out 75 cars an hour.
 
Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
Originally Posted By: oilboy123
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
We built over 747 Chryslers in one day ....


You guys must have been kicking some rear tail that day! Which plant?


Chrysler got nothing...
27.gif


Try building almost one complete B-24 Liberator/Hr, for months on end. Google Willow Run if you want to see a HUGE old factory. At it's peak, they were building almost 700 Liberators per month!

It's still there, Ford sold it to Kaiser, who sold it to GM.


Fascinating history there!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willow_Run

Thank you for mentioning that.

Ford made a lot of bombers!!

Quote:
The site of the plant was a farm owned by Henry Ford. He had used the farm to provide employment for youths during the summer. Ford Motor Company, like virtually all of the United States' industrial companies, directed its manufacturing output during World War II for Allied war production. The Ford Motor Company developed the Willow Run site to include an airfield and aircraft assembly facility. The plant held the distinction at the time of being the world's largest enclosed "room." At its peak, Willow Run produced 650 B-24s per month by 1944. By 1945, Ford produced 70% of the B-24s in two nine hour shifts. Pilots and crews slept on 1,300 cots waiting for the B-24s to roll off the assembly line at Willow Run. Ford produced half of the 18,000 total B-24s at Willow Run. The B-24 holds the distinction of being the most produced allied heavy bomber in history.


*snip*
 
Originally Posted By: oilboy123
GMBOY that is a very generous offer. If I ever was in the area I would love to take you up on the offer. Though in reality I don't see going to Texas in the near future. What do they build at your plant?


I would love to take a tour of an Auto plant. I have had a tour of the Boeing plant in Everett when I worked there for about a year.
I have toured some Boat MFGrs around MT Vernon/Anacortes, WA area. Other than the Everett, WA Boeing Aircraft Plant I don't think any of them can compare to an Auto assembly plant.

I did see some YouTube video of the Oracle Trimaran that was put together in Anacortes, WA area. That thing is impressive.
http://www.liveyachting.com/bmw-oracle-trimaran-racing-boat




We are the exclusive plant building all the large SUV's. This being the Tahoe/Suburban, Yukon/Yukon XL, Denali and Escalade and Escalade ESV. We produce 1140 truck per day on two shifts which are each running five 10 hour days and every other Saturday to try to meet demand. Been running max overtime since last year and no forecast yet to slow down.
 
Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
Papa.....in your travels across the River did you ever get to go inside the old Fisher Body plant down on Fort? That place was mammoth.



We had relatives in Trenton and went by the old Fisher Body plant often, never into it. I'm old enough that we traveled Fort Street to Trenton before the I-75 was built. Detroit has changed quite a bit ....
 
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