Visit To Wixom

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Just got back from a visit to Wixom. It was really good. Only downer, did not get to see my car
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It was in the holding area between paint and trim. However, just to know that it was in the que and actively being worked on was enough. They expected it to be into trim either later that day (Friday 11/30) or Monday. Likely to be finished and to shipping on next Wednesday.

Our tour person, David Davis, was really helpful and he made it very interesting. We got to see the cars at all the various stages following paint. And they do work in color batches. There were a predominance of black and red ones on the floor whereas Davis told us that the previous day had been predominantly white. There were a few white (my color) in final assembly. Also saw a blue with a "performance white" top, which I had not seen before. There was one without the small "parking" lights in front, which usually meant a car for Canada. I guess those are really running lights, and are on all the time the car is running. Also saw a red with no hard top and the painted wheels. I guess that was the basic model, no premium.

Discussed the heating problem with him, that was apparently a "stacked tolarence" problem which was fixed by tightening up on the tolarences. Also may have been some laxity by a supplier. The 2003 will have an electric rather than hydraulic operated fan, but that plan was in place long before the heating problem showed up.

Mr. Davis made some suggestions concerning the hard top.

1. Be careful removing the top, don't allow the alignment pegs (which are rather long) drag on the body as you move the top over the back of the car.

2. Do use the wax sent with the car to wax that area where the gaskets under then top meet the paint. I believe that discussion is in the owners manual.

Two things were especially interesting to me. They had a car with body metal and plastic cut-out to see some interior parts. This was used initially to train workers in mounting various sub-assemblies. You could see where all those speakers were and it was impressive. The other was seeing the engine/driveshaft/wheels assemble on the conveyer, and seeing the "unitized" body coming down from overhead to be bolted on.

DFW TBird ---

Your car (106496) was on the line, in Trim. That is, it had just gotten out of the holding area following paint. (I was not sure which black one it was, since was not able to confirm which area it was in until after the tour.) Your car has a rotation number of 6317. That means that it is the 6317th 2002 Thunderbird to be built.

Your car is several hours to a day ahead of mine, so I would expect it to be at shipping by next Tuesday, Dec. 4.

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VIN 106587 White, White
 
Bot

I was hoping that your tour wasn't a dissapoitment
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and from the sound of it- you were satisfied. I wish you could have seen your bird though.
 
WixomPooh,

Thanks for the thought. I knew when I went there were no garantees about seeing my car. It was due the information from JodRod's database that I was able to time it as close as I did. I had figured out that it should be the latter part of last week and that was correct. The following Monday would have been just right but I couldn't travel then anyway.

My oldest son, who is a mechanical engineer and a car nut, was with me and we had a great time. He was especially intrigued with the production issues.

I was sorry we did not get to the paint section. I gather that is not on the tours.

One other thing the trip did for me is to confirm my choises of color and trim. All the colors really look good, but for my own personal tastes I am really satisfied with my selection.

Thanks again for your thought and also all those beautiful T Birds.

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VIN 106587 White, White
 
I toured Wixom on Thursday, and you're absolutely right about Dave Davis--he's a heck of a nice guy, and very helpful. I was lucky enough to get to see my car on the line, and talk to the workers who were putting it together. I even asked Christopher in the "Dash and Steering Wheel" section to autograph one of the information sheets that hangs from the glove box door. All of the Ford employees were very nice and excited to see a customer so thrilled about their own car. One asked me what I would change about the car. I told him the visors should be upgraded and the key should have a TBird on it. I don't like the look of the speaker placement on the lower center console, either. One of the workers said he wanted to see an aftermarket continental kit for the car. I told him I was a big fan of continental kits since I have a 56 TBird, but I don't think I would like the look on the 02 Bird.
According to Dave, my car should have come off the line late Friday, and will hopefully be shipped this coming week. The Ford computer says delivery week of 12/17, but I might get lucky and have it earlier than that. I took several pictures from outside the fence, and I'll get them to Dot.
Like I said elsewhere, mine is TBird Blue #6160, but yellow #6318 was already wrapped and ready for shipping. Go figure.
Hugh
 
56Birdman---

I agree with you about the continental kit. I like it on my' '56 also, but would not go with the '02, I think. After all, the 56 had its own retro look. Go to the Henry Ford Museum and look at the early 50's Lincoln Continental. Look especially at the shape and contour of the roof of that car and then go over and look at the white '56 Bird on the floor. The '56 looks back at the continental and the exposed spare tire fits right in. The '02 looks back at the '55-'57 but not in that way.

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VIN 106587 White, White
 
Botnew56 or 56 Birdman

Did you happen to see what VINs were at the end of the line, hoping #6794 was in that group of red ones

Thanks
Rick Paul
 
Rick --

I did not see any of the vins, though I did take a look in final assemble as I was curious about where they were. However, they always (as far as I could see) place the build sheet on the dashboard over the VIN. Our guide seemed a bit uncomfortable with me looking at the build sheet, so I refrained.

However, they are are building about 12 per hour. Ignoring the color batching, basing just on vin, that would put your car about about seventeen hours behind, so I would estimate yours going to shipping early next friday.

There are things which affect finishing a car. For example the front fascia is a plastic piece which comes into the plant pre-painted by the supplier. They can run low on a particular color, or even have some rejected, which would make them short on that color and cause a brief delay in that particular color. When I was there, they were low on the white fascia. That could have just been because no white were coming through that day. I just hope they got more in before today.

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VIN 106587 White, White
 
Bot

It is my understanding that they do not bring the tours into paint- guess they are afraid of contamination. We have a long list of perfumes, lotions, deodorant, etc. that we are not suppose to wear. We also have special uniforms that we wear.
 
How do you go about scheduling a tour at Wixom? Once I get my VIN, I'd like to try to coordinate a visit. It sounds like an exciting experience.

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Blue/Blue Premium '02 (Waiting sort of patiently)
Yellow '76
 
Tip --

Call Dave Davis at the Wixom plant at 248-344-5359. Typically you will get his answering machine but he was very good about returning his calls.

When you first get your vin he will not likely have any info. In my case he did not get any paper work on my car until the week before build. Using JodRod's database, I had decided before that when it was likely to be built and planned accordingly. I presume if you waited until the last minute you might get closer. They cannot promise that you can see your car. I was close (see above), but missed by a few hours. It was still a good visit.

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VIN 106587 White, White
 
BotNew56
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I can't thank you enough for the phone call. It really made my weekend.
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I lost my internet connection all weekend and was unable until tonight to get on line.
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I've lost all my bookmarks and have to rebuild. Luckily I still had this one in history.
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Bob - 106496

 
BotNew56,

Thanks for the info. Luckily for me, I only live 2 hours from Wixom and can be flexible with my schedule. Maybe I'll get lucky and actually see mine on the line!

Tip

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Blue/Blue Premium '02 (Waiting sort of patiently)
Yellow '76
 
BotNew56,

Noticed you have a white bird coming (VIN 106587). We also have a white one coming (VIN 106621), about 35 #s behind you. Today the 800 # reported that our car had been produced as of 12/3 with an ETA of 12/17. Our dealer also called and said he had received the paperwork and that usually the cars arrive about ten days later. Looks like a Merry Christmas.

Maybe this will give others who are waiting an idea where they stand in the delivery pattern.
 
BornAgain,

Thanks for the info. As I result I just checked again and got the same status. I am thinking it might come in next week as some have come in earlier than ETA.

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VIN 106587 White, White
 
Considering a trip to Wixom. How long should I plan on the actual plant tour to take?

Also, do they permit cameras? Still photos or video??

Thanks.

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blue/blue/full blue/premium on order: 10 of 18
 
The tour was scheduled for an hour and one-half, we were there slightly longer than that, perhaps additional 15 minutes.

Cameras were allowed, sort of. If you take a picture which includes a recognizable worker, you have to ask the worker if he/she minds having their picture made. Also, you have to agree that the pictures are for your own use, must not put them on the web, for example. I did not ask about video, that might be difficult. I found that with the time allowed, all there was to see and the above restrictions, it wasn't practical to take a lot of pictures. However, I did take about 10-12 and am looking forward to see them developed.

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VIN 106587 White, White

 
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