[misterp266]

Does that Ford wagon have the optional couch seating with suicide rear doors too?

[GTOnly70]

Originally Posted by HoovDaddy

There are at least 3 Pontiacs in this parking lot. Ford Dearborn Headquarters.

Too bad that pic is in B&W. Imagine all the colors! Certainly not the monochromatic white, black, grey, silver dominance of today's palette.

[FirebirdHank]

The real question is ........Where's Waldo??

[400 4spd.]

Originally Posted by HoovDaddy

There are at least 3 Pontiacs in this parking lot. Ford Dearborn Headquarters.

I spot a 59 and 57 Chevy as well. Must have been the new guys.
Imagine what a mix a Chrysler plant parking lot must have looked like in the 60's. As sorry as those were built, I think they hired everyone who was fired from the other brands.

[misterp266]

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[misterp266]

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[misterp266]

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[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by misterp266

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I did a little write up when I saw this pic on another (truck) forum. I hope you all don't mind if I share it here since it's just a cut and paste:

This is Pontiac Assembly, in Pontiac Michigan (bordered by Baldwin Rd, Joslyn Rd and Montcalm). All three of my Pontiacs were built at this location.

In addition to being the "home" plant for PMD, it was notable because of the "up integration" of the site. Engines (blocks, cylinder heads and intake manifolds) were poured, cast, machined and assembled right on site, for use in both the co-located final assembly plant and other assembly locations across the US. The Fisher Body portion (on Baldwin Rd) built the body structure and trimmed the interior; completed bodies were conveyed overhead (in sequence) via an enclosed overhead tram between the buildings. Rear axle assemblies were also built here, and the Engineering building and garage (where the good ideas came from) were on the same property on the Joslyn Rd side.

Shown above is the fender set operation taking place on a '67 GTO. The two guys on the left (and simultaneously the two guys on the right) have swung the fender assembly (including inner) down off an overhead carrier and into position. The guy at the rear will shoot a vertical bolt into the cowl, and then open the door to shoot the horizontal bolt into the plenum. The kids at the front are, at the same time, shooting about a dozen smaller 5/16" bolts into the nose of the fender to secure it to the radiator support. After they do that they'll hook up a few small wires and busy themselves getting it ready for somebody else to set the hood on. You can see the hood hanging nose down on the conveyer behind the rear guy on the RH side.

Line rate is between 60 and 70 vehicles per hour, so they will do this all in under one minute, approximately 500 times a day, potentially for the rest of their working lives.

This is the area that I ran in the truck plant, nearly 20 years later.

K

[OG68]

What was the attrition or turnover rate at any particular plant? Seems like the boys are having a good time with it, or just posing for the camera.

[Keith Seymore]

Attrition was high.

I had 29 production operations and had an additional 6 or 7 utility men on the rolls just to cover absenteeism. Most days the line would start at 6 am and there wouldn't be enough people to cover every job. We would double up, or maybe even me as a salaried supervisor would do a vehicle or two just to get started. I never shut the line down, because I knew it would move about one spot and somebody else would shut it down.

Deer season was especially bad. Those of that remained behind would work double shifts to keep the line moving.

As far as clowning around, the answer is probably both. The environment was ripe for horseplay and practical jokes, perhaps because of the young age and testosterone of the workers but also to break the monotony. We had these giant elastic bands to hold the steering column/ rag joint out of the way at body drop and the guys would shoot them across the main aisle at each other. God forbid a FEMALE should walk out on the shop floor; you'd think these guys hadn't seen a woman in years, and you could track her location just based on the whoops and hollers.

ANY THING to make the time go faster.

K

[misterp266]

https://youtu.be/0xhFXoWdtIQ

[misterp266]

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[FirebirdHank]

Originally Posted by misterp266

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If that outboard is water cooled there may be a problem "down the road".

[GT182]

Hank, the radiator is up front. LOL

[Tellyshavilli]

Ta parade

[Jack Gifford]

It's good that the kid is wearing a helmet... that little truck looks like a real wheelstander!

[GTOnly70]

A big thank you to Photobucket for ruining much of this thread.

[misterp266]

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[misterp266]

Bourne bridge in 1935 when it was completed.

[misterp266]

Another assembly line photo.