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I received some insider info...

1K views 13 replies 11 participants last post by  MustangGrande302 
#1 ·
At the annual Utah Valley University Auto Expo last Saturday, a gentleman comes up to me and my car and says, "Do you how to tell this car was assembled in Dearborn and not in San Jose?" He reached over to cover up the VIN on my inner fender and said, "Not that way." He went on to explain that the bolts holding the outer shock tower brace to the shock tower came into the engine compartment with the nuts on the inside. The San Jose assembly plant put the bolts through the other way. Then he told me how he knew: he worked in the San Jose plant from 1964 until some time in the 80s. I had those things apart a couple of times and always put the bolts back the way they came out. He also told me the bracket on the RF fender apron that the convertible cowl brace bolts to was up side down and that's why the brace was so close to the cutout in the air cleaner snorkel. He was interesting to talk to and knew all the inside stuff such as how the body was painted without the fenders or hood and then a mask was put on it so the aprons, shock towers and radiator support could be painted black. I thought it was very cool to talk to him. He had a 1949 or '50 Mercury woody wagon at the show. I will post of pic of it later in this thread. So I hope to see him at another local show.
 
#4 ·
No doubt. This type of knowledge and experience is disappearing a little more everyday. I watch a guy on YT who builds traditional rods from model A and similar cars, and to watch the lengths he has to go through just to learn how things were done is impressive. The first hand knowledge of that vintage is gone now. If you want to get lost on YT, look up iron trap garage.
 
#5 ·
The veterans of the Golden Age of automobiles and the Muscle Car era are hopefully leaving their knowledge with us but sometimes they don't unless we ask. I learned how to tune engines from an old man that made stuff run on battlefields even after it had been all shot up.
The Veterans of the World Wars, Korea, Viet Nam even Desert Storm and later, are leaving us a little at a time. We are losing the experience of the retiring veterans of modern policing, and the young men and women who would keep us safe are under attack. Society and media have made a mockery of them in the name of selling ads and getting "likes".
If you enjoy the freedom of reading this and any other message in the language of your choice, the privilege of driving a car from place to place on open roads without unlawful seizures, and to worship, wear, eat, and live where you want, thank a Veteran. Not just this weekend, but every day. Thank a law enforcement professional, fire or EMS worker for the sacrifices they and their families make for the hell they endure so you don't have to. And if you love all the oddities of old cars, and the passion it takes to design, build and preserve them, thank an old gearhead. Buy them a beverage of their choice and just listen. Maybe go for a drive. That's about as American as it gets.
 
#6 ·
My 81 year old Dad occasionally blows me away with tidbits of info like that. He worked at the Louisville Assembly Plant from the 60s up till his retirement in the 90s. Worked full sized cars in early years then transitioned to F150 where he worked repair, pretty much ANYTHING that was wrong when the truck came off the end of the line, he fixed, so he knew all the electrical, interior and trim. Later he helped develop the Bronco II. He didn't have any college but there is a picture on the wall of the engineering team gathered around. Everyone in suit and ties and business slacks, except for him in his blue coveralls. The engineers insisted on bringing him off the line to take part in the celebration. He is a wealth of information that will be sorely missed.
 
#8 ·
I like the part - "Worked full sized cars in early years then transitioned to F150 where he worked repair, pretty much ANYTHING that was wrong when the truck came off the end of the line, he fixed."...

I took a tour of the Arlington GM (truck) plant back when I was an insurance appraiser. Watched the line operations as part of the tour.
They were also building Monte Carlo cars at the time on that line. At the far end the worker would power-brake the car and rotate it around and
then they'd assemble the other side.
I asked the tour guide if he ever missed and hit the wall..... and what happened to those cars. With Texas drawl, he abruptly replied - "son we
build 'em, we don't fix 'em." And he pointed to a pile of cars outside that were ready for the crusher.
That was my first realization of how big business operated, as I was not brought up like that. My parents would reuse staples if they could; that
was the fiscal restraint I was used to.
 
#7 ·
Its funny where the information comes from at times. I was whining to my 86 yr old mom about throwing away a limited 4.1 slip rear end for my TR3 back when I was a dumb teenager cause I broke a tooth. TOok the stock diff out of my parts car and got tired of tripping over the old one. THe car used to be a blast powersliding around corners when I had my dad's 12:1 full race motor in it from his race daze. Without batting an eye, she said; "just use the emergency brake, your dad taught me to do that in Gymkhanas before he put that rear end in it". I looked at her completely stunned. The ebrake in an old triumph is set up backwards from most cars, you push the button on the handle when you want it to stay put, otherwise its like a hand brake. So I tried it and sure enough, it shifts power to the outside wheel and gives you a bump out of a corner. "THat's how I won all those trophies" - in our trophy box from the triumph racing years, she has more first places than my dad, which always bummed him.
 
#11 ·
WOW! That is beautiful!

Lots of great stories. Mine is kind of second hand. I sold a T5 to a local guy about 2 years ago and we hit it off like we had been best friends since we were kids. Now, we pretty much are best friends, helping out with each other's projects and going to car shows when we get a chance. He showed me how to rebuild my engine and is always the guy I can go to for "stupid questions". He learned everything from his dad and I'm trying to absorb as much as I can from him and pass it on to my youngest daughter.
 
#12 ·
Cool story Bro. I hope you made a friend. BUT: The assembly plant is in the VIN number and can not be disputed. The way those bolts go in is all dependant on how the different assembly line or "relief" worker(s) felt like putting them in....that day.
 
#14 ·
I also have a story of my own. I met a dude at a cars and coffee I used to go to. Not going to mention his name but he had this model A dragster taht sounded really aggressive. Then, I saw him again at another car show with a Bel Air. He was pretty cool.
 
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