stapboy

maybe they Crammed a HEMI into it...?

if it was a "new" TC it would have had Michigan Manufacturer Plates... The TC, as stated... is INTENDED to come to STAP, always has been just an idea Our Maint folk up front have to put together the costs of how much it will be to impliment the TC and Dearborn will make the decision from there. (it will not be as cheap as everyone thinks) if the TC doesn't come to STAP its going to the Graveyard, it just may cost too much $$ to bring it here

Months ago one of the Tool and Die folk in the Blue Buck was tasked to see if that engine WOULD fit into our vehicle without modification. My guess is that the Engine WAS to be test-Fit into one of our PI's after our Tool and Die brother made his determination Wether or not it fit? I am not privy to such information (one of our PVT Engineer's told me that the 3V was being shelved so one of the reasons could have been that it didn't fit, only speculation but I figure if it doesn't fit Ford didn't want to invest more $$ in the Sheet metal)

well.. Ok the CV is Mechanically reliable (or at least it was before Rack & Peanut steering in 2003) Electrical problems are due to harnesses from Delphi that I like to hope they've fixed by now (the main ones I've heard of) And you hit a Point dead on when you say Any Part fits any Car no matter the age, and this is I think a big reason why Ford HASN'T done all that much. You take out a CVPI and need to replace some body panels? Easy enough to find... They can use the ones they've been stockpiling for 10 years and don't have to worry about having 3 sets of everything for the 3 different Models of Police Car. Ford has SOME sort of clue when it comes to building the Police cars... I think they've done a lot of number crunching and studies on it... Yes, Cops want a bigger faster engine but... do the people who pay the bills want to pay for it? (I don't know the answer to this question) I'd also be interested in seeing just what the percentage of HEMI's are being sold as Police Cars

jeez if we'd known you were putting Flowmasters etc.. in we could have taken care of that for you BEFORE the Body got dropped onto the frame or maybe even found an old set of Marauder Pipes I'm glad our boys took care of you, I would have loved to do something special for it but, I'm in the Trades so alls I could do was make sure none of our fixtures ripped it apart Post Pics soon! (maybe an Audio Clip too)

the 4.6 3V was going in and was Chopped out just as our PVT team was gearing up to figure out how to fit it into things (subject to change, of course) they'd even gotten to the point where they shipped at 4.6 3V to the plant to transplant it into the car to see if they would have to redesign the hood (Maybe it didn't fit and thats why it was chopped) Ford does listen to their lil Police Buddies, one of the few customers they do care about it seems. Its been tough love, what with the Explosion lawsuits, and Ford telling cops "If you are going to sue us for our Police cars then you can't have 'em" (which, I must say was lil Willie Ford Jr's BEST move ever) Ford cannot afford to lose the PI, In My opinion they are better for Brand Recognition than any other vehicle (F-150 included) EVERYONE thinks Cop, Ford Crown Vic, indestructable car. Impala? POS Squeally tiny Cop-Car reproduction.... Charger? Looks Good! HEMI... thats about all the Charger has going for it. The Charger is selling to Cop markets simply because its Not the Crown Vic, its something new and it doesn't have any bad press (Yet) The same way the Impala Cop Car sold so well, at first...

They Can't be doing THAT bad... hehe all kidding aside... there was a time not too long ago when things were under control, people would bring out the TV's for watching the Playoffs or whatever, Everyone was happy and quality didn't suffer Now everyone has TV's linked up to DVD players with Pirated DVD's with Linked Cordless Headphones and playstations The younger crowd have taken the TV thing and run with it to the point where Quality IS becoming an Issue... The First of the Cable cuts were to the Tranny Deckers because the WARRANTY guy from Dearborn wondered why there were so many Tranny warranty issues, he apparently came to investigate and saw just why things were as they were (how true this is I don't know, but its what my Boss told me, and he's the one who tells us to Cut da Cable) Nothing wrong with having a TV and doing your job (Just like the old days where there was nothing wrong with being drunk and stoned out of your mind as long as the cars were being built) a Happy worker is a Busy worker...

The Real Kick in the Nuts is that those Convoy's of Chargers drive right by the plant and park next-door at the truck-stop so the driver can get a bite to eat... BUT... the saving grace is that yes, Charger is pretty and has potential HEMI but... nothing beats the Crown-Vic for reliability, comfort and space. Sure Cops want to look good but when you're on your ass for an 8 hours shift? Whats your preference? I'll take a Ugly (well... lets say not wholly attractive) Woman who can like a Mynx rather than a Gorgeous creature who just can't ... OK bad analogy

I know I'm veering off topic here from where the thread was heading but... Quality means nothing these days in a Plant. GM's Oshawa plants in Ontario were JD Power #1 and #2, it was announced that Plant #2 (can't remember if it was JD #1 or 2) was axed when GM's lil axing took place. I think they're safe now (don't quote me) but it just shows, In this Industry quality means Nuffin' (or rather, in the formerly known as "Big 3" 's eyes)

STAP is down from the 30th of October and won't start back up until the 20th of November No word on whats happening in December (of course we're down right now for 2 weeks so that could all have changed)

Power Drops and Cable is only cut from those areas who send an ass-load of repairs "The Man" is watching (either that or there's some people out there who got pissed off who shouldn't have been)

I'm getting a little tired of hearing the whining about UAW Ford workers not getting the same buyout as the UAW GM Workers. Same union? Yes.... Same Company? NO You work for Ford, not GM. Maybe GM can afford $140K... perhaps being the worlds #1 Automaker puts more cash in their wallet. We're #3. Do the Math. Ford is going to cut those Jobs no matter what, and they'd be tickled pink if no one takes the buyouts... why? Then they can lay people off 20 years before they can collect their pension... I'm sure Ford is DREADing having to do that (now I have to admit I know nothing about the GEN so I could be wrong on this account) You are also getting a buyout EVEN IF YOUR PLANT IS NOT CLOSING. If you don't want to take the buyout? Don't take the buyout. Think you can find something better to do with your life than slap parts on a car 500 times a day? Take the buyout, take a cruise, pay off your mortgage finish school (or start) get a new job and move on. Ford is NOT your life. Ford is not your Mother, Ford Owes you NOTHING but the paycheque they've been giving you for the past X number of years. At least you GET a buyout... What do I get next year when STAP loses a shift? A Year of SUB and unemployment.

oh yeah... I'm a day ahead of myself I still stand with my ... 15 minutes from now leak Tommorrow is just Donut and Coffee day

which means it'll be leaked in about 30 minutes

Also missing the fact STAP is situated on 635 acres... 120 miles(ish) from Detroit and sitting on a Major Rail Corridor (St.Thomas is considered the Rail Capitol of the NA or Canada... though thats more of a "Good Old Days" kinda thing) its also only 15 or so minutes from the Port of Port Stanley (One of the Magna Plants in the City recently brought in the World's Largest Ramp Press (Ram? World's? NA's? I never know)) through this port Which means? Land Doesn't matter, proximity to Detroit Doesn't matter, Age Doesn't matter (being one of the Newer Ford Plants), Heck Flexibility doesn't matter (Used to build the Escort and the CV at the same time and we havn't had a Major Re-tool since (being as they havn't really touched our car...) we're just as much on the chopping Block as anyone else... BUT... we do have a habit of building cars that blow-up on rear-end Collision