... Hey ... I worked the assembly line building 440 engines for Chrysler back in the 70's before the robots took over all the laborious jobs ... ... (Just thinking back how much fun it was torquing head bolts to 70 ft lbs for 8 hours a day) ... ... Anyway ... every engine back then was hot tested after it was assembled and painted ... A dozen or so hot test stands were in a big circle called the merry-go-round ... We'd hook those big blocks up with water, natural gas and exhaust pipes ... then run them for however long it was then rack them out to ship to the car assembly plants ... ... OSHA was kind of lax in those days ... but as long as we had the nerdy safety glasses on all was good ... ... So every once in a while we'd fire one up and lo and behold we'd hear a nasty ol' rod knock ... If the foreman was no where to be seen ... we'd open that bad boy up full throttle and stand back until you know what ! .... Needless to say after that engine would throw a rod we had a wonderful mixture of oil and water to slip and slide in until someone could find the janitor and wake him up ...
Way off topic family car bought new in '75. when I removed the spare tire the fender well was full of Ford script paper coffee cups(used).
Never worked on an assembly but my 64 Impala developed a heater leak at about 70,000 miles when I replaced the heater core I found a 1/2 pint Old Crow bottle had worn a hole in the heater core.
Mother in law bought a 5th ave. program car,defroster didnt work for crap,took it apart and found a bag of weed clogging it,yeah it was harsh!
Worked in GM plant for 8 years, supervisor of all sorts, mostly skilled trades. First job out of school, learned quite a lot more once I started working. One of the welders was pissing everyone off. His tool box got a zerk and pumped full of grease. Crane operator was drunk and hurt a guy bad, he got beat with a pipe in the parking lot. The guy he hurt was a biker so not sure if it was other trades guys or bikers caught him. Found alot of sets of people naked, luckily it was male/female pairings, but still not something anyone wanted to see. Before my time, they had a seat cover sewing area, lots of action between the sewing room ladies and other guys. Cant tell how many hidey holes I found, mattresses, tv, decked out. Had a guy that was getting ready to retire, always easy going, so 1 day he just gets all shitty, yelling. Mark, what the hell is going on, he smiles and says hes never been walked out on discipline. No problem, wanna go before or after lunch. Wrote the paperwork so he got paid anyway. Had another guy, missing work, getting written up, about to be out for 2 weeks. He came clean said he was having trouble with his wife, getting divorced and drinking, i had him set up with HR for counseling, dropped the charge etc, went to talk thru it with the commiteeman. He just laughed - guy had been divorced for 7 years. SOB. Blue dykem on the supervisor phone was common, i still look at every phone before i put it to my ear. Lots of "government" work went thru the machine shop when I ran it. Lot of good people, 9 outta 10 just wanted to do their thing. If I had 40 people working for me, there would be a couple shitheads. Pretty much the same ratio as anywhere else. Worked a lot of 2nd and 3rd, weird stuff on the off shifts. Got in good with some of the senior trades guys and they really taught me a lot.
After watching this, lineworkers seemed to be fairly bitter people at times. No wonder they did michevious stuff.
Our T-bird club had a Q&A session during Ford's 100th Anniversary week in Dearborn with workers from the assembly plant where T-birds and Lincolns were built in the '60s. One story that stands out is that one worker hid out in a boxcar over his lunch break to take a nap, only to have it closed up, coupled to some other cars and taken off the property. Three days later they opened the boxcar in Texas with the guy inside.
mopar92: Thanks for posting that video. line work is truly grueling. Would be interesting to see that lordstown Plant today - if it's still operating. As a side note, it's easy to see why the cars built during the 70's were poor quality.
My Daddy work at the Ford Motor Company Factory in Dallas,Tx. From 1948-till it Closed Feb.19,1970. Ford Badge # 2732. That I still have. They were Building 1971 model Cars, Pickups, & 1-1/2 Ton Trucks. They also Built Police Cars, Convertibles, Panel Delivery's, Station Wagons 2Doors & 4-Doors. Daddy was Workibg on the Trim Line in the early 60's. So, this happen on the last year of the 2-Door/ 4Door wagon Assembly era. They built a 2Door wagon on the Drivers side, but Goofed up & Built a 4-Door on the Passenger Side Body! I ask Daddy, what did they do with the Car? He told me, that totally Scraped the Car in the rail Yard! My father really didn't like working there! As, he was a Farm boy at Heart, But, me! I Loved it! Going to the Father-Son Day! It was a Thrill, to this Day! My my Brother, Cletis & my father had someone to Take a Picture of them on the Motor Line, Slinging a Ford V/8 Engine off the Line into the Chassis. Every year they had a Open House to visit the plant, We'd eat lunch in the Company's Caferteria, what was Speical was the Stainless Steel trays! They had The Wedge Lazy V8 Stamped into the Trays. It was like you seen in the Gangster movies of the 30's-40's, they'd Sling food onto the trays, in the executive dinning area, They had Stainless Steel Dinning ware, some Gold Plate Dinning ware for Special events, & White ceramic Cups, water Pitchers & Milk Pitchers. All with the Blue Oval Ford Script! We also had Ford Field Trips to the Ford Plant! I went to the Ford Plant field Trip, 3 Years in a Row. Dad would go to the Schools Principal & make arrangements to have the Visit to the Plant. So, the Kids & I loved the Experiences. What's not funny about its Closing was that FoMoCo Spent $ 7,000,000. On a Up Grade to the Assembly line. That was Never Completed. There were Construction Crews still working on the Expansion. FoMoCo like the Work ethic of the Texans, What they hated was the City Leaders of Dallas,Tx. The UAW of the Local use to be in a Small Grocery Store that faced on I-30.FoMoCo had wanted to expanded the Plant. Behind the UAW Store rhere was Back Street with Residential Frame Housing from the Early Teens. FoMoCo wanted to take in these Homes & Expand the Plant further towards I-30. But, the City of Dallas, Tx. Was Opposed to expansion. The City of Dallas, Tx. Wanted to expand Fair Park (State Fair if Texas). At that time, White Flyth was Happening to East Dallas. The City had long planed to make Fair Park Expansion a 'Golden City' Jewel to Showcase Dallas. They wanted to go back to the 'Good Days' of the Texas Centennial of 1936. One hundredth year existence of Texas. When President Roosevelt visited Dallas Fair Park. From after WWII till the Plant closed, this Area was in Decline. This was a high Crime area, for people who lived there. The City neglected the Area & wasn't concerned about their Responsibility to the Citizens. So, to the City of Dallas, Tx. They didn't want to be seen as Pro-business & favor FoMoCo. It came back towards FoMoCo from Dallas, Tx. The City didn't need FoMoCo! FoMoCo said they Didn't need Dallas, Tx. The employees had Went on Strike in the late 60's, there was a lot of Hard Feelings on both side.There was always a lot of favoritism working at the plant, by local area Texas workers & against FoMoCo employees from outside Texas. The outsiders could bump into Dallas, Tx. From other outside States, that had layoffs. This Bumped the local low Seniority out the door! The Natural Proud independent Texans, really didn't like Unions, Union Stewart's & the Work Rules for Jobs! Every year we went to the Fall event at Fair Park, over 3 Million Texans visited each Year! So, we always work KDFI visit the Plant Tour! Dad was a good worker & we mostly liked by co-Workers & Respected by Supervisors. But, there was a Major event that happened by my Farther. He largely ignored work Rules! He was on the trim line, he & another side Worker. The buddy had to go to the bathroom BAD! So, dad said he'd cover for him! But, a Line Supervisor caught my day doing both Jobs, without any problems to the Line! Well, this was a Great Big a Deal t this Period back Then! So, they pulled the other guy outta the their Job! So, dad was given, both jobs to do! Well, he made another Big mistake! He keeps up with the Line! Well, then the UAW Stewart was on his Ass! So, now he's getting (Shit) from Everybody! Friends, UAW Stewart's & FoMoCo Supervision. So, What Dies he do? Like any True 4th Generation Texan! He Fights everybody & the Work Rules, & the God, Dang, Assembly Line. He's treated like a Red Headed Step-Child! So, he gives it back to everybody! He Slows the Line down on Purpose! He gets the Line Screwed up Big Time! So, Now the Line is STOP! They Jerk Him, off the Line & into the Supervision Office! He's got UAW People & FoMoCo People Yelling at him! Finally, they let him Speak! He says one Single Word an Screams out NUTS! Now! My Dad then says a Man! Can Take Just so much! But, He can be Pushed Just by So, Much! An He can't Take it anymore! An this DumAss Yankee said 'Just What Do You! Mean by that! Is That a Personnel Threat! Against 'FoMoCo??? Dad, said 'That You can PiSS in a Barrow, to the Top of the Barrow's Brim! An if YOU PiSS 1 Drop more it's gonna SPILL OVER! Dad, says a Question to Them? Then, What Do You Have ? An Everybody's So Quite! Not a Sound! Then, a FoMoCo Supervisor Speaks up & says,,That I know Johnnie! Let Me Have Him Back? He says Johnnie, WILL You work for ME? Dad Yes! I Will ! So, Then the supervisor says lets then go back to work! They the FoMoCo wanted to make an example of Him, to other Employees, to whip him & Break a Good Employee. Dad went Back to Work! Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
While waiting to start my T&D apprenticeship at the Ford Rouge Plant I worked at the hot test station in the engine plant. One day I heard something unusual and moved very fast but not fast enuff ! Almost got smashed by an FE that fell from the overhead track ! Everyone was telling me to lie down and moan. No serious injury. When I started my apprenticeship one task I had was to manually drill and tap a oil galley on the 427 Nascar engines. Cool !
Lordstown had a very checkered past. Years of contract issues, work stoppages, it goes both ways. Most people just want to do their job and go home, when the rules change, people get upset, then resentful. I was in a stamping plant most of the time so not many funny assembly stories. Did spend 6 months in truck assy before I left, all in early welding. It was cool when we ran special orders, tan trucks with green doors, row of orange, yellow etc. Saw some weird options for fleet orders, PTO's, special bumpers.
Some years back Ford’s base model pickup was an F-100. Company I worked for bought 2 or 3 pickups yearly and one we bought had an F-100 emblem on one fender and an F-150 emblem on the other. Guess we had one of Ford’s new F-125 model!
The Hemmings magazine Classic Cars has a story every month sent in by workers over the years.. Like above are all interesting to read..
I worked a million different jobs at a large parts and frame manufacturer for over 30 years. Saw a million shocking things, but this surprised even me. Manufacturing tolerances in the Highland Park era were not terribly precise compared to today and consequently, Model T engines required a careful break-in. Large electric motors were used to rotate the engines until the current draw in amperes fell to a predetermined level. The units were then regarded free enough for installation.
In my hoard are two 1967 trucks . both bought new by the same couple who worked at the St Louis truck plant. They Bought this new red 67 Datsun because they worked at St Louis and every weekend they drove down to their farm in the Bootheel. And then very first nite that the guy parked it at work at the St Louis truck plant. When his shift ended he came out and all the windows where smashed and every tire slashed. So having learned his lesson. He bought a new 67 chevy Pk. long bed green 283 stick. And they tell me that they walked alongside it as it was being assembled. It also has a 10,001 serial number. They claim that it was the very first 67 PK built at the St Louis plant. The Datsun was fixed and never driven to work again.
Interesting bit at about 8:40. The line worker hooks onto an engine on a rack or line. At about 8:45 it is swung down and into the engine compartment. At about 8:55 the worker releases the hook and the engine, apparently, is sitting where it is supposed to be. It takes me more time than that to turn the lights on in the garage.
I can only guess what happened on the assembly line that day in Norfolk,Virginia come quitting time when our wagon was being built and nearly 50 years after that day when I was dissembling the wagon I found a mass of petrified rubber washers in the door when I removed the interior door panel. The line worker probably had a apron full and emptied it out as a joke and obviously the inspector missed it. The washers were matted together,hard as a rock and there was probably a thousand. HRP
I have a hunch a container might have been dropped and they fell in. It would be much better to let them go than suffer the wrath of the supervisor for stopping the line.
At Twin Cities Assembly in St. Paul, my friend Jack used to joke he had worked here so long his first job was sanding spokes.
My dad also worked for White Freightliner in Pomona and Chino, Ca. He was there for 30 years and had the exact same stories. Guy's stealing. Guy's throwing parts over the fences and picking them up later. Guy's putting smaller parts in their lunch boxes. The beer stories during lunch breaks and the clowns stealing from the roach coaches.
My grandfather told me that he worked at a GM plant (can't remember where) but most of the employees were a bunch of rough good ol boy types there and at the union hall they'd get drunk and start fighting. He said once a guy got into an argument with another and shot the other guy infront of the building. He was known to embellish stories sometimes but I think it added to the enjoyment.
My uncle told me about how he was a tack spitter in the upholstery section back in the 30s. Mouthful of tacks and a magnetic tack hammer. When I was young I had seen little boxes of tacks at the hardware store......."sanitary tacks".
Dunno if true or not, but I heard one about a guy who wanted to steal a 100" extension cord. He went into a toilette stall and wrapped it around himself, under his clothes. He must have wrapped it a bit too tight, as he passed out exiting the gate and in front of the guard - busted !
I've never worked on an auto assembly line but back in the mid 70's I ofter had the opertunity to see some of their handy work. One that comes to mind accoured while I was managing the service department at our now defunct local VW dealership. The business owner decided he wanted to expand his product line and finally was able to put together a deal with Ford to sell Lincoln and Mercury cars. While getting the dealership ready to handle the new car lines we were often visited by the regional Ford factory people who were always stressing how well built the products were with the focus of the assembly plant being to build the best car possible. They said that in order to convay this fact to the buying public they had coined a new slogen "Quality Is Job One" and that each new car that came off the assembly line would have to go through a rigerious final inspection and once it was assured that it met Ford's high standards a decal with the Ford logo and that the Quality Is Job One" slogan would be attached to both let and right windows. After finally getting our systems in place at the deaalership to handle the new pruduct we finally got our first load on new Lincolns. The car carrier pulled into the parking lot and the driver said that he would need some help unloading the first car because while loading it he noticed that the brakes didn't feel too good. By the time we got it off of the truck there were no brakes left at all and it was found that none of the fitting on the brake lines were tight not to mention the fact the the "QUALITY IS JOB ONE" window stickers were on upside down...I will have to admit that things did get better from then on after we showed that car to the regional Ford rep. /
Never worked in an assembly plant but worked as a mechanic and supervisor in the Aircraft Maintenance Department of a major US airline that has since gone out of business. Its no wonder they couldn't survive. The amount of theft by employees would boggle your mind. One of the best stories I've heard was a female aircraft cleaner came in on her day off to steal filet mignons from the commissary. How about most of the mechanics having stainless steel tool boxes manufactured in the metal shop? The amount of liquor stolen was beyond belief. Employees would get a property pass to take home old aircraft carpet and then would take out brand new carpet instead leaving the old stuff behind. My Brother in Law even asked me to steal a roll of double faced tape that he used hold his toupee on that another company employee previously got for him. Incredible but true.
100% Hersey - Guy who works at a ford plant is having a car restored. He decides to ignore the advice of the body man about getting the doors, fenders and hood sent out to be chemically stripped, dipped and E-coated. So he does a half assed job himself of stripping them and leaving all sorts of crap, debris and residuals and contamination everyplace he couldn't get to. The body man rejected the parts and says again to have them sent out and done properly. They guy decides to hang the old parts inside of a van body that was off line for repairs. The van with the contraband parts gets fixed and immediately gets put back on line and goes thru the dip tank and E Coat tank contaminating all of it. Lots of problems there from that one.
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