[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Prairierust

This car might be the Wangers car, but only one alt belt.

Prairie - if you are referring to the red Car&Driver car, now owned by Tenny Fairchild, this is not it.

I have the build sheet for that one, too

K

[Tenney]

Originally Posted by Prairierust

This car might be the Wangers car, but only one alt belt.

It might be the blue car, as the wider shots reveal the car shares the same license plate as that of the blue car in the C&D test. Although those wide photos may be stock "press" pics provided for context - not uncommon - and so may be two different cars.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Prairierust

Not sure how to post these pics, but anyone with march 1964 CARS,The automotive magazine, might want to post the GTO article. I was curious about the drizzled paint on the REAR axle etc. Great pics showing that the rear axle may have been drizzled on and the lower control arms; both assembled in raw steel. Front suspension shows the stabilizer and bushing brkts as raw steel. Lower and upper control arms blackened on top surfaces only. This car might be the Wangers car, but only one alt belt.

I'm sorry - I misunderstood that you were referring to the Cars article.

Post 'em up or send them to JohnTa or myself and we'll put them up here.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Prairierust

Not sure how to post these pics, but anyone with march 1964 CARS,The automotive magazine, might want to post the GTO article. I was curious about the drizzled paint on the REAR axle etc. Great pics showing that the rear axle may have been drizzled on and the lower control arms; both assembled in raw steel. Front suspension shows the stabilizer and bushing brkts as raw steel. Lower and upper control arms blackened on top surfaces only. This car might be the Wangers car, but only one alt belt.

Originally Posted by Keith Seymore

Post 'em up or send them to JohnTa or myself and we'll put them up here.

K

Hey - guess what I found!

I recently received the aforementioned scans of the CARS magazine from Prarierust but had lost track of where we wanted to attach them.

Re-reading some old posts and found this conversation here -

So - together at last - a couple views of the CARS article as mentioned this thread:

[My442]

When I worked at the GM assembly plant in Framingham in 1972, the processes were similar to the pictures posted for the Fremont plant.

A lot of parts were dipped into barrels that had a thin black paint in them. The parts were hung up to dry. Lots of drips and runs.

All of the non vinyl roof cars got 100% lead on the roof seams. NASTY job applying and grinding lead.

All of the cars were painted by hand. The body, doors and trunk lid were painted together, and the hood and front fenders were done off line. Once the body was dropped on the frame, the front end metal was mounted.

One neat area was water test. The interior was bare, and a worker had to sit in the car when it went thru a giant car wash to see if anything leaked.

The black out process was a thin coat of black done quickly as the car moved down the line. 60 cars per hour, no matter what......

BTW - the UAW helped kill GM. The crap they pulled was tragic.

[valkyrie9901]

The UAW sure did kill them......Fair wages,Medical benefits,Retirement plan......If they had not had the unions,I bet upper management could have had more profit bonuses and raises while the line workers slaved..........Must not have had your 30 years in before you quit huh......JB.

[My442]

The point I was making was the UAW worked really hard to maximize the benefits for the workers. A noble goal for sure, BUT, the future of GM was bankrupted due to mediocre quality and a lack of customer focus.

If the UAW was truly interested in the future of GM, they would have been a partner to improve product quality.

The UAW had ZERO interest in GM product quality. I saw first hand what their response was to differences with GM management - sabotage and work stoppages.

By the way, I did not work there 30 years. I was laid off in 1974 when the arab oil embargo came. That saved me from a career of really hard work in a hot and dirty place.

[valkyrie9901]

UAW did not create the cars of the late 70's and early 80's,early 90's that were junk.GM did and not only til recently did UAW have any say in quality.As an auditor before I retired management would over-ride our calls as they needed parts.My pension went to the PBGC and some benefits were cut and all of a sudden the give the upper management multi-million dollar bonuses and salaries this year.Seems like you made a smart move and did not have to work hard and get all sweaty by getting laid off.I've seen many of my friends retire and not do things they wanted due to CT,strokes and other work related illnesses.GM designed them and the UAW and CAW unions built them as per print.They have much more input now is why you are seeing the better quality cars coming out....Have a good day.........JB.

[geeteeohguy]

Thanks for posting the photos. Great stuff! My '65 GTO 3x2 4 speed was built at Fremont on April 29, 1965. It was sold new in Spokane Washington on June 3, 1965, and was back in the Bay Area (Los Gatos area) California by 1966. Been in CA ever since!! In the mid '80's, I was on my way to work and stopped in Hayward, CA to gas up the thirsty '65 (my then commuter car). A gentleman approached me, and stated he used to build GTO's, 442's, etc. at the Fremont plant from '64 on. He said they used to drag race them right off the line, in back of the plant, and bet on them! He also said he could well have had a part in assembling my car. I wish I had gotten his name!!

[brut4s]

Very cool! My '65 GTO was built in Fremont,sold in Fremont @ Digiulio Pontiac in Fremont. Right between Digiulio Pontiac and the Fremont plant was Fremont / Baylands raceway. I am the second owner it has been in Oakland/Alameda California all it's life.

[geeteeohguy]

I remember that dealership (I lived in Oakland from '69 to '03, give or take a few other locations in the Bay Area). I also remember going to Baylands for the drags way back when. Supposedly, the original WS engine in my '65 was blown up on that strip in the late '70's. When I got my car in '82, it had a 428 in it. I had a '65 WT engine from a '65 GTO prior to getting the '65, and ended up installing the 389 in '87 or so when the 428 broke a few pistons. The '65 389 is still in the car, and running strong. All of these old cars have a story to tell.......

[brut4s]

Anymore pics of the Fremont plant?

[60sstuff]

It’s been a little over 10 years since this thread started. Time flies.

Here’s a few more photos and text from the folder that was handed out in the 1964 Dedication.

Enjoy.

[Held for Ransom]

I think these were from the same book...
http://www.ultra-high-compression.com/fremont-tour.html

[Rich-Tripower]

Originally Posted by 60sstuff

It’s been a little over 10 years since this thread started. Time flies.

Here’s a few more photos and text from the folder that was handed out in the 1964 Dedication.

Enjoy.

Interesting that they had separate cafeterias for hourly and salaried employees. Probably couldn't do that nowadays.

[Cardo]

We still had separate cafeterias when i started at Ford in 1989. It went away in the 90's when they built a new cafateria.

[60sstuff]

Originally Posted by Held for Ransom

I think these were from the same book...
http://www.ultra-high-compression.com/fremont-tour.html

Hi Held for Ransom,

Thanks for adding this website about the Fremont, California GM Plant.
I’m not sure where these photos and information were sourced, but more is better!

My source is the thick packet offered on Dedication Day in March of 1964.

Here are a few more examples of what came in these various folders.
Glossy black & white photos with their description, were glued to each of them.

From the early 60s to the final days of this GM Plant when the Water Tower came down in July 1983.

Chris.

[Rich-Tripower]

What, if anything, was put up where the Fremont plant used to be?

[60sstuff]

Originally Posted by Rich-Tripower

What, if anything, was put up where the Fremont plant used to be?

TESLA is in the same building, with a few modifications.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Cardo

We still had separate cafeterias when i started at Ford in 1989. It went away in the 90's when they built a new cafateria.

We had a couple cafeterias shared by hourly and salary when I started at GM in 1979, but there was a separate executive cafeteria for staff (plant manager, plant engineer, comptroller) up in front of the building.

I can still remember Line 1 had lunch from 10:12 to 10:42 am; Line 2 went to lunch from 10:54 to 11:24 am - but I can't remember if I've eaten anything yet today.

K