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Old 08-05-2016, 12:14 PM   #21
twostickmutt
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

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To PeterC.........Pete as a matter of fact the Tonawanda plant was the sole supplier
of 348/409 'W' block motors and the legendary Mark IV. The first 'Marks' were 396
and 427's. Then the 396 morffed into the 402. The last version of the 'Mark' was the
502 Mark V for which GM purchased all new cylinder block and crank shaft machines.
Two of us 'up from the rank and file' guys were responsible for the installation and
operation of these new lines. 10 - 12 hours a day......19 days on 1 off. That was the
army mr jones.
As soon as I retired in 1993 I went back to tool making in a little job shop.....
go figure.
Charlie ny
charlie did you guys make the Z-11's up there for the 63's
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Old 08-05-2016, 03:54 PM   #22
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

I didn,t work on the assy lines ,but went straight into a GM plant here as a toolmaking apprentice at 16yrs,my mate stayed at school for another three years,then uni,then other so called learning places,years later I was walking past the fridge assy line to fix some jigs and there he was screwing handles on,I could stop to talk,but he had to keep screwing the handles on,me with three years high school and him with plenty.
Mind you he got a better job later,he was Bernie Eccleston,s private pilot.
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Old 08-05-2016, 04:31 PM   #23
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

I work at the Lorain Assembly plant. I was a paint repairman in the final garage. We work 10 to 12 hours mostly 7 days a week. I only stayed 12 years then went in business for my self. I did miss it and the friends. Still keep in touch with some of them. Ford was very good to me. Gave me a good start in life for my family. I will will be always thankful because I had nothing when I went there.
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Old 08-05-2016, 06:01 PM   #24
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

I'd love to hear from someone who assembled the front ends on 48 - 52 F-series on the lines. There are at least a bejillion bolts and nuts, all in tight quarters. I'd bet the work turned them all to drink...
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Old 08-05-2016, 06:32 PM   #25
Charlie ny
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

twostick,
Tonawanda was the sole supplier for the mighty Z-11, all aluminum
427. The alum heads and high rise intakes were purchased items from Winters
foundary. Tonawanda fully machined the alum block on a huge Sundstrand Omnimil,
the precourser of today's machining center. The bare block after machining was 98
pounds. Each Z-11 was run in on our dynos. The dynos ran 24 hours 6 days a week.
If a Z-11 didn't make 450 hp (I think) it did not get shipped.
Some Z-11's were extremely blueprinted. After full assembly the piston to
deck height was determined and the blocks were brought into the tool room, where
I worked at the time, and we ground the decks plus or minus .001. After reassembly
and using cc'd cylinder heads and degreed cams and cranks these babies blew right
thru 450.
Seems like yesterday.
I will close with an observation.......during my apprenticeship I learned under
MEN who fought the Japs and Germans in WWII, till this day I revere them all !
Charlie ny
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Old 08-05-2016, 07:08 PM   #26
twostickmutt
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie ny View Post
twostick,
Tonawanda was the sole supplier for the mighty Z-11, all aluminum
427. The alum heads and high rise intakes were purchased items from Winters
foundary. Tonawanda fully machined the alum block on a huge Sundstrand Omnimil,
the precourser of today's machining center. The bare block after machining was 98
pounds. Each Z-11 was run in on our dynos. The dynos ran 24 hours 6 days a week.
If a Z-11 didn't make 450 hp (I think) it did not get shipped.
Some Z-11's were extremely blueprinted. After full assembly the piston to
deck height was determined and the blocks were brought into the tool room, where
I worked at the time, and we ground the decks plus or minus .001. After reassembly
and using cc'd cylinder heads and degreed cams and cranks these babies blew right
thru 450.
Seems like yesterday.
I will close with an observation.......during my apprenticeship I learned under
MEN who fought the Japs and Germans in WWII, till this day I revere them all !
Charlie ny
thank you charlie for all the info !
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Old 08-06-2016, 11:28 AM   #27
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

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twostick,
Tonawanda was the sole supplier for the mighty Z-11, all aluminum
427.
Seems like yesterday.

Charlie ny
Charlie......Do you have a ROUGH IDEA just how many Z-11s were actually produced? From what you explain above, it seems as though there must have been quite a few. DD
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Old 08-06-2016, 01:20 PM   #28
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

Charlie ny:
I don't think future generations will ever know, nor
will our (revisionist) history books ever report the total contribution
of "The Greatest Generation" you worked with. America is still today
an exceptional country.
Thanks for upholding your end of the bargain to this day.
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Old 08-06-2016, 03:49 PM   #29
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

Another treasure from working on the line. These were all over the assembly area.
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Old 08-06-2016, 06:44 PM   #30
Charlie ny
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

19 Fordy,
Since you mentioned :
Eddie Sadja...........New Guinea......Luzon......Corrigidor......Phillipines
Bruce Mauer......Enlisted thru the Nat'l Guard at 17.......Burma..India
Roy Bull......The Ruhr and on into Berchtesgaden, stopped short of
Berlin
Hank Suski......Ardennes
Walter Gurney..........Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima
Bill Morrisey........82nd Airborn
Steve Kiss........USN machinist mate, ran all shop equipment on
base on Saipan...a 45 in his belt and a grease gun on the head stock
Bill Arthur......B-17 pilot, made 22 missions
Larry Yates........Sole survivor when his B-17 took a fatal shot from
a German 88
To name a few
Charlie ny
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Old 08-06-2016, 08:00 PM   #31
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

Yes indeed. Thanks to each and every one of them.
I wish kids today had the chance to talk to those type men and women.
I am worried about our future.
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Old 08-06-2016, 08:15 PM   #32
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

I worked on the assembly line in the Lorain Ohio Ford plant from 1962-1966,we made Falcons and Comets,we made 58-62 cars per hour,and I worked on every one, had about a minute to do your job,line never stopped,the mototeny and the speed you had to work was a killer..
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Old 08-07-2016, 04:53 AM   #33
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

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Yes indeed. Thanks to each and every one of them.
I wish kids today had the chance to talk to those type men and women.
I am worried about our future.
Yep you can't help but worry when you look around . However I keep reminding myself of an ancient Greek document I once read that detailed how the younger generation was hopeless, with no values , no work ethic , no morals and no future and hence we were all doomed . This was written 2000 years ago and we are still here ! -Karl
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Old 08-07-2016, 06:05 AM   #34
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

The book by 'Rivethead' (the author) tells the same stories that you see here plus more. I dont remember the title
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Old 08-07-2016, 07:57 AM   #35
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

Rivethead by Ben Hamper.........tales from the assembly line. Interesting story for
sure, the key character worked an off line job that supplied subassemblies to the main
assembly line. The gist of the story....by all accounts true......is how he developed
methods of beating the 'system' to get himself free time. He made the industrial
engineers look like green horns. Thanks bg I'm going to reread this gem !
Charlie ny
PS
Warner Books copyright 1986
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Old 08-07-2016, 09:15 AM   #36
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

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I didn't work at the plants but I sold MIG welders to several plants and took the place
of the production workers a number of times. If I recall you welded at a speed of over
48 inches per minute. The arc was so hot if you went to slow it just burnt a slot you
put mail through. The conveyer stops and you step into your position and have if I
remember about 15 seconds, a bell rings and you step back and the conveyer moves.
As the workers get experienced output production is increased by slowly turning up
the conveyer speed. You don't try to touch up any misses, a guy at the end of line
does them. This was 50 years ago, I think robots do this now. G.M.
gm, you said 48 i.p.m, did you mean 480?
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Old 08-07-2016, 09:25 AM   #37
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

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Yep you can't help but worry when you look around . However I keep reminding myself of an ancient Greek document I once read that detailed how the younger generation was hopeless, with no values , no work ethic , no morals and no future and hence we were all doomed . This was written 2000 years ago and we are still here ! -Karl
They were right ,it just took time . Have you seen Greece lately.
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Old 08-07-2016, 10:18 AM   #38
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

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Rivethead by Ben Hamper.....
Thanks Charlie. I guess half a working memory is better than none
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Old 08-07-2016, 12:14 PM   #39
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Default Re: What was it like to work on the auto assembly line

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gm, you said 48 i.p.m, did you mean 480?
ole39.........Do YOU know anyone that can weld 40 FEET of bead per minute? DD
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Old 08-07-2016, 12:26 PM   #40
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ole39.........Do YOU know anyone that can weld 40 FEET of bead per minute? DD
i worked at deere harvester also for 38 years. mostly mig for 30. with .045 wire, we were timed by company time study at 440 i.p.m. 0.35 wire was 570 i.p.m. flux core was much slower, but dont remember those wire speeds.
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