What old Stude employees can tell you isn't in books
Our chapter had its regular monthly meeting on Sunday. One neat thing about Hamilton Chapter meetings - and Michiana Chapter meetings too, l think - is that former Studebaker employees often attend.
l had the privilege of having lunch beside one gentleman who was in a position higher than assembler ( for example, he and plant manager Bill Moeser took out the new model year cars on shake-down drives).
He mentioned that during the last days of the plant, the employees were not allowed to bring in cameras to take pictures of the cars coming off of the line. Was there a similar request at the South Bend closing? l haven't seen "home pictures" of that either. Were there any cameras smuggled in and do pictures exist?
This one is funny! This same gent said that after January 1st, 1964,when the South Bend foundery was still supplying engines to Hamillton, some engines would come in occasionally with "obscene" serial numbers. Apparently there was a disgruntled employee in SB (who of course knew he was losing his job anyway) using more than just numbers out of the punch set! The "graffiti" had to be ground off of the block in Hamilton and re-punched before the engines got into any cars! lol
l had the privilege of having lunch beside one gentleman who was in a position higher than assembler ( for example, he and plant manager Bill Moeser took out the new model year cars on shake-down drives).
He mentioned that during the last days of the plant, the employees were not allowed to bring in cameras to take pictures of the cars coming off of the line. Was there a similar request at the South Bend closing? l haven't seen "home pictures" of that either. Were there any cameras smuggled in and do pictures exist?
This one is funny! This same gent said that after January 1st, 1964,when the South Bend foundery was still supplying engines to Hamillton, some engines would come in occasionally with "obscene" serial numbers. Apparently there was a disgruntled employee in SB (who of course knew he was losing his job anyway) using more than just numbers out of the punch set! The "graffiti" had to be ground off of the block in Hamilton and re-punched before the engines got into any cars! lol
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