356 The way it was...

[revron]

It's cleaner than the Ford Rouge Assembly Plant when I worked there in 1963, not to mention the Dearborn Iron Foundry (in the Rouge) ten years later. The Dearborn Assembly floor was wooden blocks on end. If a worker dropped a nut or bolt he didn't have time to pick it up so a hi-low just drove over it and pressed it into the oil-soaked wood. Dark, artificial lighting, the smell of oil, constant noise, continual motion of the assembly line, workers and equipment. I'll never forget it - it was great. Glad I was going back to Michigan State in the fall. Think about 20, 30, 40 years in that environment, makes the Porsche "factory" look like a pleasant picnic.

I wanted to take the grand-kids down there to see how cars are built But it's all different now. They build trucks in an automated, operating-room atmosphere, and charge like an amusement park...
Ron Roland

[roy mawbey]

Ron, I presume you have to be the Ron who wrote such a good book regarding the 356? Invaluable that book for so many!

Roy

[JR]

Hey Ron,
Don't know if I mentioned it, but I spent my summers of 1953-55 at the Fisher Body Plant in Lansing then returning to Western Michigan each Fall.
We could work 89 days before we had to join the union.

He is Roy and I have a copy!
Dick

[revron]

Good? No one is good except God alone.
Thanks Roy.

Lived in Lansing and went to Western - hmmmm...

[JR]

Nope Ron!
Lived in Lake Odessa (Ionia County) worked at Fisher Body in the Summers.
Dick

[revron]

OK, Dick, you're excused, anyway, my sister-in-law is the manager of public relations (or something like that) at Western, now.

I didn't get a choice about joining the union. My father was the Industrial Engineer who oversaw all the man-power processes and the union was not happy about me even working there. They were always grinding their ax against us, trying to give me jobs they thought I couldn't do to embarrass my father. Didn't work, but the Company wanted me to stay as a line supervisor. Might have been interesting but the draft board was breathing down my back, too. Great movie - "Hunted by the Draft and the UAW"

[roy mawbey]

So then Ron, you knew Dick, you must have flown too then? This is like a detective story, are you Ron or are there many other Ron Roland's?
I guess there are??

Either way like your story. I sold machine tools that's why I was in and out of car plants, always interesting places to visit, but never easy to sell too.

Roy

[revron]

Roy,
Dick was in the Navy, I was in the Air Force, Active, then Reserve, then Guard. The Air Defense Alert job, in the Guard, was the best of both worlds. The Air Force paid me "well" to fly F-4's and I had plenty of time to run the Porsche restoration business, race a Speedster, raise a family, and generally goof-off.
Lot of guys, lot of planes between the Navy and Air Force. I don't remember meeting Dick, although perhaps at some long past Holiday.
How many other Ron Roland's are there in the Registry, or the world? Only Google knows . . .
You're right, interesting places TO VISIT. Glad I didn't make a career there.
Ron, still Roland

[JR]

Ron,
As I mentioned to Roy in a off website e-mail to him, I wouldn't have expected you to remember me with all the folks that you meet.
Our cars were parked a couple away at the 2014 Fontana 356 Holiday.
This is us talking.
Chris Overholser's Speedster is next to yours then my Roadster.



Also I don't know if you are familiar with the UK aviation publication FLYPAST, but my letter to the Editor is in the November edition. The October issue had a 7 page article on A3s that I have flown so Roy and his two UK guys 'urged' me to write the Editor. I did, he ground looped the presses and my letter and pictures made the next issue.



Aren't friends great?
Dick

[roy mawbey]

Thanks Ron for letting me know your side of things. Its rather strange that I have made so many friends really because of making the correct decision and buying my 356A soon to be 50 years ago. I have great contact with my friend Dick. We have like you too, the same interests. Dick like you has had the serious flying involvement, I stayed on the ground but for many years was involved in aerospace projects so really appreciate what you guys did.

This is a nice friendly forum, learn't a lot from being on it as well!!

Roy

[revron]

Dick,
Now I am embarrassed. I remembering you mentioning this a few posts back. I think it's memory-lapse v. "all the people I meet," since I probably don't meet any more people than anyone else. Always been a challenge to remember names and age ain't helpin any . . .
Maybe at the next Holiday,
Ron

[JR]

Ron,
Trust me-you are not alone in the memory or lack of department!
I see people I have met and have difficulty bring up their names!
and I'm 'only' 82!
Getting ready to fire up the Roadster and go to a local Drive In 'Cruise In' this evening.
I had the 84 Targa at the Richmond Cars and Coffee when I ran into Pat Daily with his 1963 356b and Sean Rook with his 1964 356C.






Robert Overholser of Lufteknic had his recently completed
VW Single Cab with a 912 engine and 914 front end on display.
It is a 'little' lowered!



My trusty Targa!
Its a 20 footer but fun!


Dick

[Rad-Ride]

[quote="revron" post=40282]
You're right, interesting places TO VISIT. Glad I didn't make a career there.[/quote

LOL...I made a career out of it, 25 years and counting with FoMoCo. Not for everyone but for a kid right out of high school it has been good to me. With my time, I have a great job now (off the assembly line) A lot has change since then and don't regret my decision to stay.

[356]

[356]