tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38878679581296539372024-03-13T00:46:52.431-07:00Pounding like the Hammers of HellWaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04564681831056648892noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3887867958129653937.post-2001704797080973732016-09-20T16:12:00.000-07:002018-01-08T17:11:24.445-08:00Packard and Rolls Royce Join Forces in the Arsenal of Democracy<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There are times that the
context, the back story of something is so unique it almost
overshadows the thing itself. Detroit's Packard plant, which turned
out its final vehicle in 1958, was in its time a symbol of Detroit's
affluence and energy, stretching along a mile long o<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">f</span> East Grand
Boulevard beginning in 1903. Internationally recognized architect and
Detroit's own Albert Kahn was the architect and designed this factory
as the first auto production plant built with reinforced concrete.
While the structure itself has been gutted, burned, flooded and
stripped, the concrete shell has stood largely intact for over 100
years.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnnCNKaAQxFQiqNJMxBdV01tXcapXX7A9BBdiGw6a9l3kFdbt9h4b3mAGMMzaCGMisMr4QpVxV-UyOO23OkxsR1hhjPc4H-YxXfht1esRJ60B3djrAaRPSSi1pij-vKy4ZtU8HJCYGe4/s1600/PackardPlant_Gunner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOnnCNKaAQxFQiqNJMxBdV01tXcapXX7A9BBdiGw6a9l3kFdbt9h4b3mAGMMzaCGMisMr4QpVxV-UyOO23OkxsR1hhjPc4H-YxXfht1esRJ60B3djrAaRPSSi1pij-vKy4ZtU8HJCYGe4/s640/PackardPlant_Gunner.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Packards manufactured
there could stand with any marque in the world. Stylish, powerful,
and classically large, the affluent frequently purchased their
car <i>sans</i> bodywork and had it shipped to any number of builders
(LeBaron, Fisher, etc.) for finishing as did other fine cars like
Cadillac, Rolls Royce and Duesenberg.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglep1vf6WMiS8zk_L2B-BY1OAt_N5Mfn9eCeiFhZOUhPnrJbccDGBqvg3Pcz5FkGxavJgyQrZn2n7oZzl1kzdT4A5YKAm-kiqEoCrzR1W5GOupLeB3l1QcPwdU67ISYkuyzt9zlHRd_j4/s1600/Beautiful+Packard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglep1vf6WMiS8zk_L2B-BY1OAt_N5Mfn9eCeiFhZOUhPnrJbccDGBqvg3Pcz5FkGxavJgyQrZn2n7oZzl1kzdT4A5YKAm-kiqEoCrzR1W5GOupLeB3l1QcPwdU67ISYkuyzt9zlHRd_j4/s320/Beautiful+Packard.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">By juggling and
redesigning its line-up to survive the Great Depression, which
exacted a horrific toll on the people of Detroit, top of the line
cars could still be procured at a Packard dealership as well as more
mundane but still first quality models like the Light Eight and the 120. </span></span>
</h3>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The outbreak of the Second
World War brought automobile manufacturing to a halt in America, save
for the nimble little Jeep with its production split between Ford
Motor Company and Willis Overland Motors.</span></span></h3>
</div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Other manufacturers were
pressed into duty making or assembling all sorts of weaponry. </span></span></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnn71spdgiRCyqDkRnZBLpVIvQqJyZqMea4Y5W_HsKboEZaZukmV_qQE22CCYmrhweqrgoDKIoP6VOMHEAYNhV_i6dEZ2x0olYqa3ZpQWZn_NK7sdzEVJvloOIt6JqxkJUDAh-QhYYj9A/s1600/Chevy+artillery+shells.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnn71spdgiRCyqDkRnZBLpVIvQqJyZqMea4Y5W_HsKboEZaZukmV_qQE22CCYmrhweqrgoDKIoP6VOMHEAYNhV_i6dEZ2x0olYqa3ZpQWZn_NK7sdzEVJvloOIt6JqxkJUDAh-QhYYj9A/s320/Chevy+artillery+shells.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Making shells at Chevrolet</b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></td></tr>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Between 1942 and 1945 Chevrolet produced, “60,000 Pratt & Whitney
bomber and cargo plane engines; 500,000 trucks; 8 million artillery
shells; 3,000 90 mm cannon barrels; 1 million tons of aluminum
forgings; 1 million tons of grey iron castings; 2,850 tons of
magnesium forgings; and 3,800 T-17 Staghound armored scout cars</span><span style="font-size: small;">”</span> <span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.autonews.com/article/20111031/CHEVY100/310319970/no-new-cars-but-that-didnt-stop-u.s.-automakers-dealers-during-wwii">according
to the Automotive News. </a> </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5AIPT2xzKRDm9VW7KQ_BqoJdmzjlEnh76P5TxP29jmYMEVLOVYsZ0Shh9ihyIJo-yh6VaQxLHw3CtX_KjnTJlW34Vpanrvcw6dnr-3ONj01oPF6LcWt3XoKJC4sYxFPMsB7xjfOagDxk/s1600/Willow+Run+Liberators.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5AIPT2xzKRDm9VW7KQ_BqoJdmzjlEnh76P5TxP29jmYMEVLOVYsZ0Shh9ihyIJo-yh6VaQxLHw3CtX_KjnTJlW34Vpanrvcw6dnr-3ONj01oPF6LcWt3XoKJC4sYxFPMsB7xjfOagDxk/s320/Willow+Run+Liberators.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></h3>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ford built a limited
access road to its new factory in Willow Run, Michigan, a 3.5 million
square foot building entirely under one roof. It began operation less
than a year after breaking ground and eventually honed its
manufacturing technique to roll out a B-24 bomber every 60 minutes. </span></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But this story doesn't
begin in Detroit or even at the Rouge plant. </span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"> The Merlin airplane engine
was conceived and engineered in England. In the early 1930s Germany
began arming itself and substantially growing its armed services. The
English Air Ministry (the major buyer of Rolls Royce aero engines)
responded by releasing specifications for a new fighter that would be
capable of attaining 310 mph.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbQ1svrhqIY6Hn9ynYY7jCzSLlD5Kzz58uCcCE5HWDqIqokvHSXmIrDiQBGN2xLmzxV0MfP7gAzuxU4rKthchuXIvEhsfuXNySM5sklgfnnKPdjqpJAyZb4BWtal54S0dTPz-8LxpamU/s1600/kestrel+-+edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikbQ1svrhqIY6Hn9ynYY7jCzSLlD5Kzz58uCcCE5HWDqIqokvHSXmIrDiQBGN2xLmzxV0MfP7gAzuxU4rKthchuXIvEhsfuXNySM5sklgfnnKPdjqpJAyZb4BWtal54S0dTPz-8LxpamU/s320/kestrel+-+edit.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></h3>
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</h3>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1932 Sir Henry Royce
(yes that Royce) realized the Kestrel airplane engine that Rolls
Royce was making was getting a bit out-dated. Royce wanted something
based on the Kestrel but bigger and especially faster. Work was begun
on the PV (for Private Venture) 12, a 27 litre V-12 with a target
horsepower of around 900 hp.</span></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h2>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1934, the first Merlin
was tested, but
it only produced 790 hp. Rolls Royce knew the potential of the
engine and began refining it in the air, powering a Hawker-Hart
biplane. It didn't take long to address some of the first 175 Merlin
I's demons: cracked heads and leaking coolant needed immediate attention. To take
control of the various problems the engine displayed, Rolls began
setting aside just completed random engines and running them at full
throttle until they broke. The engine's reputation (and horsepower)
began to improve immediately. By 1935, a Merlin III was placed in a Royal Air Force Spitfire and reportedly produced 2,160 hp. Rolls eventually built 33
prototype engines culminating in the 1,035 hp Merlin F.</span></span></h2>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcpr00x85dZ9G1CTXtFgwBiqkNXv8wa-nz1CtKAFnd-du1bFPIe9NK2ghlDud77s1wJPOaHsKKC0XaSP58kIpA7pAYVOYhNLP6Kg8Q7i3caohAt30iqOY0f6eWolEldk3EEPmEKtunl8/s1600/Merlin+III.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTcpr00x85dZ9G1CTXtFgwBiqkNXv8wa-nz1CtKAFnd-du1bFPIe9NK2ghlDud77s1wJPOaHsKKC0XaSP58kIpA7pAYVOYhNLP6Kg8Q7i3caohAt30iqOY0f6eWolEldk3EEPmEKtunl8/s640/Merlin+III.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></h3>
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</h3>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rolls-Royce
Merlin III Specifications</span></span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Type</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">:
inline liquid-cooled internal combustion engine</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Configuration</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">:
12-cylinder 60-degree upright vee</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></b></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Valve
train</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">:
Overhead camshaft-actuated, two intake and two exhaust valves per
cylinder, sodium-cooled exhaust valve stems</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fuel
system</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">:
Updraft carburettor with automatic mixture control</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Oil
system</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">:
Dry sump with one pressure pump and two scavenge pumps.</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cooling
system</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">:
Pure ethylene-glycol cooling mixture, unpressurized.</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Supercharger</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">:
Single-speed, single stage.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">-Bore</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">:
5.4 in (137.3 mm)</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Stroke</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">:
6 in (152.5mm)</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Capacity</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">:
1,648.96 cu in (27.04 l)</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Maximum
power</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">:
1,030 hp at 3,000 rpm at 5,500 ft (1,680 m)</span></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Weight</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">:
1,375 lbs (623,6 kg) </span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Early testing of the
Supermarine Spifire and Hawker Hurricane with the 890 hp Merlin C
demonstrated the potential of these match-ups but the engine needed
more horsepower.</span></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In 1937, the cylinder
heads were redesigned. The intake valve had been canted at a 45
degree angle, but it was found that moving the position directly over
the cylinder bore provided an instant improvement. The Merlin II was
born with over 1,000 hp. More importantly, Sir Stanley Hooker began
modifying the Merlin Supercharger. The engine gave up some of its
power when flying at 6,000 ft and below, an altitude that German
Messerschmidt thrived at.</span></span></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiceFa2jcAPaULzxD_iQNoqOhE6J2wnVXNfbJxc8GJvcIuN9crWurdmDNp-0LaA-Avm4rncvs1NCiWduRO2NJdZk5-fHob6PipAsDn1jvKY8DphDLZL0NlpVIC5vrWDn0MzW97Xvm11lnk/s1600/merlin-supercharger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiceFa2jcAPaULzxD_iQNoqOhE6J2wnVXNfbJxc8GJvcIuN9crWurdmDNp-0LaA-Avm4rncvs1NCiWduRO2NJdZk5-fHob6PipAsDn1jvKY8DphDLZL0NlpVIC5vrWDn0MzW97Xvm11lnk/s320/merlin-supercharger.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Merlin Supercharger</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br /></b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The first modifications
added 22 mph to the planes and gave up nothing at the lower
altitudes. Development continued into and through the war years.
Eventually boost would increased 33% and eventually a second
supercharger was added.</span></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Another problem was its need for frequent maintenance; the turnaround between rebuilds was just 250
hours of flight. Other airplane power plants could easily go 1,000
hours plus between rebuilds. </span></span>
</h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But pilots loved the big
brutes and the Merlin's adoption <a href="http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/world-war-two-in-western-europe/battle-of-britain/rolls-royce-merlin-engine/" target="_blank">was across a number of platforms:</a> "</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
Mark II and Mark III engines generated 1,030 hp. The Mark XII was
used in Spitfires Mark II’s and generated 1,150 hp. The Mark II
Hurricane used the Merlin XX and generated 1,480 hp. The Spitfire
Mark V – the most widely produced variant – used the Merlin 45,
which generated 1,515 hp". </span></span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The U.S. also needed an
engine for its P-51 Mustang fighters and eventually selected the
Merlin. But the three English factories producing the engine were
already working around the clock. The search for an American
manufacturer began. After first asking for consideration, then
recanting, Henry Ford bowed out of the search, although Ford of Great
Britain eventually produced 36,000 Merlins.</span></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rolls Royce then turned to
Packard Motors, a manufacturer of very similar automobiles as Rolls
Royce. With automobile production halted, Packard moved Merlin
production into its North building.</span></span></h3>
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgih_3LP4coqLDOb-9XAj7JZyMlUeyA0-3eFpO2G1W_j6jpqVPHLmTWe04PcFhtCleJNxE6q0fQ6FkDalElopWRe8ANGc905iFO6V0wIOnsZspIR6mdNi6kJRM7RWIuayyMK-lNivqe5WY/s1600/Packard-big-engine-assembly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgih_3LP4coqLDOb-9XAj7JZyMlUeyA0-3eFpO2G1W_j6jpqVPHLmTWe04PcFhtCleJNxE6q0fQ6FkDalElopWRe8ANGc905iFO6V0wIOnsZspIR6mdNi6kJRM7RWIuayyMK-lNivqe5WY/s320/Packard-big-engine-assembly.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packard Merlin engine assembly.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But the transformation
wasn't an easy one. There were over 14,000 parts that needed to be
fitted on each engine. Rolls Royce assembled Merlins in teams that
each worked on a single engine through completion. This method was
slow and was laborious, filing a bit there, bending a bit here.</span></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqLvfTo2BSDQlPCYAii8JEVCE9YDBBeEMGke_NiFuxpZKzuSbkpD775pwcWjWER4-Ujm0FozdgV3fn_0jjlxZruvtpGKTGHjdFNNpqsSVaa_u3j_HTeNRibJsnSzjm0iCWE3A2CmsLYV0/s1600/55-73224-cutaway-1423643765.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqLvfTo2BSDQlPCYAii8JEVCE9YDBBeEMGke_NiFuxpZKzuSbkpD775pwcWjWER4-Ujm0FozdgV3fn_0jjlxZruvtpGKTGHjdFNNpqsSVaa_u3j_HTeNRibJsnSzjm0iCWE3A2CmsLYV0/s640/55-73224-cutaway-1423643765.png" width="640" /></a></span></h3>
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Packard needed assembly-line-ready parts and, working with Rolls, reduced the tolerances for
nearly every one of those 14,000 parts.</span></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">To ensure parts
comparability across all of the engines, <a href="http://www.tested.com/art/makers/492418-packard-merlin-how-detroit-mass-produced-britains-hand-built-powerhouse/">Packard
needed to use imperial sized tools and parts rather than SAE which
was the norm stateside</a>. Any modification to the engine had to be
submitted and approved by Rolls Royce and Packard found a number of
available parts superior to the original Rolls parts, not least of
which was crankshaft bearings. </span></span>
</h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">American aircraft
manufacturers had learned that bearings made of a silver/lead alloy
and coated with indium were more corrosion resistant and offered
superior wear. Captured planes dissected by German engineers who
studied these bearings assumed the indium was simply an impurity in
the alloy. Not only crankshaft bearings but also American made
carburetors, magnetos, spark plugs, etc. were adopted by Rolls, each
manufactured to Rolls Royce specifications.</span></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hRVWyZf5MQk?rel=0" width="480"></iframe></span>
</h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
</h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The first Packard built
Merlin engine rolled off the line in 1941. The early engines
displayed some problems but these were quickly worked out by
engineering teams comprised of technicians from both sides of the
Atlantic. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX43N_FM7NJIwxDKq_cldBD_4-cwOwIy2ee-FyzBxE4uGUN9X6C_3VEBs5vr9eCLi-0BPcMIfzIhAwl8sSYr8YjJAEC0vhwqlIhQYkMgBPpFsHHcrPWEJpJyMHLw4OkQGQ5sW2eDGUld8/s1600/RAF-P-51A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX43N_FM7NJIwxDKq_cldBD_4-cwOwIy2ee-FyzBxE4uGUN9X6C_3VEBs5vr9eCLi-0BPcMIfzIhAwl8sSYr8YjJAEC0vhwqlIhQYkMgBPpFsHHcrPWEJpJyMHLw4OkQGQ5sW2eDGUld8/s320/RAF-P-51A.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RAF P-51-A</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span>
</h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
</h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody></tbody></table>
<h3>
</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCSbbQDNkGXhcTmH3Za2BrVtq5fr97BvKAcjm4TL7_pPqa9pUxug612MYnqsBaJ8EVgEJkgqzCMA0nv6wP78gL-uGeNK2uj2wrTkPAfFvttRD7HMGVVLt4D7VHZ55FIWoA11o32noiCY/s1600/Merlins-B-29-escort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCSbbQDNkGXhcTmH3Za2BrVtq5fr97BvKAcjm4TL7_pPqa9pUxug612MYnqsBaJ8EVgEJkgqzCMA0nv6wP78gL-uGeNK2uj2wrTkPAfFvttRD7HMGVVLt4D7VHZ55FIWoA11o32noiCY/s320/Merlins-B-29-escort.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Merlin fighters escorting B-29</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
</h3>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In total, Packard </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">produced
about a third of the total run of Merlins. Most of the American made
Merlins went not to Spitfires and Hawkers but into <a href="http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/p-51-mustangs-switch-to-merlin-engine-made-it-the-world-beater-of-world-war-ii/">the
P-51 Mustang</a> which had been limited above roughly three miles by
its Allison V-1710 engine. The Allison was a fantastic engine with
fewer than half the parts of the Merlin and even claimed four
times the hours flown between rebuilds than the Merlin. Had the Army
Air Corps not specified that the Allison needed to be turbo-charged
instead of supercharged it may have remained the P-51 engine of
choice.</span></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of the Packard
Merlins were shipped to Great Britain and used in the four engined
Lancaster bomber. Early in the war a Lancaster had an engine hit by
German fire but returned safely to England with its three remaining
Merlins roaring. The Merlin became an instant legend to the RAF pilots.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgEExfKfIXZowG4xCp4ITkHjtWCbLrtHk0lvYj3lgjOHkK5PSezVu8NN4BPWLDV1ScprVtvkA03NLZvUWL6IuU2fDZk2m-_GsLMGzl7yi1Fcg4kaFxlwZaAleBDuVt4E4zZWegHAefRQ/s1600/lancaster-windsor-2013-107w-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgEExfKfIXZowG4xCp4ITkHjtWCbLrtHk0lvYj3lgjOHkK5PSezVu8NN4BPWLDV1ScprVtvkA03NLZvUWL6IuU2fDZk2m-_GsLMGzl7yi1Fcg4kaFxlwZaAleBDuVt4E4zZWegHAefRQ/s320/lancaster-windsor-2013-107w-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lancaster bomber</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Packards' <a href="http://usautoindustryworldwartwo.com/packard.htm">dedication
to the war effort was unique</a>. In addition to manufacturing over
50,000 Merlins, it also produced 12,700 4M-2500 marine engines used
in PT boats and Army and Navy rescue boats. Records are incomplete on
the number of Packard staff cars manufactured (including General
Eisenhower's staff car) until suspending production even of those in
1943.</span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sAY2VNYcw9Y?rel=0" width="480"></iframe></span>
</h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At the close of the war
Packard had not only sold $455,118,600 in 1944 but had a 1945
backlog of $568,000,000 in military orders.</span></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">When Merlin production
finally ceased production in 1950, 165,000 had been built.</span></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">End of story?</span></span></h3>
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXn95iq-DrUhUAK2hddFncZ19h9GGCFFz9hx-iiks_XztWKr4TtJKe16k0mWb6WDmgvNdCYjTL9wvKgQRPEq9Btm8FJeUyyiZNwzAoBth71E7WSPfJ6NA_sQ0K-6SJDbogWaDKZ4jqks/s1600/P51+Mustang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeXn95iq-DrUhUAK2hddFncZ19h9GGCFFz9hx-iiks_XztWKr4TtJKe16k0mWb6WDmgvNdCYjTL9wvKgQRPEq9Btm8FJeUyyiZNwzAoBth71E7WSPfJ6NA_sQ0K-6SJDbogWaDKZ4jqks/s640/P51+Mustang.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></h3>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Not really. Turns out
Merlins are still being tuned and raced in airplanes. If you have a
cool $180,000 laying around, <a href="http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/masters-of-the-v-12-3039083/?no-ist">a
modified 3,500 hp Merlin can be yours</a>,</span></span></h3>
</div>
Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04564681831056648892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3887867958129653937.post-36601366965244103782016-07-18T16:23:00.002-07:002016-07-18T16:23:47.879-07:006,000 HP at 80 RPM: Henry Ford's Gasteam Powerplant<h4 class="western" style="font-weight: normal;">
</h4>
<h3 class="western" style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I
know you've felt them. Standing on a concrete railroad station
platform with 7,000 hp diesel locomotive gently idling while mumbling
the ground under your feet. Or standing over a steamship's engine,
watching the long connecting rods flow easily back and forth in
rhythm to a soft thump, thump, thump in the room. If you've walked
down the sidewalk on the other side of the retaining fence as a six
car NASCAR draft blows by, you know your heart pounded as if to match
the beat of 5,000 hp screaming by in a thirty foot long game of
follow the leader.</span></span></h3>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Engines
charged with moving large objects across great distances, or smaller
objects at great speed have a tendency to disrupt the air with
enormous sound waves that we feel as much as we hear. They pound like
the hammers of hell.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Then
there are also engines that go nowhere, simply producing enormous
amounts of power while sitting leisurely in place. Stationery engines
can muster unbelievable power with only a hiss or a tiny whine. But
stationary engines get no respect. They do their jobs steadily,
dependably, year after year without notice or fanfare. They pump
liquids, push air, exhaust air, make electricity and power just about
anything that has rotating, revolving or reciprocating movement. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
Ford Museum in Dearborn displays some stationary engines that were
used to generate electricity. Standing on a catwalk overlooking a
larfe engine I found the powerplant from the Highland Park plant
fascinating. The old Model T plant, made obsolete by its replacement,
the Ford Rouge plant, employed 36,000 people on a 305 acre plot smack
in the middle of the city, cranking out over 3,000 of the black
beauties each day.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0LRisqooGO5hN9aDFItCnTOqNZLfof_a1Rx0EopVbHw4xgN8fhMcDAn5UlPYfir3DKpd76KEwTB5aWc80HCrWhvx74H7adAL5InNtBlbEwcEPkmXJOVPpP9gOedV43ckWRbDEjdIeM94/s1600/Highland+Park+Plant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0LRisqooGO5hN9aDFItCnTOqNZLfof_a1Rx0EopVbHw4xgN8fhMcDAn5UlPYfir3DKpd76KEwTB5aWc80HCrWhvx74H7adAL5InNtBlbEwcEPkmXJOVPpP9gOedV43ckWRbDEjdIeM94/s640/Highland+Park+Plant.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Each
of these engines cranked out 6,000 hp at just 80 RPM, producing
roughly 4,500 kw. There were nine of them scattered throughout the
plant; that's roughly 54,000 horsepower generating 40,500 kw.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQoeuSv8W382aQSp0GlgJCev2rL5gGOWCbcEqVP1xJsMcW7Qi0yHiXqH4kj8V9WNzE9137pcXA93IhauQt4oLkP_Evm4mK9kkb-h7x4eQbvXMCBx0wzyvd7eSc5tCsl7mFRFJnl-9lTmM/s1600/Gasteam+picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQoeuSv8W382aQSp0GlgJCev2rL5gGOWCbcEqVP1xJsMcW7Qi0yHiXqH4kj8V9WNzE9137pcXA93IhauQt4oLkP_Evm4mK9kkb-h7x4eQbvXMCBx0wzyvd7eSc5tCsl7mFRFJnl-9lTmM/s640/Gasteam+picture.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">They
were large: 82' long and 46' wide. They had matched (square) bore and
stroke at 72” each. The technical details are furnished by the Ford
Museum here and additional pictures courtesy of the Ford <a href="https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/artifact/167313#slide=gs-187755">are
here</a>.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
brass plate on each engines carry the following credits:</span></span></div>
<h5 class="western" style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Courtesy
of The Ford:</span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="western">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Material</span></span></span></h5>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Brass (Alloy)
<br />Metal </span></span>
<br />
<h5 class="western">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Dimensions</span></span></h5>
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Diameter:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
18 ft (Flywheel) </span></span>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Height:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
21.5 ft </span></span>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Diameter:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
36 in (Bore) </span></span>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Diameter:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
42 in (Bore) </span></span>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Width:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
45.625 ft </span></span>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Diameter:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
72 in (Bore) </span></span>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Length:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
72 in (Stroke) </span></span>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Speed:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
80 rpm (1.33 Hz) </span></span>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Depth:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
82.083 ft </span></span>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Horsepower:</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
6000 hp (4474.20 kW) </span></span>
<br />
<h5 class="western">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Inscriptions</span></span></h5>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Builder's plates
on gasteam engines: 11 (and 12) / COMBINATION / GASTEAM ENGINE /
BUILT BY / THE HOOVEN OWENS RENTSCHLER CO. / HAMILTON OHIO / FOR /
FORD MOTOR COMPANY / DETROIT </span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Builder's plate
on generator: CROCKER WHEELER COMPANY / AMPERE, N.J. / (plate is too
high to read more data from the floor, but other data on the plate
should include an engine serial number of 196948 [according to the
vertical file] </span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Builder's plates
on seven data plates with distinct serial numbers that are difficult
to see from the platform: RICHARDSON / AUTOMATIC SIGHT FEED OIL PUMP
/ MODEL M (serial number) 4 FEEDS / THE RICHARDSON-PHENIX CO. /
MILWAUKEE </span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Builder's plate
on Edwards triplet air pump: WHEELER CONDENSER / AND / ENGINEERING
CO. / NEW YORK / No. / 04665 / SIZE 18x12 </span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Builder's plate
on Edwards triplet air pump: WHEELER / CONDENSER & / ENGINEERING
CO. / NEW YORK / No. 04665 / DATE 1918 </span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Builder's plate
on drive motor for Edwards triplet air pump: CROCKER-WHEELER COMPANY
AMPERE, N.J. / No. / 261941 / SIZE 149DA TYPE CCM / 30 HP AT 90125
RPM / ARM. No. [SEE END / OF SHAFT OR HUB] / PATENTED Serial number
on end of triplet pump/drive motor shaft, at motor end: 261942 </span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Builder's plate
on oil separator: COCHRANE / VACUUM OIL SEPARATOR / PATENTED OCT. 11,
1892. / MAR. 31, 1896. / HARRISON SAFETY BOILER WORKS / MANUFACTURERS
/ PHILADELPHIA, PA Admin. serial[?] number plate on circulating pump
oval tag: 50072 </span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Builder's plate
on circulating pump triangular plate: NO. / 2997 / MANISTEE IRON
WORKS CO. / REES / RoTURBo / TRADE / MARK / MANISTEE, MICH U.S.A. /
FEET HEAD / 100 / OR LESS AT / REVS. 1150 </span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Builder's plate
on circulating pump rectangular plate: CAUTION / THIS PUMP MUST NOT
BE STARTED / UNTIL FULLY PRIMED AS INTERNAL / BEARINGS ARE WATER
LUBRICATED. / WATER SHOULD FLOW FROM TOP / PET COCKS ON STARTING </span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Builder's plate
on drive motor for circulating pump: WESTINGHOUSE / ELECTRIC &
MFG. CO. / PITTSBURGH, PA., U.S.A. / DIRECT CURRENT MOTOR No. 180L
TYPE SK / CONSTANT SPEED SHUNT WOUND / 150 H.P. 230 VOLTS 525 AMPERES
1100 R.P.M. / STYLE No. 154450B SERIAL No. 2270786 / (patent dates. .
.) / 1662 (3-11-15)</span></span><br />
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<img align="BOTTOM" border="0" height="450" name="graphics1" src="https://valuablemechanisms.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/picture-029.jpg?w=600&h=450" width="600" /><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But
there were larger, more powerful engines from this era, so why were
these nine powerhouses unique? Because they're hybrids, running on a
combination of gas internal combustion and steam...Ford invented the
Gasteam engine. The gasoline engine on one side of the generator
offered efficiency while the steam engine (coupled to the other side
of the generator) exhaust from the gas engine to build its head of
steam providing “regulation and reliability”. Ironically, the
power of the steam engine was used to spin and start the gas engine.
And with an 18' flywheel, the reciprocating engines delivered smooth,
even power.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrC6WWPtfjpRXK7yAEyf8QQ7aULd-4__0KTzNqnUBduS6XkhihqkZp-AJ2XL8FHBAn2NL54ePDSmc1iT_NGWqAnY57JorKwChJkJ59PVlFU-Yo3-1Vg22kI2iVnVbNeouI4JJvRzxF9s/s1600/Powerplant+at+the+Ford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibrC6WWPtfjpRXK7yAEyf8QQ7aULd-4__0KTzNqnUBduS6XkhihqkZp-AJ2XL8FHBAn2NL54ePDSmc1iT_NGWqAnY57JorKwChJkJ59PVlFU-Yo3-1Vg22kI2iVnVbNeouI4JJvRzxF9s/s640/Powerplant+at+the+Ford.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
<u>Journal Electrical World</u><span style="text-decoration: none;">
described this novel creation in a journal written in 1914, two years
before the first power plant was installed:</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>It
is claimed that this combination "gasteam" en</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>gine,
as it is called, will give the economy of a gas en</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>gine
and the reliability of a steam engine. As a gas</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>engine
operates most efficiently when fully loaded, the</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>set
will be so designed that the gas side will always be</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>working
at full load. Except for overspeeding, there</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>will
be no governing on the gas side, all governing</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>otherwise
being done on the steam side. In case of</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>trouble
on the gas side, the steam side, it is declared,</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>will
be able to pull the entire load with a late steam</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>cut-off.</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The
two gas cylinders of the engine will be of the</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>four-cycle,
double-acting type and will be water-cooled.</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Each
cylinder will be 42 in. in diameter and will have a</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>stroke
of 72 in. The tandem compound condensing unit</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>will
have a high-pressure cylinder 36 in. in diameter and</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>a
low-pressure cylinder 68 in. in diameter and will oper</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>ate
with a stroke of 72 in. The low-pressure cylinder</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>will
be connected to a surface condenser, which in turn</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>will
be placed in a closed heater. The vacuum will be</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>regulated
to correspond to atmospheric temperatures.</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>During
the winter months the vacuum will be reduced</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>to
about 18 in. The entire amount of circulating water</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>will
be pumped through all the factory buildings, which</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>are
heated by hot water.</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Superheated
steam will be used with a pressure of</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>175
lb., and the high-pressure cylinder will be equipped</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>with
poppet valves, while Corliss valves will be em</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>ployed
on the low-pressure cylinder. The exhaust from</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>the
gas engine will be conducted into a steam superheater</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>placed
in the steam line between the high-pressure and</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>the
low-pressure steam cylinders, thus utilizing waste</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>gases
for reheating the high-pressure exhaust steam.</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Part
of the exhaust gases will be shunted through the</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>jacket
of the high-pressure steam cylinder, which ac</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>cordingly
will eliminate any steam-heat loss in that</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>cylinder.
The exhaust gases will then be conducted to</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>the
boiler-feed water heater and will heat all the feed</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>water
required for the steam boilers. Feed water for</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>the
heater will be secured from the water used for cool</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>ing
purposes in the gas-cylinder jackets, where it will</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>be
brought up to temperatures of from 150 deg. Fahr. to</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>180
deg. Fahr. This water will finally be raised to a</b></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>temperature
of about 250 deg. by means of the exhaust</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>gases
as previously mentioned.</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4c4c4c;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black;">I
can't link to only the article but the bound edition is </span><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=rdpQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA445&lpg=PA445&dq=electrical+world+1914&source=bl&ots=03OfF_-zir&sig=XtH25awP7S10ZEXzHe88zducXxw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiDkuuik_nNAhXIKyYKHY72BM8Q6AEISTAL#v=onepage&q=electrical%20world%201914&f=false">available
to read here</a><span style="color: black;"> courtesy of Google Books. Look
for PDF page number 550. It will be page 528 as numbered in the
journal.</span></span></span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4c4c4c;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black;">The
one thing I couldn't do while visiting the Ford was to watch the
power plant run, but this video with Henry Ford beside a running
power plant is amazing. No pounding here, just 6,000 horsepower
running smooth and quiet at a whole 80 RPM.</span></span></span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JIVEKxKDexU?rel=0" width="480"></iframe>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04564681831056648892noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3887867958129653937.post-6607335574355302142016-05-26T12:22:00.002-07:002016-05-26T12:22:51.200-07:00Nashes Sink on Black Tuesday
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<h1>
450 feet under Lake Michigan, classic car cache rests in frigid silence</h1>
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An
undated photo of the SS Senator, which sank in Lake Michigan after a
collision on October 31, 1929 in over 400 feet of water off Port
Washington, Wis. with her load of 268 Nash automobiles. The wreck was
added to the National Register of Historic Places this month. (Courtesy |
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, C. Patrick Labadie Collection)</div>
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<a href="http://connect.mlive.com/staff/gellison/index.html"><img alt="Garret Ellison | gellison@mlive.com" class="Avatar" data-original="http://media.mlive.com/avatars/1828042.png" data-position="byline-avatar" id="avatar_author" src="http://image.mlive.com/home/mlive-media/width40/img/avatars/1828042.png" />
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By
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Garret Ellison | gellison@mlive.com
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<br />on May 25, 2016 at 7:05 AM, updated <span class="updated" title="2016-05-25T14:12:37Z">May 25, 2016 at 10:12 AM</span> </div>
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WISCONSIN — The world's largest collection of 1929 and 1930 Nash
Motors automobiles exists not in a museum, but rather entombed in the
frigid depths of Lake Michigan.</div>
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The cars, 268 of them, are lashed in rows inside and crumpled in a
heap next to the wreck of the SS Senator, a Great Lakes steamship that
rests for eternity in an uncharted sinkhole about 15 miles east of Port
Washington, Wis.</div>
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The Senator, which sank during the final days of the Roaring Twenties
as the country was plunging into the Great Depression, sits upright
nearly 450 feet down; so deep that few, if any, divers will ever see her
in person. Her collection of vintage autos once bound for Detroit join
the pantheon of ships, airplanes, submarines, train cars and other
vehicles of yesteryear that populate the bottom of Lake Michigan.<br />
"Those cars on the inside are in pretty good condition," said Tamara
Thomsen, a maritime archeologist and shipwreck diver with the Wisconsin
Historical Society who surveyed the Senator wreck in November.<br />
In April, the wreck was added to the National Register of Historic
Places; one of nearly 150 U.S. shipwrecks on the historic list.
Coincidentally, the Senator sits within the boundary of a pending <a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/10/lk_michigan_national_marine_sa.html">National Marine Sanctuary</a> that will become the second such protected area of shipwrecks within the Great Lakes.<br />
<a class="enhanced-link small-thumbnail align-text-vert" data-enhanced="small" href="http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/12/great_lakes_national_marine_sa.html" target="_blank"><span></span></a><br />
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<a data-enhanced="small" href="http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/12/great_lakes_national_marine_sa.html" target="_blank">Great Lakes leading National Marine Sanctuary development</a></div>
Every lake might eventually feature one.</div>
The ship sank on Halloween, Oct. 31, 1929; mere days after the
infamous Black Thursday stock market crash that threw the country into
an economic spiral.<br />
She is the lesser known among a trio of Lake Michigan shipwrecks that
week. On Oct. 22, the SS Milwaukee train car ferry sank off Milwaukee
with all 52 hands. On Oct. 29, the SS Wisconsin steamer sank off Kenosha
with about 18 lost.<br />
The Senator left Kenosha two days later, laden with $251,000 worth of
brand new cars from Nash Motors, a Wisconsin-based automaker founded by
former General Motors president Charles W. Nash. The company had just
begun offering a new 8-cylinder engine model that month and the 1930
models incorporated a 133-inch wheelbase — the longest Nashes built to
date.<br />
The cars were bound for dealerships across Michigan and the Midwest.
Nash filled a niche between luxury cars like a Packard and economy
models like a Ford. The cars would likely have sold for $1,000 to $2,000
to professionals like a doctor, lawyer or bank manager looking for a
practical, higher-end ride.<br />
"You kind of had to want a Nash," said Jay Follis, marketing director
at the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Mich. "Other companies
sold similar vehicles for less, but Nash had a great reputation."<br />
It was foggy the night the Senator steamed northward. About 10:20
p.m., the ship's crew heard the fog signal of another steel bulk
carrier, the 420-foot Marquette, bound for Indiana Harbor with 7,000
tons of iron ore from Escanaba.<br />
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<span class="adv-photo-large"><a class="full-size-popup" href="http://media.mlive.com/news_impact/photo/ss-senator-shipwreck21jpg-5cc7ab38bfc06140.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="ss senator shipwreck21.JPG" class="lazy adv-photo" data-original="http://media.mlive.com/news_impact/photo/20428647-large.jpg" data-position="article-large" src="http://image.mlive.com/home/mlive-media/width380/img/news_impact/photo/20428647-large.jpg" style="display: block;" /></a><span class="photo-data"><span class="caption">A late 1920s Nash Motors automobile on display at the Rambler Ranch classic car museum in Elizabeth, Colorado.</span><span class="byline">Courtesy | Terry Gale</span></span></span></div>
Despite visibility about 100 feet, Captain George H. Kinch sailed the
Senator at full speed, sounding fog signals as the 33-year-old ship cut
through the pea soup. According to period news accounts, the Senator
sounded a passing signal of one short blast — indicating a port-to-port
passage — and the Marquette acknowledged this signal by returning one
short blast of her own.<br />
Suddenly, the Marquette appeared out of the fog only a few hundred
feet from the Senator's port side. Despite Captain Kinch's frantic
attempt to avoid the inevitable collision by throwing over the rudder,
the Marquette struck the Senator just aft of amidships on her port side.
As the Marquette pulled free, water began rushing into the stricken
ship, causing an immediate port side list.<br />
"SOS; collided with SS Marquette 20 miles east of Port Washington;
sinking fast," was the first distress message over the radio at 10:30
a.m.<br />
The ship settled quickly at the stern, the bow lifting high into the
air. The Senator slipped beneath the waves just 8 minutes after the
impact. Several of the 28 crew members leapt onto the Marquette
immediately after impact. A nearby tugboat that heard the crash plucked
another 15 from the icy waters. Ten men died.<br />
William Dorsch, 19, was the youngest survivor.<br />
"I was down in the stoke hole when the warning came," Dorsch told the
Milwaukee Journal. "I ran up the stairs, found a life preserver and
then jumped off. Man, there wasn't much time to do anything else. It's a
big thing for us that tug came along when it did or we wouldn't have
lasted much longer."<br />
Although the Marquette was badly damaged, the ore boat limped to Port
Washington, where its captain met jeers for not doing more to help the
Senator's crew. No life rings were thrown, ladders lowered or lifeboats
launched.<br />
An investigation report later found both captains equally at fault
for steaming at high speed in dense fog. Ship owner Nicholson Universal
Steamship Company of Delaware later honored Captain Earl Godersky of the
tug Delos H. Smith and his three-man crew for their fog-enveloped
rescue.<br />
In 2005, Paul Ehorn and Rob Polich claimed to have discovered the
wreck of the Senator, but it wasn't until November that Thomsen was able
to wrangle together an ROV (remotely operated vehicle) from Duluth,
Minn. and survey the wreck using coordinates from the Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources.<br />
The team found the Senator's pilothouse and bow cabins in great
shape, not blasted off by the force of air escaping the ship during its
death throes. The cars stored on deck lay in a crumpled pile off the
starboard stern. Inside, the ROV found autos lined in neat rows of three
in one of the holds.<br />
Historical records available don't say whether the Senator carried
1929 or 1930 model Nash coupes or sedans. Thomsen and researchers hope
to answer that and other questions about early Wisconsin automobile
manufacturing as well as gain insights into Great Lakes historical
vessel construction and shipboard life.<br />
As for Nash Motors, the company went on to make the popular
Nash-Healey sports car and Rambler compact. Nash merged with Kelvinator
Corp. in 1937 before restructuring into the American Motors Corporation
in 1954 with George W. Romney, who later was elected governor of
Michigan, as chairman. Chrysler acquired the company in 1987 and
rebranded its models as Jeep-Eagle.<br />
"I think a lot of other companies, had they lost 260 cars and had the
stock market crash in the same month, they would have locked the
doors," said Follis. "It was only through the reputation of management
Nash was able to keep going."<br />
"I doubt, if you looked at their books, they made much of anything
that year," he said. "I think a lesser company would have been done."<br />
<em>Garret Ellison covers government, environment & the Great Lakes for MLive Media Group. Email him at <a href="mailto:gellison@mlive.com">gellison@mlive.com</a> or follow on <a href="http://twitter.com/garretellison">Twitter</a> & <a href="http://instagram.com/garretellison">Instagram</a></em><br />
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Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04564681831056648892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3887867958129653937.post-67083388712504963452015-12-07T14:48:00.000-08:002015-12-07T14:48:08.270-08:00A Failed Pizza Delivery ExperimentAre you following your "career plan"? You know, the one all your school counselors insisted you needed by the time you walked out of their doors for the final time? Me either, although my "career plan" was as ephemeral as the wispy steam off your cars hood after a good washing in the bright sun. It went something like this; "I want to get a job that pays enough money so I don't have to move back home." So in a sense I continue to follow my plan. <br />
I knew my B.S. (how appropriate!) in English wouldn't open a lot of doors, but without a paycheck I was headed home.<br />
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So I got work cleaning the assembly line chains that carried frozen hamburgers through a tunnel of flames at the Ypsilanti Burger King. Sorry to say that doesn't even make the top ten list for my worst jobs ever. However, I vigilantly scoured the help wanted columns hoping for anything that didn't involve fries. Then my girlfriend's roommate mentioned her Uncle George was a New Car Sales Manager at a car dealership and needed salespeople. </div>
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George was a very nice, down to earth gentleman in a suit and tie wearing a big, gold Masonic ring. </div>
We kind of hit it off and he hired me on the spot. I learned a lot from Uncle George besides how to sell Gremlins.He was a Southern gentleman you didn't want to cross. He'd spent years at different dealerships and understood how they worked from the front door to the bump shop.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgut0y67Sd563q9n1ZhuWOmi78K71CPglCAauPn0jXKVZe6Lr9KBXjdMZFukFpoMH2ovtcdCjP0wdkGkJ-A4LxXnRU5KmFA_9WLzJ1iXaAB-_1PTTatSnt5v6TXhOVJbvytC0azB5cko/s1600/new+dominos+delivery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgut0y67Sd563q9n1ZhuWOmi78K71CPglCAauPn0jXKVZe6Lr9KBXjdMZFukFpoMH2ovtcdCjP0wdkGkJ-A4LxXnRU5KmFA_9WLzJ1iXaAB-_1PTTatSnt5v6TXhOVJbvytC0azB5cko/s320/new+dominos+delivery.jpg" width="320" /></a>I thought of him recently when I read <a href="http://www.mlive.com/business/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2015/10/dominos_unveils_vehicle_design.html">this article</a> in the Sunday paper.<br />
George taught me that when a dealer takes delivery of a new car, two invoices are sent from the factory: one to the dealership, the other to the financial institution that carried the dealership's "floor plan". The financial institution would pay the factory and the dealership would pay the institution interest payments every month until the day the car sold, at which point they would pay off the original invoice.<br />
Usually the financial company also handled loans for the new and used cars we sold but we weren't under any obligation to push their financing over any other bank or loan company.<br />
It's a good thing too. An unusual feature that our <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAIscT9FMFr4wqOvXzIkGYoapn55ao21JLMFq6DSd8rv-12VT_ro0E-xE5GVWBdS-nLWzBXuIDNrrhRzV9AhKAD1pqmE0n1uf2kwAmmP-xZiyf9jC1Mm1vL2TTWIdqXVug02o3TO1TGY/s1600/68-AMC-Javelin_num3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAIscT9FMFr4wqOvXzIkGYoapn55ao21JLMFq6DSd8rv-12VT_ro0E-xE5GVWBdS-nLWzBXuIDNrrhRzV9AhKAD1pqmE0n1uf2kwAmmP-xZiyf9jC1Mm1vL2TTWIdqXVug02o3TO1TGY/s320/68-AMC-Javelin_num3.jpg" width="320" /></a>financial institution, Commercial Credit, saddled us with was that if our customer financed their new car through them and the loan went bad, the car would be repossessed and our dealership would get it back to sell again for the balance owed.<br />
And trust me, repossessed cars are not cream puffs ready to be put on the lot for sale. Most often the cost of repairs exceeded the amount owed to Commercial Credit.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPRqjMD2zTwNX8T9_ZTi_kzl9zL_ZoAmLJBY8PuITn00u2wyKli0_yZo7navZiccxMR8tPgRxM4qfoea1-OqpY8njdM4-PSdlCRRGFEmmDCNe7ftHERqHAU81YGXwpXuoFMjVe1qDqnPg/s1600/Dominos+Javelin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPRqjMD2zTwNX8T9_ZTi_kzl9zL_ZoAmLJBY8PuITn00u2wyKli0_yZo7navZiccxMR8tPgRxM4qfoea1-OqpY8njdM4-PSdlCRRGFEmmDCNe7ftHERqHAU81YGXwpXuoFMjVe1qDqnPg/s320/Dominos+Javelin.jpg" width="320" /></a>A couple of years before I started selling there, Tom Monaghan , the founder of Domino's Pizza, was trying to build up his business with fast, free delivery. Someone convinced him that the red, white, and blue Javelins AMC was making were just the eye catching type of car that would make Domino's "fast" delivery memorable, patterned as they were after Javelin's Trans-Am racers.<br />
So he bought a whole slew of them. They were seen all over Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor racing around with vinyl bags on the seat packed with boxes of steaming pizza.<br />
But the Javelins didn't hold up well with the fleet of barely post pubescent drivers and as the cars ran out of warranty, Monaghan ran out of patience and quit paying for them.<br />
One by one the Javelins disappeared from the streets until finally there were none.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Dla7b1Y3zxeYVf0xhEBr9nuj47EtdnjLhFoBLBiv7E3XMQBLkYa1O4FRhc76Zn0T8t1RfUOOwKJKY8Xil6llnyHBkUzErth8MJZ32m0w4qGTTDnf551Jj2K6P73rJ9vWTIXXM1hEwbQ/s1600/Dominos+motorcycles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Dla7b1Y3zxeYVf0xhEBr9nuj47EtdnjLhFoBLBiv7E3XMQBLkYa1O4FRhc76Zn0T8t1RfUOOwKJKY8Xil6llnyHBkUzErth8MJZ32m0w4qGTTDnf551Jj2K6P73rJ9vWTIXXM1hEwbQ/s200/Dominos+motorcycles.jpg" width="200" /></a>Fortunately for our dealership, Monaghan had used Dominos' bank for the car loans so our dealership wasn't strapped with a couple of dozen pooped out, dented up Javelins.<br />
Reading about Domino's "new" delivery car made me smile...and wonder who's financing them.<br />
In other countries Domino's uses less expensive delivery vehicles. That's probably best for everyone.<br />
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<br />Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04564681831056648892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3887867958129653937.post-64828339765614308392015-10-28T14:37:00.000-07:002015-10-28T14:37:38.990-07:00Selling the Cadillac Image
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ever since I saw a Chevrolet ad in the mid 1960s of a Chevy Impala driving slowly on the waterways of Venice I thought automobile advertising was the most original in the world. These Cadillac ads don't sell a car, they sell an image.</span></div>
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<span class="caption">Posted: 10.26.2015</span> <br /><div id="subpage">
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<span class="titleblk"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cadillac: Standard of world advertising from 1930s-1970s</b></span><br />By: Robert Tate, Automotive Historian/Researcher<br />Images courtesy of Robert Tate's collection
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</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>The Cadillac name plate belongs to a
distinguished and honorable luxury car brand that many automotive
historians and consumers have enjoyed for a very long time.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Cadillac enthusiasts have always
highlighted a proud history of great and popular automobile designs.
Over many years, Cadillac has compiled a unique and interesting history
of engineering and styling innovations that have created a loyal
consumer base.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>During the early days when the
Cadillac Motor Car company was getting started in Detroit in 1903, this
automotive journey would start Cadillac's great success and heritage for
the history books and for the future.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>This story is about the legendary
advertisements that Cadillac had introduced from the 1930s to 1970s and
later how the Cadillac automobile was promoted for the consumer market.</span></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>During the fall, magazines are a
showcase for new and exciting vehicles. They show images and
descriptions of your new vehicle into nearly every American household to
be looked and studied, reviewed and talked about and compared.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Shortly after the Cadillac Motor Car
Co. was founded, the decade following (1920 to 1930) witnessed some of
the the greatest developments in Cadillac’s Motor Car history with its
great eye catching automotive designs.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>During World War II, Cadillac did not
focus on needed advertising but did feature great artistic work from the
great Thomas Cleland, who illustrated some of the most beautiful
automotive prints in the world. It was also during this time period,
that the 1927 Cadillac La Salle became the first automobile designed
completely by the late Harley Earl.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Cadillac advertising in the early half
of the 1930s continued in the pattern of simplicity and elegance. The
1938 Cadillac model was introduced as a practical motor car that
featured advanced styling.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>After the war had ended, Cadillac
continued to focus their advertising campaign on the consumers
highlighting style and elegance. In 1948, Cadillac introduced the first
fin, which the advertising community highlighted within their great
advertising campaigns, “Cadillac presents the new standard of the
world.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>Another important factor in
advertising after the war was television. This would change the playing
field for marketing and selling automobiles.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span><i>1950s bring changes to Cadillac marketing, relationship with Boulevard Photographic</i></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>The 1950s brought more glamour,
fashion and women buyers into purchasing new Cadillac vehicles. In 1956,
Cadillac offered new colors that attracted more women buyers to the
dealerships such as Princess Green, Duchess Green and Mountain Laurel,
which was a very soft pink color along with Taupe. These were all
popular colors manufactured for Cadillac in 1956.</span></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>The years, 1953 to 1962, Cadillac
advertised more female designers and fashion trends than any other car
manufacturer in the United States. The year 1959, was also the year that
the Cadillac tailfin rose to new heights in design.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>The advertising featured many
beautiful women along with the slogan “Take a lovely lady, place her at
the wheel of a new Cadillac car and you have a delightful picture
indeed.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>The 1960s to 1970s was a decade of
change. Cadillac still held on to its great symbol of design, the 1963
and 1964 models were great looking automobiles and the advertising theme
was “Sometimes when a man steps away from his Cadillac, he'll steal a
glance back at the car in his life.”</span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>One of the most recognized Cadillac
advertising images popular among historians and collectors would be the
print for the 1967 Fleetwood Eldorado (see image below). The headline
stated, “Only one car can make a Cadillac owner look twice.” The
advertising featured a man looking outside of his car window observing a
1967 Eldorado, and this became the most talked about and classic
Cadillac advertising among historians even today.</span></span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>During the 1950s to 1970s, Cadillac
automobiles were photographed by one of the best advertising agencies in
the world in Boulevard Photographic.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>In the mid-1950s, talented
photographers Jimmy Northmore and Mickey MeGuire launched Boulevard
Photographic to service Detroit's auto industry. They set about proving
the power of automotive photography that was used to bring consumers
into the showrooms to purchase new Cadillac automobiles. Boulevard
Photographic was considered the best in the automotive industry.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span>In conclusion, Cadillac has always had
a rich heritage along with many great milestones throughout its
history. Cadillac advertising will always be a great part of our
automotive history and heritage for generations to come.<br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><center>
<span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.motorcities.org/resources/img/file-20151026162245.jpg" /></span></center>
<hr />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12px;">A special
thanks to Robert Tate, Automotive Historian and Researcher, for
contributing the story to the MotorCities Story of the Week program.
Photographs are courtesy of Robert Tate's personal collection.
(Bibliography: Mc Call M.P Walter. “80 Years Of Cadillac La Salle,”
Crestline Publishing 1988; Hendry D. Maurice/Editors of Automobile
Quarterly “Cadillac standard of the world The Complete history,” 1979;
Williams, Jim. “Boulevard Photographic The art of automobile
advertising,” 1997 )</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12px;">For
further information on photos please visit
http://www.detroitpubliclibrary.org/ or email
nahc@detroitpubliclibrary.org. Please do not republish the story and/or
photographs without permission of MotorCities National Heritage Area.<br />
<br />
If you would like to contribute an article for the MotorCities
newsletter, email Communications Coordinator Austen Smith at
asmith@motorcities.org </span></div>
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Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04564681831056648892noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3887867958129653937.post-36595009471464722702015-09-02T16:31:00.001-07:002015-09-02T17:07:47.653-07:00Working the Line at PontiacI worked in the Engine Plant (Plant 9) the summer of 1967. We built the 326 c.i. engine until July when they changed the line over to the 350 c.i. engine. I was in the inspection department and did a lot of jobs on a lot of shifts. More on that later. This is a brief overview of that industrial complex which has vanished from the landscape.<br />
<br />
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<h2>
<span class="titleblk">The Early Days of Pontiac Labor/Assembly Lines </span></h2>
</div>
<span class="titleblk"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="titleblk">By: Robert Tate, Automotive Historian/Researcher </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="titleblk"> Images: Courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection </span></div>
<h4>
<span class="titleblk"></span>
</h4>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
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<td align="left" class="pagecopy" colspan="2" style="padding: 20px 0 20px 0;" valign="top"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The
Oakland Motor Car Company was organized in 1907. Later, they began
manufacturing Pontiac automobiles for the consumer market. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In
January, 1926, the first Pontiac vehicle was manufactured for the auto
industry. It was created to fill the gap between the Chevrolet and the
Oldsmobile production vehicles. The company name was changed to Pontiac
Motor Company in 1931-32 when Pontiac took over all production
facilities. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"></span><br />
<center>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">
<img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.motorcities.org/resources/img/file-20150902094227.jpg" height="428" width="542" /></span></center>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: 10px;">Final Inspection on 1939 Pontiac</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">At
a cost of $15 million, the Pontiac manufacturing facility was located
on 135 acres. The plant was known as the daylight plant because of the
amount of glass used in the construction. This facility in Michigan was
one of the homes for Pontiac until it was closed in later years. It was
a modern production facility where many of the men and women were
highly trained and skilled craftsmen that always accomplished great
quality results as they assembled Pontiac automobiles. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">For
example, the men and women would work within the factory at Pontiac
with over 150 powerful Pontiac engines from aluminum pistons to
crankshafts along with connecting rod and pistons that could be produced
in one single hour.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Other
Pontiac assembly line responsibilities included giant presses that were
capable of exerting pressures up to 2,500 tons which were used in
stamping out fenders, hoods, bumpers and other manufactured parts for
the assembly line workers. Pontiac workers also had to work with small
parts for assembly line production. The small parts sometimes were
supplied by outside firms that had to be constantly checked to insure an
adequate stock at all times. The lack of one tiny part could cause the
entire assembly operation to be suspended until the part was restocked. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"></span><br />
<center>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">
<img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.motorcities.org/resources/img/file-20150902094316.jpg" height="425" width="538" /></span></center>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: 10px;">1958 Pontica Body Drop</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Pontiac
factory workers also participated during the war time efforts as well.
After the last vehicle rolled off the Pontiac assembly line, the Pontiac
factory workers began to take a part mile after mile of overhead
conveyors. Huge machines were then torn from concrete areas by Pontiac
factory workers and placed into storage yards. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Workers
with drills would cut gaping holes in the floors to set a foundation
for heavier machinery that was needed for Tank and plane production
manufacturing. Word had come from Washington that all existing war
plants were to be enlarged. One of the Pontiac Motors war production
assignments was the manufacture of the Bofors 40 mm field gun along with
parts for tanks for the U.S. Army and high-volume production of
aircraft-launched naval torpedoes along with other parts as well. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">After
the war had ended, post-war Pontiac models began their manufacturing
process on Sept. 13, 1945. However, the full line of 1946 Pontiac models
did not appear until June 10, 1946, due in part to the United Auto
Workers Union striking General Motors on Nov. 21, 1945. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"></span><br />
<center>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">
<img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.motorcities.org/resources/img/file-20150902094356.jpg" /></span></center>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: 10px;">1965 Factory Worker Striping the GTO</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">One
of the first factory workers that started with the Oakland Motor Car
Company was Charles J. Long, who had been with Oakland/Pontiac assembly
since 1919. He worked as a foreman, tool trouble-shooter and on special
assignments and was considered a great factory worker and was very much a
part of Pontiac manufacturing assembly line operations for many years.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">To
all the men and women, including Charles Long, who were a part of our
great automotive heritage and its great labor movement, who helped to
build and shape Pontiac automobiles on the assembly line; honor is
given.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"></span><br />
<center>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">
<img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.motorcities.org/resources/img/file-20150902094439.jpg" height="340" width="543" /></span></center>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: 10px;">1966 GTO on Production Line</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Pontiac
sales continued to increase during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1959,
Pontiac Motor Division had to hire over 3,000 factory line workers along
with adding an extra factory shifts just to keep up with factory sales
for the consumer market demanding over 217,303 Pontiac models. On March
14, 1962, General Motors celebrated its 75 millionth vehicle. This
special milestone in Pontiac’s history was a joyful occasion for many
Pontiac workers. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">As
the 1960's moved forward Pontiac began manufacturing the popular G.T.O
models along with the first generation Fire-birds, and the popular Grand
Prix models as well. The assembly line workers became very busy
manufacturing Pontiac's for the high demand throughout the 1960's and
the early 1970’s. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"></span><br />
<center>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">
<img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.motorcities.org/resources/img/file-20150902094547.jpg" height="370" width="586" /></span></center>
<span style="font-size: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: 10px;">1970 Pontiac Grand Prix Assembly Line</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">By the time General Motors celebrated its 75<sup>th</sup>
Anniversary, technology, robots and lasers were a part of the Pontiac
assembly line process featuring scanners that could verify dimensions of
openings in car bodies or even check dimensions of a windshield. It was
the beginning of the new age technology and computers being featured
within the work place at Pontiac Motor assembly. Today many of the
Pontiac manufacturing plants and processes are no longer with us.
However, the great men and women and their families who contributed to
the legacy of assembly line workmanship will always have a special place
in automotive history.</span></span><span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<hr />
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">A
special thanks to Robert Tate, Automotive Historian and Researcher, for
donating the story to the MotorCities Story of the Week program.
Photographs are courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection.
(Bibliography: Gunnell John. “75 Years Of Pontiac Oakland” Crestline
Publishing 1982. GM Folkes No. 2 February 1940. Published by Public
Relations General Motors News.)</span></span></div>
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center; text-autospace: ideograph-other;">
<span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
For further information on photos please visit
http://www.detroitpubliclibrary.org/ or email
nahc@detroitpubliclibrary.org. Please do not republish the story and/or
photographs without permission of MotorCities National Heritage Area.</span></span></div>
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 170px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="3" style="border-left: 1px solid #006699; border-right: 1px solid #006699;" width="170"></td></tr>
<tr bgcolor="#006699" valign="bottom"><td rowspan="2"></td><td bgcolor="#ffffff" height="8" width="152"><br /></td><td align="right" rowspan="2"><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td bgcolor="#006699" width="152"><br /></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<hr align="left" class="hr" />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
<div id="modules">
<div align="center">
<div align="center" id="ctct_button_footer" style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">
trust.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="footersub">
<br />
<div id="address">
MotorCities National Heritage Area<br />
200 Renaissance Center, Suite 3148, Detroit, MI 48243<br />
Phone: 313.259.3425 | Fax: 313.259.5254</div>
<div id="socialnetwork">
<img border="0" src="http://www.motorcities.org/imagesmc/sociallinks.gif" height="70" usemap="#sociallinks_Map" width="700" /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<map name="sociallinks_Map">
</map>
<map name="foundingpartners_Map">
</map>
Waynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04564681831056648892noreply@blogger.com0