<VV> GM Plant

[Gary Swiatowy]

We had a recent NFCC meeting at Adrian's on Grand Island.
Got a little pre-coverage in the Grand Island Gazette.
Guy showed up who worked in the Tonawanda facility "back in the day"
His job in the 60's was installing the oil pans on the Corvair Motor.
Had a machine that would install the pan and all the bolts all at once.
Gary Swiatowy 


From: <kaczmarek at charter.net>
Subject: Re: <VV> GM Plant

Back when I was a kid they used to have an "Open House" at Tonawanda
Assembly where the public could come in and watch engines being assembled,
tested and painted.  The Corvair test area was noisy, and the manifolds
weren't put on yet---you could see blue flames coming out the exhaust ports.


Don't know what they were testing for, but I suppose it was to be sure the
valves were cold lashed properly during assembly.

An interesting side note that I cannot verify.  Some employees told me they
tested the Corvairs with CNG, some said Propane.  

Hank 
---- "kenpepke at juno.com" <kenpepke at juno.com> wrote: 
> 
> Kind of a different story from the Willow Run plant, home of the Corvair!
Bunch of us drove over to the old plant, now unused but for storage, to
celebrate [first day of production or last day of production, can't remember
which]  When spotted by the guards we were welcomed in to photo our cars in
front of the place and discuss the cars with them.
> Ken P
>