A Terrific Wixom Plant Tour | Ford Thunderbird forum club group 1955-2005 models
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A Terrific Wixom Plant Tour

  • Thread starter Thread starter joelja
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Yesterday, DavidA and I took the Wixom tour.
What a great day, despite the snow flurries and 15 degree temp. Do people actually live up North voluntarily?

We stayed at the Baymont Motel across the street from the plant. We started by driving down the road about a quarter mile from the main gate, as was suggested in a much earlier thread. There we were able to see a parking lot where they were loading the cars, TBirds and Lincolns, on railcars.
We then went into the plant and were greeted by Dave Davis ( 248-344-5359), a 31 year Ford employee who is now retired and conducting these tours parttime. A terrific guy and very helpful and knowleagable.

The plant opened in July , 1957 and started building 1958 TBirds and Lincolns. They built TBirds in Wixom through 1976. This plant has built over 6 million cars in total to date.

The actual tour takes one and one half hours and is fascinating. The plant is amazingly quiet and clean. The workers seemed very friendly and took great pride in their work.
The process of assembly is fascinating to see. To see hundreds of these gorgeous cars in different states of build was incredible.

Yesterday, I saw VIN's on the line in the 13,100 range.
They are building 112 per day at the rate of 12 per hour. I don'thave a VIN yet but I am estimating a VIN in the 14,000 range based on being 10 of 18. So I might be 8 days from build. GEEEEEEZ.

With regard to the 2003's, we only learned that the 2003's will have heated seats and supercharger option, which will add ONLY 15HP. Dave Davis knew nothing else about colors, interiors, other options, etc.

It was a great day and I want my friggin' car already.

Thanks a bunch to Dave Davis, WixomPooh, and all the other wonderful people who are building the coolest car in the world, IMHO.



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blue/blue/full blue/premium on order: 10 of 18

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joelja,

Sounds as if you are getting into the hold your breath, sleepless nights time frame.

At least the Atlanta area had some weather to sortakinda condition you for your trip. Glad to hear that all went well.

I wonder what the price differential will be for 15HP? Probably a lot more that the price of a K&N filter.

Thanks for the update on the vin range, my plot shows that they are in the 12,900 range, so it looks like I'm not to very far off.
 
joelja, DavidA, I'm glad you had a great day at Wixom, I hope to do the same tomorrow. I will meet David Davis at 1:00. My car, like yours, blue/blue/full blue/premium is on line now. VIN 12778 became an entity on Monday at the "match point" according to David. It should be in paint today and trim-out on Thursday.
 
charliefed, enjoy the tour. Take pictures...you will be glad you did.

If, for some reason, you have a change of heart and don't want your blue bird, drive it over here to Atlanta, drop it off at my house and I will be more than happy to buy you lunch and a bus ticket back to Sumter.

Seriously, good luck with your car, and hope to see you at some of our Atlant gatherings.

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blue/blue/full blue/premium on order: 10 of 18
 
I don't get the heated seats. I live in the great northland even. But... I really don't see it as a winter car. Oh well, at least not an option I'll miss.

15 HP? How can that be? Why bother.

Jonrod have you gotten a K&N filter already? How does it look, did it make any difference?
 
NG,

On the list to buy, I don't believe they have one ready yet. I have read that they can make a 15 to 20 HP difference.
 
frown.gif
NuttyGambler, I called K&N last week and they don't have one to fit the T-Bird yet. Told me to check back in April.

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02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond
 
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