<VV> Salesman/Tonawanda

[Mark Corbin]

You expect manufacturing plants to "have a sense of history?" Think if
someone made the same request of you on your house. Then imagine how much
effort it would be to document every significant event that has happened in
and to your house. Include documentation and pictures.

That is why industrial plants seldom keep or even document such things.
Only events that will show that they are progressing, growing, etc. and
only because it makes good PR for promoting themselves to potential clients.

I don't blame car makers for such "lack of foresight". But since the auto
IS part of our history, and even MAKES history, it's IS disappointing.
Heck, I'm sorry they destroyed the records of what they built (at least in
the US - the Canadians apparently had more foresight.)

-Mark

> [Original Message]
> From: Gary Swiatowy <gswiatowy at rochester.rr.com>
> Subject: Re: <VV> Salesman/Tonawanda
>
> As a foot note to your story.....
> Years ago, GM fans started an all Chevrolet car show on the grounds of the
> Tonawanda engine plant.
> Inside, employees had assembled a collection of display motors covering
the
> history of the facility.
> It was great!
> (No Corvair motor, but I was assured one was in the works).
> Following year, this display was unavailable for viewing.
> Year after that, I found the display was scattered to the four winds. No
> room, most on display elsewhere.
> No sense of history.
> Then it went from being the Chevrolet Tonawanda Plant, to the GM
Powertrain
> facility.
> Again, no sense of history.
> More, what can we sell you today.
> I have not been to that show since.
> There was a tour there during the 2006 Convention, but there are also
other
> special occasion tours, but the history of the facility is not important
to
> them.
>
> Note: The GM Historical Collection, is not on public display.
> And again, no sense of history, for the enthusiast.
>
> Gary Swiatowy
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
> From: J1M1SH at aol.com
> Subject: Re: <VV> - Kaczmarek
>
> As a footnote to your Tonawanda story.... Drove  through there last
summer, 
> saw the Tonawanda Powertrain Plant and got off the  highway and found my
way
>
> to the gate. I asked the guard if they had tours of the  plant, or a 
> souviener shop. He said no, and kinda implied I should get lost. I  looked
> at him 
> and said the history that has come out of this plant is legendary.  I've 
> owned a bunch of Built in Tonawanda Big Blocks, and I'd be proud to wear
a  
> Tonawanda Powertrain tee shirt, That's whats wrong with todays chevrolet.
> Jim
>