Fwd: <VV> Re: Porsche/Corvair Engine Casting

[kaczmarek at charter.net]

Folks
I thought we had the casting part put to bed earlier this year. 
Casting WAS NOT done at Tonawanda. The Communique had a complete article on this some years ago. All aluminum casting for the Vair was done at the Reynolds plant in Messina, NY--in Northern NY near the Quebec border. This plant was located about 400 miles from the Tonawanda complex, which is as far west in NY as one can go (Buffalo), without going into the river or into Canada. 

Tonawanda has a large Foundry (Plant 1), now known as New Departure Hyatt. Aluminum was never cast there in the 60's, cast iron blocks only. 

I have this information from former foundry employees who lived all around me, and many who were still working there when I did in 1974. 

Hank Kaczmarek
UAW 774 (74-75)
Tonawanda Engine Complex


> Since we're on the engine casting side now--I know of no Porsche engine 
> casting connection, but I believe GM did license the Renault vacuum casting system 
> used at Tonawanda.  It allowed the use of reusable molds for the aluminum 
> parts (I'm sure the cast iron parts used reusable molds as well--this was a Chevy 
> and not a Porsche).
> 
> Bob Hall
> Group Corvair
> 
>