Okay so Rodney took our Ute over to the sandblaster on Saturday and a new guy was there who we knew from panel beating, and doing up our F700 truck in 2003, is now working at the sandblaster…

He did his apprenticeship at Paigewood in 1975-76 and worked on the assembly line, his father worked on the Ute and van line and got him the job there, I think he worked more in the panel beating a spray painting area. He said there were a lot of cars which were dented during manufacturer and had to be repaired before they left the factory. In a short conversation one of the most interesting things he asked Rodney did he know what a panel van was made out of? He didn’t know what he meant so he said no “not sure”, He went on to say that “on the assembly line because the presses were a little worn, and if the doors didn’t shut properly on a ute, or the back of the ute was out of shape in some way, or other, had any defect in that roof, or door area, some bloke had the job along the assembly line to inspect these, and if he found these defects he would blow a whistle, and as soon as they hear this whistle four of five guys would come and move the ute off the ute line, and onto the panel van line, because you had more opportunity to panel beat, fill adjust etc” Rodney said he we would like to have a long chat to him one day…he lives in Forbes. The build sheets appeared to be changed as they went down the assembly line. We will update when we next talk to him